The Barriers to Effective Online Training

Online training can make learning more flexible, accessible and easier to deliver across different locations. But simply moving training online does not mean it will automatically work well.

My research into online training and Irish SMEs explores the barriers organisations experienced when adopting and delivering online training. Some of the challenges were technical, but many were about the learning experience itself.

Four areas stand out in particular: delivering practical training online, communication, workplace distractions and connectivity. The research also highlights some practical ways these barriers can be reduced.

When practical training is difficult to deliver online

One of the strongest findings from the research is the difficulty of replicating some aspects of the physical training environment online.

In the survey, 41% of respondents identified the inability to cater for hands-on training as a barrier. This was also a recurring issue in the interviews.

Some training is relatively straightforward to move online. Other programmes require learners to use equipment, demonstrate physical skills or practise tasks that would normally take place in a workshop, laboratory or other specialist environment.

This creates an obvious challenge. If the practical activity is an important part of the learning, replacing it with an online presentation or demonstration may not provide the same experience.

The question for training providers is therefore not simply whether a programme can be delivered online, but which elements are suitable for online delivery and which require a physical environment.

This is one of the reasons a blended approach can be valuable. Theory, preparation and some activities may work well online, while practical elements can be retained for face-to-face delivery.

Communication is different online

Communication is another significant barrier identified in the research.

A third of survey respondents identified communication in an online environment as a challenge, and communication also emerged strongly from the interviews.

Participants in the research described how the online environment did not always lend itself as naturally to open discussion. Group size and the difficulty of recreating informal interaction were also raised as issues.

This matters because training is not simply about presenting information.

Learners need opportunities to ask questions, contribute to discussions, share experiences and learn from each other. Trainers also need to understand how learners are responding and whether they are engaged with the session.

These interactions can still happen online, but they need to be deliberately designed into the learning experience.

Breakout rooms, questions, polls, discussion activities and opportunities for learners to contribute can all help create a more participative environment. The research also highlights the importance of allowing time for networking and informal interaction rather than focusing entirely on formal course content.

Workplace distractions can affect learning

One of the more interesting findings from the research is the impact of workplace distractions.

Online training makes it possible for learners to participate without travelling to another location. That flexibility is an advantage, but it can also create a problem.

Learners may be attending training while remaining at their normal workstation. Phones may still be ringing, emails continue to arrive, colleagues may need their attention and normal work responsibilities have not necessarily disappeared.

This was specifically identified by interview participants as a barrier to effective participation.

The research recommends that learners should have a suitable place to attend their training and, where possible, be given time away from their normal work demands. Distractions can reduce the quality of the learning experience and undermine some of the benefits that online training is intended to provide.

For organisations, this means treating online training as training time rather than assuming that because someone remains in the workplace they can continue working at the same time.

Broadband and connectivity still matter

Online learning depends on reliable access to technology.

In the survey, 33% of respondents identified broadband connectivity as a challenge. Interestingly, this did not emerge as a significant issue in the interviews, showing that experiences differed between participants.

Having access to broadband is also not necessarily the same as having a connection capable of supporting a good online learning experience.

Live video, audio, screen sharing and other applications can all place demands on a connection, particularly when bandwidth is being shared with other people or systems.

The research therefore highlights the importance of considering not only whether learners have internet access, but whether their connection and equipment are suitable for the type of learning being delivered.

Learners need the right technical skills

Technology should support the learning rather than become another obstacle.

In the survey, 28% of respondents identified a lack of technical ability to participate as a barrier.

The research recommends checking whether learners have the basic technical skills required to participate and whether they are familiar with the learning platform being used.

This does not mean learners need advanced technical knowledge. They do, however, need to be comfortable with the basic tools required to take part.

A learner who is concentrating on how to join a breakout room, find a resource or make their microphone work has less attention available for the learning itself.

Providing clear joining instructions, familiarisation with the platform and appropriate technical support can therefore form an important part of the overall learning experience.

Trainers need different skills too

The same principle applies to trainers.

Delivering training online is not the same as delivering the same material in a classroom through a screen.

The research recommends ensuring that trainers have the skills required to deliver effectively online.

In a classroom, trainers can often read the room, notice when attention is dropping and adjust their delivery naturally. Online, some of those signals are less obvious.

The trainer may therefore need to create more deliberate opportunities for participation and interaction.

This means thinking about how questions, polls, breakout activities, discussion and other forms of participation are built into the session rather than simply presenting content for an extended period.

Group size matters

Moving training online can make it possible to reach more learners, but that does not necessarily mean that live online classes should become larger.

Feedback gathered through the research suggests that smaller groups provide a better online experience. The recommendation is to keep live classes to around 15 learners or fewer where possible.

This is particularly relevant where discussion, interaction and participation are important parts of the programme.

The ability to offer more training online should not automatically lead to larger class sizes. If the group becomes too large for learners to participate meaningfully, some of the advantages of live online learning can be lost.

Session length also needs consideration

The research also highlights the importance of the length of live online sessions.

Participants indicated that sessions should generally not extend beyond 90 minutes, as concentration can fall and workplace distractions can begin to pull learners away from the training.

This does not necessarily mean reducing the amount of learning.

Longer programmes can be designed differently, with live sessions supported by self-directed learning, activities, resources or other forms of learning between sessions.

The important point is to design around how people participate online rather than simply transferring the timetable of a classroom programme into a virtual environment.

Creating a better online learning environment

Taken together, these findings show that the barriers to online training are not simply technology problems.

The learning environment matters.

Learners need appropriate technology and connectivity, but they also need time, space and opportunities to participate.

Trainers need the skills to facilitate learning online rather than simply present information.

Training providers need to consider which elements of a programme are suitable for online delivery, how practical learning will be addressed, how interaction will take place and whether the structure of the programme supports the learner.

The research finds that simply taking what happens in a classroom and translating it into a virtual classroom is not enough. A better approach is to consider what works well online, what can be self-directed and what benefits from people coming together.

Not everything needs to be online

One of the most useful lessons is that the answer does not have to be either classroom training or online training.

Different learning activities have different requirements.

Some content may work very well as self-directed online learning. Live virtual sessions can provide opportunities for discussion, facilitation and collaboration. Practical activities may still be better suited to a physical environment.

The research ultimately identifies blended learning as the preferred direction rather than relying exclusively on either classroom-based or fully online training.

The objective should therefore be to choose the approach that best supports the learner and the learning experience.

What this means for training providers

The barriers identified in the research provide some useful questions for anyone designing or reviewing online training.

Can the practical elements of the programme genuinely be delivered online?

Do learners have enough opportunity to participate, discuss and learn from each other?

Are learners able to attend without being distracted by their normal work?

Do they have suitable connectivity, equipment and the technical skills needed to participate?

Does the trainer have the skills needed to facilitate effectively online?

Is the group small enough for meaningful interaction?

Are live sessions designed around the online environment rather than simply reproducing a classroom timetable?

And would some parts of the programme work better through a blended approach?

Effective online training is not simply about having the right technology. It is about creating the conditions in which learners can participate, interact and learn effectively.

About this research

This article draws on my original research into online training and Irish SMEs. The research examines how Irish SMEs are using online training, the opportunities it creates, the barriers to adoption and its potential to create competitive advantage.

The research included 40 survey responses and seven interviews across a range of sectors.