ReSEARCH Is elearning as effective as classroom learning

This article presents information on e-learning. For many organizations e-learning can be more efficient than classroom training, for example, to deliver content to large geographically dispersed audiences, to personalize content, or to give access to just-in-time information during job performance. Yet despite these obvious advantages, learning professionals often wonder whether e-learning is as effective as classroom offerings. The answer to appears to be yes, according to researchers at the Department of Defense's Advanced Distribute Learning Initiative and the University of Tulsa. In their work, Traci Sitzmann, Robert Wisher, Kurt Kraiger, and David Stewart conducted a meta-analysis of 96 previously conducted studies that compared the effects of Web-based and classroom instruction. Electronic learning and classroom learning were found to be equally effective when the content and learners were similar in both the Web-based and the classroom courses. Also, learners were equally satisfied with the two methods of instruction.