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The perplexing role of learner control in e‐learning: will learning and transfer benefit or suffer?
Author(s) -
Granger Benjamin P.,
Levine Edward L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of training and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.558
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1468-2419
pISSN - 1360-3736
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2419.2010.00351.x
Subject(s) - e learning , flexibility (engineering) , extant taxon , knowledge management , control (management) , computer science , transfer of training , transfer of learning , psychology , educational technology , mathematics education , artificial intelligence , management , evolutionary biology , economics , biology
The appeal of e‐learning is not surprising given its many proposed advantages (e.g. flexibility, responsiveness to trainees' individual needs, potential cost‐effectiveness). However, as pointed out by Ruël et al., academic research in support of the proposed advantages of electronic human resource management systems is scarce. Although this is generally the case for technologically mediated training, the extant research on e‐learning actually questions many of its proposed advantages. In this conceptual piece we (1) establish the link between e‐learning and learner control, (2) summarize the advantages and disadvantages of learner‐controlled e‐learning, (3) briefly present the results of a recent study conducted in our research lab that addresses the disadvantages of learner‐controlled e‐learning for the training of complex material, and (4) discuss research‐based recommendations for the application of learner‐controlled e‐learning in organizational settings.