Contrary to what some may think, the MOOC are not just for students and universities. Companies are increasingly encouraging their employees to follow these courses for the benefits they bring. Find out what they are and why opt for MOOCs for corporate training.
A striking observation: MOOCs are more and more adapted to businesses
MOOCs are by definition courses open to all. It is therefore useless to be enrolled in a university or to pay registration fees to participate. There is therefore an audience among the learners that is different from that which usually frequents amphitheatres.
In fact, we note that students are generally in the minority compared to the rest of the enrolled students. The participants in a MOOC concerning “Project Management” initiated by Centrale Lille, for example, were composed of only 15% of students while the remaining 85% had already finished their studies. Of course, not all MOOCs are aimed at businesses. Many participants are also motivated by their personal interests. However, on certain subjects such as “Project Management”, or the MOOC “Financial Assessment of the Company” from HEC, we can observe an intersection between training to develop skills and initial training.
The community
MOOCs have a plus that businesses can capitalize on. It's about the learning community which is based on the same theme. With the help of this community, to a certain extent, online courses can tackle one of the most recurrent problems in business, namely the lack of communication between the various collaborators.
Used in the right way, MOOCs present advantages that traditional training courses struggle to offer, such as the creation of links within the company. It is also necessary to differentiate between e-learning and MOOC, which does not have the same advantages.
It is still too early to say that MOOCs adapt perfectly to the many needs of businesses. It is therefore important to take into account every feedback from learners.
A training that follows its time
Digital technology is becoming more and more important in businesses and this trend is only increasing over the years. MOOCs, thanks to their constant evolution and their low cost, thus allow companies to keep the skills of their employees up to date. Designing a MOOC is also possible for them. This advantage is a vital issue for many retailers, especially for SMEs and VSEs.
What are the advantages of MOOCs in business?
Many are the strengths of this new training method, which is increasingly popular with companies.
Training accessible to everyone, anytime:
Your smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, at the office, in a study room or on public transport, MOOCs are accessible to everyone, at any time, and from any location. This is one of the major advantages of MOOCs in business. Indeed, if your teams are in different regions, this does not in any way prevent them from taking remote training courses at the same time.
A more practical and more suitable format:
Whether they take the form of videos, audio recordings or even live virtual classes, MOOCs have the advantage of being rather short, which means that their impacts are greater. If we refer to the case of a virtual class led by a trainer, it will be more dynamic and will allow each participant to be included more quickly.
Better interaction:
Contrary to what we observe during the training courses elearning, MOOCs encourage exchange and interaction between learners, but also with trainers in the context of a virtual classroom. Chats, forums, classes, and corporate social networks allow each learner to change the content of the training. Each individual can thus contribute to the improvement of the quality of training. As a result, employees are more involved in training and team cohesion is improved. MOOCs thus involve a form of Social learning.
At their own pace:
For employees working in companies, responsibilities often prevent reconciling training and work. Everyone also has a different ability to learn. Corporate MOOCs thus allow each employee to choose their pace, according to their availability. It is thus possible to postpone a training course in case of unforeseen circumstances or to follow the courses in several sessions in order to have better assimilation. This flexibility makes the training open to all.
A very attractive cost for employers:
The last advantage of MOOCs in business is none other than their cost. So-called classical training with face-to-face or distance courses via e-learning platforms is often very expensive for the company. Even if some MOOCs are not free, their prices are nevertheless lower than those of traditional courses. In addition, MOOCs have the capacity to evolve over time thanks to the contribution of learners and trainers. MOOCs can thus meet the needs of a business at a given time without costing more.
MOOCs are increasingly adapting to businesses, as shown by the number of participants who have already graduated thanks to these courses. MOOCs in business bring many advantages, both to employees and to employers. The pace of the courses can be decided by the learner himself in order to match his schedule. The courses themselves are dynamic and have a more concise format that allows you to learn from anywhere. Employers, on the other hand, do not have to spend astronomical amounts to improve or update the skills of their employees. A list of benefits that could be suitable for a lot of businesses.
