Digital training is booming and is increasingly part of business innovation programs. The SPOC has become a preferred tool for professionals who want to evolve and develop their employees. To be distinguished from elearning classical, it is a new generation of training that stands out for its advantages that are both educational and economic. What are the differences between SPOC and traditional e-learning? Why is this new digital learning format so popular with organizations? Overview.
Targeted training
The first difference between SPOC and traditional e-learning is in terms of their educational objectives. Indeed, while traditional digital training courses are dedicated to a large audience, such as MOOC, The SPOC or Small Private Online Course is intended for a specific and limited group of learners.. For example, they may be employees working in the same department or encountering the same problems in their tasks. Thus, unlike traditional e-learning, access to a SPOC is based on a selection of profiles. It is a training course organized in a private context, with the aim of solving defined problems. Like a micro-learning community.
While traditional e-learning offers more extensive modules, The topics addressed in a SPOC are generally related to the company's own objectives. This new form of training is oriented around the realities of society, while taking into account the needs of learners. More individualized than traditional e-learning, it is more like coaching than simple training. Moreover, access to the SPOC is on a specialized platform, with various devices dedicated to supporting learners. Whereas for traditional e-learning, it is simply a question of accessing information on an educational theme, via various media such as websites, DVD-Roms or downloadable PDFs.
Social learning
Although they are both distance learning, SPOC and traditional e-learning do not take place in the same social context. In fact, In the context of traditional e-learning, the learner is alone. Most of the time, the training does not allow him to interact with the other participants, even if there are many of them taking a module. It is also rare for this type of training to offer support from an expert, and if this is the case, the available assistance is not necessarily provided by the training designer. In fact, it is not about group learning or individualized coaching, but mainly about autonomy. Each participant must learn to train on their own, using course materials that are provided remotely.
Unlike this traditional training system, the SPOC is intended to be a real tool for Social learning Or of Peer learning. These new generation courses value social aspects, and aim to create a team spirit within the group. As the number of participants is limited, it is easier to communicate with other speakers. The platform has spaces dedicated to these shares, such as discussion forums, allowing everyone to ask questions about their points of difficulty. So, training promotes the exchange of skills and experiences between learners. Each participant can transmit their knowledge to others, and consolidate their own, thanks to the sharing (of know-how, ideas, notes, sources, etc.).
A dynamic journey
If traditional e-learning has a high dropout rate, it is also due to the absence of dynamization systems. Already isolated, learners do not have access to motivation devices, such as challenges, collaborative activities, Gamification or additional resources. Learning is often limited to a basic pedagogical path, without guided practices or applications assisted by a trainer. This type of training requires a lot of will on the part of the learners, who often find themselves demotivated along the way.
Thus, in order to overcome this demotivation and increase the success rate, The SPOC was designed to be more dynamic. The training course is punctuated by diversified activities in order to motivate or re-motivate participants. The community is led by a specialized coach, who can intervene individually and collectively with learners. Group activities are organized to put theoretical courses into practice. The exercises have deadlines so that participants can take on challenges. Educational quizzes, applications in the workplace, common thread... the training is characterized by a variety of interactive devices. In order to facilitate exchanges, videoconferences are also organized regularly. These direct events are similar to real digital classes, allowing all participants to share their skills or ask questions.
Assessment and reward systems
One of the points that distinguishes SPOC from traditional e-learning is also the evaluation system. In fact, Although traditional e-learning has a scoring system, it is often less advanced than that of a SPOC. At the end of a classical training module, the learner is invited to carry out an evaluation test that will be graded. The scores thus obtained will make it possible to assess the level of the participant and to ensure that he has retained the essential concepts transmitted during the course. If the learner reaches the required grades, a certificate of achievement will be given to him at the end of the training.
Although evaluation systems often work in the same way, the SPOC system is intended to be more optimized. Follow-up takes place almost throughout the course, allowing learners to assess their knowledge as they go along. Assessments can take dynamic forms, such as educational quizzes, or peer review. The objective of the assessment is oriented to a pedagogical purpose, not only aimed at putting notes, but at really evaluating the learner and bringing him up to speed if necessary. Participants then receive a certificate or badge at the end of the training, which they can include in their CV to highlight their skills. Some companies also reward their best students by awarding them symbolic medals.
Although there are several forms of online courses, the achievement of objectives depends largely on the educational content and the devices used. The effectiveness of SPOC is well established compared to that of traditional e-learning, but in order to be able to solve business problems, the design of such training involves real project management.
