Is eLearning cheaper than traditional forms of learning?

Use our savings calculator tool to see how much you could save in lost working hours by switching to eLearning, or by switching to iHASCO if you’re using another eLearning provider...

Traditional forms of learning, such as face-to-face learning have been an effective way of training staff for decades, perhaps even centuries; but with the emergence of eLearning and the impact of COVID-19, more organisations than ever before have started to embrace a digital learning experience for their employees. In many cases, using eLearning is more flexible, easier to sort and many workflows can be automated to make workplace training one less thing to worry about for business owners or training administrators. 

For those who are restricted by budget, the most important aspect of training often boils down to cost and “Is eLearning cheaper than traditional learning”? Is a question we hear a lot! 

The cost of eLearning compared to traditional training 

It goes without saying that the cost of training will always vary per provider and is often based on things such as quality, services or features offered, and authority. Generally speaking, however, eLearning can be significantly more cost-effective than traditional methods of learning. 

That’s because traditional learning methods often rely on things that have added costs, such as: 

• An effective trainer 
• Committed delegates 
• Travel expenses 
• Accommodation expenses 
• Renting of space 
• More time 

Of course, there are upkeep costs involved in online training, such as learning management system subscriptions, keeping courses updated, and administrative tasks, but any good online training provider will ensure that you don’t have to worry about these things. We update courses for our clients, make admin simple and we even offer our learning management system as part of every purchase! 

In 2019, 59% of L&D professionals spent more of their budgets on online training than they did three years ago and over a third of them also spent less on instructor-led training (ILT).

And in 2002, Judith Strother of the Florida Institute of Technology released her report on the effectiveness of eLearning training programmes, which highlighted that eLearning is less expensive than traditional instructor-led training as many expenses are greatly reduced, though Strother does point out that many companies did not save as much money as they had initially hoped. 

What about the effectiveness of eLearning? Do learners enjoy it? 

Learner satisfaction is always important and for many years eLearning had a reputation for being dull, unengaging, and was an easy way to tick a box. Fortunately, those days are long behind us. With technological advances and more resources, eLearning providers are now able to provide content that is engaging, adaptive, and thought-provoking.

The question is largely equivocal, with it boiling down largely to personal preferences and past experiences with eLearning or instructor-led training. Here at iHASCO, we do everything we can to make sure that our courses are of the highest quality, are engaging, and are easily accessible and that’s why our eLearning courses are loved by thousands who have rated us as ‘Excellent’ online. 

Is there a middle ground? Can both be used effectively together? 

Absolutely, and this is often referred to as ‘blended learning’. A mixture of face-to-face or ILT training and eLearning or other digital activities is a great option for many and is something we use regularly at iHASCO.

A report released in 2016 identified blended learning as one of the most significant trends in education change. 

Just some of the benefits of blended learning include: 

• Interlinking - Blended learning allows educators to interlink online and in-class activities and draw on the strengths of each medium. 
• Variety - It means a variety of different mediums and resources can be used for learning, such as presentations, videos, podcasts etc...
• Resources - Can be used multiple times and across different classes after being recorded once. 

Even as a provider of eLearning, we can certainly see the value of face-to-face training. It’s great to get people together in a room (COVID permitting!) to debate and learn from each other, but this relies on an effective trainer, committed delegates and usually, much more money - those three things are not always easy to find! 

Find out how much you could save by switching to eLearning, or by switching to iHASCO as your eLearning provider

Use our eLearning savings calculator to see how much you could save by switching to eLearning, or if you’re already using eLearning, how much you could save by switching to iHASCO! 

How does it work? 

Simply give us an idea of how many staff you need to train, a rough estimate of their average hourly wage (don't worry if you don't know this), and the length of a typical training course that you are currently providing staff with. 

We'll then compare this data with how long it would take for you to train your staff on an iHASCO course (on average 30 minutes) and give you an estimation of:

• Time saved in lost working hours 
• How much that time equates to in staff wages