Business Traveler, Dec/Jan 2021

personnel in these high demand sectors grows Healthcare In a field rich in emerging technologies e learning is an efficient and effective way to meet a growing demand for healthcare workers Construction Once again technology has augmented the way buildings are designed E learning with its 3D and virtual applications translates well to practical hands on learning experiences Automotive Tomorrows automotive technician will need to be more electronics and computer engineer than an expert in internal combustion engines Companies like Electude offer an interactive set of certificate courses in an easy to use format Retail and e commerce More and more consumers are using online shopping as a logical choice to satisfy their buying habits Here too training large numbers of employees fast is streamlined by e learning platforms SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY As parts of the world brace for a second or even third wave of the virus we seem to be moving toward an online reality that extends beyond business alone But a lockdown however inconvenient paired with a universe of content thats virtually unlimited pun intended does give ones imagination a chance to roam space and time to satisfy the burning questions of life What is the origin of the universe What makes our brain work How do you make the perfect soufflé Enter a whole raft of online educational platforms that specialize in learning just for the sake of learning The Great Courses Master Class Ted Talks Khan Academy classes from the likes of Yale and MIT and a lot of other like minded content offer college level lectures presentations and courses that cover practically every corner of human endeavor from better living fine arts and literature to mathematics 6 5 economics and philosophy Of course universities have been recording lectures and offering online classes for decades But the current wave of virtual learning channels are transcendent often sublime by comparison For one thing if a video is to be successful the presenter and the story has to be not only credible but incredibly engaging Quality scripts and production values play a starring role too many videos are shot on location and feature some fancy graphics and music Some cost others are free and generally but not always the price is a reflection of the sophistication of the production S M A R T T R AV E L E R But most important perhaps is the notion that unlike that long ago college course you took youre watching this because you want to not because you have to And once your brain is full you can turn off the lecture and go back to the real world On a personal note as a teacher of over 33 years for me this is a bittersweet situation Unquestionably a talking head on a screen however charming can never replace the human interaction present in a classroom where group dynamics facial expressions body language and physical proximity in short the ability to read the room add to the instruction in qualitative ways Perhaps the answer can be found in the word hybrid When in person gatherings come back in vogue e learning platforms together with the living human and not as a replacement can certainly enrich the educational experience feeding the curiosity of a wider variety of learners in wholly different ways Michael Alpiner A universe of content thats virtually unlimited pun intended does give ones imagination a chance to roam space and time