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After the study of e-learning program design, there are some responses to the issues of generation gaps in specific relation to five different case studies. The following review will address the similarities and differences the give case studies have and what issues generation gaps have for educators and practitioners. Generation gaps have been a barrier to many cultures whether its business, learning, or social interaction. This study will show how the case studies alternates depending on the type of company it is, the style of the e-learning program, how the program is used or created in relation to whether generation gaps cause a concern.
The topic chosen by our group of five have chosen to study is to outline whether generational gaps affect the design of e-learning programs in organizations. We have each used a case study varying from national and multinational corporations to implement why and how e-learning programs are implemented considering the tailored programs for different generations. We have divided the study of our assignment into the basic literature of generational gaps itself, and the specific generation groups including traditionalists/veterans, baby boomers, generation X and generation Y. It is shown that the attitudes and behaviors of the generation groups would have effect on the difficulty, and skills needed in the design of e-learning programs. An obvious example is the Generation Y and the traditionalists. There would be differences in the use of e-learning because the two generations would have a different knowledge base to e-learning. Traditionalists who are being introduced to e-learning at a relatively elder age would find it more difficult to operate e-learning programs compared to generation Y employees or users who have been introduced to e-learning at a young age.
The case studies our group members have chosen include, Spherion Staffing Industry (SSI), SeniorNet, Rebel Sport, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Nissan. There are international companies, national ones, and companies located outside of Australia. SSI provides recruitment services hence by providing a career for individuals, the main group of users would be generation X or Y because they would be either changing workforces or beginning to join suitable workplaces. The choice of training and introduction programs are based around frequent use of e-learning programs taking into account the ease of use for these generations. (Spherion, 2007) SeniorNet is an international company providing computer and internet education for the traditionalist or baby boomers generation. (Pollack, 1990) Rebel sport, an Australian company has implemented e-learning with its induction course which is accessible at the office or at home via the internet. The e-learning system has the ability to tailor to different employees which shows how e-learning is capable of bridging generational gaps. (Rebel Sport, 2004)
In contrast to that case study, NASA has implemented the use of e-learning to connect the generation gaps between baby boomers and new generation employees into the industry. E-learning brings the knowledge of the organization and previous employees to novel workers. Communication and training often depends on e-learning programs to grasp employee knowledge and cultures together. (Cavanagh. T & Metcalf. D, 2004) Japan’s Nissan has shown how e-learning program designs can target individuals so strongly that generational gaps are not an issue to Nissan. All five case studies ranging from different parts of the globe, show the issues of e-learning and how, although there are generational gaps, many organizations today are able to use e-learning to overcome this. (Nissan, 2007) Organizations have used these designed programs to deliver specific knowledge to different aged group users in an organization, and have also depended on e-learning programs to share knowledge between generations to better the organization.
Not only are there similarities and differences in sizes and cultures of the five case studies, the importance of e-learning and how they are implemented in the organizations are also evident. SSI, similar to NASA and SeniorNet takes e-learning as an instrument to bridge the barriers that generational gaps bring to organizations. SSI being recruitment service based would always have the need to improve skills of job seekers for its clients. NASA and SeniorNet also use tailored e-learning programs to bridge the knowledge between employees of different cultures and generations. This is a very useful tool for organizations because having crucial knowledge managed well is as important as having one shared business culture. Generation Gaps are not shown as issues in Nissan and Rebel sport case studies because e-learning programs and designed for the use of individuals. With different skills and ways of learning through e-learning, this process would be seen as a very independent process considering the use of soli use of internet based e-learning programs. Taking the individuality and flexibility of e-learning programs, generation gaps are not considered to be a hazard to any decision making of an organization. There are differences however in industries, locations, sizes and culture of these organizations so once chance enters the companies, stakeholders would place a different attitude for e-learning. The attitudes and behaviors of employees are important to the designing of e-learning programs and considering the differences in the case studies, e-learning programs must be more efficient in tailoring for specific individuals needs.
Reflecting on the different changes in the ranges of generations in workforces, and the increasing use of technology, many educators and practitioners would have the need to implement e-learning skills and knowledge into their organizations. Educators would first need to introduce and teach users with the correct skills to e-learning and the use of technology so that in the workforce, practitioners may demonstrate their skills in changing environments. Taking NASA for example, the organization has researched on the number of retiring employees relative to the skills and knowledge that must be managed. Organizations need to implement changes through studying changes internally and externally in order to design e-learning programs suitable for individuals working in specific industries. Apart from studying changes in organizations, educators and practitioners may need to provide training in the use of e-learning programs and technology before users actually take part in using the instruments. Training companies such as SeniorNet are an example of outsourcing or role model for teaching users to operate technology efficiently in order to process knowledge through e-learning programs.
E-learning programs are beginning to be efficiently tailored for individual and organizational use. Many organizations have implemented e-learning programs so that even generational gaps are not an issue to knowledge sharing or training employees. There are contrasts and similarities in the case studies because of the wide range of industries which use e-learning programs in today’s society, however educators or practitioners are finding ways to increase the efficiency of e-learning training programs so that they would be suitable for every individuals use.
Reference List
- Cavanagh. T and Metcalf. D, 2004, Advanced Learning Environment for the Aerospace Industry, Viewed 22 September 2007 <http://www.learningcircuits.org/2004/feb2004/metcalf.htm>
- Nissan 2007, Corporate Information, Nissan, Viewed 21 September 2007, <http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/COMPANY/index.html>
- Pollack A, (1990), A New Generation Begins Computing, The New York Times, Viewed 23 September 2007
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE3DC1530F932A25757C0A966958260> - Rebel Sport Limited and Group Companies, 2004, Rebel Sport, Viewed 21 September 2007,
<http://rebelsport.com.au/help/about.html> - Speherion (2007), Spherion Staffing, Viewed 23 September 2007.<http://www.spherionchico.net/>
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