Self-paced Training Explained: Definition, Pros and Cons, and Effective Tips

Understanding the Definition of Self-paced Training

Every learner is unique in their learning styles, needs, and pace. Effective training focuses on catering to the individual needs of all learners differentiated based on learning styles and adaptability. Self-paced training is a training approach that offers learners the autonomy to learn at their convenience and pace. Unlike the traditional approach of training that requires the learners to be present at a fixed place and time, this approach provides learners with the opportunity to schedule their time in learning at any physical location.

Moreover, self-paced learning is an asynchronous learning that comes in a range of formats such as videos, online courses, and interactive modules enabling learners to select as per their needs and preferences leading to a personalized learning experience.

Assessing the Pros and Cons of Self-paced Training

To implement a training method suitable for imparting knowledge on a particular subject matter, it is crucial to understand and assess the pros and cons of the method. Self-paced training offers significant advantages including autonomy and flexibility. However, there are certain challenges faced by the training approach, that both the trainers as well as the learners need to be aware of when opting for the method. Let us assess the pros and cons of the training method.

Pros

The major pros of self-paced training are:

• Flexibility and Personalization: The most distinctive feature of self-paced training is its flexibility benefitting the learners to undertake the training at their convenience. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Report, 2018 “58% of employees prefer to learn at their own pace.” Furthermore, the training offers scope for personalization where individual learners have the liberty to choose topics and modules that are beneficial for their personal and professional growth.
• Higher Knowledge Retention: Knowledge retention is defined as the ability of an individual to remember and recall information attained for a long time. Self-paced training promotes higher knowledge retention as the training lets the learners remain active throughout every stage of the learning process. The acquired knowledge getting retained for a longer period contributes to improving the long-term memory. Self-paced training is usually conducted using online platforms and statistical data suggested that “online learning raises retention rates by 25-60%”. (Source: eLearning industry)

• Enhanced Engagement: Self-paced training increases learner engagement as the training process allows learners to select materials, learn them at their own pace, and revisit the contents if needed, thereby encouraging increased participation from the learners. In addition, the autonomy of learners to schedule the learning process increases their focus and motivates critical thinking.
• Reduced stress: The self-paced nature of training avoids the unwanted pressure of strict deadlines and rigid schedules letting the individuals manage the training content effectively. The convenience associated with learners involved in the training helps them revise the concepts before undertaking the assessments and evaluation reducing their stress.

Cons

• Chance of procrastination: The strict adherence to rigid deadlines and schedules in traditional training is lacking in self-paced training which may lead to a chance of learners procrastinating the training. The learner needs to be self-disciplined to attain the desired outcomes of self-paced training.
• Loss of Continuity: The learner might struggle to get continuity in the learning modules if he or she has failed to schedule their learning process. The learner may experience gaps and difficulty in connecting the concepts in the learning process and trouble in retaining the previous knowledge of the learning following a disrupted schedule.
• Limited real-time interaction: Self-paced training does not offer real-time interaction between the trainer and learners due to its asynchronous nature. This can lead to learners receiving delayed feedback and clarifications during the learning process. The learner can sometimes feel isolated in the learning experience due to the lack of face-to-face interaction.
• Learner prone to distractions: The autonomy in the learning and the technological integration may sometimes make the learner distracted and divert from the training goals. The learners lacking proper goal orientation can get distracted by the excessive flexibility of self-paced training.

Discovering the tips for effective self-paced training

Despite the challenges of self-paced training, implementing certain steps within the training process can help to effectively resolve these drawbacks. These tips offer a robust way to help learners follow a set track without experiencing gaps and distractions. Let us discover the essential tips for productive self-paced training.

Organize the training

Self-paced training can be made effective if the program is organized well. This includes informing the objectives and outcomes of the training to the learners to let them choose the relevant information needed for the program. In addition, trainers can ensure that the learners are motivated to learn by providing mentorship and including them in study groups to avoid isolation and promote collaboration.

Integrate multiple channels

Effective training integrates multiple channels to make learning interesting. This can include eLearning modules, AR, VR, video modules, text, simulations, and discussion forums. The training program can make use of a Learning Management System to provide a platform for availing these channels.

Promote Engagement

To avoid monotony in self-paced training encourage engaging activities in the training program. The activities such as interactive sessions, gamification, infographics with relevant information, and virtual labs for promoting hands-on learning. Promoting engagement in the learning process benefits the learners to retain the information for a longer span.

Provide feedback and support

Timely feedback is crucial for the success of self-paced training. Lack of timely and immediate feedback is one of the reasons why learners refrain from self-paced training. Training programs that incorporate automated feedback can resolve this to an extent. In addition, trainers can schedule feedback sessions for the learners at their convenience.

Conclusion

The training approach is a self-paced training that provides autonomy to the learners by letting them learn at their convenient time and place. This flexibility in pace and physical location differentiates it from the traditional training approaches. The advantages of self-paced training are it offers flexibility and personalization, higher knowledge retention, enhanced engagement, and reduced stress. On the other hand, the disadvantages of the approach are that there is a chance of procrastination on the part of learners, loss of continuity, limited real-time interaction, and learners becoming prone to distractions.

To overcome these drawbacks and make an impactful learning experience, the trainers can adopt some tips in the program like organizing the training by informing the objectives and outcomes of the training, integrating multiple channels such as eLearning modules, AR, VR, videos, simulations, and discussion forums, promoting engagement by including gamification, virtual labs, and infographics in the training and providing feedback and support. Self-paced training can be a valuable tool for individuals looking to enhance their professional and personal lives. By recognizing the potential challenges of this approach and implementing effective strategies, learners can effectively utilize self-paced training in their learning.

Infographic

Knowledge Check!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is self-paced training?

Self-paced training is a training approach that offers learners the autonomy to learn at their convenience and pace.

How is self-paced training different from traditional training?

Self-paced training provides learners with the opportunity to schedule their time in learning at any physical location, unlike the traditional approach of training that requires the learners to be present at a fixed place and time.

What are the benefits of self-paced training?

The benefits of self-paced training are it offers flexibility and personalization, higher knowledge retention, enhanced engagement, and reduced stress.

What are the disadvantages of self-paced training?

The disadvantages of the approach are that there is a chance of procrastination on the part of learners, loss of continuity, limited real-time interaction, and learners becoming prone to distractions.