Large companies have now firmly integrated eLearning and blended learning into their qualification methodology. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are also successfully operating in the eLearning segment! In this interview, Dr. Stefan Enzler reports on cultural and technical challenges in SMEs, and on solution approaches from the KMUdigital research project.
Reading tip: We have summarized more information about KMUdigital and the role of blink.it in this research project for you in the article KMUdigital: How blink.it conducts research for “Further Education 4.0”.
About the person: For over 25 years, Dr. Stefan Enzler has been dedicated to the holistic competency building of individuals and entire organizations through coaching, training, consulting, and research. In his work, he combines individual learning with the cultural and structural development of organizations to sustainably increase the innovation capacity and success of companies. In doing so, he uses blended learning to significantly increase the effectiveness of learning and development.
Hello Mr. Enzler. You initiated the research project “KMUdigital” with imu augsburg and blink.it. What is the goal of this project?
S. Enzler: “We have been working with companies, especially in the SME sector, for over 25 years. During this time, we have noticed that many companies decline in their developmental strength as soon as external support through training and coaching is removed. Our question, therefore, was how we can support companies so that a development initiated by us externally can also take place sustainably internally. From this, the idea arose to support medium-sized enterprises with the help of blended learning, i.e., by mixing eLearning and face-to-face learning. At KMUdigital, we train so-called integral coaches: people who are employed within their own company and then use their own coaching skills to help implement such projects internally.”
What has changed in companies and especially in further education over the last 25 years?
S. Enzler: “25 years ago, projects were still more plannable – today we deal much more with non-knowledge. Companies have a vision, but what the path to get there looks like changes constantly or is only found while walking.
This also changes something in the people who are part of these changes: Knowledge must be available to match the new working models. This used to be much more structured: There was a fixed day for further training once a year. On this day, employees went to the seminar and just learned – or often enough, didn't.
Today, learning must be self-organized, mostly directly at the workplace. And this is where the great advantage of eLearning comes in: The offer is there and as an employee, I can use it at a pace that suits me. I become more personally responsible for my development and have to set the priorities myself. For many people, this is a big leap from pre-structured to self-directed learning.”
The integral coaches – who are trained within the framework of KMUdigital – are supposed to help implement eLearning, especially in the form of blended learning. But why should SMEs use blended learning of all things?
S. Enzler: “I see the charm of blended learning primarily in the fact that learning sequences that I, as a learner, simply need to see, hear, and understand can be detached from the rigid structure of “I'm driving to a seminar” – here, the personal responsibility to organize part of the learning oneself is added. This is enormously important for employees from medium-sized enterprises: life and working hours are highly compressed and correspondingly scarce.
In face-to-face training, practical learning is then reinforced: the face-to-face hours are no longer packed with theory and knowledge transfer, but are truly exciting. There, the learners are directly interacting.”
Insight into the blink.it learning platform used in the KMUdigital research project. Source: blink.it
What special challenges arise in small and medium-sized enterprises when introducing digital training methods such as blended learning?
S. Enzler: “SMEs are very good at connecting the technologies they use for their products with digitalization. Transferring this to people – there is often still a gap there, which was very surprising to us: in their private lives, employees use smartphones in this digital world, watch videos, and actively search for information. But at work, they wait for information and do not use the digital world as independently as at home. This is often the problem with the corporate culture, which causes employees not to use some of their skills that are actually available.
Often the mindset “If I only look at the computer, I'm not productive!” still prevails. For managers, who mostly sit in their individual offices with their own computer, this is more normal. But at the level of shift supervisors or production employees, it is a strong cultural break to leave the workplace during working hours to learn. Making these processes “permissible” in the teams requires, above all, a cultural change. There are also many hurdles: for example, smartphone use is often not allowed at the workplace.
This then also requires a technical revolution. Often there is a computer in the companies themselves, but the location is not in a suitable learning environment and overall there are too few devices for the employees. The infrastructure is frequently lacking for digital learning to be implemented smoothly.”
So, the cultural and technical infrastructure in SMEs is often not well developed. How can they solve these problems to establish a basis for blended learning in the first place?
S. Enzler: “As the first major key to making digital learning more accepted in SMEs, I see the formation of learning teams. This has a double function in SMEs: first, it increases the motivation of employees to really stick with a self-directed eLearning online course. On the second level, it has the advantage that the employees in the learning teams reflect immediately. This has a social effect, framing what has been learned in interaction in a common language.
In part, this also solves the problem of the technical infrastructure: in many SMEs, computers and monitors tend to be in designated areas, somewhat away from the actual work or production site. This way, employees in learning teams can visit a separate place for learning together.
A second solution we are introducing for the technical problem: there should be at least a few tablets available. In many SMEs, these can also have a multifunctional use and are not purchased solely for further training: for example, the tablets can still be used as scanners directly at the production site, but then also outside of it for learning sequences.
A third major lever – to break down the barrier to eLearning – is to guide the employees themselves to shoot their own videos for the learning units. Specifically about special, practical topics, such as how to operate a certain machine. With the available tablet, employees can record videos themselves and then share them with other colleagues in the online course. This has two benefits: first, it is totally fun because familiar faces appear in the videos. Second, it lowers the inhibition threshold to sit down at the screen or tablet to learn: if the content is created by employees for employees, it immediately feels more normal.”
As multifunctional helpers, tablets enable learning directly at the workplace in SMEs.
Videos seem to be an important key point here. In your view, how important are videos in digital further training for SMEs?
S. Enzler: “I see that it is increasingly becoming THE most important medium. Especially when I observe the younger generation. But I also see this trend in myself: preferring to watch a short video before I read something – provided the situation allows watching a video with sound.
Videos overcome the resistance in SMEs to use digital skills: when employees record their own videos, videos become part of communication, then part of learning, and subsequently part of corporate culture. And for this, hardware deficits must be upgraded at the latest then in order to be able to watch the videos.”
So, with blended learning and videos, the KMUdigital project introduces companies to digital learning and a new corporate culture. Why did you choose blink.it as a tool for this?
S. Enzler: “What is very appealing to me about blink.it and what prompted me to see it as a key element for SMEs: it is simple and works reliably. Especially with SMEs, the worst thing we could have done is overwhelm employees with complexity. With blink.it, this danger did not exist: even an employee who only briefly deals with it can operate it immediately.
In my view, simplicity is part of the solution to the acceptance problem of eLearning in SMEs. Together with this strong participation of the employees and collaborative learning, blink.it as a simple platform makes a valuable contribution to the project. This simplicity makes blink.it a particularly suitable tool for medium-sized companies. And in the course of the projects, we are working together to improve the tool even further for exactly this purpose.”
Thank you very much for these exciting insights!
Conclusion: Challenges and Solution Approaches for eLearning and Blended Learning in SMEs
E-Learning in SMEs succeeds when technical requirements, a supportive learning culture, and simple access to digital learning work together.
Challenge 1: Corporate culture blocks employee competencies
Solution approaches:
Formation of learning teams for mutual motivation
Introduction of learning times during working hours
Employees record videos themselves for the online course
Use of a learning tool that is as easy to use as possible
Breaking up old learning structures through a combination of online and face-to-face learning
Challenge 2: Technical infrastructure is not sufficiently developed
Solution approaches:
Shared use of devices in learning teams
Provision of tablets as multifunctional support
Expansion of playback devices especially for video content (picture & sound)
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What are the challenges of eLearning in SMEs?
Among the greatest challenges are a lack of technical infrastructure and a corporate culture in which digital learning during working hours is not yet taken for granted.
How can SMEs anchor digital learning in everyday work?
Learning teams and fixed learning times can help employees establish digital learning as a normal part of their work. Collaborative learning additionally promotes motivation and exchange.
What technical equipment do SMEs need for eLearning?
Devices do not need to be purchased for every individual employee. Shared computers or tablets can be sufficient if they are easily accessible to employees and enable learning at the workplace.
Why can self-created learning videos be helpful in SMEs?
When employees share their own practical knowledge in short videos, directly relevant learning content is created. At the same time, familiar colleagues in the videos can lower the inhibition threshold towards digital learning.
