Learning Designers: Why are webinars lecture broadcasts?
This is not a trick question. It’s important to think about it.
One reason from a historical perspective could be because webinars emerged from teleconferencing (does anyone else remember that format?) and screen sharing. This was before we were really thinking about what eLearning could be. Before portable computers and tablets and smartphones. In an era when learning was still very unidirectional. A broadcast from expert to student.
At the time, awesome! Innovative! And the training industry quickly co-opted webinars as a virtual classroom, not just an online meeting space.
Since then, webinar software has undergone tremendous evolution incorporating a host of features suitable for collaborative learning. The sophistication of eLearning, microLearning, and mobile learning have transformed learning spaces. And continue to rapidly evolve to meet workforce challenges.
Tags: education strategy • elearning • interaction • Learning design • microlearning • Mobile • modern learner • Webinar • workforce development