E-learning offers great opportunities, but what are the real obstacles? What restricts or undermines all that potential? An e-learning consultant gives his view below. Post your own comments below, or email us.

I understand the principles and practicalities of how adults learn with e-learning, and have enough reference material to indicate that this form of learning is at least equal to other forms of learning and in some cases the learning is higher.

But I do encounter problems in implementing e-learning, which I describe below. I wonder if other organisations encounter similar problems, and if so how have they overcome these issues? Are there other points that I have yet to meet?

- The upfront capital cost of providing technology in the shape of computer conferencing tools, multimedia equipment etc tends to over shadow the eventual cost benefits of e-learning.

- Some staff are adamant that the only way they can learn is in the classroom, not by sitting in front of a computer! E-learning is competing against 200 years of conventional classroom delivery and we all know have efficient this can be!

- Time to deliver is an increasing factor in decisions regarding the learning. A face to face trainer can still put a course together quicker than the development of a multimedia program.

- E.learning has over hyped itself in its virtues in the last few years and appears to be on the wane as the take up rate for this form of learning appears not to have occurred or is slowing down.

- The quality of commercial produced multimedia programs are very poor in their learning design. Many are just death by text and a few multimedia questions thrown in as an evaluation measure. They do not promote this form of learning.

What would you add?