What Is E-Learning?

What is e-learning? 

E-learning, or electronic learning, is an educational format where content is distributed via the internet. For many institutions, it’s the primary method for delivering educational content thanks to its speed, ease of use, flexibility, and affordability. The term was coined a few decades ago, so e-learning is neither a new phenomenon nor a passing trend. 

You may also hear e-learning referred to as online learning, digital learning, online education, online training, and virtual learning.

Looking for an overview of types of e-learning, or strategies you can apply to your own business? As the industry leader in workplace training, it’s safe to say Articulate knows a thing or two about e-learning. This article provides a full rundown on e-learning, including strategies and software tools to maximize its benefits.

Why do organizations use e-learning?

Whether you want to acquire new skills or train your team, e-learning is one of the most effective tools on the market. Year after year, its predominance grows. By 2032, the global e-learning market is projected to be valued at $1,307 billion, up from nearly $300 billion in 2024.

Highly flexible, convenient, and accessible, e-learning offers key advantages that reflect the values of learners today. Both businesses and educational institutions must effectively leverage e-learning in the right ways to transform skill sets and deliver true results.

What are the benefits of e-learning?

You can attribute e-learning’s rising dominance to its key advantages: flexibility, speed, accessibility, and scalability. Below, we’ll dive into seven primary benefits of e-learning in more detail.

1. E-learning is flexible

One of the central reasons educators and learners turn to virtual training is its inherent flexibility. Learners can participate in online training from any location and time zone as long as they have internet access (and sometimes even without it). This results in increased participation and an improved learner experience.

As today’s workforce becomes increasingly globalized, e-learning’s flexibility becomes even more essential. Institutions want to attract a culturally diverse, global, multilingual workforce. To do so, they must make it easy for their learners to participate in and understand course material—and localized e-learning provides a natural outlet.

2. E-learning is cost-effective and easily scalable

E-learning’s affordability attracts both learners and educators alike. Because training does not require a physical learning space, there’s no overhead cost for a physical classroom, and instructors can distribute training materials online rather than requiring printing and mailing.

According to a 2025 Articulate Customer Survey, 86% of customers have reduced the cost of training with Articulate 360.

Instead, e-learning costs include only design, development, and delivery. Online training, once created, is easy to scale, adapt, or repurpose for a larger or different audience without requiring more instructors or repeatedly sourcing training space.

3. E-learning is fast

Traditional learning methods might require weeks or months of preparation before they can reach a learning audience. E-learning offers a key advantage: speed. Because training takes place online, those who need to educate groups quickly can use e-learning to create or update courses and distribute them to a diverse learning audience at a rapid pace. 

4. E-learning is accessible

Users of all abilities should have equitable access to workplace learning. In some scenarios, accessibility accommodations are legally mandated, and frankly, it’s just the right thing to do for employees. Online courses help ensure your entire learning audience can acquire new skills.

Many e-learning platforms offer built-in features such as alternative text, captioning, and responsive design to accommodate learners who may not be supported by traditional learning methods. Furthermore, online learning removes physical barriers and constraints of classroom learning. 

5. E-learning is easy to use 

Course creators prize e-learning tools for ease of use. With access to the right tools and resources, creators don’t necessarily need special training or an instructional design background to make effective training. Subject matter experts (SMEs) across specialties and lines of business can create their own training—a key advantage for lean training teams or those that need to produce a very large volume of training content quickly.

6. E-learning can improve knowledge retention and productivity to reduce skills gaps

E-learning is an incredibly effective tool for improving learning comprehension and retention—especially when training incorporates interactive elements. Better knowledge retention can increase productivity, reduce skills gaps, and open up new career opportunities, all of which benefit a company’s bottom line and offset hiring costs.

7. E-learning can strengthen employee retention and company culture

Thoughtfully crafted e-learning doesn’t just have the power to improve workplace performance. Employers that demonstrate interest in employee growth and development can also improve employee satisfaction, morale, and retention. 

According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning report, 84% of employees say that learning adds purpose to their work. The same research finds that 88% of organizations are concerned about employee retention, and providing learning opportunities is their primary strategy for increasing retention.

What are the key types of e-learning?

E-learning delivery formats vary depending on pacing, scope, and other factors. We break down some of the most common types below. 

Synchronous vs. asynchronous e-learning 

The most common types of learning categories, categorized by pacing, are synchronous or asynchronous learning. In synchronous e-learning, all learners receive online lesson content at the same time, even if they access the course from different locations. Asynchronous e-learning is when learners complete online lessons and access course materials at their own pace, rather than simultaneously with others.

Synchronous e-learning is a great fit for courses with high interaction, discussions, or collaborative projects. Course admins facilitate communication and interactivity online through elements like virtual classrooms and discussion forums. For example, an instructor-led online sales coaching workshop would likely fall into the synchronous e-learning category.

Asynchronous e-learning is ideal for flexible learning scenarios. Because learning does not happen in real-time, each learner can fit their coursework into their schedule in a way that works best for them. For example, an annual compliance training program might be rolled out asynchronously.

Blended or hybrid e-learning

You can also categorize e-learning by whether or not it is paired with an in-person element. Strategies that combine online and in-person learning include blended learning and hybrid learning.

These types of learning share common traits, and we often use the terms synonymously; however, there are key differences between the two. Blended learning participants take part in both e-learning and in-person learning. Hybrid learning is a style where some learners join remotely, while others attend in person.

Each can be found in a variety of training styles, allowing for a much more flexible learning experience.

Microlearning

Microlearning is defined by its short, digestible content. Unlike some e-learning, which may contain multiple learning goals within a single course, microlearning is more focused. 

Typically, microlessons teach a single topic or objective, so they’re quick to complete. This short format may include pared-down copy and interactions, as well as multimedia elements, to communicate ideas more quickly and clearly. This type of e-learning is ideal for brief process updates, product releases, and other concise topics.

What are popular use cases for e-learning?

Popular use cases for e-learning include workplace training programs, educational institutions, and continuous learning for personal growth. Below, we’ll jump into more detail about how you can use e-learning for a broad array of needs.

Workplace training programs

Workplace training is highly valuable to both employers and employees. For employers, online skill-building opportunities have the potential to improve the business’s bottom line by increasing employee productivity, speed, scalability, and affordability. For employees, online training can be a flexible and accessible opportunity for professional development and advancement.

At a minimum, many organizations offer training in these essential categories: 

1. Onboarding training to get employees up-to-speed in their new role
2. Technical skills training to train employees on role-specific technology or tasks, like software usage 
3. Soft skills training to improve interpersonal skills, leadership, collaboration, and emotional intelligence
4. Compliance training to protect workers, customers, and the overall business from harm  
5. Sales training to empower teams to meet or exceed their sales targets
6. Customer training to educate users on key features and increase product adoption 

Each type of workplace training plays a crucial role in business success and employee job satisfaction.

Educational institutions

E-learning strategies are beneficial for all levels of education, from grade school to higher education and even post-graduate degrees or certifications. Even when some or all students attend classes in person, educators can employ a blended learning strategy to supplement face-to-face learning and provide increased accessibility and flexibility. For example, students might be asked to complete an online module as pre-work for an in-person lesson and participate in discussion boards to engage with classmates.

Many educational institutions offer hybrid learning so that students can choose to either attend courses in person or online. This can increase access to learning opportunities for students located in rural areas or for those who may have difficulty accessing the physical classroom. 

Fun and leisure

E-learning is for both work and play. Educational apps continue to gain popularity, like Duolingo, which teaches new language skills. These apps often deliver lessons via microlearning as a way to keep content digestible and exciting. 

By allowing learners to build their skills in fun and engaging ways, apps can feel like a more useful and purposeful alternative to social media and other mobile device apps.

How is e-learning created?

E-learning course authoring software helps instructional designers streamline the e-learning creation process, produce compelling content, and deliver high-quality learning experiences. These solutions empower creators of all experience levels to create effective courses, whether they’re new to creating online courses or are seasoned instructional designers.

What role does AI play in e-learning course creation?

AI tools enhance course creation efficiency while protecting the course designer’s control. Articulate’s AI Assistant can help you go from a blank page to a full course draft based on simple prompts and source material. AI-generated images, audio, voiceovers, and more help you create better workplace training faster than ever. 

Why leverage AI in e-learning?

According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning report, 4 in 5 people want to learn more about how to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their profession, and for good reason. AI is reshaping instructional design, from content creation to personalized learning. 

There are plenty of reasons to leverage AI tools in e-learning content, including speeding up content creation and lightening the mental load around drafting and refining content. While course authors can choose from many different AI tools to create e-learning content, a tool that is built for e-learning, like AI Assistant, offers key advantages, including:

• Move from a blank page to a fully-realized course faster with AI Course Drafts
• Use built-in audio and image tools, including narration, text-to-speech. Localization and translation, sound effects, and custom image generation
• Create interaction and assessments instantly—for example, convert a block of text into an interaction or summarize the lesson in a quiz

What are the benefits of course authoring software?

A major benefit of course authoring apps is that they make it easy to create and present a variety of different types of course elements, such as quizzes, screen recordings, interactive images, and games. Engaging elements like these can improve knowledge retention and participation, leading to better learning experiences. Consider tools like Storyline and Rise that offer built-in AI tools and allow you to easily build interactive elements, cutting down course development time and resources.

According to a 2025 Articulate Customer Survey, 99% of customers report that courses they have created using Articulate 360 have led to positive business outcomes such as improved onboarding time, skill development, compliance rate, etc. 

How do you share e-learning? 

Companies share E-learning through course distribution tools like learning management systems (LMSs), which enable you to deliver online training and track performance over time. Course distribution tools like Articulate’s Reach 360 allow you to distribute training quickly and track some learner behavior and metrics, allowing you more speed in exchange for simpler data. 

Robust LMSs allow you to reach your audience regardless of their location or device. This flexibility is particularly crucial for fast-paced fields or those that need to rapidly educate teams about industry updates. Built-in reporting capabilities arm teams with the necessary data and analytics to inform future iterations of the course. 

What are the best strategies for successful e-learning?

To create e-learning that is as valuable as possible for your learning audience, it’s important to invest in the right tools, accommodate diverse learning styles, use interactive elements, personalize learning for your audience, and keep your courses up to date. Here are 6 tips to make your e-learning courses successful.

1. Invest in the right software tools and AI solutions

The software you choose has an enormous impact on your ability to:

• Work quickly while maintaining quality
• Scale your learning content
• Improve your courses over time

Your course authoring software dictates how easily you can onboard course creators of different experience levels, create interactions, and customize content for different groups. Your course distribution software, meanwhile, impacts how quickly you can update your courses and distribute them to your audience, as well as which learning metrics you can track. Finally, your chosen AI solutions affect the efficiency and quality of your content.

Choosing the right software from the start ensures your e-learning can grow with your organization over time rather than slowing you down. 

2. Accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities

E-learning is most successful when it is easily accessible to all learners, including those with diverse learning styles and abilities. Ensure your courses are accessible for learners with auditory, visual, mobility, learning, or other disabilities. 

For example, course elements like alternative text for images make it easy for learners using a screen reader to understand visual elements in the course. When more learner types can successfully participate in your e-learning courses, the more inclusive and successful the course.

3. Include engaging, interactive elements

Whether they’re learning in person or online, most people learn best when they are engaged and interacting with content. For e-learning, this means breaking up text with activities like assessments, games, practice scenarios, and more. 

Learners click on specific elements, respond to content, and make choices as they progress through the course. This strategy increases knowledge retention and improves your success metrics.

4. Ensure the right level of difficulty for your audience

Just like with in-person learning, every e-learning course must strike the right difficulty level for its learning audience. Factors like learners’ average reading level for K-12 learners or area of expertise for learners in the workplace can help you determine how challenging your course content should be. 

Ideally, your courses should be difficult enough to keep learners engaged and focused, yet manageable enough to not overwhelm them. 

5. Personalize learning for relevant groups 

It’s very likely that within a single course, you’ll have multiple different groups of learners that share common traits. Ensure that your content is relevant for each group with personalized learning paths. Tactics like using branching scenarios can help you tailor content to different learning groups within a course, allowing each learner to have an experience relevant to their needs.

6. Ensure courses are easy to update

One of the most valuable features of e-learning is its adaptability. Unlike printed materials, online course content can be updated in real-time without requiring new materials to be delivered to learners. 

To ensure your learning stays relevant over time, invest in a learning management system that allows you to share updates quickly and easily with your learners. This way, you can improve, update, and remove courses as needed to ensure the most valuable learning experience possible. 

3 examples of e-learning programs in action

These organizations used Articulate software to thoughtfully create e-learning that transforms lives and achieves powerful business outcomes. Read their stories to get inspired to write your own.

Assisting Families of Inmates: MAC children’s program

Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families of the incarcerated. Their Milk and Cookies (MAC) program, established in 2000, supports children with an incarcerated loved one who are enrolled in local public schools. 

AFOI recognized that e-learning would play a pivotal role in increasing flexibility for program participants while helping them develop valuable coping skills. To preserve the same level of customization and engagement found in an in-person classroom experience, they tailored content for different age levels via branching scenarios.

Ultimately, their comprehensive e-learning program helps serve their primary goal: to reduce stigma around having an incarcerated loved one and empower impacted children and their families with coping skills and support.

Aptive: Award-winning ethics course

Aptive is a trusted federal consulting services provider that centers ethics at the heart of its work. With over 500 employees nationwide, they’ve experienced rapid growth, and many new employees have recently joined who have no prior experience in government contracting.

Aptive leans on e-learning courses to ensure its entire workforce is deeply knowledgeable about the unique ethical concerns of its industry. Rather than using an off-the-shelf ethics course, Aptive created its own customized course centering its core values in the lesson material.

While all ethics and compliance training courses have real-world implications, the stakes are uniquely high for government contracting. To tackle this, Aptive relies on elements such as case studies and practice scenarios that help learners think critically and interact with the nuanced gray areas that often arise in their work. 

Their approach deeply resonates with over 500 learners and has earned a 5-star rating in their LMS, as well as a prestigious Brandon Hall Group Silver HCM Award for Best Custom Content.

Marquette University: Information literacy program

Marquette University is a private research university serving nearly 12,000 students. They needed a scalable way to help first-year students build the foundational skills for navigating online research—one that would allow learners to work at their own pace while also saving library staff members’ hours conducting training. 

Using blended learning, they created short online modules to complement in-person training to improve student research skills. The online courses allowed learners to prepare for the in-person lessons while saving library staff significant time. 

The learning system was so successful that the university released the online training courses to other universities via GitHub, helping to advance student literacy beyond their campus.

Future-proof your e-learning with the right tools and strategies

To meet the needs of learners today, developing e-learning content is crucial. With e-learning, you can reach learning audiences worldwide, develop accessible content for learners of all abilities, reinforce in-person educational efforts, and communicate updates at lightning speed. And with lower overhead costs and easier scalability than traditional learning methods, it’s no wonder that e-learning continues to gain traction across classrooms, workplaces, and industries.

Make the investment in time, resources, and energy worthwhile by choosing e-learning tactics and software solutions that will enable your program to grow and evolve with you over time. In doing so, you’ll not only have greater success in achieving your desired learning outcomes. You’ll also remain a valuable resource for your learning audience even as your industry changes and evolves.ile by choosing e-learning tactics and software solutions that will allow your program to grow and evolve with you over time. In doing so, you’ll not only have greater success in achieving your desired learning outcomes. You’ll also remain a valuable resource for your learning audience even as your industry changes and evolves.