E-mentality: Is e-learning affecting classroom behavior? (Trend Watch).

Back in the dark ages of e-learning, savvy developers knew that the key to a quality learning experience was to include some of the winning aspects of a classroom session: information, hands-on exercises, ability to get feedback, and so forth. But now, the pendulum has swung back, and it seems that the elements particular to e-learning are being incorporated into the classroom. Why?

Perhaps it's because as learners become more exposed to and comfortable with e-learning, particularly its just-in-time nature, their expectations for any learning experience--including classroom sessions--are changing. And as those expectations change, so must classroom trainers adapt their techniques and approaches.

"We got into e-learning to attract people who never got into the classroom," says Leslie Darling, chief learning officer at Element K. "But now, it's definitely affecting classroom behavior. People wander in and out of conference sessions as never before. If they don't immediately see what they're looking for, they leave."

Further, Darling believes that e-learning, being more self-directed, has …