The Future of Education

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical to European economies through their significant and continuous contribution to employment and GDP growth [1], [2]. In 2018, SMEs represented 99.9 % of an estimated 19.3 million enterprises in the EU and provided around 65 million jobs representing two-thirds of all employment [3]. The literature suggests that digital learning is a good match for SMEs’ learning requirements. It is informal, flexible and easily-accessible, and compared to face-to-face provision, it saves time and travelling expenses (for employees to go to the training providers) [4]. Above all, recent studies show that e-learning, if done well, is as effective as face-to-face learning, if not better [5]. However, the literature also suggests that there are still many challenges for the adoption of digital training by European SMEs [5]. These include a general lack of company learning strategy and a lack of awareness of opportunities offered by online training among both employers and employees. Moreover, technology and attitudes of owner/managers and employees seem to form potential drawbacks to digital learning initiatives in SMEs. This paper reviews the literature relating to digital learning in European SMEs. While noting its scarcity (particularly when compared to research about digital learning in larger enterprises), it critically evaluates the existing literature to determine the potential role of digital learning in small organisations. It argues that current digital learning provision is narrowly focused on job-specific training. This, with the help of new national and EU strategies, should change to a more holistic lifelong learning process that values the employees’ lifeworld.

Keywords: Digital learning, adult education, SMEs, workers’ training and education, Europe;

References:
[1] European Commission (2018). Annual Report on European SMEs 2017/2018: Special Background Document on the internalization of SMEs.
[2] Kauppinen, A., & Juho, A. (2012). Internationalisation of SMEs from the perspective of social learning theory. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 10(3), 32.
[3] Eurostat (2019). Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Retrieved from
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/structural-business-statistics/structural-business-statistics/sme?p_p_id=NavTreeportletprod_WAR_NavTreeportletprod_INSTANCE_
vxlB58HY09rg&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-2&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=4.
[4] Hardaker, G., Dockery, R., & Sabki, A. (2007). Learning Styles Inequity for Small to Micro Firms (SMFs): Social Exclusion through Work-Based E-Learning Practice in Europe. Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, 1(2), 126-140.
[5] Montebello, M. (2017). Measuring E-Learning Effectiveness Using a Three-Way Comparison. International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, Vol. 124, No., pp. 909 - 914.
[6] Admiraal, W., & Lockhorst, D. (2009). E-Learning in small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe attitudes towards technology, learning and training. International Small Business Journal, 27(6), 743-767.