RayTech,
Your reference to online training on how to repair something on how it teach peopel to do things, it is some what true maybe up to 80% true. Many online fix & repair procedures (or in written repair manual) do not take into account what it takes to remove & properly reinstall an componemt. They often say or state simply remove & inspect the faulty item and reinstallation is just a reverse procedure and omit many other details, like torques specs, special tools required etc. With live instructions & then hand on doing it you get the opportunity to get a complete education. It is always a good idea to give a pre test (don't make it too easy) before the training session starts & give the same test at the end of the class to determine what & how much was learned. A simple bar graph on key points covered is a good thing easy to understand and send a copy to the person who is paying your training invoice. The "disruptive" students tend to pay more attention in class, your invoice are processed quicker and you increase your chance to coming back.
Oh, live discussions both the students and instructors can learn from each other.
This is all difficult to do on line.
Since training or skill improvement is training what i stated above can be this applied to almost any training program - operator, sales, product sales, etc. etc. An hands on is always the best way to learn - it all cannot be done out of a teext book or on line (an electronic version of a text book)

Many years ago when I was in college I had a two hour lecture class (Political Science) via video screen with a live but monotone professor - 1. boring 2. My rear got real tired after 50 minutes 3. no chance to ask questions 4. I learned & retained very little but just enough to get a "C" - my motivation to get a C was to stay in school long enough to earn a degree and not get drafted into Uncle Sam's Army too soon until my mission was accomplished & receive an all expense paid vacation w/the promise of 3 hots & a cot to Southeast Asia (Vietnam).