The federal government is in a financial jam, and it's banking on e-learning to reduce the costs of technology training.

Although e-learning is making a difference, the government won't maximize its investment until managers and employees take advantage of more e-learning programs.

The USALearning Web portal is a good example of an underused tool. The Bush administration expects the program to encourage governmentwide adoption of e-learning. Although nearly 1 million federal workers have taken e-learning training courses in the past five years, USALearning's enrollment accounts for only 15 percent of the federal workforce.

In Hendersonville, N.C., Jackie Burke, a union representative for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3509, which represents Social Security Administration workers, said most federal employees don't know about the portal.

Critics also question how well agencies integrate e-learning into broader training programs.

Many employees who know about USALearning may not realize they can create a plan with their supervisors to take online courses during work hours to help them earn a promotion, Burke said.

Despite its shortcomings, e-learning could still meet federal agencies' expectations. Its success relies on understanding its pitfalls and evolution.

Reality check #1: The learning curve

Training experts say not all government employees achieve results through e-learning.

One challenge is self-motivation. In e-learning, students control the pace and select their materials, a concept still in its infancy. Many students need a teacher to motivate them. Also, they can quit at any time.

Many federal workers don't take courses because "they don't have enough time during the day because of their workload," Burke said.

E-learning also depends on learning style and experience. Many people are accustomed to a classroom environment, which online courses generally do not replicate.

All those factors can inhibit a successful learning experience.

"Based on my governmental experience, I'm a little bit skeptical," said Ray Bjorklund, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Federal Sources Inc. "It's always an awkward relationship to try to do anything online. It doesn't provide the kind of spontaneity that's needed for deep learning."

Age can be another factor, Bjorklund said.

Online training is most useful during the early stages of a government career, when "there are lots of specifics that you can apply in the context of your work," he said. "It's easy to interpret them. But as you grow in your career field, you're getting into management levels where you're expected to apply your expertise. When you have that wisdom, you can push the envelope of policy and adopt forward-thinking kinds of solutions to problems."