E-learning

As we begin with the 21st century and uncork the millennium we have entered the e-decade. The worldwide Web has given us e-commerce. A new way to sell services, products-anything. The Web and the Net have also increased opportunities to communicate with a large number of people, quickly and cheaply. There are plenty of e-opportunities-all using new technology to grab a larger market share. Maybe even to produce and distribute goods and services more effectively and efficiently. We can hope!

E-commerce, e-business, e-solutions and now e-learning. What's it all about? Are these just trendy words or do they point to new life styles and a new economy? Is e-learning just another new training technology that will be replaced by something 'better'? Another flavor of the month approach to training and education?

E Learning is the use of network technology to design, support, select, deliver, administer and extend learning by eliminating the barriers of human presence , time & distance . Creating a universal and personalized learning-on-demand opportunity for people, companies and countries.

The ultimate goal of e-Learning, according to The Masie Center, is to "...bring learning to people instead of bringing people to learning." Beyond delivering learning, e-Learning also represents the ability to personalize the learning based on the learner's knowledge, needs and experience. In its simplest form, e-Learning is the use of technology to deliver learning that is personalized to each learner.

Components of E-Learning

A complete e-Learning solution can be divided into five components that work seamlessly together. Although each component is an independent tool in the e-Learning industry, together they encompass a complete e-Learning solution.

Typical Architecture of E-Learning system

Pros and cons of e-learning

E-learning is dichotomous. Whether we are talking about advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons, difficult versus easy-we are talking about one entity: e-learning. Like a coin, the moon, a relationship, e-learning has two sides. The whole is composed of the two dichotomies-the pros and cons.

There are over two dozen advantages of e-learning as seen from the perspective of learners, instructors, developers and administrators. We will list these advantages below, followed by a review of eight issues or challenge associated with e-learning.

10 Advantages of e-learning for learners

"When I study online, there is no sitting in the back of the class. The instructor forces us to participate. It is more work than other course. But I learn more."
George, an e-learning student."
Learners appreciate the following qualities of e-learning:

1. E-learning fosters interaction among students and instructors.  Interaction stimulates understanding and the recall of      information.
2. Accommodates different learning styles and fosters learning      through a variety of activities that apply to different learning      styles.
3. Fosters self-paced learning whereby students can learn at the      rate they prefer.
4. Convenient for students to access any time, any place.
5. Reduces travel time and travel costs for students.
6. Encourages students to browse information through hyperlinks      to sites on the worldwide Web and thereby find information      relevant to their personal situations.
7. Allows students to select learning materials, or to be directed to  content that meets their level of knowledge, interest and what      they need to know to perform more effectively in their particular      activity.
8. Provides context sensitive help (Electronic performance support  systems) to computer users and helps them complete tasks      on-the-fly.
9. Develops knowledge of the Internet that will help learners      throughout their careers.
10. Encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning       and succeeding builds self-knowledge and self-confidence.

Seven advantages of e-learning for instructors

"I like the fact that I don't need to commute to school for classes. That way I can devote more time to my students."
Jane, an e-learning instructor
Instructors value the following strengths of e-learning:

1. E-learning permits instructors to develop materials using the      world-wide resources of the Web.
2. Allows instructors to communicate information in a more      engaging fashion than in text-based distance education      programs e-learning offers a wide-range of text, diagrams and      images with video and sound, including virtual reality technology      that in the future will improve the effectiveness of the approach      even further.
3. Convenient for instructors to access any time, any place.
4. Allows instructors to package essential information for all      students to access. Instructors can then concentrate on high      level activities.
5. Retains records of discussion and allows for later reference      through the use of threaded discussion on bulletin boards.
6. Generates more personal gratification for instructors through      quality student participation.
7. Reduces travel and accommodation costs associated with      training programs.

Five advantages of e-learning for instructional developers

"When I set up my online course, all the course information is in one place. I don't need to worry about making handouts for various classes. It is all on the Web, for anyone to access, anytime, anywhere."
Charles, online learning developer
Advantages of e-learning experienced by instructional developers include:

1. Developers can develop training, demonstrating, in very specific  details, how to perform a task such as repairing equipment.
2. E-learning sets a framework for standardized course delivery.
3. Facilitates modifying training and education materials, by using      html.
4. Allows developers to design once and use the same module in      everal programs, by using 'template-like' learning objects.
5. Promotes the orderly layout of course materials, assignments      and general administration through a Web site.


Five advantages of e-learning for administrators

"We have instructors retiring in the next few years. Capturing their expertise in an online learning program will help to ensure that we don't lose their expertise."
William, a training administrator
Advantages of e-learning for training and education administrators include the following:

1. E-learning accommodates automated, continuous assessment of student progress.
2. Reduces capital costs associated with traditional bricks and  mortar schools and training facilities.
3. Can be accessed by a variety of platforms such as Windows,  UNIX and Mac because they all read html files.
4. Template approach to developing online learning engenders consistency.   
5. Allows institutions to build the e-learning modules from courses      of leading instructors.

Eight issues with e-learning

"When I started to develop e-learning I had no help. I wish I had taken the time to learn about all the resources that exist."
Allan, teacher of e-learning

All is not rosy on the e-learning front. There are challenges, issues-or optimists might say, opportunities-to address. Issues associated with the use of e-learning are as follows.

1. Students may be required to purchase or rent new computer equipment.
2. Technical difficulties or operator error may hamper students and instructors.
3. Students and instructors may have gaps in their computer knowledge in such areas as Windows, so they will require training in computer basics before they can start the online learning training.
4. Using telephones lines and Internet service providers to access Internet services, when required, leads to high user fees in many parts of the world.
5. Initial costs of developing courses may be considerable, depending on the approach taken.
6. Instructors may need to become familiar with electronic text      books; Internet-based research material, copyright, and other e-learning related topics.
7. Internet bandwidth may not be robust enough to support the      desired level of multimedia.
8. People working in the e-learning field at an individual location      may be pioneers and not have the support of a network of more experienced colleagues.

Effective e-Learning allows you to...

Leverage your intellectual assets into competitive advantage.
Drive performance and productivity improvements through learning    on demand.
Respond to your ongoing skill shortages through just-in-time    learning.
Reduce your training costs by migrating classroom based events    to e-Learning.
Track and measure the impact of learning against your business objectives.
Leverage learning into very busy schedules (24x7x365).
Overcome the rapid obsolescence of information, knowledge and training.
Drive learning into the value chain to bind relationships with your customers, suppliers and partners.