Visual Learning

The growth and future of e-learning

Buzzwords in education have been in existence for the superset of Education formal as we know it today. Many of these terms come and go depending on their use and their context but some terminologies have withstood the test of time. Let us take a look at some of the common terms along the chronology of their evolution.

Although often used interchangeably, there is distinction between distance education and distance learning. Distance learning takes place Using print and electronic learning resources. Learners are connected to resources, instructors and other learners, and they tend to be separated by time and / or geographic / physical distance. Distance learning from each other is the system and processes, which connects a group of learners with distributed learning resources. Learning occurs in different forms, but in general learners, instructors and resources are separated by time and space.

Distance learning has over the years switched to distance learning, and tend to use synchronous and asynchronous tools, and learning and communication methods. Synchronous learning uses electronically delivered teaching and learning with participants simultaneously and directly connected and communicating. On the other hand asynchronous learning is characterized by a lag in communication.

A while back, Along Came e-learning! On learning (e-learning) is defined as the provision of educational content using electronic means such as Internet, intranets, equipment audio and video, Web conferencing, virtual classrooms, CD-ROM, and, more recently, Web 2.0 tools. In other words, the e-learning is another teaching method Technology-assisted learning and. In recent years it has come to replace terms such as audio-visual learning, learning Computer-assisted online learning, online learning, and other buzz words of 1970, 1980 and 1990.

E-learning is toward the full automation of teaching and learning processes using software known as Learning Management Systems (LMS). In order to facilitate the development of courses using Internet-based technologies, universities increasingly colleges, and businesses have adopted the two open source and proprietary LMS tools. A growing trend in e-learning is the use of "hybrid" or "mixed" or "multimodal" instructional approaches which replace or supplement partial in-class instruction with technology enabled teaching and learning, which in many cases uses many tools are grouped into the LMS.

In the same spirit many students engaged in e-learning can not be geographically distant institution. For example, learners may be traditional learners living on campus or nearby yet taking course partially or completely online. This is often linked to the need for flexibility in personal (family) responsibilities and work schedules. Taking advantage of e-learning adds an extra layer of flexibility. In fact, some people see distance learning not to be synonymous with e-learning, argue the that distance learning is a generic term that presently happens to use the Internet as a vehicle. Thus, the position is presented that while distance education and e-learning does not overlap, they are not identical but complementary.

E-learning is growing rapidly and is often associated with the Internet. But there are other ways of learning that are developing at a considerable rate too. Learning mobile (m-learning), for example, is a fast-growing innovation that has the advantage of allowing learners to be "moving while learning. In other words, multi-tasking, for example jogging or listening to recorded lectures while driving to work. Therefore, m-learning is an extension of e-learning, using mobile (cellular) phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and MP3 players (with iPod and podcasting is the mostly widely used). In places where bandwidth is limited m-learning is developing at a rapid pace.

As technology becomes more affordable and more widely available, education options continue to grow. For those who want the flexibility through family and work commitments, e-learning and m-learning can be an option to consider. For organizations and institutions that seek to form employees without having to compromise on productivity, time, cost, or hiring a consultant, he is also an option to consider.

About the Author

Sophia Peters is the author of a About e-Learning, a comprehensive information resource on e-learning. Theoretical and practical information, online distance education, resources that includes colleges and universities, books, software and tools.