Introduction to e-Learning
Chapter: 1
Introduction e-Learning
1. Concept of E-Learning
2. History of E-Learning
3. Modes of E-Learning
4. E-learning tools and technologies
5. Benefits of E-Learning
6. Challenges of E-Learning
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Introduction to e-Learning
1. Concept of E-Learning:
• “E-Learning” can be defined as the use of information and communication
technologies (ICTs) to facilitate and enhance learning and teaching" (Koper, 2007)
• A learning system based on formalised teaching but with the help of electronic
resources is known as E-learning.
• While teaching can be based in or out of the classrooms, the use of computers and the
Internet forms the major component of E-learning.
• E-learning can also be termed as a network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge,
and the delivery of education is made to a large number of recipients at the same or
different times.
Traditional and E-learning approaches
Traditional Classroom E-Learning
Classroom • Physical – limited size • Unlimited
• Synchronous • Anytime, anywhere
Content • • Multimedia /
PowerPoint/transparency/etc simulation
• Textbooks/library • Digital library
• Video • On demand
• Collaboration • Syn & Asyn.
Communication
Personalization • One learning path • Learning path and
pace determined by
learner
• In an on-line multimedia learning environment:
• teaching & learning is ‘one-to-one’ (individual)
• more interactivity (in normal classroom, it varies with the class size)
• learner-centered
• Learner monitoring & grading system
• It is believed that the human brain can easily remember and relate to what is seen and
heard via moving pictures or videos. It has also been found that visuals, apart from
holding the attention of the student, are also retained by the brain for longer periods.
• Various sectors, including agriculture, medicine, education, services, business, and
government setups are adapting to the concept of E-learning which helps in the
progress of a nation.
Reference: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/e-learning
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Introduction to e-Learning
2. History of E-Learning:
• In October 1999, during one seminar a strange word ‘e-learning’ was used for the first
time and it was meant to qualify a way to learn based on the use of new technologies
• The new technologies allomwing access to online, interactive and sometimes
personalized training through internet or other electronic media
• First modern distance course – Sir Issac pitman (1840) , decided to send the assignments
to students via email and they complete the homework and sent it back to him
• Mechanic Testing machine – In 1920’s Sidney Pressey, Professor from Ohio university
developed a testing machine that shows the question with four answers. When user
press the key answer gets recorded and reveals the next question. After the user
finished, the score of the person revealed in the form of test slip and back into the
device. Score can be recorded at the counter by the person.
• Since the 1960s, E-learning has evolved in different ways in Business, Education, the
Training sector, and the Military (for a military perspective see Fletcher & Rockway,
1986),
• In the school sector, ‘E-Learning’ refers to the use of both software-based and online
learning, whereas in Business, Higher-Education, the Military and Training sectors, it
refers solely to a range of on-line practices. (Campbell, 2004)
• The growth of E-learning in Business and Higher Education, and its marketing has led
to concerns about the influence of quality assurance driven models on the structure and
quality of these programs (e.g., King, 2002; McGorry, 2003).
• Related concerns about its ability to deliver meaningful pedagogically structured
learning experiences, or to have a clearly identifiable learning paradigm have also been
raised (Gillham, 2002; Stone Wiske, Sick et al., 2001; Suthers, Hundhausen et al.,
2003).
Reference: Nicholson P. (2007) A History of E-Learning. In: Fernández-Manjón B., Sánchez-
Pérez J.M., Gómez-Pulido J.A., Vega-Rodríguez M.A., Bravo-Rodríguez J. (eds) Computers
and Education. Springer, Dordrecht
3. Modes of E-Learning:
1. Web based learning:
• Wide range of materials available
• Teacher will need to narrow down
• It is a resource centre
• Sharing of resources
• Supported by images, audio, simulation and multimedia
2. Video based learning:
• Can conduct a live lecture
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Introduction to e-Learning
• Communication with students
• Communication with parents
• Support by audio, chat and whiteboard
• Support sharing of applications
• Can be recorded and later be used for on demand lectures
• Demonstrations
3. Learning management Systems (LMS):
• Management of content
• Tracking students
• Administrative features
• Integration with various tools such as chat, forum, e-mail, etc.
• Reporting
4. Synchronous E-learning (Virtual Classrooms):
This type of E-learning is essentially required in some cases where traditional methods will
not deliver the desired goals, like:
• Instructor-based online mentoring is best suited for students, who need concept –based
training and help with their regular studies. There needs to a constant interaction
between the teacher and taught to clear doubts and make them understand complex
concepts through examples and clarification of doubts.
• It is being successfully used in soft-skill training in interpersonal skills, diversity and
teaching foreign languages.
• Blended learning is seen by many as a process in which appropriate E-learning modules
are a precursor to a training session in the classroom i.e., both the methods are
successfully used in training.
• More and more organizations are using the blended technique for a complete training
solution.
5. Online support:
• Its form of E-learning and functions similar to information databases but relatively
more interactive.
• Online support is in the form of chat rooms, e-mail, forums, online bulletin boards, or
instant messaging. Somewhat more interactive than knowledge databases, online
support gives the opportunity for more precise queries, as well as more immediate
responses.
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Introduction to e-Learning
4. E-Learning Tools & Technologies:
1. Email:
• Every teacher should have an e-mail account
• Communicate with students
• Communicate with parents
• Students can submit assignment
• Can have attachments
• Create a paperless environment
• Simple but effective
• Efficient and cost effective
2. Chat:
• Synchronous communication tool
• Communicate with students
• Communicate with parents
• More students participate
• Collaborative learning
3. Online Forum
• Asynchronous discussion forum
• Teacher can create discussion groups
• Teacher could post a question and request students to comment
• Students can post their comments
• Can encourage community participation
• Collaborative learning can be fostered
• Feedback from diverse culture
4. Web:
• Wide range of materials available
• Teacher will need to narrow down
• It is a resource centre
• Sharing of resources
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Introduction to e-Learning
• Supported by images, audio, simulation and multimedia
5. Video Conference:
• Can conduct a live lecture
• Communication with students
• Communication with parents
• Support by audio, chat and whiteboard
• Support sharing of applications
• Can be recorded and later be used for on demand lectures
5. Benefits of E-Learning:
1. Convenient
a. self-service (mix and match)
b. on-demand (anytime, anywhere)
c. private learning
d. self-paced
e. Flexibility: (modular package)
2. Cost-effective
a. Virtual learning environment
b. Share lessons among schools
c. Reduce material cost
d. Reduce travel/accommodation
3. Consistent
a. Central control of content
b. Same quality of content for all
c. Same quality of education for all
4. Media-rich
a. Easier to understand & more engaging
5. Repeatable
a. As many times as you like
6. Easier to monitor progress
a. less administrative work
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Introduction to e-Learning
b. can be more precise
6. Challenges in E-Learning:
A) Learners difficulties – Motivational issues, Digital literacy, New and unfamiliar learning
experience, time management.
1. Motivational issues: One category of challenges in e-learning are the difficulties faced
by the learner. For example, motivation self-motivation becomes a very crucial issue in
an e-learning scenario. This is an essential requirement and without self-motivation,
learners often are known to drop out of the course or whatever they are supposed to
learn or they may not complete the assignments and this challenge is something which
the designers as designers we have to keep in mind.
2. Digital literacy: Another challenge for some learners is that of digital literacy. Learners
should be able to navigate, evaluate and work with content in the technological medium.
Using a variety of tools and if learners lack the background knowledge to be able to do
so, it becomes a stumbling block for them to access the content to actually do anything
to interact with the content.
3. New and unfamiliar learning experience: One more challenge which learners might
face is because of the unfamiliarity of the medium itself which leads to a very new
learning experience. Switching from a face to face classroom scenario with physical
presence of other learners and the teacher to an online scenario, where there is e-content
may be just one on one with the device this sort of a switch is an unfamiliar learning
experience and that could lead to discomfort and times even resistance to the new
format. Again, this challenge is something we have to keep in mind and see how to
address.
4. Time management: One more challenge that learners face is that of time management
which in fact, is the flipside of flexibility. Time management is known to be difficult
for learners because they may have other priorities and other commitments. While it
may seem that this is a burden of the learners, it is something that instructional designers
and teachers and content creators can address to some extent in terms of how they
sequence the material, how they chunk it, how they give supports and so, on.
B) Critical pedological considerations missing
1. E-learning is not merely dumping a bunch of information on an online portal, assuming
that learners will look at it learn from it and benefit somehow benefit a bunch of pdf
files uploaded somewhere is not e learning.
2. What is very important for effective-learning and as teachers we know this our learning
theories pedagogical design principles and we know how to implement them in a
classroom many of us know that. What is a key challenge is that these pedagogical
considerations go missing in the eformat.
3. What are some of these pedagogical considerations? They could be related to the learner
such as learner engagement with the content learner motivation and so on. They could
be related to the interaction the discussions, the feedback given, the scaffolds provided;
they could be content related also such as alignment between the content and the goals
and actually alignment between the goals and the content and the assessment or real-
world examples.
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Introduction to e-Learning
C) Diversity and Individual Differences:
1. Another category of challenges for some e-learning scenarios is that of diversity and
individual differences this becomes especially important with adult learners and in the
workplace.
2. Diversity in terms of gender and age, but also educational background, prior
knowledge, language cultural differences background with e-learning format and the
purpose with which the learner is actually interacting with the content.
3. Even for teacher in a standard school or classroom setting something like language or
cultural differences can become important.
