The simplest definition of e-learning is a learning process that makes use of technologies as supporting tools.
Examples of technologies that are common being used are the Web, chat-based forum, interactive TV, videotape, etc.
The activities engaged in e-learning are including team collaboration, document management publishing, synchronous/asynchronous communication, and course-work submission.
With the technological advances, e-learning offers several benefits for both the students and instructors. This learning process is known to be low-cost compared with traditional learning process; it is consistent, yet customized; it is timely and dependable; it is universal and scalable; and it offers time and place convenience as its most obvious benefit.
However, there are also challenges to the growth of e-learning. E-learning is mostly hindered by the bandwidth and infrastructure limitation; the lack of training for the instructors; and the need to invent new learning culture and training organization.
Below is the e-learning 'concept-map' that my team has created for our first assignment.
NUS is one university that engages e-learning in much way. E-learning’s existence is obvious here. We have IVLE, the virtual learning environment site that must have the most hits among all sites entered by NUS students; we post questions in forum; have contacts with lecturers and tutors through emails; upload and download presentation slides and assignment; and watch quite a number of videos during the lecture. One of my exchange student friends even said that NUS is way too technological, having even the slightest contacts with traditional learning tools, such as chalk and blackboard.
I found that this whole experience of e-learning is very much enjoyable, effective, and efficient. Let’s take one example of the webcast. Having webcast as the ‘replacement’ of a lecture does not merely imply that a student is being lazy to go to school. There are some students who really can’t make it for going to school due to some circumstances, such as having part-time job or lack of transportation. Webcast also works for a tool to review. I myself found that I, somehow, can concentrate more by watching webcast. Webcast is more manageable as I can just go back to it anytime I need it, run it faster or slower, or even pause it in times I need to take notes of something.
Another example is the Internet forum. I found that Internet forum is the most suitable place for Asian students to interact with each other, asking questions, answering them, discussing interesting issues related to the subject, etc. This is because Asian students are known to be more introvert and less expressive than, say, American or European students. The absence of student’s physical being encourages the student to speak up more. The asynchronous characteristic of the Internet forum also allows the student to have more time to think about his/her question and to put it in the best manner.
Outside of formal education (like university), e-learning has also expanded to other forms of education, such as home-schooling. I have one friend did home-school through a service provided by one high school in the US. What she all needed to do was just to watch the lectures through webcasts from her home, email her teachers for questions, and upload her homework online. Through e-learning, she was able to get the US education that she wanted without paying too much expense.
Despite all the positive benefits gained from e-learning, I realize that such technology is limited to only certain numbers of societies. However, looking at today’s technological advances, higher education level of teachers and instructors, and better technological training for teachers and students, I believe that it won't be too long for all societies to enjoy the benefits of e-learning equally.
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