what is elearning

E-learning

Common Terms

E-learning, Elearning, Computer Based Learning (CBL), electronic learning, Web Based Learning (WBL), online learning, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Technology Based Learning (TBL), internet courses, Computer Based Training (CBT), Computer Enhanced Training (CET), Learning Management Systems (LMS), Computer Aided Learning (CAL).

What is e-learning?

E-learning is a type of computerised learning which is takes the form of CD-ROM, intranet or internet. This material would be set out in a course containing clear aims and objectives and with some form of ongoing and final assessment. E-learning may contain:-

Animation
Audio
Video
Graphics
Text
Charts
Games
Quizzes and tests

A combination of all these factors will give the learner the best chance of success.

Saving Time

Finding time to undertake a course is not always possible. A long day in work driving through rush hour traffic then going to an evening course in a college or a university is not always ideal. E-learning has the ability to be undertaken on your terms; a computer based course can be spread over a few nights and done when you feel like it, and all in the comfort of your own home.

If you are in charge of a workforce and need staff to undertake a course then you might have to give them all time off. This may mean shutting down production lines or bringing in staff from other departments to cover. E-learning could be implemented where a staff member has a few hours of computer based learning before going back to work. Therefore minimising impact and lower costs.

Learner Takes Control

Classroom and lecture hall settings are not the ideal environment for everybody. Some people lose concentration when listening to a teacher who does not interact, sometimes a difficult subject takes time to understand and the chance to ask questions is not always possible. Shyness of individual might deter them from asking questions or approaching the teacher after class to discuss an issue. Sometimes the pace of the class might be slow, therefore slowing down your own learning progress.

E-learning has the ability to address these issues. A computer based course can give an individual the freedom to learn in their own time. Regular assessment during e-learning ensures that the individual understands the topic before moving on. The user can go back and forth recapping information as they please. The individual can also take notes in their own time rather than scribbling down as the teacher or lecturer talks.

If your an employer you might want to test your workforce on whether they understand or know about a range of work related topics such as:-

Products
Regulations
Standards
Rules
Policies

E-learning would be the perfect tool to test your staff on these issues.

Learning Style

Not everybody learns the same way. Take revising for an exam as an example. How do you revise for examinations? Some people just continually read the material until they know or understand it. Some will write it out again and again. Others may use a voice recorder and then listen to the material. A select few might be lucky enough to have a photographic memory. Few might even not revise at all and just use selective guesswork. We all revise differently in what works for us as individuals.

Now how did you learn? You most probably never had the same type of freedom as you did when revising. In school you were most likely to have sat in rows with your teacher in front instructing you. All yours teachers probably had different styles. Some may have asked you lots of questions and kept you active, whilst others may have dictated the subject to you. Either of these methods may not have aided your own unique learning style. The model below shows the Felder & Soloman theory which categorises learners.

Felder & Soloman Model

The Reflective Learner - Will like to sit quietly and think about the subject.

The Active Learner - Likes to get involved and participate in group or interactive work.

The Sensing Learner - Likes to learn facts and will follow a methodology.

The Intuitive Learner - Likes innovation and dislikes repetition, they also find new concepts easier to learn.

The Visual Learner - Will prefer pictures, graphs and films as resources rather than text.

The Verbal Leaner - Will prefer text and spoken explanations to problems.

The Sequential Learner - Likes to follow a set path from beginning to end.

The Global Learner - Will tend to randomly select information and make up the gaps in-between.

Not all these learners will thrive in a lecture or a classroom environment, and not all will like the e-learning experience. It's the users own personal preference, however good e-learning can cover many of these basis.