How E-learning Can Enhance Education

What is e-learning

• Convergence of Internet and learning on all levels

• Groups together education, training and structured information

• Covers wide set of applications and processes, e.g. CBE, WBE, etc...

How E-learning Can Affect Education: Student’s Perspective

• Learner controlled– Control over learning process

– Increase in retention rate

• Self paced– Students learn at their own timetable

– Focus on learner rather than instructor

• Uniformity of content– Reduces possibility of misinterpretations

How E-learning Can Affect Education: Student’s Perspective (Contd.)

• Customizable content– Courses developed based on individuals

weaknesses and strengths

• Content updated quickly– Important as knowledge changes frequently

• Anywhere, anytime, anyone– 24/7 concept

– Information availability upon need

How E-learning Can Affect Education: Student’s Perspective (Contd.)

• Substantial cost saving– Eliminates the expense and inconvenience of

getting students and instructors in a place

• Improved collaboration– More concentration on a topic because of small

class size

• Students with disabilities– Transportation barriers are eliminated– Promotes equality among learning, reducing

discrimination

How E-learning Can Affect Education: Teacher’s Perspective

• Instructors can develop materials using resources on www.

• They can communicate in a more engaging fashion – video, audio, virtual reality...

• Convenient to access any time, any place.• Reduces time to prepare materials.• Reduces travel and accommodation costs

associated with training programs.

Practical Examples

• West Virginia: turning the campus into a computer lab

• E-learning: the medical model• Co-authors in cyberspace

Conclusion

• Though in its earliest phase, holds extraordinary potential

• Enables education to occur in remote places at any time

• Promises strengthening the bond that connects students, instructors, academic communities and resources to support learning.