Helping learners to grow up smart through online education and simulation learning.

Abstract

This research paper has investigated the effects of using digital means to an end that is imparting the knowledge and developing the desired skills in an individual. The paper has examined the advantages digital means offers to students/learners which includes but not limited to 360 degree understanding of the concept, learning by doing, and to the instructors which includes but not limited to time and cost saving.

Introduction

Online education is arguably one of the most widely debated and hotly contested topic in the contemporary world of academia and goes by many names—, Internet-based education, automated coursework, commercialized digital education, distance learning and so on. It is a newly-invented mechanism for imparting knowledge designed to offer the education up to PhD level which is outside the traditional setup within the walls of a classroom.

But digital education is not just limited to Internet. Television and Radio are also providing education to adults related to politics, economics and even philosophy through talk shows and plays etc. long before Internet was invented. But these mediums, including the more traditional media, books are not interactive and provide one way education in which content is pushed at us. Online education through web is a two-way process which involved both, pushing and pulling. The factor of interactivity distinguishes online education from other forms and mechanisms of education. The receiver of online education can be a receiver as well as a sender simultaneously (Bell, 1-5).

Literature Review

Digital Education through web

The best thing about web-based online education is, it involves multiple media which helps educators to present their point in more comprehensive and clear way which they cannot do while using other 'single' mediums like Books (text only) and Radio (voice only). A Television also hosts multiple mediums but instructor won't be able to figure out whether learning has taken place or not as Program, say on health issues will be broadcasted but viewers won't be able to ask questions from the instructor and will be left with number of questions in their mind regarding the topic which need to be answered to impart a comprehensive knowledge about a issue for the desired outcome. Instructor on the other hand won't be able to know who are his/her audience and what level of understanding they currently hold about the topic which will make him to talk in generic terms so that everybody gets some idea about it (Brown & Duguid, 12-15).

These gaps are somehow filled by online education as through online classes where students can interact with their instructors and instructors knows their students which help them to prepare a lecture according to their level of understanding. In online classes which so many renowned universities offer, instructors can use texts, sound, pictures and videos which help them to present the topic in more complete manner which help create more thorough understanding in their students about the topic. Online education engages people in the ideal way of learning by utilizing more ways ...