ONLINE LEARNING

Online Learning

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Online Learning and online education has been amongst the most important and renowned facets that individuals tend to make way for the purpose and objective of taking education and learning to a whole new level (Vokey & Higham, 2004). These days, in today's modern, fast-paced, high-tech world, it becomes relatively easier for people to adopt more ideas, avenues and platforms while studying on an online user interface, rather than taking classes and limiting the paradigm of learning to four walls and a ceiling (Schank, 1997). With the concept of virtual schools now coming into play, it has become for individuals to now become a part of the global academic community that exists today, breaking down all barriers and restrictions, which otherwise put all capacities and capabilities to a halt (Gooden, 1996).

Internet and online education today, although are beginning to slowly and gradually be accepted and gain recognition, but on a lot of occasions and due to societal patterns which are being intended and prevalent for generations, schooling still continues to remain the same in many parts of the world (Papert, 1993). With kindergarten, high school, college and university levels being defined and constantly being practiced, it becomes relatively difficult for individuals to make a shift towards online education. This is because credibility and reliability has become a key and prime concern for individuals to deliver and portray while studying and yielding their skill sets and efforts in the realm of education and learning.

We live in a world today where people and places are so close-knit and interconnected that even something as basic as education to a whole new level. This would be similar to the literature and research put forth by Lajoie & Derry (1993), that we live in the world of technology, in a world where constant injections and leakages, inflow and disseminations of information and relevant data tends to take place with different modes and variety of communication.

Another derivative that has excerpted out of online education is e-learning, an extended version of education and academics, brought to books by Papert (1993), suggests and rightly mentions that e-learning is amongst the most important and widely use hybrids, which synergizes all previous mediums within itself and holds the capacity to absorb further complex models that are yet to be synchronized towards the future ahead.

Time is, perhaps, the scarcest of resources but an important characteristic of a 21st century school will be seen in its willingness to manage time - and its proficiency in doing so. The regular, metronomic timetabled curriculum - a feature of many of today's schools - will be enhanced. Some schools are introducing 3-session days, enabling longer periods of concentration and learning (Lajoie & Derry, 1993). Teachers planning 2- or 3-hour long lessons have been seen to vary their pedagogy in ways that capture the interest of students.

In a research article by Gooden (1996), the author stresses upon the incorporation of e-learning as amongst the most important, ...