Implementing E- Learning

Implementing E- Learning

Introduction:

E-learning is an emerging and fast growing process, which has gained immense pace after the advent and development of the internet. After the launching of the communication satellites, the advances in information technology have started proceeding at an unprecedented rate, leading to changes that were even not imaginable a few decades back. E-learning is also one of such processes, which has developed with the advancements in information and technology and is growing more with each passing day.

Management approaches to E- Learning:

Various management approaches have been presented for e-learning, which also involves different viewpoint and perspectives, with the two major perspectives being instructional design and program management.

The instructional design approach involves an eight step process, which involves a developmental process too. The second approach, known as program management, is comprised of a detailed and elaborated seventeen step management process. Both the perspectives are used by the managers, developers and at times instructors as well, in order to ensure proper learning and smooth running of the e-learning processes and programs.

The Instructional System Design (ISD) Approach:

The design that I have chosen for implementation of e-learning process involves the eight step model and is known as the Instructional System Design (ISD) Approach. The ISD approach provides the instructor with a simple and easy learning plan, which provides a detailed explanation of each and every step, including the division of responsibility and the allocation of time for each task involved.

The ISD model under discussion, an eight step model provide guidelines for smooth running of the procedure of e-learning. The guidelines mentioned above provide the basis for the over project management of the e-learning process and making an effective e-learning plan.

The Eight Step E-Learning Plan:

The eight step e-learning plan starts with the process of providing scope of the process, and continues through evaluation and maintenance of the process. The different steps involved in the process, which would be discussed in the following paragraphs, include consultation of the manager of the instructor with the client (Pope, 2001). These steps provide the instructor as well the client with an opportunity to explain he ideas, to find out compatibility between both sides and also to make further strategies. All the steps hold curtail importance, and have to be carefully determined and carried out with full precession and clarity, in order to avoid confusions and mishaps in the future. Any error or issue with any one of the steps might lead to failure of the whole e-learning process, and thus t importance granted to these steps is all justified and explained.

All of the involved steps are linked with the decision making steps, which highlights the importance of successful and effective decision making process. The major steps involved in the process are mentioned below (Dam, 2003):

Scope the project: Scoping refers to the data collection process, which involved accessing the significance of the data collection technique and preparation of a finalized scope report, which is then submitted to the stake holders. The step holds immense importance as any error ...