E-LEARNING

E-Learning

E-Learning

Introduction

Modern Day teachers and schools have a broad diversity of Internet-based utensils obtainable to them for sustaining their classes. These tools have become adequately complicated that many courses exterior to formal education institutions are now accessible either with an initial in-person meeting followed by online sessions, or completely online. As both instructors and students gain greater access to sufficiently advanced hardware and network relations, a growth of Internet-based support into all aspects of formal education is happening quickly.

While E- Learning education is often presented as a relatively new educational mode, it has been around for some time. It began as correspondence learning during the nineteenth century and continued into the twentieth century, transforming into mass communications through the use of radio and television (Cohen, 2009). As well, as the century progressed, E- Learning education further developed in the forms of extended education, open education, and e-learning (McIssac & Blocher, 2008). E- Learning has evolved from the use of primarily print-based materials into a worldwide movement using various technologies (McIsaac & Blocher, 2008). Consequently, E- Learning education continues to further develop through the utilization of newer technologies including teleconferencing, electronic mail, web-based instruction, chat rooms, satellite television, computer networks, and virtual classrooms.

Main Body

As well, E- Learning education, as it has continued to evolve, can be used to provide interactive or non-interactive learning opportunities for students. Interactive learning can be synchronic or asynchronic or a combination of the two. According to Cohen (2009), synchronic learning is where “the teacher and students perform interactively at the same time on the same subject and in every learning action they perform" as in the traditional classroom (p. 222). In asynchronic learning, "the teacher and students interact but do not deal with the same topic at the same time (Cohen, 2009, p. 222). Non-interactive learning is mainly represented by the World Wide Web where the media transfers the knowledge to the learner.

As explained by Sherry (2007), there has been increasing political and public interest in E- Learning education in areas and regions where the student population is widely distributed. Furthermore, as noted by Sherry, in surmising E- Learning education as it exists within the U.S. currently, each region has developed its own form of E- Learning education on the basis of local resources, target audience, and philosophy of the organizations which provide the instruction. On the basis of information provided by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), it has been determined that currently there is no best use of technology nor is there one best use of technology. As further noted by OTA, it is important that educators have the opportunity to choose, are willing to make choices, and possess the qualifications to implement their choices effectively. Consequently, flexibility should be encouraged, allowing educators to develop their personal teaching approach utilizing the variety of options offered by technology.

Also, there have been several reasons that have been suggested as the basis for the degree to which E- Learning education has found acceptance within the ...