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E-learning is
an all-encompassing term generally used to refer to
computer-enhanced learning, although it is often extended
to include the use of mobile technologies such as PDAs and
MP3 players. It may include the use of web-based
teaching materials and hypermedia in general, multimedia
CD-ROMs or web sites, discussion boards, collaborative
software, e-mail, blogs, wikis, text
chat, computer aided assessment, educational
animation, simulations, games, learning management
software, electronic voting systems and more, with
possibly a combination of different methods being used.
Along
with the terms learning technology and Educational
Technology, the term is generally used to refer to
the use of technology in learning in a much broader sense
than the computer-based
training or Computer Aided Instruction of
the 1980s. It is also broader than the terms Online
Learning or Online Education which generally
refer to purely web-based learning. In cases where mobile
technologies are used, the term M-learning has
become more common.
E-learning
is naturally suited to distance
learning and flexible learning, but can also be used
in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, in which case
the term Blended
learning is commonly used.
Typical Managed
Learning Environment with a navigation
menu and icons giving access to automated tools
and content pages.
In higher
education especially, the increasing tendency is
to create a Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE) (which is sometimes
combined with a Managed Information System (MIS) to
create a Managed
Learning Environment) in which all aspects of a
course are handled through a consistent user interface
standard throughout the institution. A growing number
of physical universities, as well as newer online-only
colleges, have begun to offer a select set of academic
degree and certificate programs via the Internet
at a wide range of levels and in a wide range of disciplines.
While some programs require students to attend some campus classes
or orientations, many are delivered completely online.
In addition, several universities offer online student
support services, such as online advising and registration,
e-counselling, online textbook purchase, student governments
and student newspapers.
E-learning
can also refer to educational web sites such as those
offering worksheets and interactive exercises for children.
The term is also used extensively in the business sector
where it generally refers to cost-effective online training.
Educational
Technology is the
systematic and creative blending of "idea" and "product" technologies
with subject-matter content in order to engender
and improve teaching and learning processes. Educational
technology is often associated with the terms instructional
technology or learning technology. "Product" technologies
are tangible; for example, computer hardware or
software. "Idea"
technologies are cognitive frameworks or schemes; for
example, the theory of Multiple
Intelligence Theory proposed by Howard
Gardner. When products are thoughtfully blended with
subject matter content (such as mathematics or science
concepts) for a specific audience in a specific educational
context (such as a school), one is using "educational
technology.
The
words educational and technology in the
term educational technology have the general meaning.
Educational technology is not restricted to the education
of children, nor to the use of high
technology. The particular case of the meaningful
use of high-technology to enhance learning in K-12 classrooms
and higher education is known as technology
integration. Several universities have recently opened
tracks for graduate programs in the field of Educational
Technology.
When
technology is integrated into the classroom, educators
are taking the constructivist approach
to learning. The amount of available information is doubling
every three years according to statistics.[1] By
the time kids graduate from high school, today's students
will have been exposed to more information than their
grandparents were in a lifetime. It has been claimed
that ninety percent of the technology we will use in
the next decade has
not been invented or currently there is no access to
at the moment.
LightSPEED
Technologies Classroom amplification technology
as a core component for multimedia learning
environments. White papers and research articles.
A
review of tech support issues in relation to
school systems integrating technology THE
PROBLEM EXISTS by Steven M. Kolins, 2001.
It
is clearly possible to apply any specific Pedagogical
Approach to e-learning, however some approaches
are more common than others. Two of the most common are
those of instructional
design and social-constructivist pedagogy.
The latter in particular is particularly well afforded
by the use of discussion forums, blogs, wikis and online
collaborative activities. Adaptability to different learning
styles is also still in vogue in certain circles.
There
are four fundamental pedagogical perspectives which historically
have influenced the approach to computer based pedagogy,
distance education and continues to provide guiding principles
for the pedagogy of e-learning:
Cognitive
Perspective - which focuses on the cognitive
processes involved in learning as well as how the
brain works.
Behavioural
Perspective -According to the behaviorists,
learning can be defined as the relatively permanent
change in behavior brought about as a result of experience
or practice. [Note: an internal event displayed by
overt behavior; contrasted with biological maturation
or genetics as an explanation for relatively permanent
change.] In fact, the term "learning theory" is often
associated with the behavioral view. Researchers
who affiliate with this position do not generally
look with favor on the term "behavior potential" (i.e.,
may be capable of performing but did not for some
reason such as illness, situation, etc.) that was
included in a definition accepted by those with a
cognitive or humanistic viewpoint. The focus of the behavioral
approach is on how the environment impacts overt
behavior.
The psychomotor
domain is associated with overt behavior when
writing instructional
objectives. Cunia (2005) provides an excellent
overview of the behavioral
approach applied to learning. Behavior
analysis is the term used to describe the scientific
study of behavior and behavior modification is the
term used to describe the application of behavior
analysis concepts and principles for the systematic
or programatic changing of behavior.
As
we discuss the behavioral
approach, for the most part we will assume
that the mind is a "black box" that we cannot see
into. The only way we know what is going on in
the mind, according to most behaviorists, is to
look at overt behavior. The feedback
loop that connects overt behavior to stimuli
that activate the senses has been studied extensively
from this perspective.
Contextual
Perspective - which focuses on the environmental
and social aspects which can stimulate learning.
Interaction with other people, collaborative discovery
and the importance of peer support as well as pressure.
The
basis of this theory states that we learn
by observing the behavior of others. Just
the opposite is attribution theory that addresses
an individuals’ perceived cause of
events or outcomes.
The
theorists highly noted for social theory research
are Albert Bandura and Bernard Weiner.
Constructivism is
a set of assumptions about the nature of human learning
that guide constructivist learning
theories and teaching methods
of education.
Constructivism values developmentally appropriate teacher-supported
learning that is initiated and directed by the student.
Computer
Based Learning, sometimes
abbreviated CBL, refers to the use of computers as
a key component of the educational environment.
While this can refer to the use of computers in
a classroom,
the term more broadly refers to a structured environment
in which computers are used for teaching purposes.
The concept is generally seen as being distinct
from the use of computers in ways where learning
is at least a peripheral element of the experience
(e.g. computer games and web browsing).
E-learning Use
of computers and particularly internet to support learning
M-learning Evolution
of computer-based learning to more compact, mobile
digital devices
Computer-based
training (CBT), also
called computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is
a type of education in
which the student learns by executing special training
programs on a computer.
CBT is especially effective for training people
to use computer
applications because the CBT program can be
integrated with the applications so that students
can practice using the application as they learn.
The
first general-purpose system for computer based learning
was the PLATO
System developed at The University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.The Plato system
evolved with the involvement of Control Data who created
the first authoring software used to create learning
content. The authoring software was called Plato. The
Science Research Council then wrote the first CAI system
of Math for K-6. Wicat Systems then created WISE as their
authoring tool using Pascal and developed English and
Math curriculum for K-6. The very first complete CAI
classroom for K-6 students was set up at the Waterford
Elementary School in Utah using the Wicat system. The
first public CAI classroom with its own layout and design
was implemented with the Wicat System by Baal Systems
(later known as Virtual Systems) in Singapore as a joint
operation between Wicat and Baal. It is from this design
that all the computer learning centers globally evolved
which were forerunners of e-learning.
Historically,
CBTs growth has been hampered by the enormous resources
required: human resources to create a CBT program, and hardware resources
needed to run it. However, the increase in PC computing
power, and especially the growing prevalence of computers
equipped with CD-ROMs,
is making CBT a more viable option for corporations and
individuals alike. Many PC applications
now come with some modest form of CBT, often called a tutorial.
Organizations
such as SkillSoft, Thomson NETg and BlueU.com are leading
innovators in the design and development of CBT in the
commercial world.
Online
Tutoring refers to
the process by which knowledge is imparted from
a tutor or knowledge provider or expert to a student
or knowledge recipient over the Internet. Online
tutoring has been around almost as long as the
Internet and takes the following form:
Tutoring
via email and knowledge content
In
this mode, the tutor or knowledge provider creates knowledge
content in a very structured and methodical manner. The
student accesses this knowledge at their own time and
pace. Interaction between the tutor and the student may
be via email. In addition, tests and quizzes may taken
and submitted by the student and returned to the graded
with feedback by the tutor.
The
following are some of the issues that the JISC
funded e-Learning and Pedagogy programme will
be addressing in consultation with practitioners from
the JISC community.
How
can we enhance current knowledge about what constitutes
effective practice in e-learning?
How
can we support practitioners with their use and understanding
of e-learning?
How
can we promote the development of terminology and frameworks
that will improve understanding and sharing of practice
in e-learning?
What
are the current approaches to the design of e-learning
activities and how can these be developed in the future
to ensure that we are using sound pedagogical models?
Situated
Learning is a model
of learning first proposed by Jean
Lave and Etienne
Wenger. It suggests that all learning is contextual,
embedded in a social and physical environment.
Lave
and Wenger assert that situated learning "is not an educational
form, much less a pedagogical strategy" (1991, p.40).
However, since their writing, others have pointed out
and advocated for pedagogies that include situated activity:
Sports
practice and music practice and art are situated learning
by definition, as the exact actions in the real setting
are those of practice - with the same equipment or
instruments
Often
it is "just in time learning", but not always - music,
sports and military training usually begin very early
and continue for the whole career of the learner. And
classrooms designed for situated learning are usually
in use long before there is any "need" to learn the material
at hand.
Task - What
must the learner perform (one behavior, one
verb)?
Condition - How will
it be performed?
Standard - How
well must it be performed?
After
the training period the learner will be able
to perform ________(task)_________. The task
must be performed under the following conditions:
____(condition)______, _____(condition)_____,
and ____(condition)______. The following
standards must be met: ____(standard)_____,
_____(standard)____, and ____(standard)_____.
Perform
_________(task)__________ when given _____(condition)_____
and ___(condition)_______. The learners must
be trained to ____________(standards)______________.
Given
a ____(condition)_____, ____(condition)____,
and ____(condition)_____, perform _______________(task)_________________.
The task must be performed as ____________(standards)_____________.
(Verb)_________(task)_____________
with
____(condition)_____, ____(condition)_____, and
____(condition)_____, by ____(standard)_____, ____(standard)_____,
and ____(standard)_____.
A Lesson is
a structured period of time where learning is
intended to occur. It involves one or more students (also
called pupils or learners in some circumstances) being
taught by a teacher or
instructor. A lesson may be either one section of a textbook (which,
apart from the printed page, can also include multimedia)
or, more frequently, a short period of time during which
learners are taught about a particular subject or taught
how to perform a particular activity. Lessons are generally
taught in a classroom but
may instead take place in a situated
learning environment.
In
a wider sense, a lesson is an insight gained by a learner
into a previously unfamiliar subject-matter. Such a lesson
can be either planned or accidental, enjoyable or painful.
The colloquial phrase
"to teach someone a lesson", means to punish or scold a
person for a mistake they have made in order to ensure
that they do not make the same mistake again.
Dialogue
education shifts the focus of education from what the
teacher says to what the learner does, from learner passivity
to learners as active participants in the dialogue that
leads to learning (Global Learning Partners, 2006c).
A dialogue approach
to education views learners as subjects in their
own learning and honours central principles such
as mutual respect and open communication (Vella,
2002). Learners are invited to actively engage
with the content being learned rather than being
dependent on the educator for learning. Ideas are
presented to learners as open questions to be reflected
on and integrated into the learner's own context
(Vella, 2004). The intent is that this will result
in more meaningful learning that has an impact
on behaviour.
The
definition of instructional technology prepared by the
Association for Educational Communications and Technology
(AECT) Definitions and Terminology Committee is as follows:
Instructional
Technology is the theory and practice of design,
development, utilization, management, and evaluation
of processes and resources for learning. ... The
words Instructional Technology in the definition
mean a discipline devoted to techniques or ways to
make learning more efficient based on theory but
theory in its broadest sense, not just scientific
theory. ... Theory consists of concepts, constructs,
principles, and propositions that serve as the body
of knowledge. Practice is the application of that
knowledge to solve problems. Practice can also contribute
to the knowledge base through information gained
from experience. ... Of design, development, utilization,
management, and evaluation ... refer to both areas
of the knowledge base and to functions performed
by professionals in the field. ... Processes are
a series of operations or activities directed towards
a particular result. ... Resources are sources of
support for learning, including support systems and
instructional materials and environments. ... The
purpose of instructional technology is to affect
and effect learning (Seels & Richey, 1994, pp.
1-9). (Cited at: [1])
A
basic problem faced by the learning community is how
to produce and deliver quality content for online learning
experiences. This tutorial examines this problem.
Online
learning content typically contains:
Text,
graphics, and movies
A
navigation scheme (easily a table of contents and/or
buttons)
Assessments
It
may also contain collaboration tools as well as other
interactive elements and graphical elements designed
to produce a unified or branded look and feel, but the
above list is basic.
To
be learning content, the content should also be aware
of learners. At a minimum, learning content should recognize
who the learner is and record information about the learner's
experience. To make this possible, learning content has
generally been developed in conjunction with some sort
of learning system that keeps track of learners. Learners
log on to the system and launch the content. As the learners
interact with the content, results are passed back to
the system. If the system allows it, the content can
also change its behavior based on learner information
stored in the system. For example, learners might be
sent to different places in the content based on test
scores, language preferences, learning style inventories,
competencies, certifications, organizational roles, and
other data.
The
most up-to-date definition of Online
Learning is generally agreed upon as the use
of the Internet to earn a degree or certificate from
an accredited school.Classes are attended virtually by
career-minded individuals seeking further certification.
The Online Education option is usually taken advantage
of when a campus-based degree is not feasible for any
number of reasons.
Online
Learning, while it falls under the umbrella of E-Learning,
has its own specific goals. Online Learning is associated
with completing a degree/certification program or completing
a previously started course of study.While E-learning
has progression and structure to it, it is generally
less involved in terms of requirements and pre-requisites
than Online Learning. E-learning normally involves the
completion of a course of study for personal goals (i.e.
Excel, Photoshop) or job certification. Both involve
many of the same processes and resources, but the overall
goal has different implications.
Online
Learning has the focused goal of certification or graduation,
with the aim of the student achieving their career.The
proliferation of the Internet has helped define this
type of learning, in addition to making it available
to wide range of people in varying demographics.
In
general a working professional can complete at most 18
credits a year (9 per semester). Online Learning provides
the flexibility to attend classes on the student’s
schedule. Most Bachelor programs can be done 100% in
the virtual classroom.
Some
advanced degrees require attendance at class-based seminars,
but offer multiple attendance dates.
Online
Degrees generally mirror their campus-based counterparts
in total credit hours, but tend to be less expensive
over the duration of the student’s education due
the student needing fewer resources to complete the program
(i.e. room and board, tuition, transportation).Also,
many students who participate in Online Learning have
done previous coursework at another institution.For those
who want to complete their degree without returning to
a fully campus based program, Online Learning is a viable
option. Returning to school via the Virtual
Classroom can be more convenient than their campus-based
counterparts, depending on area of study and institution.
Without having to physically attend classes, those who
are working full-time have the opportunity to complete
their coursework while still maintaining their working
status.
Online
Learning tuition varies greatly, depending on the institution.
Prices range from $200 per credit hour for ‘less
than half time’
students, to $500+ for full time enrollment in a Bachelors
Degree Program.This wide range in cost per credit hour
can make finding the right online institution an extensive
process.
Recent
legislation has given big a boost to online learning[1].
In the past, for students to be eligible for Federal
Financial Aid, the school had to have 50% of its classes
be campus-based. This new legislation allows for the
granting of Federal Financial Aid to students of schools
with few or no campus-based classes.
This
is an important precedent set by the United
States Congress that bolsters their support for Online
Learning. Currently, 7% of students who attend college
take classes online. This new legislation is
expected to increase the number of students participating
in Online Learning from 7% to 25% over the next ten years.
Distance
education, or
distance learning, is a field of education that
focuses on the pedagogy/andragogy,
technology, and instructional systems design that
are effectively incorporated in delivering education
to students who are not physically
"on site" to receive their education. Instead, teachers
and students may communicate asynchronously (at times
of their own choosing) by exchanging printed or electronic
media, or through technology that allows them to communicate
in real time (synchronously). Distance education courses
that require a physical on-site presence for any reason
including the taking of examinations is considered to
be a hybrid or blended course or program.
There
are two common purposes in educational evaluation which
are, at times, in conflict with one another. Educational
institutions usually require evaluation data to demonstrate
effectiveness to funders and other stakeholders, and
to provide a measure of performance for marketing purposes.
Educational evaluation is also a professional activity
that individual educators need to undertake if they intend
to continuously review and enhance the learning they
are endeavouring to facilitate.
Computer
Assisted Instruction (often
abbreviated CAI) refers to a system of educational
instruction performed almost entirely by computer.
Such systems typically incorporate functions such
as:
Assessing
student capabilities with a pre-test
Presenting
educational materials in a navigable form
Providing
repetitive drills to improve the student's command
of knowledge
Providing
game-based drills to increase learning enjoyment
Assessing
student progress with a post-test
Routing
students through a series of courseware instructional
programs.
Recording
student scores and progress for later inspection by
a courseware instructor.
The
first general-purpose system for computer-assisted instruction
was the PLATO
System developed at The University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.The Plato system
evolved with the involvement of Control Data who created
the first authoring software used to create learning
content. The authoring software was called Plato. The
Science Research Council then wrote the first CAI system
of Math for K-6. Wicat Systems then created WISE as their
authoring tool using Pascal and developed English and
Math curriculum for K-6. The very first complete CAI
classroom for K-6 students was set up at the Waterford
Elementary School in Utah using the Wicat system. The
first public CAI classroom with its own layout and design
was implemented with the Wicat System by Baal Systems
(later known as Virtual Systems) in Singapore as a joint
operation between Wicat and Baal. It is from this design
that all the computer learning centers globally evolved.
Some
people have a conception or paradigm of educational technology
that revolves around the use of CAI software products.
While that model may have been accurate in the early
days of classroom computing in the 1980s and 1990s, in
the twenty-first century the advent of Social
Software is revolutionizing the use of computer technology
in classrooms.
M-learning is
the follow up of E-learning which
for its part originates from D-learning (distance education). M-learning is
the delivery of learning to students who are not keeping
a fixed location or through the use of mobile or portable
technology. The rapid growth of information and communication
technologies (ICT)
makes it possible to develop new forms of this education.
(Georgiev, T., E.Georgieva, A.Smrikarov. M-Learning - A
New Stage of E-Learning, http://ecet.ecs.ru.acad.bg/cst04/Docs/sIV/428.pdf).
A Simulation is
an imitation of some real thing, state of affairs, or
process. The act of simulating something generally entails
representing certain key characteristics or behaviors
of a selected physical or abstract system.
…for
Distinction Sake, a Deceiving by Words, is commonly
called a Lye, and a Deceiving by Actions, Gestures,
or Behavior, is called Simulation…Robert
South (1643-1716)[1]
However,
the connection between simulation and dissembling later
faded out and is now only of linguistic interest.
Simulation
is used in many contexts, including the modeling of
natural systems or human systems in order to gain insight
into their functioning. Other contexts include simulation
of technology for
performance optimization, safety
engineering, testing, training and education.
Simulation can be used to show the eventual real effects
of alternative conditions and courses of action.
Key
issues in simulation include acquisition of valid source
information about the referent, selection of key characteristics
and behaviours, the use of simplifying approximations
and assumptions within the simulation, and fidelity and
validity of the simulation outcomes.
A Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE) is
a software system
designed to facilitate teachers in the management
of educational courses for their students, especially
by helping teachers and
learners with course administration. The system can
often track the learners' progress, which can be
monitored by both teachers and learners. While often
thought of as primarily tools for distance education,
they are most often used to supplement the face-to-face
classroom.
These
systems usually run on servers,
to serve the course to students as internet pages.
Components
of these systems usually include templates for content
pages, discussion forums, chat, quizzes and exercises
such as multiple-choice, true/false and one-word-answer.
Teachers fill in these templates and then release them
for learners to use. New features in these systems include blogs and RSS.
Services generally provided include access
control, provision of e-learning content,
communication tools, and administration of the user groups.
JISC’s
Managed Learning Environments (MLEs) Lifelong Learning
programme is looking at Building MLEs across FE and HE
and has funded several major projects to explore the
issues related to developing learning environments to
support the seamless movement of the learner between
and across sectors and institutions.
