E-Learning as An Alternative Way to Get Education

Introduction

Nowadays, we experienced huge increasing numbers of e-learning in education institutions, corporate trainings, and non-profit organizations. According to ontariolearn.com, a consortium of Ontario Community Colleges who have partnered to develop and deliver on-line courses, there are 22 community colleges in Canada offer on-line courses include Humber, Centennial, Seneca, etc. Universities in Canada as University of Toronto, The Chang School – Ryerson University, and University of British Columbia, etc. also provide distance learning programs as an alternative way of study for adult students. Companies of Fortune 100 as American Express, Manulife, Bell, Siemens as well as mid-size business and non-profit organizations even keep improving their e-learning programs to enhance their customer service performances.

E-learning is sometimes associated to on-line learning, distance learning, virtual classrooms, web-based learning, computer-based teaching, and other terms. The question is, “What is e-learning?”, “Is e-learning same as on-line learning, distance learning, virtual classrooms and other terms often used?”, “Why should we use e-learning?”, “What is the advantage and disadvantage of e-learning?” This article discusses about basic understandings of e-Learning as an alternative way to get education.

What is E-Learning?

The age of e-learning is as old as the age of computer. When computer technology was found, people have started to generate e-learning systems in their education institutions. The first form of e-learning could be found on Computer-Based Learning/Training which often attempted to replicate autocratic teaching styles whereby the role of the e-learning system was assumed to be for transferring knowledge, as opposed to systems developed later based on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL), which encouraged the shared development of knowledge.

E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The Information and communication systems, whether networked or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process.

E-learning is essentially the computer and network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include web-based/on-line learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms, distance learning, and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio.

Acronyms like CBT (Computer-Based Training), IBT (Internet-Based Training) or WBT (Web-Based Training) have been used as synonyms to e-learning. Today one can still find these terms being used, along with variations of e-learning such as elearning, Elearning, and eLearning.

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. E-Learning pioneer Bernard Luskin argues that the "E" must be understood to have broad meaning if e-learning is to be effective. Luskin says that the "e" should be interpreted to mean exciting, energetic, enthusiastic, emotional, extended, excellent, and educational in addition to "electronic" that is a traditional national interpretation. This broader interpretation allows for 21st century applications and brings learning and media psychology into the equation.

In higher education especially, the increasing tendency is to create a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which is sometimes combined with a Management 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-counseling, online textbook purchase, student governments and student newspapers.

E-Learning can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, 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.

The recent trend in the e-learning sector is screencasting. There are many screencasting tools available but the latest buzz is all about the web based screencasting tools which allow the users to create screencasts directly from their browser and make the video available online so that the viewers can stream the video directly. The advantage of such tools is that it gives the presenter the ability to show his ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explain them, which may be more confusing when delivered via simple text instructions. With the combination of video and audio, the expert can mimic the one-on-one experience of the classroom and deliver clear, complete instructions. From the learner's point of view this provides the ability to pause and rewind and gives the learner the advantage of moving at their own pace, something a classroom cannot always offer.

Why should we use E-Learning?

Education institutions have started to offer e-learning programs or kept improving their e-learning systems because e-learning gives benefits both for the learners and the instructors. The following is reasons why we should use e-learning:

• Increased access: Instructors of the highest caliber can share their knowledge across borders, allowing students to attend courses across physical, political, and economic boundaries. Recognized experts have the opportunity of making information available internationally, to anyone interested at minimum costs.
• Convenience and flexibility to learners: In many contexts, e-learning is self-paced and the learning sessions are available 24x7. Learners are not bound to a specific day/time to physically attend classes. They can also pause learning sessions at their convenience. High technology is not necessary for all online courses. Basic internet access, audio, and video capabilities are common requirements. Depending on the technology used, students can begin their courses while at work and finish those at an alternate internet equipped location.
• Skill development: E-learning encourage learners to develop the skills and competencies needed in the 21st century, in particular to ensure that learners have the digital literacy skills required in their discipline, profession or career

Disadvantages of E-Learning

E-learning may not be effective for learners. The following is disadvantages of e-learning under particular conditions:

• Learners need to have access to a computer as well as the Internet. They also need to have computer skills with programs such as word processing, Internet browsers, and e-mail. Without these skills and software it is not possible for the learner to succeed in e-learning. Are all learners ready to have all of those basic requirements? Could schools/organizations provide those requirements?
• E-learners need to be very comfortable using a computer. Slow Internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials difficult. This may cause the learners to get frustrated and give up.
• For learners with beginner-level computer skills it can sometimes seem complex to keep their computer files organized. The file may be lost or misplaced to the learner without good computer organizational skills.
• E-learning also requires time to complete especially those with assignments and interactive collaborations. This means that students have to be highly motivated and responsible because all the work they do is on their own. Learners with low motivation may not complete modules.
• Learners may feel isolated and unsupported while learning. Instructions are not always available to help the learner so learners need to have discipline to work independently without assistance. E-learners may also become bored with no interaction.

Conclusions

Although e-learning has some disadvantages to learners, we cannot deny that e-learning as an alternative way of learning has many advantages both for learners and learning providers. As we could check on the internet and academic programs, the growing numbers of e-learning providers has amazed as well as the e-learners. Since e-learning has been able to give more opportunity for people to get and improve knowledge, skills, and professionalism; educators, instructors, government, and experts in communication and information technology are challenged to overcome the disadvantages of e-learning for e-learners. They are challenged to:

• Prepare students to be highly motivated and skilled e-learners to accomplish e-learning programs
• Provide learning programs and learning contents not only transferring knowledge but also in collaborative ways
• Manage Learning Management Systems in order to learners become confident because their instructors/learning providers are able to quickly respond their needs and questions.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-learning

http://www.1stopbiztro.com/_mgxroot/page_10752.html

http://www.ontariolearn.com/

http://www.media-visions.com/vis-luskin.html

Methods of Instruction (Part 2)

This article continues the discussion about methods of instruction.

• Game: an instructional activity in which participants follow prescribed rules that differ from those of reality as they strive to attain a challenging goal; is usually competitive. A good sample of educational classroom games could be checked on http://ezinearticles.com/?Educational-Classroom-Games---Wheel-of-Fortune&id=510323, developed by Lucas Kent
• Group discussion, guided: a purposeful conversation and deliberation about a topic of mutual interest among 6-20 participantsunder the guidance of a leader. For example, in a Humanities class, the instructor forms students in small groups (6 members for each group), and ask every group to discuss about Gender Inequality. The questions might include: What is the idea of gender inequality?, How do we know that something respects gender equality or not? (give examples), have you ever experienced gender inequality in your culture/community? If yes, what have you done so far?, What should governments and society do to respond gender inequality?
• Group discussion, free/opened: a free group discussion of a topic selected by the teacher, who acts only as chairman; learning occurs only through the interchange among group members. For example: In a history class, a selected topic is "15th Century Temples in Asia Countries". Students in groups discuss about that topic and they are free to choose which temple they would like to discuss, as well as what aspects would be discussed.
• Ancient symposium: a group of 5-29 people who meet in a home or private room to enjoy good food, entertainment, fellowship, and with the desire to discuss informally a topic of mutual interest. For example, students in faculty of media studies come together to attend an ancient symposium about "Raising Awareness of Flash Animation". Students from different backgrounds (graphic design, web design, photography, videography, games design, etc.) share their points of view.
• Interview: a 5 to 30 minutes presentation conducted before an audience in which a resource person(s) responds to systematic questioning by the audience about a previously determined topic. For example, a group of students from Faculty of Environmental Studies perform a presentation about Eco-Friendly Houses before house owners in Warden Community area. After doing presentation, the students interview the house owners about their interest in Eco-Friendly House Improvement.
• Laboratory: a learning experience in which students interact with raw materials. For example, students of Pharmacy study program perform an experiment in a lab to gain knowledge in the culturing and identification of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.
• Guided laboratory: an-instructor guided learning experience in which students interact with raw material. For example, students of Chemistry study program learn about various types of glassware and its function guided by their instructor
• Lecture/speech: An oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject for example done by a university professor or a college instructor
• Panel discussion: A group of 3 or 6 people having a purposeful conversation on an assigned topic before an audience of learners; members are selected on the basis of previously demonstrated interests and competency in the subject to be discussed and their ability to verbalize. For example, in a panel discussion about HIV/AIDS, the committee invites 3 experts. Three of them come from different background (medical, sociology, and psychology).
• Project: an organized task performance or problem solving activity. For example: student of Videography study program perform a Green Screen Video Production project

To be continued...

Main source: Reigeluth, C. (1999). Instructional-Design Theories and Models, Vol II: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theories. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence-Earlbaum Associates, Pub.

Methods of Instruction

In the "New Paradigm of Instructional Theories", Reigeluth (1999) emphasizes that instructional system is a part of supra system, which developed by society. When the supra system changes, instructional system also changes. This article will explain how instructional system changes and the effects in methods of instruction.

Today's society is gradually moving from industrial age (I call here: IA) to information age (I call here: INFA). When people in the IA follow standardization, in the INFA people tend to believe customization where they can customize business or projects based on what clients' need. When most business in the IA set up in bureaucratic organization, nowadays it is being developed in team-based organization. If we notice carefully, any job vacancy in any business area requires team-work skills. Moreover, those skills will enable people to share their ideas and decisions, build cooperative relationship, give rooms for initiative and diversity, use multi-way communications/networking, and perform autonomy with accountability. Those are contrast from performances in the IA, when the system maintains autocratic decision making, adversarial relationship, compliance, conformity, one-way communication, and centralized control. As additions, in the INFA, society values and applies holism instead of compartmentalization, process oriented instead of parts oriented, total quality instead of planned obsolescence, and as the best ever... "Customer as King" instead of "CEO/Boss as King".

Those fundamental changes have important implications for instruction. Learners need to be able to think about and solve problems, work in teams, communicate, take initiative, and bring diverse perspectives to their business. With all of these demands, how could we choose, or design, or set the methods of instruction?

The following are samples of instructional methods available to use:

• Apprenticeship: an experiential learning strategy in which the learner acquires knowledge and skills through direct participation in learning under immediate personal supervision in a situation that approximates the conditions under which the knowledge will be used. For example: Students of Multimedia Design study program apply their skills by working in a multimedia production studio and get new skills from their mentors who have worked there for some years and have had more experience.
• Debate: a formally structured discussion with two teams arguing opposing sides of a topic. For example: Students in an Ethical Issues course debate about relativism, absoultism, and pluralism. Which one is the most suitable in today's society and why.
• Demonstration: a carefully prepared presentation that shows how to perform an act or to use a procedure; accompanied by appropriate oral and visual explanations and illustrations; frequently, accompanied by questions. For example, a professor in a medical doctor study program does a demonstration about how to perform a brain surgery. He uses artificial head and brain accompanied by interactive learning media in order to students gain knowledge and follow the procedures (see: Ed-Heads Brain Surgery Interactive Learning Media developed by OHIO University)
• Field trip: a carefully planned educational tour in which a group visits an object or place of interest for first-hand observations study. For example: A group of student of architecture study program visit friendly-environment buildings in order to them getting some ideas about it. This field trip would be effective if they are prepared with some knowledge about green-friendly environment buildings before visitations.

To be continued...

Main source: Reigeluth, C. (1999). Instructional-Design Theories and Models, Vol II: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theories. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence-Earlbaum Associates, Pub.

Basic Understandings of Instructional Design

What is Instructional Design?

Learners may need interesting learning materials that encourage them to find and study more about topics they learn. They may expect fun learning activities that keep them awake and learning in easier ways. They may also demand good quality learning programs that lead them to increase their productivity or get a job when graduate. Those are common things needed by learners in various institutions.

If you are a school manager, instructor for corporate training, or teacher in a high school, you surely need good instructional designs to bring success of your students. But what is instructional design?

Instructional design is design that help people to learn and develop, not only in schools, but also in workplaces and homes; within groups or individual, and use instructor-led or independent activities. Kinds of learning and development may include cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual. Learning and development activities should be carefully planned and designed in order to learners realize what their goals and what they will study, reach their goals, get knowledge and understandings, able to perform skills or specific skills, and have alternatives of instructional strategies.

3 Basic Considerations of Instructional Design

Three basic considerations of instructional design include conditions, desired outcomes, and methods of instruction.

Conditions

When thinking about conditions, we could ask and answer questions as the nature to be learned (this is about what knowledge or skills are learned; different knowledge and skills need different ways to learn), the nature of the learner (prior knowledge, learning strategies, and motivations), the nature of learning environment (independently at home, in a group of students at a school, in a small team business, and the nature of instructional development constraints (how much time and money you have for planning and developing the instruction).

These conditions may influence which methods will work best to attain the desired outcomes.

Desired Outcomes

The second basic consideration of instructional design is level of effectiveness, level of efficiency, and level of appeal.

When level of effectiveness concerns with how well the instruction works, as indicated how well (to what degree of proficiency) the learning goals are attained; level of efficiency concerns with level of effectiveness of the instruction divided by the time and/or the cost of the instruction. For example, how long learners could reach the criterion of effectiveness.

Level of appeal is also considered as important since it gives standard and information about how learners enjoy the instruction and want to learn more about the topic.

Methods of Instruction

The main characteristic of instructional design is prescriptive, and it is clearly shown by methods of instruction. Methods of instruction are identified and suggested based on the situations of instructional (conditions and desired outcomes) in order for learners be able to attain the goals of instructional activities.

“Theory One” generated by Perkins of Smart School gives good examples of instructional methods. It says when we need to foster cognitive learning, the instruction should provide clear information (descriptions and examples of the goals, knowledge needed, and performances expected), thoughtful practice (opportunity for learners to engage actively and reflectively whatever is to be learned-adding numbers, solving word problems, writing essays), informative feedback (clear, thorough counsel to learners about their performance, helping them to proceed more effectively) and strong intrinsic or extrinsic motivation (activity that are amply rewarded, either because they are very interesting and engaging in themselves or because they feed into other achievements that concern the learner (Perkins in Reigeluth, 1998, p. 5-6).

Instructional methods can be broken into more detailed component methods, for example, the components of clear information may include identification of goals for the students, monitoring and signaling process toward the goals, giving abundant examples of the concepts treated, demonstration, linkage of new concepts to old ones through identification of familiar, expanded, and new elements, legitimizing a new concept or procedure by means of principles the students already know, cross checks among representations, and compelling logic (Perkins in Reigeluth).

Methods of instructional are rather probabilistic than deterministic, which means they increase the chances of attaining the goals rather than ensuring attainment of the goals. When methods are carefully identified, learners have more chance to be successful.

As conclusion, this article suggests teachers, instructors, or instructional designers to consider at least three main points of designing instructionals, which include learning and learners condition, desired outcomes, and best methods of instruction to bring success of learners.

More details about Methods of Instructional would be publish on the next posting.

Source: Reigeluth, C. (1998). Instructional Design Theories and Models, Vol. II: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theories. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates, Pub.