E-Learning
A generation ago no one would have heard of learning via an electronic medium. Traditionally, learning is obtained either orally or from the printed text. Today, computers have added another way to learn – it is called e-learning. It is learning on the World Wide Web or through a compact disk or simply from a learning program in the computer.
Through e-learning it is possible to present information in a variety of ways that are not supported in the traditional systems. In fact, e-learning supports both the print and the oral systems and uses them in novel and intuitive ways.
What can E-Learning do?
- Present written text like in the print medium
- Provide annotations to the printed text
- Provide links to further resources and meanings to special words in the text
- Provide visual information through graphics (pictures in the print medium)
- Animate the graphics
- Allow human interaction with the graphics
- Provide features like self-assessment and feedback
- Allow users to build, edit and publish content online (Wiki)
- Allow users to download content for offline viewing
- Provide communication and collaborative effort through tools
- Provide tools to disseminate information in real time, through audio, video and conferencing
- Provide tools to interact with the teaching staff online via messenger, email, and voice contact or audio/video conferencing among peers.
- Provide forums to share and discuss, debate and deliberate on issues of current interest or topics of research (Bulleting boards / Forums)
- Provide voice over capability for the printed text.
- Allows physically challenged to participate in e-learning exercises
Last Updated: March 22, 2006
