Thursday, May 19, 2011

What is e-learning anyway

In my RTO, there has been a real focus on incorporating e-learning into our delivery methodology. There are a number reasons for this; offering flexible delivery, meeting a vast range of client needs and cost effective delivery are few.

With an increased focus on e-learning it leads to me to wonder whether we all share the same concept of what e-learning actually is.

Does e-learning have to occur in a virtual or online classroom, or is more than that?


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.[1] The term will still most likely be utilized to reference out-of-classroom and in-classroom educational experiences via technology, even as advances continue in regard to devices and curriculum. Wikipedia

Let's take this definition and look at a few scenarios. Does this mean that all of these are examples of e-learning?:
  1. Showing a YouTube video to a group of students in a face to face class
  2. Getting students to research a topic using the internet and then report their findings to the class
  3. Getting students to create an online survey as part of a research project
  4. Getting students to research a topic and then collaborate with other students to create their own resource using a wiki
  5. Using an online resource and quiz to deliver the theory component of a practical skill
  6. Using Skype to keep in contact with external students
  7. Asking students to create an e-portfolio of their work and experiences for the duration of a course
  8. Providing an external student with a CD-Rom with some interactive content as part of their course work
  9. Recording a screen cast to demonstrate how to complete a task on the computer.
  10. Recording an instructional video demonstrating a task and then sharing that video with students through YouTube
  11. Ask students to take photos for a learning task and upload them to Flickr to share with the group
So if e-learning can encompass such a wide variety of tools, concepts and technologies, shouldn't that make it easy to incorporate some e-learning into our delivery?

What are your thoughts?

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