emerging technologies
are increasing both access and expectation
In many cases, educational institutions are poorly prepared to respond to the demand...
E-learning is learning which takes place as a result of experiences and interaction in an Internet environment.
It is not restricted to a regular school day and can take place in a variety of locations including home, school and community locations e.g. libraries, cafes etc.
The Web is a medium today's kids expect to use for expression and communication—the world into which they were born."
While acknowledging the Internet is not a panacea for every problem in education, web-based learning does have unique capabilities:
To center learning around the student instead of the classroom
To focus on the strengths and needs of individual learners
To make lifelong learning a practical reality
Conventional Learning
Students attend a school in their local community.
Classes are scheduled according to school hours and timetables.
Students are directed to work individually or in groups.
Classes are synchronous. Teachers and students interact in real time.
Students are generally enrolled with one school.
Learning objectives are set by the teacher and institution.
Students follow a linear pattern influenced by the needs of other class members and the teacher's planning.
Teachers work in one school.
Students participate from a variety of locations and may "attend" multiple learning institutions and/or their local school.
Students can determine the times when they access e-learning.
Students can choose to work individually or collaboratively with people who may or may not be in their regular class.
Classes may be synchronous or asynchronous.
Students can take classes from more than one school.
Students can set their own objectives and explore their own learning needs and agendas.
Students can follow a non-linear path at a pace that meets their individual needs at that time, i.e. just-in-time learning. The teacher is facilitating the activity.
E-teachers can work in more than one school.
