Information and Communication Technologies: E-Learning

By Yash Bansal|Updated : May 10th, 2021

Definition: 

E-learning is a learning system that is focused on formalized instruction but uses electronic tools. Although teaching may take place in or out of the classroom, the key component of E-learning is the use of computers and, as a result, the Internet. E-learning can also be described as the transfer of skills and information over a network.

The History of eLearning

In November 1999, while speaking at the TechLearn Conference, US learning guru Elliott Masie coined the word eLearning: “eLearning is the use of network technology to plan, deliver, pick, manage, and expand learning.”

Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, became increasingly popular in the early 2000s. 

. They were no longer used just to make calls: people watched videos, read books, and played games on their phones. That prompted cellular companies to improve mobile connectivity, a race that continues to this day.

Mobile devices are now a popular choice to access eLearning, both for businesses and general education.

 

 

The Most Important Benefits Of eLearning For Students

Today's students want content that is appropriate, mobile, self-paced, and personalized. This need is met by online learning, which allows students to learn at their own pace and convenience. Let's take a closer look at the benefits of online education.

  1. Online Learning Accommodates Everyone’s Needs

For anyone, the online learning approach is the best option. The way information is viewed, consumed, debated, and shared has changed dramatically as a result of the digital revolution. Office workers and housewives alike will enroll in online educational courses at their leisure. Many people choose to train on weekends or evenings, depending on their availability and comfort.

  2. Lectures Can Be Taken Any Number Of Times

Unlike traditional classroom instruction, online learning allows you to access the content as many times as you want. This is particularly important when studying for an exam and revising. If you can't attend a lecture in traditional schooling, you'll have to prepare for that subject on your own; in eLearning, you can attend lectures whenever you want.

 3. Offers Access To Updated Content

One of the most significant advantages of online learning is that it keeps you in step with modern learners. This allows the learner to have access to the most up-to-date material whenever they want.

 4. Quick Delivery Of Lessons

eLearning is a method of delivering lessons quickly. This mode of delivery has shorter delivery times than conventional classroom teaching methods. This means that the amount of time it takes to learn is decreased by 25% to 60% compared to conventional schooling. The following are some of the reasons why eLearning reduces learning time:

  • Lessons begin quickly and are completed in one learning session. This allows training programmed to be implemented in a matter of weeks, if not days.
  • Instead of studying at the same pace as the rest of the class, students should set their own pace.
  • Saves time by eliminating the need for a student to travel to the training location. You can study in the privacy of your own home.

 5. Scalability

eLearning facilitates the creation and dissemination of new instruction, strategies, principles, and ideas. eLearning is a very easy way of learning, whether it is for formal education or entertainment.

 6. Consistency

eLearning allows educators to achieve a higher level of coverage in order to convey the message to their target audience in a consistent manner. With this learning mode, all learners can undergo the same form of instruction.

 7. Reduced Costs

When compared to conventional learning methods, eLearning is less expensive. This price reduction is due to the fact that learning in this mode is fast and easy. In terms of coaches, transport, course supplies, and lodging, a significant amount of training time is saved.

8. Effectiveness

eLearning has a positive impact on the profitability of a business. It makes it simple to understand and digest the information:

  • It leads to higher qualification, examination, or other forms of assessment ratings.
  • A higher percentage of students earn a ‘pass' or ‘mastery' grade.
  • Improved ability to understand and apply new techniques or skills in the workplace; • Assist with information retention.

 9. Less Impact On Environment

Since eLearning is a paperless method of instruction, it helps to secure the environment to a large degree. According to a report on eLearning courses, distance-based learning programmes used 90 percent less power and generated 85 percent less CO2 emissions than conventional campus-based educational courses. There is no need to cut down trees to receive paper with eLearning. 

 

eLearning Content Types

1. Digital Courses

Simple digital courses are often presented as slides with information and media (video, audio, and pictures).

2. Quizzes

Digital quizzes, like traditional school assessments, enable you to assess how much your workers have learned from a particular lesson. You can create fun and interactive tests with branching, audio and video queries, drag-and-drop components, and more using modern authoring software.

3. Webinars

A webinar is an online presentation that is typically documented using a webcam. The speaker's desktop can be used as a blackboard to display slides and images.

There are two advantages of using this format. The first is that you can broadcast to thousands of workers at once, and the second is that your audiences can ask questions and get real-time responses.

4. Video Courses

Video classes make learning more visually appealing. This format is entertaining and can be used for any subject; all you have to do is decide how you want to present it. A video course can be either an immersive course with pop-up questions and game elements or a straightforward educational video.

 5. Podcasts

Podasts are extremely useful. Instead of listening to the radio, you should listen to them while jogging or walking. Since podcasts are always long, they must be catchy and persuasive in order for the listener to stay awake while listening to your insightful lullaby.

 

Government eLearning Platforms

  • SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds)

The platform has been designed to impart quality education to school students, undergraduate, as well as post-graduate students in India. The portal offers free printable and downloadable study materials, video lectures, discussion forums, and online tests from over 1600 courses. After successful completion of the course, students can get a certificate in exchange for a token fee.

  • DIKSHA

DIKSHA, an initiative taken by the Ministry of Education was launched in September 2017 to facilitate advanced digital learning for teachers from classes 1 to 12. The digital portal has been mainly designed for teacher education but is also available for students who want to connect to the teacher’s community. DIKSHA offers training courses, worksheets, lesson videos, curriculum, and assessment tests for teachers.

  • e-PG Pathshala

e-PG Pathshala is an online portal for postgraduate courses started by the Ministry of Education under NME-ICT (National Mission on Education through ICT) and the UGC. Under this initiative, over 700 e-books in over 68 postgraduate courses will be available for free for students. 

  • Swayam Prabha

Swayam Prabha was conceptualized by the Ministry of Education that consists of a collection of 32 DTH channels that will telecast educational contents 24x7 for students across India. Each day, the channel will telecast a new content of 4-hours duration. The content will be shown 5 times a day so that students can select the time and watch the programs at their convenience

  • National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL)

NPTEL is another project funded by the Government of India and Ministry of Education. It was a collective initiative taken by the Institute of Science, Bangalore, and 7 other IIT institutes (Delhi, Bombay, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Guwahati, Roorkee, Madras).

 

Advantages Of eLearning

  1. You are able to link the various resources in several varying formats.
  2. It is a very efficient way of delivering courses online.
  3. Due to its convenience and flexibility, the resources are available from anywhere and at any time.
  4. Everyone, who are part time students or are working full time, can take advantage of web-based learning.
  5. Web-based learning promotes active and independent learning.
  6. As you have access to the net 24x7, you can train yourself anytime and from anywhere also.
  7. It is a very convenient and flexible option; above all, you don't have to depend on anyone for anything.
  8. Not only can you train yourself on a day to day basis, but also on weekends or whenever you have the free time to. There is no hard and fast rule.
  9. Through discussion boards and chats, you are able to interact with everyone online and also clear your doubts if any.
  10. The video instructions that are provided for audio and video learning can be rewound and seen and heard again and again if you do not happen to understand the topic first time around.

Disadvantages Of eLearning

Well, there are not many disadvantages of eLearning, the main one being that you get knowledge only on a theoretical basis and when it comes to putting to use whatever you have learnt, it may be a little different. The face-to-face learning experience is missing, which may matter to some of you.

  1. Most of the online assessments are limited to questions that are only objective in nature.
  2. There is also the problem of the extent of security of online learning programs.
  3. The authenticity of a particular student's work is also a problem as online just about anyone can do a project rather than the actual student itself.
  4. The assessments that are computer-marked generally have a tendency of being only knowledge-based and not necessarily practicality-based.

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