Online Education
Online education began in 1980s when companies used computer-based teaching to train new employees as well as to upgrade skills of existing employees. This process was called computer-based training (CBT).
It, however, got a major boost with the emergence of Internet, which gave rise to Web-based training (WBT), or e-learning. Unlike computer-based learning, this was interactive, as it enabled interaction between the trainer and trainees. This came as a godsend for companies who could now train employees residing in different locations. This also helped the firms cut their training costs down drastically.
When Internet e-mail became publicly accessible in early 1995 via prominent telecom networks, CALCampus in New Hampshire launched the first web-based campus, with calcampus.edu as its Internet domain.
But online education in its primary stages was not effective enough, as the study material produced then was mainly in textual form, with some poorly reproduced images. Also, students could not interact with their teachers in real time. They had to send mails if they had any doubts to be cleared.
As the Internet became more developed by early 2000s, elements of multimedia began to be integrated into it, and that changed the face of online education. Later on, as webcams came into being, instructors used them to teach their students, giving them a classroom like feel. The use of microphones allowed students to interact with their tutors, further simulating the traditional classroom atmosphere.
Today, e-learning has become highly sophisticated. The use of high resolution images and videos made teaching more effective. It has been further bolstered by virtual classrooms, which facilitates students and teachers to interact in real time.
These advances made mainstream universities wake up to the opportunity of offering e-learning courses. Premier institutions in the US, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, to name a few, now offer e-learning courses.
Apart from these, dedicated e-learning companies have sprung up across the world. They offer in-house training for companies, courses for college students, K-12 students, etc. Prominent among them are Pearson, GP Strategies Corporation, Skillsoft, Kineo, among others. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also offers short-term e-learning resources.
All the people avail the services of Internet designers, editors, user interface designers, in addition to the regular software team.
This has impressed policy makers, with the President Barack Obama promising $500 million from federal funds towards the development of online courses in 2009.
Let us have a look some of the benefits that e-learning offers.
It gives the benefit of learning from home whenever a person wants. This is helpful for working professionals, who are hard pressed for time. Money can be saved as one does not have to travel to the place of learning. It also enables people living in remote places to study advanced courses. Instructional approach is more student-centric, as timeframe for learning varies from person to person. The student-teacher interaction is personal, unlike in a classroom with a group of students. Therefore, it gives the students the opportunity to pose their teachers questions through emails, chats and forums. Harnessing the power of Internet and multimedia, certain concepts can be demonstrated online through examples. Students of the same class can interact via 'chat rooms', where they can discuss at length. Some shy students, who will not be comfortable posing questions in front of a group, can get their doubts clarified when they are interacting one-on-one with their teacher. When the course material is provided online, students have always access to them. Physical attendance is not at all an issue, as students learn at their own pace. Tests, interactive quizzes, and other forms of assessment are at the teacher's disposal to determine more effectively the progress of each student. Higher education students who learnt through e-learning were said to as good as their counterparts from university campuses, according to a study conducted in 2010 by the US Department of Education. The disadvantages with online learning can be:
A virtual interaction between a student and teacher cannot replace a live one. A classroom atmosphere gives students the opportunity to discuss or debate, which is absent here. Certain specialized courses, such as engineering, healthcare, etc., need hands-on experience which is not possible online. Students lacking adequate technological infrastructure are at a disadvantage. Online training mentors cannot monitor if their students are cheating by referring to online sources or textbooks. As online learning is not time bound, there is a tendency to procrastinate among students. Many companies still do not treat students who have procured a degree online on par with those who have studied in a university or a college.
It, however, got a major boost with the emergence of Internet, which gave rise to Web-based training (WBT), or e-learning. Unlike computer-based learning, this was interactive, as it enabled interaction between the trainer and trainees. This came as a godsend for companies who could now train employees residing in different locations. This also helped the firms cut their training costs down drastically.
When Internet e-mail became publicly accessible in early 1995 via prominent telecom networks, CALCampus in New Hampshire launched the first web-based campus, with calcampus.edu as its Internet domain.
But online education in its primary stages was not effective enough, as the study material produced then was mainly in textual form, with some poorly reproduced images. Also, students could not interact with their teachers in real time. They had to send mails if they had any doubts to be cleared.
As the Internet became more developed by early 2000s, elements of multimedia began to be integrated into it, and that changed the face of online education. Later on, as webcams came into being, instructors used them to teach their students, giving them a classroom like feel. The use of microphones allowed students to interact with their tutors, further simulating the traditional classroom atmosphere.
Today, e-learning has become highly sophisticated. The use of high resolution images and videos made teaching more effective. It has been further bolstered by virtual classrooms, which facilitates students and teachers to interact in real time.
These advances made mainstream universities wake up to the opportunity of offering e-learning courses. Premier institutions in the US, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, to name a few, now offer e-learning courses.
Apart from these, dedicated e-learning companies have sprung up across the world. They offer in-house training for companies, courses for college students, K-12 students, etc. Prominent among them are Pearson, GP Strategies Corporation, Skillsoft, Kineo, among others. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also offers short-term e-learning resources.
All the people avail the services of Internet designers, editors, user interface designers, in addition to the regular software team.
This has impressed policy makers, with the President Barack Obama promising $500 million from federal funds towards the development of online courses in 2009.
Let us have a look some of the benefits that e-learning offers.
It gives the benefit of learning from home whenever a person wants. This is helpful for working professionals, who are hard pressed for time. Money can be saved as one does not have to travel to the place of learning. It also enables people living in remote places to study advanced courses. Instructional approach is more student-centric, as timeframe for learning varies from person to person. The student-teacher interaction is personal, unlike in a classroom with a group of students. Therefore, it gives the students the opportunity to pose their teachers questions through emails, chats and forums. Harnessing the power of Internet and multimedia, certain concepts can be demonstrated online through examples. Students of the same class can interact via 'chat rooms', where they can discuss at length. Some shy students, who will not be comfortable posing questions in front of a group, can get their doubts clarified when they are interacting one-on-one with their teacher. When the course material is provided online, students have always access to them. Physical attendance is not at all an issue, as students learn at their own pace. Tests, interactive quizzes, and other forms of assessment are at the teacher's disposal to determine more effectively the progress of each student. Higher education students who learnt through e-learning were said to as good as their counterparts from university campuses, according to a study conducted in 2010 by the US Department of Education. The disadvantages with online learning can be:
A virtual interaction between a student and teacher cannot replace a live one. A classroom atmosphere gives students the opportunity to discuss or debate, which is absent here. Certain specialized courses, such as engineering, healthcare, etc., need hands-on experience which is not possible online. Students lacking adequate technological infrastructure are at a disadvantage. Online training mentors cannot monitor if their students are cheating by referring to online sources or textbooks. As online learning is not time bound, there is a tendency to procrastinate among students. Many companies still do not treat students who have procured a degree online on par with those who have studied in a university or a college.
