There are two forms of communication used in online learning the first is synchronous communication which occurs in real time and asynchronous communication which is when communication occurs but not at the same time. Examples include bulletin boards, discussion threads and message boards. Each form of communication when used effectively can add to the learning environment. Asynchronous communication gives people time to formulate ideas and questions to ask and swap with other students. It is important with e-learning courses to create a highly interactive environment that the use of all collaborative techniques are encouraged to be used by students to help motivate them and encourage them to become involved in the course.
When designing an e-learning course the whole experience should be considered, with support for learners and how effective delivery would be. With advances in technology students demand to be entertained when it comes to learning as with other aspects of their lives. Therefore technology is used to gain student’s attention and focus. This further the argument that with the technology advanced students of today that they will be more willing to learn via a computer than any other means. There is much debate over the motivation and retention levels of students who participate in e-courses and the results are varied.
Another issue with human interaction in online environments is the social relationships one develops from learning another’s personality. This is usually done with the evaluation of non verbal communication which is not available via Computer-Mediated Communication CMC.
CMC refers to the use of networked computers for communication, interaction, and exchange of information. There are many researches, which compare the face-to-face versus online instructional situations to study the effectiveness of CMC in learning. Tiene summarized the key differences between online and face-to-face discussions based on the following four factors: access, timing, mode of expression and visual cues. One potentially limited aspect of the online discussion is its lack of visual cues. Nonverbal cues can be important in any effort to communicate.
E-learning is beneficial to those students whom are reserved in a face to face classroom setting will participate more through online interaction. With the anonymity of online learning allows for students to actively participate and ask questions easily. Professors are very responsive to the different kinds of contact with students, the interaction with students and the convenience they enjoy.
A way to overcome the sometimes lonely environment is the use of discussion forums, they offer the opportunity to exchange views or ask for advice. The very structure of online learning is a solo activity that needs to be enhanced by collaborative measures. These collaborative measures include a mixture of different learning techniques still inclusive of some solo learning aspects. Other collaborative measures include online seminars enhanced with live video or audio conferencing, whiteboards and any other means which enhances the exchange of ideas among students.
Tastle, W. White, B. Shackleton, P. 2005. E-Learning in Higher Education: The Challenge, Effort, and Return on Investment. International Journal on ELearning, 4 (2): 241-251
Milne, J. 2004. You are not alone. IT Training, 42-45
