There has been a host of studies into the educational benefits of E-learning based university degrees. It is commonly accepted that the E-university is providing a higher quality of learning than prior models of education. The absence of time and space restrictions is generally regarded as the most significant reason for this higher level of quality. Students in modern universities have the flexibility to access a wide variety of online course content, ranging from lecture notes to readings to a variety of related links and sources. Online delivery of course information has seen a dramatic shift in recent years, moving from relatively unheard of, to now being the standard. This method of delivery not only enables students to access information at times convenient to them, significantly, it also means they are no longer required to be on campus to have access.
The fostering of new technologies has also lead to a huge commercial shift in institutional organisation. Universities are now able to utilise instant information transfer to offer fully distance-based degrees, meaning the newfound availability of previously inaccessible markets such as regional, interstate and international students. The increased profit is not merely an advantage for institutions, but more importantly by lowering the overall cost of education, for the student body as a whole. Lower costs are not just due to increased institutional revenue, but also because of the ability to widely disperse information, and a subsequent lower labour necessity.
A significant educational advantage for students of the e-university is the ability for learner control. Learners not only access information in a means that best suits their learning style, but also spend as little or as much time on specific subjects as they require. This freedom is a significant breakthrough for university education, as it means students’ ability to learn is now almost completely unaffected by the differing abilities of other students. It also promotes further investigation of topics of particular interest, and in turn the ability to specifically direct courses. This is exceedingly important in a global environment that is becoming more and more specialist orientated.
There is no disputing the educational advantages of E-learning in modern universities. As technology continues to promote the move towards a completely wireless e-university, it is particularly poignant to note that universities continue to teach traditional content; new technologies merely give us a more effective ways of doing so.
Clark, R and Mayer, R. (2003) E-Learning and the Science of Instruction, San Francisco: Pfeiffer. ISBN 0787960519
Ghaoui, C.(ed) (2004) E-Education Applications: Human Factors and Innovative Approaches, London: Information Science Publishing. ISBN 1591402921
Raschke, C. (2004) The Digital Revolution and the Coming of the Postmodern University, New York: RoutledgeFalmer. ISBN 0415369843
Greg David Toolen 11:32, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
