When trying to define E-Learning, there is no one definition. It is often referred to as online education because online education covers a much broader range of services than E-Learning. However, Chadha and Kumail (2002, p.30) state that "the various definitions of E-Learning that one comes across, can be attributed to the class of society they are coming from". On the other hand, according to Turban et al. (2002, p.358) E-Learning is "the online delivery of information for purposes of education, training, or knowledge management.
E-Learning can be useful both as an environment for facilitating learning at schools and as an environment for efficient and effective corporate training (Turban et al, 2002, p.358). E-Learning was brought about with the development of the Internet and in particular, the sudden demand of E-Commerce. The boom in the information technology (IT) market also saw the introduction of E-Learning (Chadha and Kumail, 2002, p.33).
E-Learning can also be used in the business environment. Not only does it increase access to learning, but also help employees increase customer satisfaction, expand sales, and accelerate technology adoption. "In short, E-Learning enables companies to prepare their workforces for an increasingly competitive world marketplace" (Turban, 2004, p.359).
E-learning provides a new set of tools to the traditional learning models. While it does not replace the classroom setting, it instead enhances it by taking advantage of new content and delivery technologies. The Internet and computer resources have made it possible for teachers and students to teach and learn using desktop rather than physical classrooms. Therefore, this is referred to as virtual classrooms (Chadha & Kumail, 2002, p.40). The Department of Education and Training in New South Wales, Australia, has set up a Web site providing plenty of information on E-Learning. Here, people are given ideas on teaching, professional support, resources and so on.
There are many benefits associated with E-Learning. Not only does it eliminate the barriers of time, distance and socioeconomic status, but it can also enable individuals to take charge of their own lifelong learning. To keep up with today's fast-paced business environment, skills and knowledge need to be continually updated and refreshed. E-Learning now helps organisations and countries adapt to the demands of the Internet economy by training their workers and educating their citizens. While E-Learning can save money, reduce travel time, enable large numbers of students to take classes simultaneously, provide on-demand education and enable self-paced learning, it also makes learning less frustrating by making it more interactive and engaging (Turban et al. 2002, p.359).
According to Turban et al. (2002, p.359) more specific benefits of E-Learning include:
Time reduction: E-Learning can reduce training time by 50 percent.
Cost reduction: It is estimated that a learning experience can be reduced by 50 to 70 percent when classroom lectures are replaced by E-Learning sessions.
Flexibility E-Learners are able to adjust to time, location, content and speed of learning according to their own personal schedules.
Fear-free environment E-Learning can facilitate learning for students who may not wish to join face-to-face group discussions or participate in class.
However while there are many benefits associated with E-Learning, there are also many drawbacks and challenges. Some of these include:
Equipment needs and support services: Additional funds are needed to purchase multimedia tools to provide support services for E-Learning creation, use, and maintenance.
Lack of face-to-face interaction and campus life: Many feel that the intellectual stimulation that takes place through instruction in a classroom with a 'live' instructor cannot be fully replicated in E-Learning.
Computer literacy: E-Learning cannot be extended to those students who are not computer literate (Turban et al. 2002, p.359-360).
From taking a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of E-Learning, it can still be said that E-Learning has brought about a change for the better. Particularly for those people living in distant and remote areas. With the ever increasing demand for E-Commerce and the rise in information technology (IT) the future for E-Learning is looking positive.
===Reference List:===
1. Chadha, G. and N. Kumail. 2002. e-Learning: An Expression of the Knowledge Economy. India: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 0070445427.
2. NSW Department of Education & Training. 2004. e-Learning. http://www.curriculumsupport.nsw.edu.au/learningtechnologies/index.cfm (accessed October 27, 2004).
3. Turban, E. King, D. Lee, J. and D. Viehland. 2002. Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective. 3rd Ed. USA: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0131230158.
4. WIKIPEDIA: The Free Encyclopedia. 2004. www.wikipedia.org (accessed October 2, 2004).
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Melanie Mackrodt 11:54, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
