What is E-Learning? | The World of EdTech

What is E-Learning?

E-learning is a term that can be used to describe any type of learning that takes place online. It can be used to refer to anything from simple online courses to entire degree programs that are completed solely online.

E-learning has become increasingly popular in recent years as more and more people have realised the many benefits it has to offer. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of e-learning is that it allows learners to study at their own pace and in their own time. This means that people who have busy schedules or who live in remote areas can still access high-quality education.

Another great advantage of e-learning is that it allows for a more personalised learning experience. Learners can choose the types of materials they want to study and can even create their own learning paths. This flexibility is not possible with traditional classroom-based learning.

Is E-Learning a cheaper alternative?

E-learning is also often more affordable than traditional forms of education. It can be particularly useful for people who want to upskill or reskill but who cannot afford the high costs of traditional education.

How effective is E-Learning?

E-learning is often seen as a more effective form of learning than traditional classroom-based methods. This is because it can be tailored to the individual learner and because it allows learners to study at their own pace.

In general, e-learning gives you access to knowledge at convenience and can be shared with millions of students worldwide. It offers global opportunities through collaboration with people you may previously have never had the option to work with or learn from.

7 benefits of E-Learning

1: Reduced Costs

One of the biggest benefits of e-learning is its cost effectiveness. The price reduction is massive as there are reduced infrastructure and travel costs for both students and teachers. A reduction in the number of textbooks and resources needed also helps make e-learning cheaper.

2: Reduce travel time

E-learning completely removes the need to travel to attend classes. You can learn from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. This is perfect for those who live in remote areas or who have busy schedules that make it difficult to attend traditional classes.

3: Enhanced scalability

Scalability is the ability to increase or decrease the number of students without incurring additional costs. E-learning is much more scalable than traditional classroom learning, making it perfect for businesses and organisations that need to train large numbers of employees quickly and efficiently.

4: Quick delivery

With e-learning, there is no need to wait for traditional methods of content delivery, such as textbooks or lectures, to be made available. Content can be created and delivered quickly and easily, meaning that learners can get started straight away.

5: Consistency

E-learning can help to ensure that all learners receive the same high-quality education, no matter where they are in the world. This is because courses and materials can be easily updated and standardised, meaning that everyone has access to the latest information.

6: Utlisise analytical data better

E-learning provides organisations with access to a wealth of data that can be used to improve the learning experience. This data can be used to track learner progress, identify areas for improvement and assess the effectiveness of courses.

7: Quicker career advancement

E-learning can help students and employees to upskill quickly and easily, meaning that they can progress in their careers much faster than if they were relying on traditional forms of education.

The 6 types of E-Learning

Each eLearning process si suited to different environments and personal preferences. Before deciding upon a specific one, you need to recognise which will work best for you and the goals you want to achieve.

1: Fixed

Fixed eLearning refers to the use of a more traditional structure, where information is passed or handed directly to the students. Each student receives the exact same information, pre-determined by the teacher. It is a rigid process and doesn't adapt to student preferences, weaknesses or strengths. It is best suited to environments like schools where learners have similar schedules and skills.

2: Adaptive

Adaptive eLearning has the learner's skillset and competency at the forefront. All learning materials are designed to fit specific student preferences so they receive a tailored experience. This type of eLearning works extremely well for students who prefer to study at their own pace but requires them to be highly disciplined.

3: Asynchronous

With asynchronous learning, students study independently from multiple locations. They study in their own time, depending upon their schedule. If done in an engaging way, this could include user-generated content like YouTube videos where instead of sitting exams, students submit videos of themselves performing the content to a specific standard to achieve a grade.

4: Interactive

Interactive eLearning allows for both students and teachers to communicate freely, allowing each party to make changes to the material as they see fit. An open line for communication through a video call or live chat allows for better interaction, resulting in a better learning process should any questions pop up.

5: Individual

As the name suggests, this type of eLearning is all about students learning on their own without any peer communication.

6: Collaborative

Collaborative eLearning's focal point is teamwork, allowing students to work together. The materials and goals rely on a combined effort across all students in order to complete the course.