The surface-level requirement of our e-learning assignment is, quelle surprise, to build an e-learning environment for a particular subject (supporting a traditional course rather than entirely standalone). What we're talking about then are things like good supporting materials, points of contact for support and further information should the students want it, wrapped in a considerate, accessible interface. That's on the surface.
Underneath that, what we're really looking at is one central question: how can the Internet advance the traditional teaching and learning process? That's more fundamental than just talking about content alone and requires us to identify where perhaps existing methods are found lacking and can be improved with the application of technology. Fortunately, there's already a term that describes what we need to look at: blended learning.
Of course, blended learning as a specific concept arose with the rise of the web in the 90s, but I was surprised to learn the foundations for it were set way back in the 60s, when mainframe computers were used to teach to hundreds or thousands of staff simultaneously (Bersin, 2004). Today, the term's meaning has changed a little, and now refers to "the range of possibilities presented by combining Internet and digital media with established classroom forms that require the physical co‐presence of teacher and students" (Friesen, 2006). What that means in practice is quite wide in interpretation. Using the Internet could be as basic as playing as YouTube video, or as advanced as virtual reality shared spaces.
What we are not looking to build is a distance learning course, that being one where learners can effectively be anywhere else in the world (as with the Open University, or any number of online-only courses) (Midgley, n.d.). Our e-learning site needs to dovetail with traditional methods rather than replace it entirely, strengthening the quality of teaching where it is able to do so, but allowing the old-school (heh) to still play to its strengths. Beyond that, the clearest difference between the two is that distance learning does not necessarily need technology; historically many courses were corespondence based via snail mail. Blended learning specifically concerns the addition of technology, and e-learning even more precisely has that big e-hint in its name. Even then, there is no saying a blended learning course would have to be be online and could utilise computing solely in the classroom, but given how powerful the web is at bringing knowledge to us there is probably an expectation nowadays that if it isn't online you've probably missed a valuable trick. If nothing else it adds convenience and accessibility for learners.
Underneath that, what we're really looking at is one central question: how can the Internet advance the traditional teaching and learning process? That's more fundamental than just talking about content alone and requires us to identify where perhaps existing methods are found lacking and can be improved with the application of technology. Fortunately, there's already a term that describes what we need to look at: blended learning.
Of course, blended learning as a specific concept arose with the rise of the web in the 90s, but I was surprised to learn the foundations for it were set way back in the 60s, when mainframe computers were used to teach to hundreds or thousands of staff simultaneously (Bersin, 2004). Today, the term's meaning has changed a little, and now refers to "the range of possibilities presented by combining Internet and digital media with established classroom forms that require the physical co‐presence of teacher and students" (Friesen, 2006). What that means in practice is quite wide in interpretation. Using the Internet could be as basic as playing as YouTube video, or as advanced as virtual reality shared spaces.
What we are not looking to build is a distance learning course, that being one where learners can effectively be anywhere else in the world (as with the Open University, or any number of online-only courses) (Midgley, n.d.). Our e-learning site needs to dovetail with traditional methods rather than replace it entirely, strengthening the quality of teaching where it is able to do so, but allowing the old-school (heh) to still play to its strengths. Beyond that, the clearest difference between the two is that distance learning does not necessarily need technology; historically many courses were corespondence based via snail mail. Blended learning specifically concerns the addition of technology, and e-learning even more precisely has that big e-hint in its name. Even then, there is no saying a blended learning course would have to be be online and could utilise computing solely in the classroom, but given how powerful the web is at bringing knowledge to us there is probably an expectation nowadays that if it isn't online you've probably missed a valuable trick. If nothing else it adds convenience and accessibility for learners.
References:
- Bersin, J. (2004). How did we get here? The history of blended learning. In The Blended Learning Book: Best Practices, Proven Methodologies and Lessons Learned (pp. 1-13). Wiley.
- Friesen, N. (2012, August). Report: Defining Blended Learning. Retrieved from learningspaces.org: http://learningspaces.org/papers/Defining_Blended_Learning_NF.pdf
- Midgley, S. (n.d.). What is Distance Learning? Retrieved March 19, 2017, from The Complete University Guide: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/distance-learning/what-is-distance-learning/
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