E- LEARNING IN EDUCATION

E-learning (sometimes called web-based training) is an anywhere, any-time instruction

delivered over the internet or a corporate Intranet to browser-equipped learners. Contrary to
traditional learning methods, e-learning allows students, employees in training and casual
learners to participate in an organized learning experience regardless of their physical location.
E-Learning consist of teaching which can be based in or out of the Classrooms, with the use of
computers and the Internet.

Today people first search for their queries on the internet rather than looking for books or
asking someone. Hence, this has led to the Importance of E-Learning in Education. There are
interactive classes and courses on different topics or programs or degrees that are delivered
completely on the net.

Emails live lectures, and video conferencing are some of the mediums that enable the
participants to give their views on a particular topic and then discuss them further. Through
video conferencing or live chat, there is a great possibility of discussing different subjects. Static
pages like course materials printed for the benefit of all the participants are also made
available.

Importance of E-learning
1. E-learning has been introduced to empower learners to get basic schooling and enhance
skills. Also, they can obtain a degree certificate, without actually attending school or university
or any other institution.

2. For tutors, it is a great source of earning, wherein they can teach from anywhere in their
preferred time.

3. Applying E-learning to all levels of schooling helped to ensure students grasp the lessons
adequately at a faster pace.

4. Another importance of E-learning in education is that tutors and participants both can
develop advanced learning skills. For example, creating and selling eBooks is one such
advancement.

5. E-learning has worked towards bringing learners, tutors, experts, practitioners, and other
interest groups to one place.
 How E- Learning works
Instruction can be delivered by a combination of static methods, such as learning portals,
hyperlinked pages, screen cam tutorials, streaming audio/video and live Web broadcasts; and
interactive methods, such as threaded discussions, chats and desktop video conferencing.

There are three main criteria an enterprise should follow to help ensure an effective e-learning
program, regardless of the specific platform they end up using:

 The experience should be mobile-friendly. The use of mobile phones is growing in the
enterprise. Phones can be used to send out training prompts, reminders or
congratulations on training achievements.
 The experience should implement social features. By using social media, or a platform
that emulates social media's basic features, learners are given a platform to respond to
training efforts or general company updates, as well as communicate with their peers
and employers.
 The experience should utilize a variety of different mediums to suit diverse learning
styles, including quizzes, infographics, podcasts, demonstrations and narrative-based
training.

Types of E-learning
There are two primary models of Web-based instruction: synchronous -- instructor-facilitated --
and asynchronous -- self-directed and self-paced. Basically, synchronous e-learning requires all
the participants to be present, albeit virtually, at the same time, whereas asynchronous e-
learning does not.

Examples of synchronous e-learning methods include the use of scheduled and timed online
tests, virtual classrooms, web conferencing technology or interactive shared whiteboards that
learners can use to collaborate. Examples of asynchronous e-learning methods include the use
of a message boards, discussion groups and self-paced online courses.

Advantages Of E-Learning
1. You are able to link the various resources in several varying formats.

2. It is a very efficient way of delivering courses online.

3. Due to its convenience and flexibility, the resources are available from anywhere and at any
time.

4. Everyone, who are part time students or are working full time, can take advantage of web-
based learning.

5..Web-based learning promotes active and independent learning, as you have access to the
network 24hours; you can train yourself anytime and from anywhere also.

6. It is a very convenient and flexible option; above all, you don't have to depend on anyone for
anything.

7. Through discussion boards and chats, you are able to interact with everyone online and also
clear your doubts if any.

8. The video instructions that are provided for audio and video learning can be rewound and
seen and heard again and again if you do not happen to understand the topic first time around.

Disadvantages Of E-Learning
Well, there are not many disadvantages of eLearning, the main one being that you get
knowledge only on a theoretical basis and when it comes to putting to use whatever you have
learnt, it may be a little different.

1. The face-to-face learning and social interaction experience is missing,

2. Most of the online assessments are limited to questions that are only objective in nature.

3. There is also the problem of the extent of security of online learning programs.

4. The authenticity of a particular student's work is also a problem as online just about anyone
can do a project rather than the actual student itself.

5. The assessments that are computer marked generally have a tendency of being only
knowledge-based and not necessarily practicality-based.

E-Learning Platforms
There are a variety of e-learning platforms, both synchronous and asynchronous, that users can
implement in educational, business or independent environments.

 PowerPoint presentations - PowerPoints are used for a large majority of business-to-

business training today.
  The use of Learning Management Systems(LMS) is almost ubiquitous. These powerful
software suites enable digital learning by administering e-learning courses, online
examinations and analyzing student performance data. A few examples of these
platforms are :
Moodle
Blackboard Learn
Canvas
Sakai
Schoology
 Social media also provides widely useful avenues for e-learning. Social media has
become a popular learning tool in part because services like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
and LinkedIn are second nature to many users.

These platforms are suitable for bringing communities of learners together and allowing them
to share e-learning content. Facebook and LinkedIn users can create groups to share
information and ideas, and members of the groups can communicate freely about the shared
material. Groups created on LinkedIn might be perceived to have an added level of credibility
because users display their career credentials on their profiles. Twitter can be used to connect
learning communities over a specific topic or event by utilizing a hashtag. YouTube users can
also post and access educational content for free on YouTube, as well as comment on and rate
the videos.

 LinkedIn also has a paid platform for e-learning embedded within it called LinkedIn
Learning which features over 1,000 business courses. The topics of these courses vary
from web development to digital marketing.
 Independent learners can also take advantage of Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) on the web. MOOCs are courses of study made available to a large group of
people over the internet, usually for free. Often MOOC courses are patterned after top
tier universities, such as Harvard and Yale, which is great for learners who want quality
training on a given topic for free. Users can log into the MOOC's website and sign up for
a given course. Certain MOOCs may charge a student looking to earn a specific
certificate for the completion of their coursework. Some popular MOOC platforms
include:
Coursera
FutureLearn

Other platforms, such as Udemy and Skillshare, are similar to a MOOC in that they are massively
available online. However, they are different in that they charge the user and focus more on
practical engagement with material as opposed to passive learning methods, such as lectures
that come with more university-centric MOOCs. No matter the platform, e-learning is a flexible,
adaptable way for professionals and students alike to bolster their skills.

Conclusively, E-Learning has become an important tool for tutors from around the world.
Earlier access to knowledge was not possible for all.Geographical boundaries had made it
difficult for teachers and students to travel to other countries. This new trend has helped in
providing consistent education.

E-learning also offers greater collaboration and global opportunities to the learners and
teachers. At present time, we know online learning increasing so the exponential growth of the
future.

REFERENCES

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/Web-based-training-e-learning

https://www.digitalclassworld.com/blog/importance-of-elearning-in-education/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
elearning/amp