What is e-learning?
Uses for e-Learning
E-learning tools
Turning Traditional Learning into e-Learning
The first question should always be ‘what are the learning objectives?’ Then, ‘is e-learning appropriate in this context?’ Any combination of e-learning and more traditional methods is often referred to as ‘blended learning’.
E-learning allows for additional learning materials to be used that support lectures and seminars and for learning materials to be delivered in different ways. It is not always easy for a traditional lecture or seminar to take account of the differences in the ways the people learn. However, the use of e-learning can enable tutors to provide a range of activities which take account of these differences.
What follows is an overview of some of areas in which electronic technology can support, enhance or deliver learning. The tools that facilitate this can be found in the E-learning tools section.
Collaborative Work
Collaborative activities, such as problem based learning, lend themselves well to being enhanced and supported by technology, particularly the web.
Areas for collaborative work can include -
- Group created lecture notes
- Collaborative glossaries
- ‘Muddy Point’ feedback
- Student peer review of work
- Brainstorming
- Simulations and case studies
- Group presentations
- Research study groups
- Synchronous and asynchronous debates and seminars
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Interviews with outside experts
Such activities can be facilitated by a wide variety of tools such as wikis, blogs, discussion forums, chat, and activity management systems.
Reflection
One area were e-learning is particularly useful is for reflective learning. Reflective learning involves thinking about and analysing what you’ve done. The most well know model for reflective learning is Kolb’s ‘Learning Cycle’ as shown below.
Reflective learning can -
- encourage learning from experience
- encourage the development of critical thinking
- enable the recognition of mistakes and weaknesses
- provide proof of progression in thinking
It can take a variety of forms -
- Diary
- Structured writing at the end of a task or session
- A journal written whilst working on another piece of work such as some group work, some research or a dissertation.
- As part of an e-portfolio
Learners’ reflections can be entirely private for the learners use only or can be shared with peers or the tutor or a combination of shared and private reflections. Whether a reflection is shared or private and who a reflection is shared with obviously has an effect on what the learner feels comfortable writing.
One of the advantages of using e-learning for reflection is the ability to log, search and organise the information. Blogs are particularly useful for this as each entry is time and date stamped and blogs are easily searchable.
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment can help in two ways. It can enable the learner to discover how much they know and can also indicate to the teacher/instructor how much of the material they have taught has been understood.
Formative assessment can be used after each lecture or at various points in the course. It can be used after set readings to encourage students to complete the reading assignments. It can be used to give students experience of what they can expect in summative assessments. It can also be used in contingent teaching, where what is taught in lectures is adjusted according to what the students know or don’t know.
Online tests and quizzes with a variety of feedback and class response systems are useful tools in carrying out formative assessment.
Summative Assessment
Summative assessment is a little more tricky to facilitate, with issues of security and the robustness of the technology. In effect; “how do I know they won’t cheat” and “will the system crash in the middle of the assessment?” So far few universities have moved down this route although it is extensively used for language testing and IT qualifications. Recent research also suggests that many students are reluctant to use technology for high risk summative assessment. However, it is possible but requires carefully planning with invigilators fully aware of what they need to do, technical support on hand and a plan B – usually a paper test as a back up if all else fails.
Self-paced Activities / Learning Objects
This is perhaps what most people think of when they hear the term e-learning and constitutes much of what is commercially available. It is usually made up of some form of activity in which the learner works though a combination of tasks which give information in the form of text, images, audio and video. Often the learner is also asked to make decisions or answer questions. Common examples of commercially available products include language learning software like Rosetta Stone, and IT training. This type of activity has also been created by universities and example of which is Swansea University’s excellent e-ward.
There are numerous commercial and free tools for creating such learning materials. Some require a high level of technical skill such as Flash and Toolbook, while others require only basic IT skills, for example Course Genie, Hot Potatoes, Quandary, LAMS, and Microsoft Producer, to name but a few.
e-portfolios
What is an e-portfolio?
An e-portfolio is a web-published collection of documents, information, linked resources, audio and video clips that showcase the demonstrated abilities, know-how and skills of a specific person to their own selected stakeholders.
Why would you use an e-portfolio?
E-portfolios and PDP are key themes of DfES strategy.
All institutions are encouraged to offer personal online learning space
Aimed to develop a system where an e-record can be used as a record of lifelong learning
Aimed to provide online personalised support
Provide access to personal records, online resources, tracking and assessment
Works across all sectors, communities, public and private organisations.
What are the benefits of an e-portfolio?
Support assessed and non-assessed areas
Students may share materials with stakeholders
Support life-long learning by drawing on personal / academic information prior to Higher Education, e.g. UCAS profiles
Form the foundation for vocational or post-graduate portfolios, especially when structured around learning outcomes relating to key skills and/or professional requirements.
Electronic personal profiles may also tie in to management information systems and networked learning environments.
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