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What exactly is "eLearning?

Oct 15, 2023

There's a good chance you'll hear about an online instructor. It's likely you've probably already taken an online class or two already! The use of online software and devices is bound rise in the popularity of learning. There are many benefits associated with the use of technology for speeding up and increase the effectiveness of learning goals.

But, not all programs and use cases are identical. This article we're going to examine what "e-learning" really means as well as provide some examples of ways to apply it in the same way as the classroom at school or for corporate training courses!

Skip ahead:

What is what is eLearning?

The term "eLearning" can refer to many different words such as digital Learning, Virtual Learning or remote educational. All of them are similar, meaning that students receive a portion of their education via an electronic or digital channel. However, there are certain distinctions between the most important eLearning phrases:

the term used in eLearning The Definition of eLearning
online learning HTML1A method by students can gain access to an element of their education using an electronic or digital channel regardless of the distance between the institution and the student.
Learn digitally It's the same as the term eLearning. It was the first term that was used prior to that eLearning gained popularity.
Online learning Education that is provided to students nearly completely through digital channels.
Remote education The learning that is provided by a person who is in another place, using digital or physical devices to in the process of learning. Sometimes referred to as distance-learning.

The advantages of learning online

  • Easy accessibility since anyone having internet access Internet connection can access and review the information provided by the program. Furthermore, they have a selection of formats for understanding the latest information sources.
  • Cost-efficiency as generally the cost to install one or several programs for learning is lower than hiring more staff. This is true especially in the case of digital learning software that helps in the automation of repetitive administrative and time-consuming chores.
  • Monitoring of progress, which might be necessary for reporting on compliance, organizational reports and student reports. It's easy to make reports made automatically by using the software. In addition, as they're on the internet it is simple to distribute them to colleagues, or educators and facilitators too.

Additional essential concepts in eLearning you should be aware of

To help you understand the vast subject of eLearning it is helpful to look up this easy chart with definitions of other commonly talked about concepts!

Word The definition of HTML0
Instructor-led A method of teaching that involves at least one teacher (the teacher) who teaches the class. They may be on site instructing the class or conversing with students online.
Self-sufficient The method of teaching is one where students have to be able to track their own development in learning. Content for courses is available through a computer system. Students must access the information and finish assignments without no requirement to use the system by an instructor.
Learning synchronized Students are learning in the same way that teachers instruct. This is the type of learning that takes place in class.
The synchronous process of learning The students learn the subject in a different way than how the instructor teaches it. This is the sort of learning which takes place when the students have to go through a resource before classes, for instance.

Electronic learning is gaining momentum. learning

While it has been around for a long amount of time however, it was not always so popular in the same way it is today. Before the introduction of eLearning it was more typical to find remote learning options and particularly in rural locales. Communities who were not able to host a wider variety of classes, or to provide assistance for students with delays could rely on online learning in order to meet the requirements. In 2012 however, 21.4% of higher education students had taken at least one online class.

The year 2020 witnessed the largest increase in students learning online as the pandemic forced many students to attend online courses instead of classroom classes in person. The availability of tools like Zoom made it easy for students and teachers to communicate online, which meant that 60% of higher education students took classes online regularly. The market for investing in new tools then increased 6X when comparing 2017 to 2021 and is already projected to be US$166.60bn by 2023.

Fundamental eLearning principles

There are several key principles that most digital learning tools are based on. These fundamentals are crucial because they form the basis of creating a powerful application or software that will allow e-Learning to be more accessible and useful.

Interactivity

Physical classrooms are where learners have the ability to have questions answered, receive practical experience using various labs or activities, as well as receive real-time feedback from peers or their teachers. The most effective eLearning software will include some form of interaction to the learners. If there's no interaction students might become distracted and lose interest in the subject they are learning and may struggle to grasp the core notions.

Learner-centered

Engagement

Engaging students over the course of time is an ongoing struggle that teachers have to face. To overcome this problem, studies have shown that students expect teachers to employ a range different teaching methods as a means to retain their attention in class. The use of E-Learning programs can increase participation by finding new ways to sustain students' enthusiasm to retain their attention during lessons, inspire creativity, or aiding in any other way to improve the learning performance of students in the class.

Accessibility

Students need to be able to read and comprehend the content during an instruction course in order to effectively learn. The software used in the field of eLearning should be adaptable to accommodate different requirements of learning. There are a lot of accessibility rules that pertain to online learning that could help eLearning students and instructors to be aware of.

The most common types of software that are used for eLearning

eLearning is an expansive and broad term used to describe any digital device or software that assists a student to learn better. There are a myriad of tools available, we'll concentrate on a couple of important categories you need to get to be aware of:

Systems for learning management (LMS)

 Examples of LMS tools:

Virtual engagement tools

The tools for virtual engagement can be great for helping students interact with each other and also the curriculum. There are many ways to accomplish this, including creating group assignments, conducting surveys, conducting pop-quizzes for class and gathering feedback, developing visual collaboration, or gamifying your students' accomplishment of assignments.

HTML1 Examples of tools for online engagement:

Student progress tracking software

While some LMS platforms allow you to monitor student progress, you might choose a platform that can do this on its own even if you don't plan to utilize eLearning software for the bulk of your lessons. The ability to keep track of scores and progress online lets you easily send performance updates to supervisors or parents.

A few examples of progress tracking software to monitor the progress of eLearning

3 common challenges and possible solutions for digital tools to improve

The first challenge is Using e-Learning to access regions with no Internet connectivity

The digital gap is an issue that is commonplace when it comes to integrating e-learning devices on the massive amount required. The most common is in rural or underdeveloped nations to not have access to Internet and this hinders students who live in regions where there is no internet connection to access online courses.

Solution: Teachers working in these areas can use the use of both conventional and eLearning methods. The eLearning techniques used should not be reliant on Internet connectivity, but should be based on the basic eLearning concept of learning-centeredness, as well as making it more accessible to learn or connect to.

A good example of an online learning device in areas with limited Internet access is an electronic reader. Students can read a variety of different ebooks on one device. It will also allow them to track what they are reading, modify the layout to make it more accessible and also view difficult words using the built-in dictionary.

Challenge 2. Onboarding students the e-learning tools

It's difficult to master how to write and read and create documents or converse online. This is true especially if you're working with young group or students that don't possess a great deal of technology skill.

Solution: See the program that you are using for eLearning provides any educational resources that you could give to your students. The best way to design these materials in a format which is simple for the students to comprehend, such as printing hard copies of an instruction sheet.

Additionally, be sure you have an instructional plan which is step-by-step in order to help your students master using tools to aid in education. It's crucial to communicate advantages that eLearning tools offer, so that they see the benefits of getting onboard onto the new technology. When you are in this stage it is essential to ensure that you're ready to address any concerns your learners may have about the software they choose and then wait for them to have an experience with the latest technology.

 Challenge 3: Integrating eLearning technology with the other technologies you have in your stack

The most frequently overlooked aspect of using eLearning software is the fact that they'll have to integrate with other devices or software used by you.

Solution: Talk to the eLearning vendors the product you are purchasing to make sure of the technical compatibility prior to making the purchase. It is often possible to check through the website of the vendor, or through a sales rep.

If you're a skilled technologist capable of writing custom code and integrate with your particular platform, you could have the ability to develop an integration on your own. Also, talk to your provider about APIs available, or open source components compatible with the platform to allow you to get the technology stack to be better than compatible.

How can I make use of eLearning in schools

eLearning is widely recognized as a method used by schools. There are various programs that can be used by students in elementary school, high school and university-level students. It is also possible to make use of more or less online educational tools, based on the nature of the program and the level of interaction that is required by the material.

Communication with guardians and parents

In elementary school, parents and teachers are heavily involved in their child's learning. Software for eLearning allow you to create and distribute reports on a regular basis, and save teachers the time who have to write messages by themselves. Certain tools are able to collect feedback or comments from parents to aid the development of your child.

If your school's board of directors or the advisors have to look over how a student's learning progress has changed over time, you can make use of eLearning tools to build an archive of the student's progress. This report is brief summary of the subjects the student has studied along with their growth, along with any concerns or problems they've encountered. It's much more reliable as opposed to relying on memories or handwritten notes but they aren't able to provide the complete details of what happened.

The ability to access assignments is improved

Anywhere in the education system Teachers must make sure that the material they are teaching is accessible to students with a wide array of learning abilities. There are many eLearning platforms have customization capabilities that allow students to turn off the audio and review the content multiple times, alter font size or colour in addition to converting text into speech. Certain tools are equipped to automatically translate and define or to explain the content. This could aid students that don't be in a position to contact immediately an instructor for that type assistance.

If you're a teacher, you're probably in charge of overseeing the development of students who are 20 or more in the course at once. For professors who teach at university classes can range from 100 to 300 students simultaneously! It can be difficult to check the student's progress, and also keep track of the specific academic requirements for each student. In the meantime it is possible that you won't get an entire picture of how the degree to which your students are really doing during the class.

If you review of the report of your class using your eLearning tools, be certain to search for patterns and outliers. These trends can help you figure out what subjects your students master the fastest or least and help identify what's engaging or difficult. These outliers may assist you in identifying students that have a great time or are struggling with ideas. You may even be able to pair the best academic students as mentors to students who require extra assistance!

Further educational support for students

Because of the insights gained from eLearning tools from a teacher's viewpoint, you can discern which students require extra help. It allows you to link the students with an educational assistant or offer additional support tools directly to them via the platform. This is an excellent way to ensure that your students receive the assistance they need without attracting attention to their fellow students. This is also a great option for a remote learning program when it is not possible to offer assistance to students face-to-face.

Use eLearning to enhance corporate training

Reducing costs of education programmes

The training programs required for compliance or onboarding typically have been taught by trainers. The cost of hiring an instructor to instruct your employees comprises costs for travel, and the expense of the rooms as well as the hiring of an instructor as well. If your course is designed for obtaining a certification then you may also have to factor in certification fees as well as required textbooks and other equipment.

With the advent of eLearning platforms, pricing for training programs decreases a lot. If you decide to have an instructor lead the training program it is not necessary to schedule transportation or even physical classrooms. Instead, the training content can be provided via video conferencing software. In addition, you could capture and replay the course at a later date!

Acquiring knowledge about products

Tools designed for LMS are an extremely well-known type of technology for eLearning as they allow companies to build product knowledge databases. The internal teams are able to create videos that explain how new features of products work, the policies, as well as additional training required. As new employees come to the business, they're capable of relying on this center of information to acquire understanding of the product. The same is true for existing employees. This is great for employees or client that requires an update to their product, as well! It's easy and fast to refresh an LMS with new videos or contents each when a new feature or feature is launched. The centralization of information to provide product information also minimizes the risk of incorrect information being spread throughout the company.

Making sales programs more effective

Sales representatives perform a complex task which requires them to keep track of each newly introduced feature, and then present them in front of the buyer to demonstrate how it meets the requirements specific to the customer. On a larger scale the task can be tedious and costly to design content that is customized for each prospect.

E-Learning software can aid in making sales campaigns more efficient through the management the hosting and distribution of the material. Sales managers must then pick the desired products and information sheets that they'd like give to prospective customers. It's then easy to monitor the process to determine what percentage of the information that the sales representative has opted to take in. Sales managers can be informed when the information has been removed or deleted and then prompt their to reach out to the sales lead directly for further support.

Programs for onboarding new employees that are scaled to accommodate more

If you're part of a fast increasing team, you'll likely that you're not able to train all the new staff members that are forming a part of the team. E-Learning platforms can be the first stop for new hires to learn about company policies as well as processes, products and objectives. HR managers can use the program to keep the track of their progress with the training courses that are required. This software will also make sure that each new employee receives exactly the right amount of required information needed to begin their new job so no one is left uninformed or forgotten about in their very first days!

Ensure compliance with regulations are met

Compliance regulations usually include an aspect of training or knowledge. For employees who are asked to upgrade their CPR or security training every several years. Training programs that are designed and managed in an centralized eLearning platform allows team leaders as well as compliance auditors to demonstrate that training has been done. The eLearning platform can precisely pinpoint which employees attended certain parts of training and at when and what time. Plus, you'll be informed when compliance training must be updated!

Making it easier to access the work place

Similar to eLearning within the school system, you can also make use of this technology to increase access in your workplace! As an example employees that require longer time to research what they require are able to use an eLearning platform to improve the amount of participation, motivation, and alignment to the project's goals.

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