e-learning

In this day and age with technology so prevalent in everything we do
and that so many people are so busy we have come up with different
modes of delivery for education and training. Within the last ten
years e-learning has blossomed as an answer to people’s busy and
hectic lives. What started out as a trend that many thought would
never amount to anything has become a main player in the education
arena.

There are two main modes of delivery with regards to e-learning
asynchronous and synchronous. “Asynchronous learning is a
student-centered teaching method that uses online learning resources
to facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and
place among a network of people” according to Mayadas, F. (1997,
March). Some examples of asynchronous learning are wikis, blogs, websites,whitepapers,webcasts,digital video resources, such as youtube,
brainpop(Which is presently used by my 10 year old son’s online public
school) and PBS.
With Asynchronous learning there is usually not instant interaction
or communication between two or more people. It is self directed
learning. The learner has the ability and convenience to move at a
pace that they are comfortable with and time tables that amend to
one’s schedule. This method of delivery it may require a higher
commitment of time management and organizational skills by the
student.

Synchronous learning includes ‘real time’ interaction between
one or more participants. Interactions could include but are not
limited to chat rooms, instant messaging, shared applications, shared
whiteboard, video and audio conferencing. These ‘real time’
interactions allow students to ask questions and receive instant
answer promoting a traditional connection between students and
instructor. This type of e-learning is more structured and offers
less flexibility for the student for scheduled interactions.

E-learning courses may be exclusively synchronous, exclusively
asynchronous, or a combination of synchronous and asynchronous
delivery. Many studies show no difference in learning outcomes, often
measured by exams and final grades, of students in traditional or
e-learning class settings. These findings increase the importance and
potential uses for e-learning both synchronous and asynchronous.