What is eLearning?
eLearning is so broad and encompassing that it's hard to
articulate a brief definition that actually does the term justice. There may be
other slightly different definitions, but we define eLearning as:
"The use of any electronic technology to aid in the
acquisition and development of knowledge and understanding in order to
demonstrable and positively influence behaviors."
- Future
Oriented: The future is all about technology and multi-screening.
Education can’t lag behind.
- Learning
Becomes Interesting: It engages and challenges students with brand new and
interactive methods.
- Improves
Skills: digital learning, communication, collaboration, building teams,
mobile learning, listening, planning, valuing diversity, problem solving, self-direction,
global awareness, social, presentations.
- Increases
Collaboration: Students can work and collaborate with people in other
locations. Distance learners can join online communities.
- Reduces
Weight: Instead of carrying lots of books, students just carry a laptop, a
tablet or a mouse which contain all their books and projects.
- Students need to be engaged with what they are doing to improve learning outcomes – See technology engages them.
- Enables students to become thinkers/learners/risk takers in a sheltered environment.
- Learn not to rely on the
teacher…be accountable themselves…become independent!
- Teaches digital literacy.
- Valuable employable skills
in a digital world are learnt –appropriate online behavior, good digital
citizenship, cyber safety, plagiarism, working with virtual teams, self-discipline
in a virtual world, digital and global entrepreneurship, globalization etc.
- Broadens the horizons of
many students as it exposes students to the world outside their city or
country town.
- Fits in with Rural
Education where students in small rural schools need no longer be
disadvantaged by distance and isolation, as technology allows them to
learn virtually and maintain their subject choices, allows eg LOTE
(languages other than English) and other specialist subjects to be taught
across schools by a virtual teacher.
- Allows a mobile learning
environment – anywhere, anytime, anyhow! (See Does mLearning make a difference?)
- Inspires students to seek
more from school.
- Gets kids to go to school!
