E-LEARNING Daniela Desira & Roberta Farrugia

WHAT IS E-LEARNING? The use of technologies to create, distribute and deliver valuable data, to improve individual development. However, it is important to remember that it isn't the technology per se that improves the learning but how these technologies are used by educators and learners.

OBJECTIVES OF E-LEARNING Help the individual to realise his or her full potential Reduce the disparities between individuals or groups   OBJECTIVES OF E LEARNING -        Help the individual to realise his or her full potential and lead a happy and fruitful life -        Reduce the disparites and inequalities between individual or groups ( Because it gives equal opportunities to those who because of age or other health problems can’t go out of their homes ) -        Ensure that the skills available meet the needs of business employers  

Multimedia technologies WHAT HELPS E-LEARNING? Multimedia technologies Multimedia technologies allow the use of movie, audio and text resources to enrich the contents. -        The internet gives easy access to resources and services. There’s a lot you can learn for free on the internet if you know where to look for. The Internet

Ways of implementing E-learning 1.1 Using the technology to support a traditional course 1.2 Integrating technology into a traditional course 1.3 Delivering a course completely online

1.1 Using the technology to support a traditional course To deliver the course in the normal, traditional way with lectures, seminars, tutorials, etc, and use the technology to support the course. This is the first way of using technology in Education.  That is,  to deliver the course in the normal, traditional way with lectures, seminars, tutorials, etc, and use the technology to support the course in the form of online documentation. In this case e-learning supports the traditional class rather than replacing it . E.g. George Mason University, Dept of Physics and Astronomy.

1.2 Integrating technology into a traditional course This way can include: Reference materials Online activities and exercises Online tests Online discussions The use of interactive, collaborative, online-based activities within a traditional course can help to provide a much more flexible and richer learning experience for the learners.  These materials can either be existing resources available on the Internet or developed specifically for a course. This way of implementing e-learning can include: ·         informational and reference materials - for students to use as background resource materials ·         online activities and exercises - for students to practise and try out things on their own ·         online tests - for students to assess their own understanding of the subject ·         online discussions - for students to maintain a seminar discussion over a longer period of time ·         collaborative learning activities - for students to work together on projects without necessarily being in the same physical space. Collaborative learning activities

1.3 Delivering a course completely Online The technology is used to deliver the course completely online.   This could possibly be done in parallel with a traditional course. In this third way, the technology is used to deliver the course completely online, e.g. to offer the programme to a wider audience than just the campus-based learners. This could possibly be done in parallel with a traditional course or, ideally, to provide opportunities for both remote and local learners to study in the most appropriate way for their circumstances.  In this case all course content and all course communications would be available online, and students would need to be both managed and supported online. However, the course should ideally not be 100% online - there should also be some face-to-face activities - for example an initial, induction period, or study weekends.  Example: University of California Extension Online

Comparing the 3 Methods: F 2 F online

ADVANTAGES Class work can be scheduled around work and family Reduces travel time and travel costs Students may select learning materials Students can study anywhere Students can work at their own pace More interaction among students and instructors Class work can be scheduled around work and family Reduces travel time and travel costs for off-campus students Students may have the option to select learning materials that meets their level of knowledge and interest. Learners can test out of or skim over materials already mastered and concentrate efforts in mastering areas containing new information and/or skills Students can study anywhere they have access to a computer and Internet connection Self-paced learning modules allow students to work at their own pace Flexibility to join discussions in the bulletin board threaded discussion areas at any hour, or visit with classmates and instructors remotely in chat rooms Instructors and students both report eLearning fosters more interaction among students and instructors than in large lecture courses Develops knowledge of the Internet and computers skills that will help learners throughout their lives and careers Successfully completing online or computer-based courses builds self-knowledge and self-confidence and encourages students to take responsibility for their learning Develops knowledge of the Internet and computers Students take responsibility for their learning

DISADVANTAGES Learners with bad study habits may fall behind Students may get lost or confused Students may feel isolated Instructor may not always be available Not appropriate with slow Internet connections Learners with low motivation or bad study habits may fall behind Without the routine structures of a traditional class, students may get lost or confused about course activities and deadlines Students may feel isolated from the instructor and classmates Instructor may not always be available when students are studying or need help Slow Internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials frustrating Managing computer files and online learning software can sometimes seem complex for students with beginner-level computer skills Difficult to simulate lab work since after all, e-learning is a virtual classroom Complex for computer beginners Difficult to simulate lab work

E-learning on the workplace 80% of learning takes place informally in organisations. That is not just in the classroom, but also on the job.

E-LEARNING on the workplace needs to be: Just in time TO EXPLAIN: ·         just in time  - available for the users when they need it to complete the task; ·         on-demand  - available when they need it, not in a couple of days time, or a week or a month; ·         bite-sized - available in small chunks that take only a short time to complete, i.e. 15-20 minutes. Many people during their daily work encounter a job-related learning problem which requires an immediate solution.  Such employees cannot wait to go on a course - weeks in advance - in order to answer their current problem.  Nor do they want to wade through a complex, online course, just to find the small amount of information they require to complete a task or activity. Bite-sized

Cost of E-learning Set-up costs Content costs Management costs Another big questions that is asked about e-learning in the workplace is,  how much is it going to cost?  The answer is, of course, the same as the one to the question, "how long is a piece of string?" - it all depends on what you want to do. There are essentially three main types of costs involved in e-learning: Set up costs - these involve having all the necessary technical infrastructure in place to host and deliver an e-learning solution, and include things like hardware, client software and server software Content costs - these involve the costs of designing and building bespoke content or purchasing off-the-shelf ready-made e-learning content creating the website or software needed for e-learning Management costs - these involve administering, supporting, maintaining and managing e-learning solutions keeping the course up-to-date and the information relevant These three types of costs will depend on whether the solutions are built and/or managed in-house or outsourced/purchased, as shown in the table below. Management costs

Costs are determined by: Tools and systems People time Costs (both in-house and outsourced) will essentially be determined by  tools and systems - to develop and or deliver the solution); and  people time - to develop and/or manage the solution

Benefits for the organisation: Increased staff withholding 2. Increased customer satisfaction - many people cite lack of training or investment in them as being a reason for leaving - the industry average reduction in turnover is 1-3% and there is a corresponding reduction in turnover costs Since people do the job better the customers will be more satisfied due to decrease in absenteeism as a result of an increased in job satisfaction   3. Increased productivity

GLOBAL E-LEARNING MALTA EUROPE AMERICA

MALTA A virtual class was created late last year in the IT diploma. It enables Gozitan students to participate in lectures simultaneously with the Maltese. Last year, the board of studies of IT has started a new initiative where the evening diploma in it is being taught simultaneously at The university of Malta at tal-Qroqq and the university Gozo center in Xewkija using a virtual classroom concept. In this virtual class Gozitan students can participate in lectures simultaneously with the Maltese without the need for crossing to Malta or vice-versa through video-conferencing.

EUROPE: E-Twinning E-Twinning is a project where at least two schools from at least two European countries take advantage of ICT tools to work together for social and cultural benefits. It provides an opportunity to motivate young people to learn about each other, their school culture, and family while practicing their ICT skills at the same time. eTwinning is about enhancing pedagogy and schools understand it as a worthwhile activity that adds value to conventional learning. E-Twinning is a project where at least two schools from at least two European countries take advantage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to work together for social and cultural benefits. This project has been launched in 20 languages.  

AMERICA - MINNESOTA The university of Minnesota has enabled virtual healing through e-learning.

Websites to keep up to date CONCLUSION Google News: e-learning news sorted by date Google News Alerts: e-learning eLearning Journal elearningpost OLDaily e-Learning Centre's What's New Blog e-Learning Centre Newsletter Internet Time Blog  elearnspace blog Learning Circuits  Industry Watch and LTI News LTI Newsline e-Learning Centre's Calendar of e-Learning Conferences Conclusion CONCLUSION But it must not be forgotten that learning is a social activity, and that you can often provide a far more powerful and enduring learning experience through the use of online communities and networks and by encouraging collaboration between learners than you can by placing lots of content online. In fact communication- and collaboration-based e-learning solutions are much quicker, easier and cheaper to set up. Humans are social creatures requiring social connection and emotional engagement in all activities, so there should be plenty of opportunities for people to communicate, collaborate and share their knowledge.  

content travel virtual internet online technology twinning workplace The 3 main costs involved in e-learning are set up costs, __________ costs and maintenance costs. Except from classrooms, e-learning is also becoming common on the __________. One of the advantages of e-learning is that it reduces _______ time and costs for off-campus students. The board of studies in Malta has implemented e-learning through a virtual ________ concept. The university of Minnesota has implemented _________ healing through e-learning. A disadvantage with e-learning is that slow ____________ connections or older computers may make accessing course materials frustrating. One way of implementing e-learning is by delivering a course completely _________. Another method is by integrating ____________ into a traditional course. E-__________ is a project where at least 2 European countries work together to exchange social and cultural differences. content workplace travel learning virtual internet online technology twinning