RESEARCH INTO THE IMPACT OF E-LEARNING ON EDUCATION

1 Table of Contents
2 3 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Body Content ................................................................................................................................... 2 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 4 The multimedia impact on education ....................................................................................... 2 Learner delivery ....................................................................................................................... 2 Control speed of learning and method of learning .................................................................... 3 Standardization of course content ............................................................................................ 3 Interactions between students ................................................................................................. 4

References ....................................................................................................................................... 7

2 Introduction
Electronic learning (e-learning) refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions that enhance knowledge and performance E-Learning is a concept derived from the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to revise and transform traditional teaching and learning models and practices has evolved in the past decade. This evolution has resulted from the emergence of the information society and has greatly impacted on the global economic and socio-cultural development. E-learning is also called Web-based learning, online learning, distributed learning, computerassisted instruction, or Internet-based learning Historically, there have been two common e-learning modes: distance learning and computerassisted instruction. Distance learning uses information technologies to deliver instruction to learners who are at remote locations from a central site. Computer-assisted instruction (also called computer-based learning and computer-based training) uses computers to aid in the delivery of stand-alone multimedia packages for learning and teaching. These two modes are subsumed under e-learning as the Internet becomes the integrating technology

3 Body Content
3.1 The multimedia impact on education
The emergence of e-learning has put learners in a learner centered model that puts learners in control of their own learning this has led to a situation whereby people learn what they want to learn not what they are forced to learn and this intern leading to a better understanding of what they are learning. Content delivery may be either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous delivery refers to real-time, instructor-led e-learning, where all learners receive information simultaneously and communicate directly with other learners. Examples include teleconferencing (audio, video, or both), Internet chat forums, and instant messaging. With asynchronous delivery, the transmission and receipt of information do not occur simultaneously. The learners are responsible for pacing their own self-instruction and learning. The instructor and learners communicate using e-mail or feedback technologies, but not in real time. A variety of methods can be used for asynchronous delivery, including e-mail, online bulletin boards, newsgroups, and Weblogs.

A concept closely related to e-learning but preceding the birth of the Internet is multimedia learning. Multimedia uses two or more media, such as text, graphics, animation, audio, or video, to produce engaging content that learners access through the computer. Blended learning, a fairly new term in education but a concept familiar to most educators, is an is an approach that combines e-learning technology with traditional instructor-led training, where, for example, a lecture or demonstration is supplemented by an online tutorial.

3.2 Learner delivery

E-learning Increased accessibility to information, ease in updating content, personalized instruction, ease of distribution, standardization of content and accountability. Accessibility refers to the users ability to find what is needed, when it is needed. Improved access to educational materials is crucial, as learning is often an unplanned experience. Updating electronic content is easier than updating printed material: e-learning technologies has allowed educators to revise their content simply and quickly which has made it easy for them to provide education material to the learners.

3.3 Control speed of learning and method of learning

Learners have control over the content, learning sequence, pace of learning, time, and, often, media, which allows them to tailor their experience to meet personal learning objectives. Internet technologies permit the widespread distribution of digital content to many users simultaneously anytime and anywhere.

3.4 Standardization of course content

Additionally e-learning has standardized course content and delivery; unlike, for instance, a lecture given to separate sections of the same course. Automated tracking and reporting of learners activities lessen faculty administrative burden. Moreover, e-learning can be designed to include outcomes assessment to determine whether learning has occurred. E-learning technologies offered educators a new paradigm based on adult learning theory, which states that adults learn by relating new learning to past experiences, by linking learning to specific needs, and by practically applying learning, resulting in more effective and efficient learning experiences. Learning enhancement has permitted greater learner interactivity and promoted learners efficiency, motivation, cognitive effectiveness, and flexibility of learning style. Learning is a deeply personal experience: we learn because we want to learn. By enabling learners to be more active participants, a well-designed e-learning experience can motivate them to become more engaged with the content. Interactive learning has shifted the focus from a passive, teacher-centered model to one that is active and learner-centered, offering a stronger learning stimulus. Interactivity helps to maintain the learners interest and provides a means for individual practice and reinforcement. Evidence suggests that e-learning is more efficient because learners gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes faster than through traditional instructor-led methods. This efficiency is likely to translate into improved motivation and performance. E-learners have demonstrated increased retention rates and better utilization of content, resulting in better achievement of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Multimedia e-learning offers learners the flexibility to select from a large menu of media options to accommodate their diverse learning styles.

Basing on costs, e-learning has significantly led to cost savings compared to the traditional instructor led learning. Savings are related to reduced instructor training time, travel costs, and labor costs, reduced institutional infrastructure, and the possibility of expanding programs with new educational technologies. E-learning has also led to the creation of many electronic content like books which are to be accessed online this however has not come in cheaply as the costs tend to be more than that of publishing and distributing books for learning. The creation of these books has made it possible for authors to publish their books online that is to say those who prefer to sell the soft or electronic copies of their books.

3.5 Interactions between students

Different discussion sites and forum sites have come up as a platform for discussion of academic issues for the different students, this has made it easier to find ideas and solutions to some questions or essays which students might not have understood or have failed to find a starting point in answering them. The interactions between students and the fellow students or online tutors have also provided motivation for students who might have given up on some of their subjects, science subjects are mainly or most times of concern example mathematics. Online courses With the emergence of e-learning, it has become possible to attain different bachelors degrees, certificates and masters degrees online without in fact ever stepping foot in the awarding university. This still comes to reduction in the cost of acquiring education for different individuals. With this kind of studies it makes it possible for people with busy schedules to still continue with their studies even as they still do their work. E-learning has minimized academic dishonesty is also practiced because there some softwares such as Turnitin (plagiarism/close imitation detection software) which can be incorporated in these platforms to detect any work which is not acknowledged by students. E-learning has led to the development of computer skills that are or can be transferable in ones life even after finishing their online courses. Because one wants to practice e-learning, if they did not know how to use the computers very well then they will try to improve this to use in the

course of their studies. More so, e-learning has led to the spread of internet usage in developing countries as more and more people get involved in this form of education. In some cases e-learning has led to the production of a workforce without any hands on training hence workers with knowledge but not skill. This is due to the in ability of some practical courses to be simulated on the internet while they continue to get taught on the internet In effort to counter the growing need and interest in e-learning by differing teachers, students and parents, governments have been forced to spend more on developing the information and communications technology(ICT) sector. In Uganda this can be seen from the wide construction of more computer laboratories in secondary schools and restocking of university computer laboratories and this has led to a wide spread of computer knowledge among different individuals. This is mainly in developing countries E-learning has also led to the growth of the mobile telecommunications industries. Many people involved in e-learning tend to use the mobile phone as platform for accessing education material while on the move. This increased usage of the internet through the mobile phone has seen the drastic drop in the data charges for internet usage over the mobile phone. Aside from this, the increased number of internet-mobile phone users has led to the development of more mobile phone applications over the years as developers try to counter the ever growing need for better technology for example portable document format (pdf) document readers for phones, ability of phones to display flash content and so on. E-commerce has led to a decreased material costs. Lets say we have to train how to arrange equipment in a sterile environment like an operating room. If we had to use the real environment, it would be costly. Even setting up a fake environment has material costs and labor. By creating the environment online and letting the learner practice, you never have to worry about the costs associated with set up, use, and clean up.

E-learning has nurtured a learning organization and community. Ongoing access to resources. If you take a class in the real world and need a refresher, you better hope that you took good notes. Otherwise, youre out of luck. Thats not the case with elearning. Ideally, you continue to have access to the online content and resources to brush up on what you learned. Knowledge management . Many people see e-learning as only the authored courses. But e--

learning includes all sort of online technologies. If you incorporate some of the tools that allow collaboration and conversation, you can capture organizational knowledge that is available for future learners. Encourage sharing. The foundation of a learning community is built on sharing what you know with others. This is where incorporating a forum or wiki really adds value to your e-learning. Depending on how the course is structured, you can encourage sharing of resources and insight gained from the course.

4 References
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45610942/The-Impact-of-E-Learning-in-Medical-Education http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/why-e-learning-is-so-effective/ http://www.asia-e-Learning.net/content/aboutEL/