Course Introduction
       
  What is e-Learning?  
  Distinguish e-Learning from other forms of learning at a distance where teachers and learners are separated by either space or time.  
     
About this module
   This module contains 7 lessons, including 2 discussions. There is no quiz or assignment for this module but you are expected to participate in the on-line discussions to get the most from these lessons. By the time you have completed this module, you will have learned about the major considerations involved in e-Learning.

  
When and where can learning occur?
  

Human learning can be:

  • structured or unstructured
  • formal or informal
  • supervised or unsupervised
  • with or without the assistance of a teacher

Regardless of the arrangement, all learning occurs within the learners' minds. The most any education or training professional can do is create appropriate interventions that promote, encourage, and facilitate the attainment of learning objectives. During this process, consideration is given to how the teacher and learners interact in time and place. Roll your mouse over each of the squares below to discover the four time and place arrangements:

  
 
Terminology for Learning at a distance
  A number of terms have been developed to describe various concepts of learning at a distance. Each represents some form of the time and place arrangements outlined above. While their basis is logical enough, the terms are often used inconsistently in education and training circles. For the sake of clarity and consistency throughout this course, the definitions of the 9 most commonly used terms that describe learning at a distance are presented below. Select any of the following terms from the drop-down menu to view their meaning:
  
   
e-Learning defined
  

For this course, you will recognize e-Learning as a form of distance education that uses web browsers for accessing content from remote locations on the Internet. Effective e-Learning differentiates itself from other forms of distance education by being highly interactive on three levels:

  1. learners interacting with learners
  2. learners interacting with content
  3. learners interacting with an instructor
  
Next lesson
  

Now that we have the terminology straight, the next lesson discusses the question of e-learning's effectiveness in comparison to conventional, face-to-face education and training.