3.2.1 E- Learning Processes
Since, any e-learning project checks your achievements against a learning outcome,
therefore, it starts with identification and verification process. The common process
used for this purpose is the use of Username and Password. You are asked to login to
the e-learning system before you start using it
Once you are successfully logged in to the system. The e-leaning topics or contents
are presented to you topic by topic. This content may include text, graphics, video,
audio, animation, link to other references. In general, such content may be followed
by some quiz or questions that try to access your understanding about the topic that
you have studies. The e-learning systems may be a Learning Management System
(LMS) or Content Management System (CMS) running as the base system. These
systems help in recording information about you - such as time spent by you on a
topic, marks scored by you in a feedback quiz etc. All such information may be sent to
the content designer as a feedback, who in turn may modify the content of the basis of the feedback so obtained. Thus, an e-learning system supported by LMS or CMS will
have different types of users who will have different access rights. For example, a
student may be allowed to see the contents of the courses s/he has registered for,
his/her scores in various quizzes and assignments, whereas an instructor may login to
correct the specific content, load an assignment for the student or a new video for the
student, provide a link to a new important material, look into consolidated student
response and identify weaknesses in the contents, identify the students who are
defaulting and find ways to contact those students may be using SMS. Thus, the
technology provides a number of ways a teacher and a student can communicate with
each other through the e-learning system. Please note that e-learning technologies are
available in the present time, only that they need to be properly harnessed for the
proper teaching learning process. Some of the activities that may be undertaken by students in the e-learning process:
- Login.
- Content access and assimilation.
- undertake formative assessment online.
- formative assessment using assignments and discussions.
- Getting the feedback on formative assessment and working towards achieving learning outcomes.
- Communication with the students through various means like; email, chat, SMS, and other means.
- Go through a summative assessment.
- Measuring the effectiveness of e-learning and performance assessment.
- Recoding student achievements and certification.
Please note that it is not necessary that all the e-learning system have all such
activities. However, a good e-learning system should have most of these activities.
3.2.2 E-Learning Content Development Process
Developing E Learning contents is a specialised activity. The quality of e-learning
relates to achievements of the objectives of the content by the learners. Better quality
e-learner content can be created if you follow a proper process of e-content
generation. A simple e-learning content process is given in the Figure 3.1.
Analysis Phase: Analysis requires identifying the learning objectives for the development of content for the target audience. This phase also lists the financial,
technological and time constraints for the e-learning project. It also enables
identification of the gap between the expected knowledge of the target audience and
what they should know after going through the course. This facilitates the design
phase.
Implementation Phase: Implementation phase brings the design to live course
material. You may take the help of various experts for this phase including content
expert, graphic expert, interaction designer, web designer etc.
Verification Phase: during the Verification phase the contents so produced can be
tested to determine if it is conveying what it is expected to convey. It may also be
used to check the usability features of the product. You may perform verifications by
e-learning experts or sample of target audience.
3.2.3 An Example of E-Content and Support - DTECHVNS
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| Figure 3.2: dtechvns online programmes |
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| Figure 3.3 : An online programmes of dtechvns |
The second platform that is under development at IGNOU is based on IGNOU wiki
which is supported by the MOODLE like learning and content management system.
The model of e-learning as conceived at IGNOU is given in Figure 3.4
Detailed description of each block is outlined below:
Input Block ‘J’: J’ here stands for judging the gap between set instructional objectives in a learning module such as a Unit or a Block TO the understanding achieved as measured by the Self Test or in the interactions in discussions.
Instruction Delivery: Instruction Delivery may use different modes
- It may be the conventional class teaching. (please note that this model even envisages the classroom as well as e-learning)
- It may be recorded Video Lectures being used by a counselor for a group of students.
- It may be the Self instructional material (such as this block itself) designed and developed for a course by DTECHVNS (IGNOU)
- It may be the programme portal like ignouonline or any other e-Content Website of DTECHVNS. IGNOU
- Any hybrid of these modes may also be employed.
DTECHVNS (Open Course Guide (IOCG): The open course guide is an extended version
of your Programme Guide. The objective of introducing the IOCG is to help student with information about a course and also to provide information on good Applications II
supplementary content. IOCG may be maintained by the Course Management Group.
Online/Self Tests and Feedback to the Learners: A good education system is one
that provides feedback to its learners at several stages of study in a course. This
feedback may be provided using self tests that try to determine how much they have
understood against the instructional objectives stated in the Block/Unit of study. At
present these tests are in the form of Check Your Progress exercises in your study
material. These tests may be conducted in the future typically using online platforms
like Module LMS or even on a Wiki.
Assessment: You as a student has to undertake formative assessment with feedback
that finds out the extent of fulfillment of objectives of the learning. At present
assignment are the tools to do such assessment. However, in a e-learning system a
number of possibilities exists that may be used in the future. Some of these activities
may be student participation and engagements in specified learning activities like
practice sessions, group discussions, laboratory experiments, term papers, critical
writing, etc.
Examinations and Evaluation: This is a part of Summative assessment of the
student achievement. The overall course may have a term-end examination. At
present, such examination is through a formal examination system. However, with
developing technology may be in future, it may take a different form. For example,
some part of the summative assessment may happen through on-line examinations as
is already being done for various professional certification and entrance examinations.
The details on Vedydhara are given in the section 3.3.
3.2.4 Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE)
MOODLE is a free and open-source e-learning software platform. It provides feature
for Learners and content management. In the past decade, it has become very popular
for the delivery of e-learning content and student management. You can get access to
information related to Moodle for the website http://www.moodle.org (Please refer to
Figure 3.5). Alternatively, you may download the Moodle software and create your
own server having Moodle
To access the MOODLE and learn about it from the Moodle website, you may need to create an account. The process of creation of an account with Moodle is somewhat similar to what you do for creating any Internet based account like email account. The popularity of MOODLE may be attributed primarily to the fact that it is free and it allows dynamic content creation facilities. It has a number of tools available for managing a number of students online. In addition to content management, MOODLE provides a number of tools for building interaction among the learning community. Thus, allowing collaboration and peer to peer learning in the learning communities.
The best way to learn MOODLE is read tutorial on MOODLE from the MOODLE
website. The main content page for this website is shown in Figure 3.6.
3.2.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Learning
Before we discuss about advantages and disadvantages of e-learning, you should
know that e-learning is just another model for learning. It is not that it can replace all
other forms of learning models. However, it provides several opportunities that may
be of benefit for creating certain learning instances. Some of these opportunities are:
- It allows possibilities of course material but that require constant support of a course team
- The level of participation of student in learning may improve as it provides anytime, anywhere learning, but in any case the student has to be motivated by the course team from time to time.
- E-learning does improve the IT skills of individuals and may improve their time management skills.
- The content like recorded lectures may be viewed by a student at any time, however, the interactive support that requires teacher at the other end may still be available in slotted time only.
- It allows you to measure student activities very easily, but beware too much of interference in student style of learning is not advisable.
- E-learning gives flexibility in curriculum design and reuse of contents, however, the expert team has to work constantly to make that happen.
- The general understanding of e-learning as cost effective mechanism is often misleading. Please note that first e-learning is about teaching-learning process. Any good teaching-learning process is rigorous and requires substantial costs.
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