Blog Contributor: Tarun Reddy
Back in the day, the classroom was generally considered the place where most of the learning took place. Such generalization, it could be argued, led some people to classify people as educated or uneducated, literate or illiterate, etc., solely based on whether they had been to the four walls of a classroom or not.
Not so much anymore. The advent of computers and the avenues for learning that computers brought introduced a new landscape and dimension to learning. Now, technology has brought development and devices such as smartphones and tablets that have now become the norm, being widely embraced in offices, stores, classrooms etc.
Computers have also brought about platforms like Udemy that made distance learning possible and seamless. Now, everyone has the chance to learn whatever they want, wherever they are, just at the click of a button.
This new learning that has become mainstream is online learning, or electronic learning (eLearning). eLearning is defined as the process of learning that involves the use of a computer or electronic device (such as a mobile phone) to provide training, educational, or learning material.
Benefits Of eLearning
Having come to be an effective means of learning, here are some of the benefits of eLearning.
Time saving and cost effectiveness eLearning can be done anywhere, anytime, and does not require the presence of the student at a particular location to take place. eLearning is essentially available at a fraction of the cost of classroom learning and comes right to the student on her desktop or other devices. As a result, it saves the student time and money required to commute to the set location of learning, and also increases productivity and efficiency.
Multiple options for delivery eLearning makes it possible and easy to deliver and receive training through a variety of options. These include the use of the internet, intranet, as well as CD-ROMs, USB drives etc.
Learning just in time With eLearning, studying became easily accessible to students without the need to wait for classes. As soon as they are prepared, they can access the lessons via any of the chosen devices.
Opportunity for control and reporting eLearning provides the avenue to utilize softwares for management of the learning materials and student records. As a result, it is possible for the instructors to easily and quickly gain access to student reports and records. This enables them to verify the progress of students, quantify the training investments, and effectively plan for future lessons.
Engaging and stimulating eLearning uses audio, animations, simulations, and many other tools. As a result, it produces an engaging multimedia learning platform. This then makes courses taught through eLearning platforms to be able to provide stimulating simulations, hands-on exercises, role plays, and scenarios that powerfully aid learning.
Easy assessment With eLearning, the assessment of topics and modules is easy, since the packages are already installed on the learning products. Furthermore, pre-assessment packages are also available to gauge the areas of knowledge of the students so as to better understand content they are already familiar with.
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