Evolution of E-Learning Systems

The Evolution of e-Learning System

• Distance education predates the World Wide Web
• Isaac Pitman's shorthand training, created in the 1840s, is an early example of "learning courses."

History of Online Education

• 1960: Donald Bitzer at the University of Illinois developed PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations), the first e-learning system, which was a networking program for computer learning
• 1979: Lemonade Stand, created in 1973 and brought to the Apple II platform in 1979, it is one of the oldest educational games that teaches business and economics
• 1984: Electronic University Network (EUN) was established, and in 1986 offered its first online course for DOS and Commodore 64 computers, communicated over telephone lines
• 1994: CALCampus evolved from a small, offline adult learning center and offered online courses with real-time instruction over the Internet
• 1997: California Virtual University (CVU) was established as a clearinghouse for online courses, and the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks (JALN) provided space for academic research on online education
• 2006 to 2010: e-Learning became mainstream because it was simple and cheap, and diverse forms of online education, like audio, video, presentations, and 3D tours, emerged
• Present: Milestones include increased wireless access, vector graphics, Microsoft Office, learning objects, educational games, repositories, SCORM, and LMSs, that have become game changers

What is an E Learning System

• E-learning is a digital platform or software for facilitating remote learning and education
• It allows individuals to engage in educational experiences from any location and at their own pace

Benefits of E Learning Systems

• Flexibility and Convenience
• Accessibility and Reach
• Cost-Effectiveness
• Engaging and Interactive Learning Experience
• Individualized Learning
• Continuous Learning and Professional Development

The Evolution of e-Learning System

• Learning Management System (LMS)
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)
• Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
• Webinar and Virtual Event Platforms
• Corporate Learning Management System (CLMS)

Features of e-Learning Systems

• Course Management: Includes content uploading, assignment creation, and tracking learner progress
• Content Delivery: Educational content is delivered in various formats, like documents, presentations, videos, and interactive modules, allowing learners to access resources anytime, at their own pace
• Assessment and Grading: Tools include assignments, quizzes, tests, and interactive assessments to evaluate understanding and progress, with automated grading and immediate feedback
• Communication and Collaboration: Involves discussion forums, messaging, and chat for learners to engage in group discussions and collaborate on projects
• Progress Tracking and Reporting: Learners and instructors monitor progress, completion status, access certificates, analyze learner data, identify areas of improvement, and generate analytics reports
• Mobile Compatibility: Learners access content and participate in learning activities on smartphones or tablets, accommodating mobile device users
• Integration and Compatibility: Systems integrate with software and platforms for learning analytics, video conferencing, or content authoring
• Accessibility and Multilingual Support: It provides features for learners with screen readers, closed captions, adjustable font sizes, and multilingual interfaces
• Security and Data Privacy: Implement measures to protect user data and secure login credentials, and comply with data protection regulations

Virtual Learning

• Virtual learning utilizes computers and the Internet both inside and outside educational facilities
• It usually refers to online learning

Related Terms

• E-learning: Using electronic technologies for learning and teaching
• Web-Based Learning: Using a web browser for learning
• Online learning: Interactions happen online, like synchronous classes
• Distance learning: Does not have to use electronic and web-based technologies, participants are physically separated
• Blended learning: combines virtual and traditional teaching

Educational Theories

• Behaviorism: Examines how students behave while learning by responding to stimuli
• Cognitivism: Focuses on the role of the mind and cognitive processes in learning within customizable environments
• Social constructivism: Learning occurs through social interaction and the help of others, like collaborative web-conferencing, an online whiteboard, breakout rooms, and screen sharing

Digital Materials Innovation Trends

• Digital learning innovations are scalable solutions that fill gaps in student learning or digital course development and adoption
• Primary Trends: Focuses on more prominent digital learning innovation and trends
• Adaptive learning technologies: Provide students with activities, assessment, and feedback, offering an adaptive pathway based on achievements
• OER (Open Education Resources): Open course content, materials, or activities for instructors and students that are free or low cost
• Gamification: Incorporates gaming elements into learning activities, content, interaction, such as point systems and badges
• Game-based learning: Games are used to facilitate learning and enhance knowledge or through simulation activities
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): Addressed in postsecondary education
• Learning Management Systems (LMS): Interoperability refers to the LMS's ability to seamlessly integrate with other systems

Trends

• Mobility and Mobile devices: Give cellular communications for voice and data
• 4G is increasing in speed to 5th generation
• Design: Refers to the learning environment and interactions, including design of a course and/or the instruction
• Blended learning: Combines face-to-face and online environments
• Dashboards: Aggregators of data from a data warehouse or storage system that presents data
• Virtual reality: The use of digital data and programming to simulate a different reality through stimuli
• Artificial intelligence (AI): Uses digital data and programming to create applications to perform cognitive human tasks

Quality Principles

• Principles enable production of learning materials that address the varying needs of users
• They are founded on promoting equitable access to learning opportunities

Foundation

• Distance Learning materials must be guided and supported by the aligned or outcomes expressed curricula
• Materials must be relevant to industry needs, appropriately challenging, adaptable instead of duplicative, internationally comparable, and not violate copyright laws

Scope

• Scope refers to the breadth and depth of the learning material to ensure that the scope is fit for purpose
• Developers need to identify relevant outcomes and competences, relate to the target group, provide clear examples, explanations, and illustrations, indicate resources needed, provide an accurate industry context, emphasize purpose of learning, and provide a list of recommended further reading

Structure and Design

• Learning materials must promote learning and assessment strategies and must have a clear structure
• Easy to navigate, visually attractive, usable by the hearing, visually and physically impaired, designed to motivate learners, and use appropriate words/language

Flexible Delivery

• Learning materials must consider the learners' (as well as trainers and assessors as appropriate) varying needs, preferences, and entry levels
• Provide a variety of learning methods, provide learning contexts, guidance on entry requirements, be adaptable for different conditions, adequate user guides, guidance on safety, be challenging, linked to industry standards, and highlight modes of delivery

Access and Equity

• Materials must accommodate learners from different geographical locations and cultural diversity
• Challenge stereotypes, use and provide nondiscriminatory material, be affordable, moderately colorful, cost-effective, consider IT-needs, and guide training and employment opportunities

Content

• Content refers to what goes into the learning material and elaborates on the KSAs in the curriculum
• Essential requirements of well-balanced content include: being interactive, presented in an appropriate language, simple but challenging, simulate reality, assist the trainer, be sufficient, internationally and locally comparable along with integrating theory and practice

Feedback and Evaluation

• Learning materials must promote self assessment and provide feedback to both the learner and developer
• Include the date of production, review of the material, a list of assessment, questionnaire to evaluate with contact details of the producer