Internet based delivery allows students to access the information that they need, at the time they need it. This provides students a level of convenience and personalisation that has not been practical with traditional delivery methods. For example, questions can be designed to include detailed solutions that are tailored to the specific response the student gives.
Personalised learning pathways that evolve according to each individual's performance can then be used to provide each student with content that targets their personal needs. In large university courses, this can provide some of the most 'personal' interactions students will experience during their course!
In corporate training, this personalisation can be combined with a 'just in time' approach to ensure learners receive the information they need, when they need it. This prevents people wasting time receiving training they don't need.
The internet delivers the opportunity to integrate interactivity with content delivery through tools such as activities, simulations and communication.
Giving students the means to interact with the content is motivating and encourages engagement with what is being presented through review, practice and self reflection. Learners with an activist learning style particularly benefit from instructional design that uses a 'hands on' approach.
Successful e-learning requires the same core learning principles that apply to all education. Excellent instructional design, the experience of the learner and ensuring that the most appropriate medium is used to present the content are of key importance. For this reason, combining paper and web resources is often the optimal way to deliver information. The detailed content can be read off paper whilst tools for interaction, reflection and learning support are delivered online.
E-learning is simply a learning tool. Students learn using a range of stimuli in different combinations, and the use of one approach does not preclude another. E-learning is often most powerful when blended with a range of other delivery modes. For example, electronic resources can be used as classroom resources, as learning aids (in the way textbooks are used) or to facilitate distance learning.
Quality e-learning:
