E-learning 2.0

Much has been written about the effect that web technologies are having on commerce, media, and business in general. But outside of the ‘edublogosphere’, there’s been little coverage of the impact it is having on education. Teachers are starting to explore the potential of blogs, media-sharing services and other social software – which, although not designed specifically for e-learning, can be used to empower students and create exciting new learning opportunities.

Like the web itself, the early promise of e-learning – that of empowerment – has not been fully realized. The experience of e-learning for many has been no more than a hand-out published online, coupled with a simple multiple-choice quiz. Hardly inspiring, let alone empowering. But by using these new web services, e-learning has the potential to become far more personal, social and flexible.

The traditional approach to e-learning has been to employ the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), software that is often cumbersome and expensive – and which tends to be structured around courses, timetables, and testing. That is an approach that is too often driven by the needs of the institution rather than the individual learner.

In contrast, e-learning 2.0 (as coined by Stephen Downes) takes a ‘small pieces, loosely joined’ approach that combines the use of discrete but complementary tools and web services – such as blogs, wikis, and other social software – to support the creation of learning communities.

In the world of e-learning, the closest thing to a social network is a community of practice, articulated and promoted by people. A community of practice is characterized by a shared domain of interest where members interact and learn together” and “develop a shared repertoire of resources.

The e-learning application, therefore, begins to look very much like a blogging tool. It represents one node in a web of content, connected to other nodes and content creation services used by other students. It becomes, not an institutional or corporate application, but a personal learning center, where content is reused and remixed according to the student’s own needs and interests. It becomes, indeed, not a single application, but a collection of interoperating applications—an environment rather than a system.

Source:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20.php
http://elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=29-1

E-learning

Electronic learning or eLearning is a term that refers to learning through computers. E-learning can be CD-ROM-based, Network-based, Intranet-based or Internet-based. It can include text, video, audio, animation and virtual environments. It can be a very rich learning experience that can even surpass the level of training you might experience in a crowded classroom. It is self-paced, hands-on learning

E-learning can suffer from many of the same pitfalls as classroom training, such as boring slides, monotonous speech, and little opportunity for interaction. The beauty of e-learning, however, is that new software allows the creation of very effective learning environments that can engulf you in the material.

Levels of E-learning

E-learning falls into four categories, from the very basic to the very advanced. The categories are:
1. Knowledge databases — While not necessarily seen as actual training, these databases are the most basic form of e-learning. You’ve probably seen knowledge databases on software sites offering indexed explanations and guidance for software questions, along with step-by-step instructions for performing specific tasks. These are usually moderately interactive, meaning that you can either type in a key word or phrase to search the database, or make a selection from an alphabetical list.
2. Online support – Online support is also a form of e-learning and functions in a similar manner to knowledge databases. Online support comes in the form of forums, chat rooms, online bulletin boards, e-mail, or live instant-messaging support. Slightly more interactive than knowledge databases, online support offers the opportunity for more specific questions and answers, as well as more immediate answers.

3. Asynchronous training – This is e-learning in the more traditional sense of the word. It involves self-paced learning, either CD-ROM-based, Network-based, Intranet-based or Internet-based. It may include access to instructors through online bulletin boards, online discussion groups and e-mail. Or, it may be totally self-contained with links to reference materials in place of a live instructor.

4. Synchronous training – Synchronous training is done in real-time with a live instructor facilitating the training. Everyone logs in at a set time and can communicate directly with the instructor and with each other. You can raise your cyber hand and even view the cyber whiteboard. It lasts for a set amount of time — from a single session to several weeks, months or even years. This type of training usually takes place via Internet Web sites, audio- or video-conferencing, Internet telephony, or even two-way live broadcasts to students in a classroom.

Source:
http://communication.howstuffworks.com/elearning1.htm

Online Reputation System Issues

Online reputation mechanisms have emerged as a viable alternative to the more established institutions for building trust (such as formal contracts) in electronic environments where such contractual guarantees cannot be efficiently enforced. On eBay, for instance, an online feedback mechanism that encourages buyers and sellers to rate one another seems to have succeeded in encouraging cooperative behavior in an otherwise very risky trading environment.

Negative feedback reputation systems have been shown mathematically to always spiral into chaos. The reason? People with bad reps just start up a new identity. Effectively, this means a free pass on bad behavior. And let’s not kid ourselves — there’s something called the “fundamental attribution error” by the psych types, which says that we mistakenly think that nobility and good behavior is inherent in people’s character. But it’s not. Given the opportunity, most people will do something that can be classified as “bad.” I know this is a kinda cynical thing to say, but it’s what the research shows.
Positive feedback reputation systems do work, as long as there’s an expectation of repeated interaction (in other words, if you think you might see the other person again). In a large enough population that isn’t segmented into cohorts or groups of appropriate size, this repeated interaction may not be a reasonable expectation. In other words, too mobile and big a group of players on your server, such as interacting with a different group of folks every night, and the incentives to get a good rep go away. (In fact, they might actually reverse: farm good rep in order to blow it on a big bad action).
Single-stage reputation systems are vulnerable to farming. This can be summarized by pointing to eBay. In a single-stage rep system, your “star” rating is based purely on how many folks give you a positive rating. The quality of their rep doesn’t matter. The result is that you can farm positive reputation pretty easily, because any new account can give positive transaction ratings.

Source:
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/faculty/cdell/reputation.html
http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=303

Common Teaching Methods and it’s Pro’s and Con’s

Below are the common types of teaching methods including their strength, weaknesses and how to prepare them.
Lecture
STRENGTHS:
– presents factual material in direct, logical manner
– contains experience which inspires
– stimulates thinking to open discussion
– useful for large groups
LIMITATIONS:
– experts are not always good teachers
– audience is passive
– learning is difficult to gauge
– communication in one way
PREPARATION:
– needs clear introduction and summary
– needs time and content limit to be effective
– should include examples, anecdotes

Lecture With Discussion
STRENGTHS:
– involves audience at least after the lecture
– audience can question, clarify & challenge
LIMITATIONS:
– time may limit discussion period
– quality is limited to quality of questions and discussion
PREPARATION:
– requires that questions be prepared prior to discussion

Brainstorming
STRENGTHS:
– listening exercise that allows creative thinking for new ideas
– encourages full participation because all ideas equally recorded
– draws on group’s knowledge and experience
– spirit of congeniality is created
– one idea can spark off other ideas
LIMITATIONS:
– can be unfocused
– needs to be limited to 5 – 7 minutes
– people may have difficulty getting away from known reality
– if not facilitated well, criticism and evaluation may occur
PREPARATION:
– facilitator selects issue
– must have some ideas if group needs to be stimulated

Videotapes
STRENGTHS:
– entertaining way of teaching content and raising issues
– keep group’s attention
– looks professional
– stimulates discussion
LIMITATIONS:
– can raise too many issues to have a focused discussion
– discussion may not have full participation
– only as effective as following discussion
PREPARATION:
– need to set up equipment
– effective only if facilitator prepares questions to discuss after the show

Group Discussion
STRENGTHS:
– allows participation of everyone
– people often more comfortable in small groups
– can reach group consensus
LIMITATIONS:
– needs careful thought as to purpose of group
– groups may get side tracked
PREPARATION:
– needs to prepare specific tasks or questions for group to answer

Source:
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/comteach.htm

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