E-learning, the definitive guide

E-learning, the definitive guide with everything you need to know (Training portal)

Numerous people wonder what exactly e-learning is, what are its principle characteristics and what would it be able to contribute to teaching and learning compared to customarily used methods. 

To be able to clearly explain what e-learning is, it is convenient to begin from the earliest starting point, answering precisely that question. 

E-learning, a world inside the learning universe 

What is e-learning? 

E-learning contemplates the use of computer and Internet technologies to offer a wide range of arrangements that facilitate learning and improve performance. That is, to do the teaching-learning process to each of the students through new technologies, the gadgets and devices that each of us have at home, for example, computers, tablets or even brilliant mobile phones, smartphones. 

E-learning eliminates the actual relationship between student and teacher, since they just contact through the technical means that each stage has. With this learning model, the student is the central nucleus and all knowledge revolves around him. Being the hero, each person can choose what knowledge they need to acquire, at what time and how, something that until the appearance of distance training had been impossible. 

What's more, an e-learning stage? 

transfer content. This is the regular highlight which all students enrolled in an examination plan that contains a contracted stage can access. There they access the content that the teacher or mentor transfers. 

To place it in some manner, an e-learning stage is like an informal organization in which users interact. Teachers are the ones who manage how through errands and content, despite the fact that there are likewise spaces inside most stages that are available for students to share any feeling or work they have done. 

There are numerous styles of stages that offer different functionalities, so it is best to be clear pretty much all the aspects to choose an e-learning stage . The advantage is that each entity interested in offering distance training can choose the type of stage that best suits their needs. 

Types of e-learning stages 

There are two principle types of e-learning stages: free software and commercial 

To complete distance education, it is necessary to have a stage, the place where it is possible to generate or proprietary stages. They all tend to revolve around these two premises, regardless of the measure of added resources or apparatuses offered by each individual stage. 

Free software stages are used to give open training, at no expense. Generally, they are developed by educational foundations that need to offer a series of courses or training to those who need to. Some of these stages, not all, are open source, which establishes free access and that the user is self-ruling to manipulate the software. Some of them with free access are as equipped as the commercial ones, while others are very essential. 

Commercial stages are paid, it is necessary to pay the organization a certain sum, either to the one that developed the stage or to the wholesaler. Being paid, the stages tend to be considerably more elaborate, notwithstanding the way that users know in advance that they will locate the content and training they are searching for. 

Fundamental characteristics that all e-learning stages must have 

The functionalities that an e-learning stage can offer to users could be endless, yet there are a number of characteristics that all must meet so its operation is ideal and the user experience isn't impaired. 

It means, extensively speaking, that the stage must be able to have and reproduce a wide range of content, regardless of who created it or the methods used. It ought to even be possible to incorporate content from another stage. (Online portal)

It has to do with the previous characteristic. The contents can be reused in other courses or in other contexts, and data can even be added, making the contents consistently modern. 

The contents present on a stage are never stable. Every time someone accesses them, their movement is recorded, so when they access a document once more, they can continue reading from where they left off. Likewise the coach or teacher can know whether the students are accessing the contents or not. It's a method to ensure that no user misses an essential lesson or document. 

It is the essential characteristic of distance training. The two students and guides will be able to access the content whenever of the day, dealing with their schedules and the time they need to dedicate to their training. 

E-learning stages are prepared to face technological advances, preventing the contents or their accessibility from becoming obsolete. 

The stages don't quit developing. It is consistently possible to increase the measure of content, courses and the number of students who can access it. 

Improvement. All the aforementioned characteristics make the teaching-learning process benefit, since it implies cost reserve funds, reduces learning time, permits users to organize better and makes the nature of learning likewise increase. 

When picking one stage or another, the needs of the organization in question must be taken into account, yet it is essential to ensure that it has these base characteristics. Otherwise, you could discover problems that hinder the development of the courses. 

Specialized instruments complementary to e-learning 

The detractors of e-learning argue that, with distance training, the essential communicative factor in teaching is lost. While the facts demonstrate that the best correspondence is personal, face-to-face, having the same space-time, there are numerous apparatuses that permit correspondence between coaches and students in distance education. 

Email. It is an offbeat specialized instrument. Some stages include a messaging system by means of e-mail in the system itself between enrolled students. 

It enables real-time correspondence. There are likewise stages that include an internal talk. 

Finding a video conferencing system on an e-learning stage is more troublesome. However, there are numerous applications, for example, Skype or Google HangOuts to perform them. They are useful for mentoring between the student and the teacher or to explain questions in real-time and speaking, which is consistently clearer than through talks or emails. (women watch)

They are used to organize assignments or gathering conversations, in which all students and teachers of each course can participate. The possibilities of discussions in e-learning make them imperative. 

Bulletin board. On the off chance that it is necessary to communicate something to all users at the same time, the key is to have a notice load up. As a general rule, this specialized instrument is additionally integrated into all stages on the market. Useful for reporting key dates, for example, evaluations, or reminders that the entire user network ought to be aware of. 

Interpersonal organizations. It is an external specialized instrument, yet very useful to publicize the courses on the stage or more data about the entity that offers distance training. Likewise, it permits you to interact with people who are not users of the stage, but rather who may be interested. In informal organizations, you can likewise create gatherings of students or work to communicate or meet in a simple manner. 

These devices are very useful and modern, so nearly everyone realizes how to use them. They are a decent alternative to direct correspondence, demonstrating that it is possible to complete effective and practical correspondence likewise in distance education. 

Advantages of e-learning VS customary teaching models 

Distance learning has numerous advantages over face-to-face, for example, 

Eliminate geographical barriers: with the customary education model, it is necessary to go to the school, academy or university where the course is instructed, greatly restricting the possibilities of every one of those people who live excessively far or in other countries. Because of e-learning, it is possible to take a course from any school or organization at any place and time, eliminating this geographical barrier. 

Time flexibility: customarily, classes and courses are educated from a specific time until the end of the session. Because of this new methodology, the student decides when to contemplate, being able to combine studies with other assignments, for example, work or leisure activities. 

Content transformation: a large percentage of distance training users are professionals who need customized training. The e-learning stages can be updated whenever and modified to suit the needs of the students. 

Active learning: we go from the passive learning model, in which the student just listens and receives data, to an active model, wherein the student collaborates in the development of content. Online training motivates and favors the retention of data while welcoming students to investigate and expand their knowledge, enriching the ends and ideas acquired. (Instructor Led)

Cost investment funds: there are studies that ensure that 66% of the budget that an organization spends on training is spent on transport and convenience. With e-learning, it is possible to save this measure of firsts. What's more, the content created on the stage isn't spent or deleted, it is simply enough to update it. 

Of course, before leaving study hall training behind, it is necessary to take into account certain reflections to make the leap to e-learning training . 

E-learning resources to create infinite content

The possibilities for creating content and sharing it offered by e-learning platforms are also numerous. By making use of new technologies, it is possible to share all kinds of multimedia files, in addition to creating chats and internal discussion forums to enrich the experience of students, being able to share their conclusions or doubts with the rest of their classmates or with the tutors or teachers of each course.

The most common teaching resources offered by an e-learning platform are the following:

Many of the contents are presented in electronic format, usually in PDF, a classic.

Audiovisual materials. Audiovisual resources, such as infographics, podcasts, videos, images, etc., can be included in the contents in order to complement the information. Especially, video learning facilities play a very important role in distance training.

Opening of tasks. In e-learning platforms, the tutor or instructor can open new tasks, in which they can detail the essential requirements and the instructions to do it. An expiration date can be assigned to that assignment, so students know the deadline to turn it in. When that date passes, the task is closed and it is impossible to make modifications. It is a way of controlling that all students do the activity within the time space allotted for it. In addition, the teacher can evaluate the activity in question from the same publication.

Test and exams. Another didactic resource available in e-learning is the exams through the platform. The tutor can publish a test with an expiration date. For example, the teacher could announce that on Monday, between 16:00 and 18:00, the test will be open. Students will have to enter the platform at that time and take the test. After 18:00, the task will be closed and it will not be possible to access it.

In order to support all these resources, e-learning platforms must have a series of essential characteristics. Without them, it would be impossible to optimize online training courses and the student experience would not be good.

An e-learning platform must be clear and intuitive to facilitate learning, in addition to admitting different types of content and resources. To facilitate access to courses and training, the platform must be able to be run on any mobile device. 

The platform must contain a good security protocol that guarantees the protection of data for all students, as well as the content present and the monitoring and evaluation tools of the students, since if all these files are lost or the data is filtered students, the consequences could be very serious. Finally, being a tool to offer training, it must also have monitoring and evaluation systems for the student.