According to Kevin Kruse in his article “The benefits and drawbacks of e-learning”, e-learning will never replace traditional forms of teaching and learning, yet it is important to look at the pros and cons of this industry.
Advantages
* e-learning can accommodate various learning styles including auditory, visual and experiential
* reduced printing and postage costs
* reach learners in rural and remote communities
* reach learners who have restricted mobility due to a disability or caring responsibilities
* reach learners who are time restricted by work and other commitments
* can offer individualised learning
* can incorporate interaction with other learners and educators
* can incorporate the development of rapport between learners and educators
* learner can work at own pace
* access to information on demand
* exciting and fun
Disadvantages
* cost of initial set-up
* may not be appropriate to all content
* cultural issues – lack of familiarity
* learner needs to be able to access technology
* reduces social interaction
* barriers for people with some learning difficulties
http://www.e-learningguru.com/articles/art1_3.htm
In Rebecca Blood’s article “Ten tips for a better weblog”, the author identifies 10 tips for better weblogging! Of note is tip 7 which states “Establish your credibility”. This tip is about truthfulness, respect and the permanency of the written word. She proposes a set of Weblog Ethics http://www.rebeccablood.net/handbook/excerpts/weblog_ethics.html
Tip 10 says “Be patient” – fine sentiments!
http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/ten_tips.html
In this post I am looking at Dennis A Mahoney’s article How to Write a Better Weblog. Mahoney provides advice on writing with:
The Rules: Clarity - I pride myself in writing good! (Bernstein’s tip 7 & 10)
Offer Something New – All in good time (Bernstein’s tip 6)
Amuse your readers – Well if you aint laughin’ now…Berstein’s tip 10… look out for Berstein’s tip 5!!!
Beyond wired – I can pretty-well guarantee that I have already linked to the same sites as most of my fellow classmates. You win some, you lose some!
Successful Weblogging: Compel readers to continue reading - a challenge! Mahoney ends by stating “But if your goal is to satisfy readers, satisfying yourself is a good start.” Sounds like Berstein’s tip 1 to me – write for yourself!
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writebetter/
The next few posts will be dedicated to the topic of writing on a publicly published weblog. Clearly I have already been rabbiting on in other posts so don’t immediately appear to have a fear of writing. What will the reading of other published articles reveal about me?
In Mark Bernstein’s article 10 Tips on Writing the Living Web, he identifies 10 tips for the budding web writers:
1. Write for a reason: What is my reason for writing? Perhaps the requirements for a pass in a uni subject (good reason!) but I will be bold and take Bernstein’s lead and write for myself. I do not propose to reveal my deepest, darkest secrets (sorry to disappoint – you will have to content yourself with mind-numbing shows like ‘Big Brother” for that!). However I might stray off the path of what-is-expected-of-me and venture into well-I-didn’t-expect-that!
2. Write often – done!
3. Write tight – ah by looking at tip one’s comments I may have already failed to “omit unnecessary words” Right I’ll start now.
4. Make good friends – If someone leaves a comment should I return the favour? Bernstein’s says “Be generous with links”. I think I’ll extend that to be generous with comments.
5. Find good enemies – Well disagreement may be exciting but I don’t think I’ll go looking for it. I will wait to see what develops which leads on to tip 6…
6. Let the story unfold: I feel that my infancy as a blogger has been very organic in its unfolding. But that’s OK because I’m writing for me! (Tip 1)
7. Stand up, speak out: Note to self – remove phrases such as “I think” and “I feel” from writing, starting now!
8. Be sexy: This is where well-I-didn’t-expect-that comes in. I won’t reveal too much at once but I will tantalise you with the initials D and N. If your not tantalised, then I’m writing for me (tip 1)
9. Use your archives: Given that I haven’t even been writing for a month yet the archive cupboard is looking a bit bare. Let’s just wait and see how tip 6 goes.
10. Relax! This will be my mantra “Don’t take yourself too seriously” and look out anyone else who does because I might just have to take up tip 5.
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving/
Commentators on the state of the e-learning market indicate that the industry is currently experiencing a downturn. Stating such reasons as costs, too risky and lack of management support. This has caused some navel-gazing within the industry. In some areas there has been a shift with training providers and users becoming more familiar with technology and therefore willing to take up e-learning.
e-Learning is considered by many writers as still in its infancy. However the view is that the field will move forward when the strategies and models meet the needs of industry. Across the VET sector, e-learning evidence appears at best to be explorative and experimental. Success stories highlight the changing face of teaching and learners and the need for instructions on how to use e-learning. Evidence is emerging that drop-out rates for distance education can be reduced by access to e-learning.
Certainly for most learners, e-learning has opened a new world of information. While classroom learning is not about to be wiped of the map, many practitioners are enthusiastic use blended strategies of face-to-face and e-learning.
Why it is important to understand the state of the e-Learning market in organisations.
Those brave souls who are, as we speak, venturing into this new frontier would be best adviced to become familiar with the current market to ensure they pack the right equipment and have enough money to complete the journey or it may be a very short adventure indeed!
The on-line experience: The state of Australian on-line education and training practices, 2000. National Centre for Vocational Education and Research http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nr9007e.htm
“Unchartered Territory” Johnson, G. September 2003. trainingmag.com
“The State of the E-Learning Market: What’s Working, What’s Not” M.H. September 2003. trainingmag.com
“The State of the E-Learning Market: E-Learning’s Key Challenges” M.H. September 2003. trainingmag.com
“The State of the E-Learning Market” Hequet, M. September 2003. trainingmag.com
http://www.trainingmag.com/msg/publications/training.jsp
e-Zines and e-Newsletters are a great way to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in your chosen field. I have provided the links to a few e-Zines and will add more as I come across them.
e-Learning Magazine:eLearn Magazine is published by ACM, a not-for-profit educational association serving those who work, teach, and learn in the various computing-related fields. It includes news and features that target both providers and consumers of online learning, with a special emphasis on teachers, managers, and administrators working to develop educational programs or classes on the Web. http://www.elearnmag.org/
Flex e-News: aims to provide breaking e-learning news and information, including updates on the 2005-2006 Australian Flexible Learning Framework, its products, resources and support networks. http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/go/home/news/flexenews
Learning Circuits: ASTD magazine whose goal is to promote and aid the use of e-learning, creating a body of knowledge about how to use technology efficiently and effectively for learning. It delivers a fully interactive Website with discussions, demos and resources, and articles on a weekly basis. http://www.learningcircuits.org/
MoodleZine: This is the magazine for Moodle a course management system that offers “a free, Open Source software package designed using sound pedagogical principles, to help educators create effective online learning communities” http://playpen.monte.nsw.edu.au/newsletter/index.php
TAFE NSW ICVET eZine: Is a magazine produced by the TAFE NSW International Centre for VET Teaching and Learning which looks at new ideas and practice in VET teaching and learning http://www.icvet.tafensw.edu.au/
At its very basic level, e-Learning involves the use of computers and other electronic gadgets as part of the learning process. But why are there so many articles about this question? Why are so many people battling to tie down a definition? Well I intend to explore these and many other mysteries of life in this blog.
For me as a distance educator, e-Learning encompasses student access to course information on-line; a system of managing students, learning, resources and assessments; communication through emails; accessing course and module information and resources on-line; resources on CD-rom; modules delivered online and web researching. All this is supported with print-based material, snail-mail, telephones and access to equity services. It is all part of a package!
I can see much greater applications and most of them surround my most valuable resource: time. Distance learners want immediacy, without having to expend energy looking! I have information and resources to share with distance learners but don’t have the time to distribute it. In the past paper-based newsletters were one way to communicate with distance learners and off-site colleagues, but due to time restraints they rarely happen. Could a blog be the answer? How about podcasting? What about distance learners without access to a computer? Will all be revealed in future postings?
A weblog is an internet site that allows you to publish anything instantly onto the internet on any topic. The information is posted in chronological order and can act like a diary or journal. Blogs can include commentary, links and articles. It can provide a filter for internet information on a topic or can provide a form of self-expression.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html
http://radio.weblogs.com/0110772/stories/2002/10/03/personalKnowledgePublishingAndItsUsesInResearch.html
Relevance to e-learning
Weblogs can provide the e-learner with the following opportunities:
* a place to publish their own learning reflections
* a place to discuss articles
* a place to post links to other sites of interest to the learner
* a place to keep up-to-date with industry trends etc
As defined by Michael Moore, then director of The American Center for the Study of Distance Education, Penn State: “Distance education is planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and as a result requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as well as special organizational and administrative arrangements”. From the text Distance Education: A Systems View, co-authored by Greg Kearsley [California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996].
http://www.novastars.com/distance-education/distance-education-definitions.htm
