CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 BASIC CONCEPTS OF E-LEARNING
From the overview, we know that e-learning is getting popular all over the world. What do we understand about e-learning and why has it become so popular? This section of the project explains e-learning concepts in detail. Sambrook (2003) refer to e-learning as “communication and learning activities through computers and networks (or via electronic means)â€. To be more specific, Fry (2000) defines e-learning as “delivery of training and education via networked interactivity and a range of other knowledge collection and distribution technologies.†Wild et al. (2002) also had the same definition as Fry’s – they defined e-learning as the creation and delivery of knowledge via online services in the form of information, communication, and education and training. Bleimann (2004) stated that e-learning is a self-directed learning that is based on technology, especially web-based technology. He also stressed that e-learning is collaborative learning.
Internet and Web technology is important in e-learning; Horton (2001) defines e-learning as “the use of Internet and digital technologies to create experience that educate fellow human beings.†Apart from web-based technology, e-learning seemed to require multimedia based courseware (Evans & Fan, 2002; Lahn, 2004). Therefore, it is clear that e-learning is centered on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). It is not surprising that Hamid et al. (2002) mentioned that e-learning evolved around Information Technology to enhance the learning performance and efficiency. Furthermore, Evans & Hasse (2001) pointed out that technology is indeed needed in e-learning to educate the learner through the usage of two-way video, two-way computer interaction, cable, satellite downlinks and Internet. Honey (2001) provided many good examples of learning activities that involved ICT. These examples include learning from e-mail, online research, online discussion and coaching by e-mail. From these definitions and examples, we can therefore define e- learning as learning activities that involve computers, networks and multimedia technologies.
2.2 HISTORY OF E-LEARNING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION
E-learning is a very broad term. It is used to describe any type of learning environment that is computer enhanced. There are multiple technologies that can be employed in E-learning. It has become one of those types of words that are so general as to have lost some of its meaning. Distance learning is something that has evolved from E- learning. It is used to describe a learning environment that takes place away from the actual traditional classroom and campus. The history of e-learning starts with an understanding of how instructional design, instructional technology, and educational technology evolved in the last century. This also includes having a basic understanding of distance education history. E-learning is a broad term that encompasses various types of media, and this includes the use of distance learning modalities. While e-learning and distance learning is the same thing, they do have some similarities in the way they evolved. One thing that distinguishes distance education from e-learning is the physical separation of the learners from educators. However, e-learning is a part of the classroom environment. Continuous research and development in E-learning technology and the ability to develop virtual classrooms and a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) are also an important part of the history of e-learning and it has evolved.
Pre 1920’s: Shift from phrenology (stuffing the mind with knowledge as a mental exercise) to an empirical knowledge base for education based on Thorndike's Laws of Learning and the introduction of educational measurement.
1920’s: Matching of society needs to education and connecting outcomes and instruction. Individualized Instruction (II) plans were developed that allowed learners to progress at their own pace with minimum teacher direction. Contract learning and mastery learning emerged, and the roots of job analysis and task analysis.
1930’s: Even though the great depression affected education in terms of funding and other respects, the 8year study plan (Tyler) was a major milestone in specifying general objectives for education and behavioural objectives were being shaped. Also formative evaluation was recognized.
2 . 3 G R O W T H O F E L E A R N I N G
The global market for corporate e-learning will grow nearly 27%, compounded annually (McGee, 2004). International Data Corporation forecasts that the e-learning market, which was about $6.5 billion in 2003, will increase to more than $21 billion by 2008, and hit $52.6 billion by 2010.
The 2007 U.S. e-learning market is presently $17.5 billion (Kopf, 2007). The U.S. enterprise e- learning adoption accounts for 60% of the market, while Europe's account for 15%, overall usage of e-learning in Asia is expected to reach a compound annual growth rate of 25% to 30% through 2010. According to Training Magazine (2006), training organizations are shifting their staffing models away from a dominant focus on trainers and are now more focused on design, e-learning, and service and support activities. In addition, they are now outsourcing much of the delivery. A few years ago, more than 70% of every training dollar went to payroll. Today the figure is about 65%. Training magazine also reported that e-learning now accounts for 15% of all training delivered, which is a two-fold increase from just one year ago, and signifies that e-learning is here to stay as a mainstream training delivery vehicle. Meanwhile, classroom training has dropped from 70% to 62%, however, it still remains the dominant form of training.
2.4 APPROACHES TO E-LEARNING SERVICES
E-learning services have evolved since computers were first used in education. There is a trend to move towards blended learning services, where computer-based activities are integrated with practical or classroom-based situations. the OECD (2005) suggest that different types or forms of e-learning can be considered as a continuum, from no e-learning, i.e. no use of computers or the Internet for teaching and learning, through classroom aids, such as making classroom lecture PowerPoint slides available to students through a course web site or learning management system, to laptop programs, where students are required to bring laptops to class and use them as part of a face-to-face class, to hybrid learning, where classroom time is reduced but not eliminated, with more time devoted to online learning, through to fully online learning, which is a form of distance education. This classification is somewhat similar to that of the Sloan Commission reports on the status of e-learning, which refer to web enhanced, web supplemented and web dependent to reflect increasing intensity of technology use. In the Bates and Poole continuum, 'blended learning' can cover classroom aids, laptops and hybrid learning, while 'distributed learning' can incorporate either hybrid or fully online learning. It can be seen then that e-learning can describe a wide range of applications, and it is often by no means clear even in peer reviewed research publications which form of e-learning is being discussed. However, Bates and Poole argue that when instructors say they are using e-learning, this most often refers to the use of technology as classroom aids, although over time, there has been a gradual increase in fully online learning.
