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What exactly is e-Learning?

Oct 12, 2023

You're likely to hear that someone is completing their training modules online, and chances are you've perhaps even completed an online course or two by yourself in the past! Utilizing digital programs and equipment is sure to continue to trend upwards. The benefits of the use of technology in order to speed up and improve learning goals.

There are many tools, but not all usage cases will be the same. This article we'll go over what "e-learning" actually means, and look at a handful of the common ways to use it like in school classrooms or corporate training programs!

Skip ahead:

What is eLearning?

The term "eLearning" is used to refer to many different words, like digital Learning, Virtual Learning as well as remote learning. All of them basically mean the same thing which is that students are getting some part of their education via an electronic or digital channel. But, there are distinct differences among the most important concepts of eLearning:

eLearning term Definition of eLearning Term
online learning Any way that the student is able to access an part of their education via a digital or electronic channel, regardless of the distance between the institution with the students.
Learning through electronic means Same definition of eLearning. This was, however, the first term that was used prior to eLearning grew in popularity.
Virtual learning Education that is provided to students almost exclusively via digital media.
Remote education The education provided to a student from another area, and may use technology, either physical or digital, to help facilitate learning. Also known as distance learning.

The benefits of E-Learning

  • Ease of accessibility as anyone having an Internet connection can access and examine the information offered by the tools. They also offer a range of formats that allow for the interpretation of newly created resources.
  • The cost to install one or several tools for eLearning is more affordable than hiring additional staff. This is especially true in the case of digital learning software that helps in automatizing repetitive, administrative and time-consuming chores.
  • Monitoring of progress, which could be necessary for compliance, organizational reporting and student reports. It's fast to generate reports that are created automatically by the software and since they are already online and shareable, they can be easily shared to teachers or colleagues as well.

Other important eLearning terms to know

In order to help you comprehend the broad field of eLearning, you can reference this chart that provides definitions for other frequently discussed words!

Term Definition
Instructor-led A method of teaching in which there is at least one individual (the instructor) who instructs the course. They could be in person with the class or connecting with students online.
Self-sufficient A method of teaching in which students are expected to keep track of their own progression. Course content is provided within a framework and students have to access this information and complete assignments without being reminded from an instructor.
Synchronous learning When students are learning in the same way that the teacher instructs. This is the type of learning that happens in class.
The synchronous process of learning Students learn content at a different time from what the teacher teaches. This is the kind of learning process that occurs when students need to review an article prior to the class for instance.

The latest rise of online learning

Though it's existed for quite some period of time, it was not always as well-known like it is now. Prior to the advent of eLearning, it was more typical to find remote learning methods particularly in rural regions. Communities that lacked the support to offer a greater variety of educational programs or to provide help for delayed learners would rely on remote education programs to bridge those needs. Though, by 2012, 21.4% of higher education students were taking at least one online course.

The year 2020 saw a record increase in online learning activity as the pandemic forced most students to take online courses rather than through in-person classes. The availability of tools like Zoom made it easy for learners and teachers to collaborate remotely so 60% of higher education students were using online courses often. The market for investing in new tools then increased 6X when comparing 2017 to 2021 and is already projected to hit US$166.60bn in 2023.

Fundamental eLearning principles

There are some important principles on which the vast majority of digital learning tools rely on. These principles are important since they constitute the core of creating a powerful software or tool that will enable eLearning easier to access and more beneficial.

Interactivity

In physical classrooms, students are able to inquire, gain hands-on experience with different labs or labs, and receive instant feedback from fellow students or instructors. A good eLearning program must attempt to offer the same level of interaction to the learner. In the absence of interactivity students could disengage, lose interest in the course material, or have difficulty understanding the fundamental ideas.

Learner-centered

Engagement

Keeping students interested over the long run is a huge issue that teachers must confront. To solve this, a study actually proved that students are keen for teachers to utilize a variety of teaching methods in order to hold their attention in classroom. The use of e-learning tools could to increase engagement through finding innovative ways to keep students' enthusiasm, increase retention of lessons as well as inspire creative thinking to improve the student's performance in the course.

Accessibility

Students should be able access and understand the material in the course to ensure that they are able to learn efficiently. The software used in eLearning must be flexible to meet different demands for learning. There is a plethora of accessibility regulations relevant to online learning platforms which are beneficial for facilitators and students to be aware of.

The most common types of eLearning tools

eLearning is an expansive and all-encompassing term for any type of digital tool or program that aids a student to learn more efficiently. While there's a ton of devices available however, there are a few important categories you need to get to know:

Systems for learning management (LMS)

  Examples of LMS tools:  

Virtual engagement tools

Tools for virtual engagement are excellent for allowing students to interact with each other and their courses. There are many ways to achieve this like creating group projects, taking surveys, conducting class pop-quizzes and collecting feedback, creating video collaboration or gaming your students' accomplishment of assignments.

  Examples of virtual engagement tools:  

Student progress tracking software

Even though some LMS platforms permit you to track student progress already but you may want to choose an option to track this separately if you don't want to utilize eLearning software in most of your lessons. Having a way to track scores and progress online makes it easy to share performance reports with the parents or supervisors.

  Progression tracking examples software used in eLearning:  

3 challenges that are common and solutions for digital tools for learning

  1. Accessing eLearning in regions with limited or no Internet connection  

Digital gap is an issue that's common to integration of eLearning tools in a mass scale. It's more common for rural areas or developing nations to not have access to the Internet which can make it hard for students from the areas that are not connected to participate in online learning courses.

Solution: Educators working in these fields can use a mix of both traditional and eLearning methods. The eLearning methods utilized should be less dependent on Internet connections, and must be focused on the core eLearning principle of learner-centricity, as well as making it easier to engage or access.

An example of an eLearning tool for areas with limited Internet access is an e-reader. These will allow students to read a variety of literature from one device, track how they read, alter the screen for ease of use, and even view challenging vocabulary in the integrated dictionary.

  Challenge 2: Onboarding users to the e-learning tools  

It's not easy learning to read and write, create documents, or communicate virtually. It is particularly challenging in the case of young groups or students who don't have a lot of technological skill.

Solution: Find out if your eLearning software provider has any learning materials that can be shared with your students. Ideally, try to make the materials in a way that's easy for your students to comprehend, such as making a printed copy of an instruction guide.

Furthermore, make sure that you have a step-by-step training program for your classes to learn making use of educational tools. It is important to present advantages that eLearning tools will provide to your students, in order for them to understand why it's worth it to adopt the latest technologies. During this process, be ready and available to answer any questions that your learners may have about the software you choose to use and also be patient as they need to adapt to it.

  Challenge 3. Aligning your eLearning tools with the rest of your technology stack  

One commonly forgotten aspect about working with eLearning tools is that they'll actually need to work with other software or hardware that is being used.

Solution: Talk to the eLearning vendors that you are purchasing from to confirm that the technology is compatible before you commit to the sale. You can often check directly through the website of the vendor, or by contacting a sales representative.

If you've got the technical capabilities to develop custom software it is possible to build your own integration. Ask your vendor regarding APIs available and open-source components for the platform which can allow you to get your technology stack more compatible.

How do I use eLearning at schools

eLearning is most widely known as a tool used in schools. There are distinct applications specifically for middle school, high school, and university-level students. You can also opt to use more or less eLearning supplements, depending upon the program's type and the level of involvement the content requires.

Connecting with parents and guardians

At the elementary school level Parents and guardians are actively involved in their children's learning. E-Learning software can generate and distribute reports in a timely manner, saving time for educators having to create the messages on their own. Some tools can also collect feedback or notes from parents to further aid in the child's development.

If the school board or advisors need to review a student's progress over time, you can use eLearning tools to provide the historical information. The report will be a summary of the subject matter which a student is learning, their performance, and any issues or delays students have displayed. This is more precise rather than using memory or notes written in handwriting that could have no context to the specific situation.

Making assignments more accessible

In any educational level, teachers need to ensure that their content is accessible to learners of all capabilities. Some eLearning platforms have customizable options for students that permit them to turn down the volume of audio, review content multiple times, change color or size or even use text-to-speech. Some tools might also be able to automatically translate to, delineate, or to write out the content that can help students who don't get immediate access to teachers for this kind of support.

If you're a teacher, it's likely that you're accountable for the development of more than 20 students simultaneously. For professors who teach at university, class sizes can even be between 100-300 students simultaneously! It is difficult to manually check each student's progress and keep track of the specific learning requirements for each unique student. However it is possible that you won't be able to see the full picture on the level of your students are performing throughout the entire class.

If you look at the overall reports of your class through your eLearning tools, be sure to look at trends and outliers. These trends can help you determine what subjects students finish fastest or least, which allows you to understand what is interesting or challenging. Outliers may pinpoint specific students who are excelling or struggling when it comes to understanding concepts. It is also possible to pair your academic superstars to be a mentor for those students who need extra help!

Offering further educational support

Due to the insight that you get from eLearning tools from the teacher's viewpoint, you can determine those students that require additional assistance. Then, you can pair these students up with an educational assistant or offer additional support tools directly with them through the system. It's a fantastic option to ensure your students get the help they require without drawing the issue to the attention of the class. This can also be useful for distant learning course in the event that you are unable to provide assistance to students face-to-face.

How can you use eLearning to train corporate employees

Reduced costs for the training program

Training programs needed for compliance and onboarding have historically been conducted by instructors. Costs of hiring an instructor to train your team includes travel, rooms, and the cost of hiring the instructor as well. If the training is to earn a certificate, you might also need to factor in certification fees, required textbooks, and even equipment.

Through eLearning platforms, the price of running training programs drops considerably. If you decide to have instructors lead the program, you no longer need to arrange travel or physical classrooms. Instead, this content can be delivered via an online video conference tool. Additionally, you can capture and replay the course in a later time!

Enhancing the knowledge of a product

The LMS tool is a well-known kind of eLearning technology as they enable organizations to develop product knowledge databases. Teams within the company can make videos to explain the latest product features, policies, as well as other training that is required. As new employees come in, they will be able to depend on the information center to help them gain knowledge about the product. The same is true for existing employees. it can be great for any existing employee or client who requires an update on their product, as well! It's easy and fast to refresh your LMS with new videos or content every time a new feature or product comes out. Having a centralized information base for product knowledge also reduces the risk of misinformation spread all over the business.

Making sales programs more effective

Sales professionals play an intricate task that requires them understand every new product feature and explain it in front of the client to prove how the product is able to meet the needs of each customer. On a larger scale, it could be challenging and exhausting to create content that is specific for each lead.

E-Learning software can aid in making sales campaigns more effective by managing, hosting, and disseminating content. Sales managers then need to select the chosen products and information sheets they'd like to distribute and send it to the future client. It's straightforward to keep track of the progress to see how much of the material the customer has consumed. Sales managers can be notified that the data has not been completed or forgotten that triggers them to reach out to the lead directly for more assistance.

New hires onboarding programmes

If you're part of a fast-growing group, you're likely to find that there is limited time to train all of the newly hired employees. eLearning tools are a great resource for employees who are new to the company. They can learn about the company's policies, product, processes, and the company's goals. Human resources leaders can access the software to keep track of the progress of training courses that are required. It also makes sure that each new hire receives the same amount of information to get started so no one gets left uninformed or forgot within their first couple of days!

Making sure compliance regulations meet

The compliance regulations typically contain a learning or education element. For example, employees may have to refresh the CPR or security knowledge every several years. Having training programs built and monitored in a centralized eLearning platform permits team leaders as well as compliance auditors to demonstrate the date when training was completed. eLearning software can provide exact information about which employee completed specific training segments and at what moment in the time. Better yet, you can also get notified when compliance training has to be renewed!

Making it easier to access the work place

Just like with eLearning in the school system it is also possible to use this technology to increase access to information in your workplace! In the case of team members, for instance, those who need extra time to review the information they need can use an eLearning platform which will help increase motivation, participation and alignment to project goals.

Conclusion