e-learning concepts homework

Does elearning constitute a separate area of study, or sub-discipline, within education or should we simply consider it part of general education and educational technology study?

I think we have already started to consider this as a group through our discussion on innovation in elearning. Does a new discipline create a new set of terms or concepts, or have they redefined old terms and concepts within the context of technology?
For me, I think that they have been redefined; this is why I may have struggled with the first task to complete. I am fortuitous in that the learning environment in which I come from thinks and acts creatively, and so I have used these terms without necessarily using them in the concept of elearning. However are there some concepts that are better aligned with face to face and others with elearning? I think that this depends on your experience and environment.


 Blended learning (concept)
The mixing of different learning environments, which has come to mean part technology enhanced, part face to face.
Learning environments can be about the process by which we learn - learning on the job, through experience and interaction with what one is doing, self directed, collaborative, individual, but equally about the physical environment in which we learn – classroom, lecture, computer, personal, virtual, managed. When I was school, I went to lessons, and for my homework I would have to go away and investigate things, which would often involve going to the library. Surely this is a blended learning experience?
In my organisation we use the term ‘blended’ to ensure that the methods being used are varied and allow for different kinds of learning taking place – whether instructional, discovery or collaborative. We use video clips and online demonstration well within face-to-face learning, case studies or self study. However we don’t use ‘elearning’ as it is understood well with face-to-face methods. We seem to think of it as a standalone experience, rather than a blended one.


Mobile learning
Related to distance and elearning, but focuses on learning through mobile devices (portable).
I think this is where technology really helps the process. Of course trainers and teachers have often been the mobile ‘devices’ that have gone out to facilitate learning. However developments in technology make it easier to reach farther and quicker to more remote places. Developments in mobile phone technology mean that people can access information quicker and in more places than ever before. After all, how many people on this course are studying while in other countries, on boats or in military bases?
(This is linked with just in time learning – where knowledge can be more instantaneous)


Virtual communities
A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals. One of the most pervasive types of virtual community includes social networking services, which consist of various online communities.
This element of course necessitates that some form of online activity in involved. However, as highlighted in the course notes, is this any different to the collaborative learning that takes place in cafes or during lunch or break times?
We have many unofficial forums or communities that exist within our organisation, all of which seek to provide support and development to others. They are quite well self-regulated; however they do have the potential of disseminating information that may be incorrect. Here I think we have potential to engage with people in a different way.
(Linked with collaboration as it is generally about people sharing knowledge)


Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together. More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetry roles.
This happens formally (as we are doing) and informally through virtual communities as well as real communities now. The resurgence if book clubs or knitting groups shows that group work is still just as  important as the individual.


Flexible learning
Flexible Learning is a set of educational philosophies and systems, concerned with providing learners with increased choice, convenience, and personalisation to suit the learner. In particular, flexible learning provides learners with choices about where, when, and how learning occurs.
One of the core principles of our Adult Training Scheme is that it is flexible – that the learner learns in a way they want to. This is often easier said than done, as some things lend themselves more readily to this principle and more time and money needs to be spent to ensure there are many routes that follow the same learning outcome. It also relies on resources being available, so will tend to favour an elearning environment, although we always advise for as many opportunities for face to face to take place to ensure maximum ‘hit rate’.
(Linked with personalisation, as this is about being learner centric.)


Work-based learning
Programs for both secondary and post-secondary students which provide opportunities to achieve employment-related competencies in the workplace. Work-based learning is often undertaken in conjunction with classroom or related learning, and may take the form of work placements, work experience, workplace mentoring, instruction in general workplace competencies, and broad instruction in all aspects of industry.
Awards like Apprenticeships and NVQs have been around for a long time now. Even within our organisation it is recognised that many of the skills will be augmented or learnt through doing the role.
Here elearning could be useful depending on the setting, as it means that learners can engage with content in the right context.
(increasingly linked with just in time learning, whereby people gain the knowledge when they need it – mobile devises help with this)


Personalisation

Personalization involves using technology to accommodate the differences between individuals. Once confined mainly to the Web, it is increasingly becoming a factor in education, health care (i.e. personalized medicine), television, and in both "business to business" and "business to consumer" settings.

Is it easier to personalise learning within an online framework. It takes time to create an individually tailored plan, although we try and do this to some extent by creating a personal learning plan that the learner writes with support of the line manager and training support. This links with the flexible elements as it is about being learner centric. In my opinion it also reflect a mature learning environment.

 Just-in-time learning

Just-in-time learning systems deliver training to workers when and where they need it. Rather than sitting through hours of traditional classroom training, users can tap into Web-based tutorials, interactive CD-ROMs and other tools to zero in on just the information they need to solve problems, perform specific tasks or quickly update their skills
 The best example of this for me is Windows tutorials. I have sat through many excel workshops, but never remember it as I don’t need to use it. I need the information at the point at which it is useful.
Increasingly technology helps us to do this as learners have the power to find the information for them. (Depending on where they are, they may also use mobile devices!). However in many ways it could be related to more informal work based learning, where people learn at the most appropriate point, by experience. Mobile applications can now show you how to change a plug to military bridge building (I have seen this one!)


 Peer assessment
Essentially it involves students providing feedback to other students on the quality of their work.
 e-assessment
In its broadest sense, e-assessment is the use of information technology for any assessment-related activity. This definition embraces a wide range of student activity ranging from the use of a word processor to on-screen testing. Due to its obvious similarity to e-learning, the term e-assessment is becoming widely used as a generic term to describe the use of computers within the assessment process. Specific types of e-assessment include computerized adaptive testing and computerized classification testing.
 Learning objects
A learning object is "a collection of content items, practice items, and assessment items that are combined based on a single learning objective