E-learning is a very broad term. It is used to describe any type of learning environment that is computer enhanced or it could be other methods. 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 college grounds.
E-learning began at just about the same occasion that a computer was developed that was practical for personal use. In fact, the concept and practice of distance learning predates the computer area by almost 90 years. In England, in 1840, shorthand classes were being offered by correspondence courses through the mail. The improvements to the postal service made this method of distance learning popular in the early part of the last century. This led to a large number of "through the mail" type of educational programs. The computer only made distance learning easy and better. Television, video recorders, and even radio have all made a contribution to reserve learning.
E-learning and distance learning is not quite the same thing. The basic thing that distinguishes distance teaching is the physical separation of the student from the instructor and the class room. E-learning, however, became part of the classroom environment from the beginning. The early use of computers was geared to help the classroom instructor. Gradually, as more and more personal computers became available, the idea of online classes was explored by some revolutionary Colleges and Universities. The early attempts at distance education were hampered by resistance from traditionalist within the education field.
When choosing between two otherwise equally qualified applicants, preference was shown to the person holding the traditional degree. In recent years this has changed drastically. The improvements in E-learning technology and the ability to create virtual classrooms and a virtual learning environment have gradually broken down the resistance. This process has been helped by the materialization of a new generation that was weaned on the computer. It would not be surprising if within another generation, the pendulum shifts completely and the online degree is the one that is respected and coveted
Literature Review
2.1 Introductions
E-learning is defined as instruction delivered on a computer via internet or CD-ROM (Clark & Mayer, 2007). It can be self paced or instructor led and includes media in the form of text, streaming video and audio. Also it builds user knowledge to improve organizational functioning. E-learning commonly refers to training delivered electronically in an organizational setting while Online Learning is used to differentiate courses delivered via the internet in educational settings.
As what Bates and Poole (2003)] and 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 and/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,
Also, John and Johnson-Eilola describes a specific computer-supported collaboration space: The Smart Board. According to Johnson-Eilola, a "Smart Board system provides a 72-inch, rear projection, touch screen, intelligent whiteboard surface for work" (79). In Data cloud, Johnson-Eidola asserts that e are attempting to understand how users move within information spaces.
2.2 Research Objectives:
To develop a website as a focal point for e-learning information and as the first port of call for those staff intending to use e-learning.
To broaden the concept of e-learning within schools and departments.
To identify users what is the E-Learning and how does it work and Improved performance.
To add more value to the E-learning by doing more researches.
To describe any type of learning environment that is computer enhanced and Convenience and flexibility to learners.
2.3 The importance of the Research:
The importance of E-learning is to provide access to studies online in an easy way for goverment, students and all type of people around the world. Students can work in their own time, in their own space and at their own pace, all materials remain online, and so students can refer, re-read, redo as necessary. Well-designed material can work with a wider variety of learning styles than most conventional teaching can and the elements may be reusable in other courses or other parts of the same course.
Research Methodology
3.1 Research Method
There are search methods to achieve the objectives of this study:
Descriptive Approach: Looking for most successful e-learning methods such as web sites Television, video recorders, and even radio.
Applied Approach: By designing a questionnaire for the field survey of the community study.
3.2 Community Research
The best way to get the best results is to do a questioner focusing on students, privets organization and governments to know if the e-learning idea is going to help improving local and global users.
Gathering the data from the questioner helps improve the content of the e-learning and adding courses most required by the managements.
3.3Outline of the Research
As to achieve the objectives of the study, the questions to be included in the questionnaire will be distributed on four major trends:
3.4.1 First: Identify the ages which it can start the e-learning and it can be.
3.4.2 Secondly: study the users of the e-learning and see what they prefer e-learning over conventional learning methods.
3.4.3 Thirdly: Investigation on the consumer of the e-learning and see their experience and evaluations.
Fourthly: study the users and see if the e-learning will replace the learning at school.
4.Challenges
I done this project by myself and it was such difficult step which I need to know what to write and organize the ideas therefore changing the subject made the ideas not structured. Searching for resources was very difficult. However the questioners sent to more than 200 people but unfortunately I got only 37 replies by e-mail which I made the questioner by Google Doc. Otherwise I really appreciate all the people which they help me to make this project.
5.Research Analysis
5.1 Sample Characteristics:
The sample of the research consisted of 59% male and 41 % of female responders. Most of them (79%) fell under the age range of [21 -30 years], while there were similar size of responders falling in the age range of [20 or less] and [31-40] 3 for each. Only one responder was with the age above 50.
5.2 E-learning Experience:
Majority of 91% of the respondents had an experience with e-learning. Among them, 32% had the 'Work' as the first place to use e-learning at. School came second with 26%, Home third with 24% and finally only 18% answered with Private Institute as a first place.
When asked about their impression toward their e-learning experience, largest group (44%) considered it as 'very good', 35% as 'Good', 18% as 'excellent' and only 3% as 'Poor experience'. However, majority of 91% found the e-learning useful.
Among four reasons that the sample were provided to choose as why they like e-learning, 35% voted for 'Using modern technology for education', 32% for 'flexibility for busy people', 21% for 'the ability of learning remotely' and finally only 12% voted for 'Enabling on-demand education'.
5.3 Comparing E-learning against traditional learning:
From the answers, 38% preferred E-learning over conventional learning methods. Against them, only 12% preferred the opposite. Finally, 44% of the sample was not sure which to prefer. However, 12% of the respondents agreed that e-learning should replace School learning. While the rest split between being against the replacement and being not sure where to stand, 44% each.
The sample was asked for their view on when is the right age to start e-learning. Answers of 26% of the sample was toward the age [19-24], 21% for [13-18], only 18% for [5 year or less], and finally no body voted for [6-12] and [25+] ages.
5.4 E-learning Medium:
Majority of 82% replied that web sites were the medium through which they first used e-learning. Other replies divided into 12% with Video Presentation and 6% with Audio Presentation, while no votes were found for TV / Radio Program. However, when asked about their preferences toward the e-learning media, majority of 59% preferred the websites, 26% for Video Presentation, 12% for Audio Presentation and 3% for TV / Radio program.
6.Discussion
Experience with the e-learning will save tons of time and difficulty in the traditional way to study often colleges and universities have technical departments that exist simply for the support of online instruction on these each time possible. They can usually show you how to use virtual classrooms, post digital discussion boards and even record your own lectures. Find classmates who already use Web components in their classes and discuss what benefits and problems they encounter.
7.Conclusion
My suggestion for the future of the e-learning Instructors should give themselves time to upload and check the site before students have access a two to four hours is usually enough. Research as much as you can and check the results.
Textbook Web sites are often a great place to start however students will usually purchase a pass-code with their books and it fit to their budget. These sites offer additional materials to students, it is effectively suggested, though, that the instructor thoroughly check the site and it's testing options before assigning it or using it with students. Often, components are not exactly what are advertised. Regardless, the instructor will be asked by students to answer any questions concerning the Web site during the semester without finding any difficulty.
Appendix A
I used in project Google document online application for my Questionnaire because I found it very sample and very easy to use. And my results based on 34 people.
Gender
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=0000e0&chl=Male%20%5B20%5D%7CFemale%20%5B14%5D&chd=e%3AloaW
Male
20
59%
Female
14
41%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
1- Have you used e-learning before?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=d00000&chl=Yes%20%5B31%5D%7CNo%20%5B3%5D&chd=e%3A6VFp
Yes
31
91%
No
3
9%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
2- Where was the first place where you have used the e-learning method?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=dcca02&chl=School%20%5B9%5D%7CPrivate%20institute%20%5B6%5D%7CWork%20%5B11%5D%7CHome%20%5B8%5D&chd=e%3AQ7LSUsPD
School
9
26%
Private institute
6
18%
Work
11
32%
Home
8
24%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
3- How would you evaluate your e-learning experience?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=00d000&chl=Exellent%20%5B6%5D%7CVery%20Good%20%5B15%5D%7CGood%20%5B12%5D%7CPoor%20%5B1%5D&chd=e%3ALScOWlB4
Exellent
6
18%
Very Good
15
44%
Good
12
35%
Poor
1
3%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
4- From your experience did you find e-learning useful?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=9601ac&chl=Yes%20%5B31%5D%7CNo%20%5B2%5D&chd=e%3A8GD4
Yes
31
91%
No
2
6%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
5- Do you prefer e-learning over conventional learning methods?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=0000e0&chl=Yes%20%5B13%5D%7CNo%20%5B4%5D%7CNot%20Sure%20%5B15%5D&chd=e%3AZ.H.d.
Yes
13
38%
No
4
12%
Not Sure
15
44%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
6- Do you think that e-learning that e-learning should replace learning at schools?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=ff9900&chl=Yes%20%5B4%5D%7CNo%20%5B15%5D%7CNot%20Sure%20%5B15%5D&chd=e%3AHhcOcO
Yes
4
12%
No
15
44%
Not Sure
15
44%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
7- Through which medium did you first use e-learning?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=d00000&chl=Web%20Site%20%5B28%5D%7CVideo%20Presentation%20%5B4%5D%7CAudio%20Presentation%20%5B2%5D%7CTV%20%2F%20Radio%20Program%20%5B0%5D&chd=e%3A0sHhDwAA
Web Site
28
82%
Video Presentation
4
12%
Audio Presentation
2
6%
TV / Radio Program
0
0%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
8- Which e-learning method do you prefer the most?
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=345x150&chco=dcca02&chl=Web%20Site%20%5B20%5D%7CVideo%20Presentation%20%5B9%5D%7CAudio%20Presentation%20%5B4%5D%7CTV%20%2F%20Radio%20Program%20%5B1%5D&chd=e%3AloQ7HhB4
Web Site
20
59%
Video Presentation
9
26%
Audio Presentation
4
12%
TV / Radio Program
1
3%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
9- From which age do you think e-learning should start?
5 years of less
6
18%
6-12
0
0%
13-18
7
21%
19-24
9
26%
25+
0
0%
People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.
