THE term eLearning was coined by Elliott Masie in November 1999 for the first time. While delivering a speech at a TechLearn Conference held in the USA, Masie stated that we are now stepping into e-learning. He further explained, “eLearning is the use of network technology to design, deliver, select, administer, and extend learning”. E-learning in other words is an online education, training and knowledge sharing over the internet. E-learning can take place anywhere, anytime with electronic gadgets and it can be utilized in various settings such as skill development, continuing professional development, corporate training academic education etc.
The term e-learning got immense acceleration in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic when education went viral online and ways of education transformed from traditional learning to online learning. During Corona time, learning has been facilitated by the widespread adoption of computer and internet technology. The world has seen a surge in mobile devices in the early 2000s, and it has been transformed in many shapes like smartphones and tablets. Earlier mobile were used to make a call, SMS etc, however, today mobile phones are gadgets with diverse features like calls, texts, social media applications, multimedia files and now it has become a source of e-learning.
E-learning has become the most common activity to upgrade education, to learn new skills and to train individuals. People of contemporary society prefer e-learning rather than traditional ways of learning. Earlier, Generation Y, who was born between 1980-1994, preferred the traditional way of learning. Other class of generation is called Z who born between 1995-2012 preferred hybrid ways of learning (Digital+printed resources). Generation Alpha, who born between 2013-2025 prefer digital born documents like PDFs, Multimedia etc.
There are ten types of e-learning, those are Asynchronous Online Learning, under this learning, the learner accesses online material to complete their assignment. The second type of e-learning is Synchronous online learning, where the learner interacts with instructors and peers, web conferencing and Zoom meetings are a few examples. The third type of e-learning is blended learning which offers face-to-face instruction to each participant, it is useful for real-time guidance. The fourth type of e-learning is mobile learning, here Individuals share their knowledge and people learn it online. The fifth type of e-learning is gamification for alpha generations, the learning is a fun through games. Some common examples of this learning are leader boards, points systems, rewards and more.The sixth most common type of e-learning is micro-learning, the instructor gives a module to solve in 2-4 minutes. The seventh type of learning is virtual reality learning, here the learner use a device of Virtual reality to learn online as like in real-world practices. The video-based learning is the most common type of learning in the present century, here learners get insightful information from videos. The learner is free to gain knowledge of complex topics through hearing and seeing. The ninth most common type of e-learning is learning through podcasting. The podcasting offers diverse topics using digital audio to inform individuals, here the learner get advice from experts in their discipline in more convenient ways.
Last but not least, social learning has become the most common type of learning in contemporary society. The people go to online forums, social media channels and chat rooms and interact with each other to exchange ideas and much more.
E-learning has both prospects and challenges in Time Management; every online learning requires effective time management to read at least 3-4 hours in a day to pursue academic excellence. Technical difficulties are yet other factors for online learning, low-speed internet, and outdated gadgets are a few crucial factors.
The biggest hurdle for online learning is distraction while studying online, such distraction diverts individuals’ attention from the studious learning. Lack of motivation from the learner is also a big challenge, learner must be studious with both physical and mental skills. Digital literacy is yet another common challenge for online learning.
E-learning requires computer skills and knowledge of various software. Technological barriers are the most common challenges for e-learning because the people in the Y generation do not know more about technology, and such kinds of technology barriers affect e-learning. Unlike traditional learning, in online learning people always feel isolated which is bad for their health and mental capacity. Extended periods of reading in an online environment can strain the body, affecting eyesight and spinal health, and leading to various health issues.
—The writer is the Deputy Director Library at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
