E-Learning and Distancelearning

Steffi Engert, M. A.

Introduction • Most German universities see e-

learning as an add-on to class room teaching. E-Learning in this understanding includes also class-room settings supported by IT (projectors, Internet sessions, videoconferencing)

• Distancelearning is used mostly in adult and post-graduate studies. There also purely distance-learning universities, e.g. Fernuni Hagen (DE) and Open University (UK)

• University of Duisburg-Essen: only 2 genuine distance-learning courses (Postgraduate Studies Educational Media and Business Informatics )

Originally E-Learning was understood to be distance-learning, using the Internet, especially the WWW. This was related to a vision of education in “cyberspace” would replace class room teaching and learning

Alternative Scenario: Online Campus – University of Applied Science, Luebeck Online Campus provides:

• Studies for Undergraduates and Graduates

• Continuing Studies (Adult Education)L

Limited Company 100% owned by Universityca. 1500 students worldwide

40 Staff members, 2,4 mio EUR/annual turnover

More Examples •University of Liverpool (Masters Courses) in collaboration with private company Laureate

•University of Phoenix (USA) (private)

• Free online courses

• http://www.oculture.com/2007/07/freeonlinecourses.html

• @open University

Distance-Education Approaches

Distance Education comes in many forms and flavours:

• Pure self-learning• Learning supported by teachers,

tutors, technical staff• Pure online learning• Blended learning (i.e. mix of

classroom and online learning)• Collaborative settings (forums, chats,

wikis etc.)• Drill practice (Learning material and

tests)• Synchronous and/or asynchronous

methods (forum vs chat, videoconferencing)

• Virtual class-rooms (from low level media to virtual reality), some offerings use Second Life

And much more.

Serious online learning offerings require:

•Excellent Content

•Combination of different online methods and activities

•Tutorial Support

•Technical Support

•Quality Assurance (esp. In commercial offerings)

Distance-Learning as a Business

• E-Learning becomes more and more a viable business

•Universities partner with businesses

• Businesses compete with universities, providing their own online academies

• The world over big growth rates are prognosticated

We might discuss what it takes to provide a good distance education business….