Uniformity of content

The use of technology for teaching and instruction has been around for several years. From learning blocks to audio-visual material, there has been a variety of non-text, non-lecture based material that is used as part of the education process. With e learning, there is a certain principled change that can be observed. The materials used for teaching are now standardized such that they can accommodate the specificity of different contexts and still retain a uniform pattern.

Learning Objects

All 'objects' that would assist the process of teaching/instruction and learning could broadly be called learning object. In this context, however learning objects refers to specific technology-driven reusable learning models.
These objects or models form the scaffolding upon which individual learning modules can be organized. Learning based on these models is standardized according to the best cognitive patterns by which an individual can be instructed. Learning objects involve an organization of the metadata of the content of the course or module. Thus while there is a certain standardization, there is no loss of information, no coercive or hegemonic syllabus which caters to only a certain group of individuals or an arbitrary selection either of the course content or the teaching practice.

Standardization of learning patterns

Learning objects standardize the learning models and are instrumental in regulating the course content to a large extent. There is however a more important issue of learning patters that differ according to different learning systems and different forms of knowledge. With e learning, all kinds of learning takes place in a similar manner. For example, in the traditional methods of schooling, multiplication tables are learnt by rote and algebra is taught according to theorems, syllogisms and on principles of logic. With e learning, however, all kinds of education is imparted in a similar mode. How much does the manner of learning inform the process of learning? Can the learning pattern be distinguished from the actual knowledge gained? This is a question that can only be answered by after a rigorous experimentation of the e-learning model.

Reduction of Disparities amongst Students

One of the most obvious advantages of the e-learning system is that it can efface the socio-economic, racial, national, language, gender and such other disparities amongst the students. Each student/learner is only treated as an individual with certain leaning patterns and differentiated capabilities. Everyone can access as much information as they want and work as per their own optimum schedules.
This however would happen only in the e-learning utopia.

Realities of a Non-Virtual World

Accessibility of the technological material may be designed to cater to a uniform audience but in the real world, that which each individual is able to access depends upon his/her situation in the non-virtual world. Steeped deep into the traditional methods of learning, it is not far-fetched (though it is indeed ironic) to see people take print-outs of material being made available (with great technological sophistication) digitally.

Standardization, like equality may be a desirable ideal to strive to. What does it mean, however, to standardize methods and content for heterogeneous individuals with disparate levels of accessibility is a question for e learning to answer as it develops and nuances its own packages.

What things would look like in e-learning utopia:

Everyone would have unlimited (or at least sufficient)       internet access

Method of learning would not be deeply linked to the content which is to be learnt

Newer forms of leaning could be learnt easily

How things stand in the real world:

Internet access is a rare and highly priced commodity

The method is also learnt along with the content; in fact there may be no distinction.

To learn the new methods of learning is in itself a task