Online Education

Since distance education and correspondence courses have existed long before the introduction of computers, online education (at least in its initial stages) has modeled itself on these existing methods of instruction and learning. Almost any field of instruction can be learnt outside of a real classroom and in the virtual space. For example the Jordan Park Church of Christ offers a Bible Study Correspondence or Online course . Similarly there is an online program that teaches something as skill-based as needlework. While the methods of transmitting knowledge do not change the medium of instruction enables several new things. But does this new medium incorporate the older forms of teaching? Does it rely on their age-old experience or does it usher in the new not looking back?

Simulating the Classroom?

It is not unnatural for Online Education to simulate the classroom in its initial stages at least. A fixed time to meet in a virtual space instead of a real classroom is often thought of as an interesting way of conducting online courses. Chat sessions and threaded conversations allow the student to 'converse' with their instructors or teachers. Moreover, most of the online courses have an 'orientation program' where students are physically present to be initiated into the course. Furthermore several courses also insist on a 'contact program' or a mid-term/mid-semester seminar where again the students are to be physically present. Similarly students are asked to form study groups or group up with friends so that they can assist each other like they would in a classroom.
While the designers of the online education courses do realize that there is a need to reduce the impersonal nature of online education so that the student can have a feel of the real classroom, their use of the technology is nothing more than a medium of instruction and a form in which the transfer of knowledge can take place. The traditional knowledge is packaged in a technological gift-wrap.

Systems of Knowledge and the Knowledge of Systems

The medium of instruction and the body of knowledge seem to exist fairly independent of each other in the case of online courses. While the content of the course remains largely unchanged, technology becomes a part of the process of transferring that content. In most cases the salient features of this technology go unnoticed. It is at best tapped to communicate the information faster or more easily. There are, however, ways of learning which would not distinguish the form from what is learnt. E learning is one such experiment where one not only learns the technology to learn what it can teach but also learns the technology while learning what it is communicating.

E-learning

E-learning effaces the distinction between the form of communication and the context. While most definitions of e-learning foreground the "use" of technology in learning, an important component of e learning is also the deep bond between what is being learnt and technology. Technology not only enables the communication of the information but also transforms and enhances it.

Standardizing the Best Practices

E learning encourages a more interactive and collaborative way of learning. It not only instructs but also dispenses information freely, allowing people to experiment with their own methods of learning. Moreover since the world has been brought closer by the Internet technology, these methods and practices can be standardized. People are able to see a variety of methods and judge which ones have worked and discard the ones that have failed. Thus the best of the methods can be eventually retained.

Various Kinds of Information in a Uniform Grid

Information can be made available in any form; textual, visual, numerical, graphic Information existing in one form can be translated into another form with ease Information existing in one form can be translated into another form with ease