What is e-learning

e-Learning is a way for you to get an education at home, the library or your office. e-Learning uses technology networks, including the Internet, to connect you with other students and instructors to get a high-quality education. You can take online classes individually (guided or instructed by a computer) or as part of a class.

“If you’ve taken an online tutorial you’ve already taken one online class,” said Andrew Gansler, CEO of eLearners.com. “Online classes are simple to start and allow you to learn when the time is most convenient for you.” More and more students are turning to online courses because of this convenience. A Sloan Consortium report shows more than 3.2 million students took an online course in 2005, that’s up 2.3 million from the previous year.

How Online Classes Work

Some online classes are conducted through the Internet at a set time with other students, other classes are individualized. e-Learning uses a wide range of technologies and media. Many online learning courses use streaming audio and/or video to deliver lessons. e-Learning also uses many interactive tools including teleconferencing, videoconferencing and shared whiteboards, which allow students to write on the same digital whiteboard.

In a traditional classroom students can ask questions, discuss topics and work in small groups – online students can do the same thing. e-Learning has just a few differences. The main difference is that written communication is much more prevalent in online classrooms. Another major difference is the time between comments. Instructors and students make their comments as little as a few minutes, and as much as a few weeks, apart from one another. If conducted properly, online class discussions can be as effective as traditional class discussions, for some learners they are more effective. Here’s an example, for learners who take longer to formulate their thoughts, or are too shy to express their thoughts verbally, online discussions can give students the extra time and boost of confidence they need.

In some e-Learning classes the instructor will typically pose weekly questions or discussion topics for the class. The discussion threads that follow may involve 30 or more learners over a course of weeks. To sample one of these discussions you can join an eLearners.com virtual learning community by clicking here.

Opportunities for Everyone

e-Learning offers new opportunities for everyone to get the education they want. Online classes include a for-credit college course or degree, corporate or certificate training, high school classes, and even online continuing education classes, like those you might take at night school or your community college. The Internet offers great resources to help you navigate through your e-Learning options. One resource, eLearners.com, connects respective online learners with online learning providers. eLearners.com also offers the eLearners Adviser, to help you determine if an online education is right for you. Getting an education is now easier than ever, so you have no excuse for putting off the education you deserve.