Technological advancements in online learning have reshaped the whole education industry. In the past educators had to remain abreast of latest research on pedagogy and new teaching methods, but it has become equally necessary to keep abreast of latest technological trends. Latest technological advancements and their adoption in the learning industry are redefining learning and lending more importance to online learning systems.
In the article, we will look into some important technological advancements useful in the field of online learning.
1) Social Media Collaboration
For teachers and students, the use of social media moves beyond status and image updates. The use of current social media technologies has become a method for online collaboration, real time research and enhancement of unstructured learning conditions, without defeating the purpose of structured learning conditions. It is true that not all school or colleges have taken to social media platforms, but the progress is there nonetheless. These days students spend lots of time on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. It is prudent for the learning community to optimize on this trend and reach out with more online learning opportunities.
2) Cloud Computing Technology
In the last couple of years, the cloud computing technology has immersed itself with the growing online learning field. Cloud computing is a way with which data and applications can be shared on any connected browser seamlessly. Google Drive and Dropbox are two popular cloud computing options useful for online learners. A student sitting in Cambodia can do any online course and share projects and assignments by just uploading the files in Drive or Dropbox.
The instructor, on the other hand, located in England can access the files by logging into the Drive or Dropbox account and grade it. Similarly, there are cloud computing options for webinars (web seminars), project management and other productivity tools. In short, online learning with the latest technological advancements makes it possible to reach out to a wider base of students without compromising quality of education.
3) Open Source Software Products
Moodle, Udutu and Sakai are some products which are made for eLearning. The products come under the ?open source software? category, which means they are free for use. These and others are specifically known as learning management systems (LMS). Online learners and educators can create presentations, authoring tools, mentoring tools and other useful tools. The code is very customizable, but on the downside, the main disadvantage is that the open source software documentation can be sparse and unregulated.
4) EBook Readers and Notebooks
Some educational institutions have completely gone paperless. These days students depend more on eBook readers and notebook computers. This is especially true in the online learning model. The Kindle is a popular eBook reader for digital books. Learning professionals recognize such devices as an intrinsic part of the learning process. Similarly, notebooks or mini laptops make online learning easier. They are affordable for students, and in the last couple of years they have successfully reshaped the online learning scenario positively.
5) Educative Gaming Environment
A lot of gaming technology developers spend millions to develop software that will aid the online learning industry. The 3D virtual environment is growing at a break neck speed. High quality virtual authoring software with 3D augmented reality is beginning to hit the market. These virtual environments are closer to the real world and it is believed that such games improve learning. Moreover, as the concept of ?games? is involved here, the motivational factor is not far behind.
Advantages of Technological Advancements
Some of the primary advantages of these technologies are:
The technological advancements help wider outreach. Students who couldn?t have done a certain course previously because of financial or geographical barrier can now use the online learning platform at half the cost without changing location.
The use of technological advancements in various courses like nursing, distance learning MBA, mass communications and more are definitely less costly as compared with conventional education practices. There are no costs of commuting, spending exorbitant fees or buying expensive books.
- No Loss of Financial Independence
Learners do not have to leave their full-time jobs or other sources of earning to learn online. They can work and learn at the same. Hence, there is no loss of financial independence.
Conclusion
In the technologically connected 21st century, the education industry is undergoing a lot of changes. A lot of technological advancements have made online learning possible in new ways. There is less financial burden to gain education and learners only need basic Internet connectivity to study. The cost of accessing technology is either free or very low.
The content of this post is licensed: ?2013 All Rights Reserved
About the author
Diksha Singh is an internet analyzer and freelance blogger. She enjoys sharing information about colleges with students as well as her readers. She loves to write on higher education in India and abroad. Currently she is working with StudyNation.com, a leading educational portal for helping the students.
This post was written by Diksha Singh
Source: http://doteduguru.com/id9361-what-are-the-technological-advancements-in-online-learning.html
the international preppers geraldo obama trayvon martin pietrus cheney tori spelling
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.