(The phrases 'e-Learning' and 'Distance Learning' are often used interchangeably, but they're

actually two separate entities. E-learning is designed to create an online communication

between the teacher and the student. Many schools are now using eLearning in order to
complement the learning that's done in the classroom. For example, homework may be set
online, or quizzes can be taken with the rest of the class. It's a new way of learning that suits a lot
of learners, both school-aged and adult. Distance learning is more about the distance between
the student and the teacher, and how technology bridges that gap. Many universities are now
offering distance learning degrees, where the student attends school through their internet. That
means a student in Europe could attend an American university, without ever having to move. It
also makes attending higher education much easier if you live in rural or remote areas.)
Elana.
I think we have already explained the main ideas about online education,
e-learning and distance learning. So, we’ll hear from Leman what is
traditional learning?
2. Assessments: The Classroom Learning method of assessing a student’s capabilities was
traditionally through quizzes and exams, most often one in a physical setting invigilated by an
examiner. Covid-19 has made this method of assessment (at least temporarily (we hope))
redundant. In Online Learning, assessments are undertaken via assignments, which can be either
individual or group-based, providing an opportunity for students to form study groups that
support each other and learn from their different experiences. In rarer cases, as in Khazar, online,
open-book exams are also used as an assessment. – Elana.
1. 24/7 access to learning materials: With online courses, students can always access
learning materials such as module contents, assignments, lecture materials, podcasts and
recorded sessions anytime during the course of their studies. Course materials can be
accessed from anywhere in the world, regardless of differences in time zones, the
location of the student, or their current status. - Elana
2. More interactive resources: Audiovisual media and interactive resources define online
education as opposed to hard-copy teaching materials. Due to its characteristics, it allows
for more engagement and immersion and also keeps students motivated. Elana
3. High Quality Dialog : Within an online asynchronous discussion structure, the learner
may reflect on comments from others before responding or moving on to the next item.
This structure allows students time to articulate responses with much more depth than in
a traditional face-to-face discussion situation where the participant must analyze the
comment of another person on the spot and formulate a response immediately or
otherwise lose the chance to contribute to the discussion. Elana.

As with anything, online education has its advantages and disadvantages. So

Nisa starts to give an example of these drawbacks.
4. Difficulty Staying in Contact with Instructors: If you ever have trouble with
assignments, or questions about a lecture while in a traditional class it's generally quite
simple to talk to your instructor before or after class or you can schedule meetings online
at a different time. When you're learning at distance, however, you're going to have more
difficulty getting in touch with your instructor. Though you can send an email, it's
definitely not going to get you the immediate response. Elana
5. Not Getting Immediate Feedback: Feedback can be almost immediate when you're
sitting in a classroom with a teacher because they have a few minutes to take a look at
your work and decide whether you're on the right track or not. When emailing
assignments, however, it can become more difficult to get the feedback you're looking
for. You have to wait for the instructor to get a chance to get online, which may not
happen as frequently as you would like. By the time you get the feedback you need, there
could be very little time to make changes as necessary for the assignment. Elana
6. Limitations of Technology : User friendly and reliable technology is critical to
a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated
technology is not a 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the
equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is
running smoothly, technology is used as a tool in the learning process.
However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system. For example,
the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off
from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked
computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous
problems which could limit students’ access; finally, the Internet connection
could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged
down with users and either slow down or fail altogether. Elana