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E-learning & M-learning

Advantages and disadvantages of E-learning

Following are the advantages of e-learning:

Flexibility and convenience for the learner especially if they have other commitments.

Communication between learners.

greater adaptability to a learner's needs.

more variety in learning experience with the use of multimedia and the non-verbal presentation of teaching material.

Video instruction provides visual and audio learning that can be paused, and reversed for watching again.

For organizations with distributed and constantly changing learners (e.g. restaurant staff), e-learning has huge benefits when compared with organizing classroom training.

Apart from interaction, control of the pace, and motivation, e-learning can readily put to use the information that researchers have been studying for the past 30 or more years. These studies have identified things that can greatly affect memory and recall. Some of the key research found significant improvements in recall.

When:

using colors and specific color combinations.
combining images with words
combining sounds (or voice or music) with images.
using multiple types of media.
using layouts that flow with the natural movement of the eye.

Disadvantages

a)	The face-to-face human interaction with a teacher is not there.
b)	The feeling of isolation experienced by distance learning students is also often cited.
c)	The cost-effectiveness of e-learning is a subject of much debate as there is usuallymuch upfront investment that can only be recouped through economies of scale.
d)	Web and software development in particular can be expensive as can systems specifically geared for e-learning.
e)	The development of adaptive materials is also much more time-consuming than that of non-adaptive ones.
f)	Consequently, some of the cost is often forwarded to the students as online college courses tend to cost more than traditional courses.

The disadvantages can be overcome by forming online discussion forums that allow human interactions through audio or video-based web-conferencing programs, , live chat, blogs, wikis and email.

E-learning communication technologies

Communication technologies are generally categorized as asynchronous or synchronous. Asynchronous activities use technologies such as blogs, wikis, and discussion boards. Synchronous activities occur with all participants joining in at once, as with a chat session or a virtual classroom or meeting.

Computer Aided Assessment and Learning Design

Many people are taking tests on the computer using the net or even without it. The tests are prepared and so is the scoring. Immediately after the test, the results are displayed on the screen. The tests are also known as e-assessments that range from automated multiple-choice tests to more sophisticated systems. With some systems, feedback can be geared towards a student's specific mistakes or the computer can navigate the student through a series of questions adapting to what the student appears to have learned or not learned.

Introduction		M Learning