How can e-learning reform the traditional education system?

What is traditional learning?

Traditional learning relates to any type of training in a regular school setting using classic paper and pencil techniques. In brief, traditional relates to any type of teaching involving techniques typically used in any college. This may include typical instruction-style lecture, tasks and tests, and student homework, classical teaching pedagogy and teacher training, use of assigned textbooks and other course content, and an in-person instruction scheme. Traditional learning continues to be known to most learners today. While most of the components outlined above will be present, topics, textbooks, and some learning styles may differ.

What is e-learning?

Broadly speaking, e-learning relates to any kind of training that is electronically transmitted, generally over the internet. Think of any kind of educational material you might have consumed on platforms such as YouTube or other streaming sites or internet classes through universities or even virtual classrooms where students and teachers sign up remotely –all of these would count as examples of e-learning. E-learning is an inevitable evolution of the educational ecosystem with the growing ubiquity and fast spread of technology. It can be something as tiny as using electronic materials or something as enormous as massive open online courses that enable anyone to sign up to learn something new, anywhere and at any moment. Due to the many advantages it transfers to all stakeholders in the academic ecosystem, e-learning is increasingly becoming a feature in classrooms across school and institutes in the world.

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What are the benefits of e-learning over the traditional education system?

The advantages of including e-learning education system methodologies within the traditional education system or even implementing e-learning options at your school and college are many. Some key benefits of an e-learning education system are discussed in further detail below:

One Time Setup Cost

Many schools and institutes are hesitating to invest in the e-learning education system as they think that it would be too big to bear the price of such an effort. This is mainly due to infrastructure change. While schools and institutes are used to invest in products such as pens and paper, desks and benches, blackboards and classrooms, it makes sense that the cost of setting up an completely fresh teaching scheme must be closely adjusted against the budget of the school or institute. However, with most techniques or instruments in the e-learning education scheme, the price is mainly in the configuration, which is then mitigated over time because of how much it is used. This implies that the price is a one-time price – an investment in the future where there are plenty of yields on such an investment.

Increases Inclusivity for Stakeholders

The system of e-learning education may seem very modern and cutting-edge as it uses the recent technology in the educational ecosystem. This does not imply, however, that it is in any manner beyond the reach of the common person or the exclusionary.Indeed, with the development of low-cost technology and the proliferation of internet connectivity and internet-enabled phones in even the most remote parts of the world, e-learning education system is becoming increasingly feasible in today’s era.This is particularly crucial for marginalized communities that do not usually have access, infrastructure or the funding needed to construct and maintain traditional education systems.E-learning enables anyone with an internet connection and an internet-enabled device to sign up for a classroom that is revolutionary for learners who are often ignored or excluded from traditional learning systems.

Easy to Scale Up

Technology for the e-learning education system is built in such a way that there are continual improvement and development being done on the tools that support it. Whether it is a new version of an app with extra features or just advancing hardware, e-learning education system makes it easy for users to keep up with the times through easy patches or increasingly low-cost devices. This means that whether the school or college is small or large, it does make it easier to scale up to meet the present needs of the school when the e-learning education system has been implemented. Being able to easily update via a patch or software upgrade or having the rare hardware update also end up being cost-effective ensures that schools can scale up easily and stay up to date.

Technology Embracing

In the modern world, the use of technology is becoming ubiquitous. Entire jobs rely on it and there is no industry that has not been affected and embraced technology in some form of the other. It is important for schools and colleges to also prepare their children for this modern world by embracing the use of technology at the very earliest. The easiest and most beneficial way to do this would be through the implementation of e-learning education system, which ensures that students familiarise themselves with the use of various electronic or internet-enabled tools and platforms in their day to day lives, to perform their day to day tasks. Not only do students then become comfortable using technology, but they also understand the systems of thinking that underlie it making them natural learners in an increasingly technology embracing world.

Lowered Overheads and Labor Cost

Think of the endless overheads of running a school or college – from simple things like pens and papers to storage space for all the physical records that need to be maintained. A traditional education system comes with massive overhead costs. E-learning on the other hand naturally eliminates many of these costs, since so many of the tasks and processes take place electronically. From classroom assignments being submitted using school management systems like Paatham to even the elimination of the need for a physical space to call a classroom, e-learning education system drastically reduces overhead costs for all stakeholders in the educational ecosystem.

The same also applies to labor costs with a traditional education system. Many personnel is required to manage the logistical and temporal demands of a traditional classroom setting – from study materials that are physical to the natural restrictions in the number of students that can be fit in a physical classroom. With e-learning education system such restrictions do not apply. Instead, since many tasks and processes are automated, the need for a human agent to perform them is eliminated resulting in downsizing and reduction in labor costs. This kind of reduction in costs is vital for budget-conscious industries such as education since valuable funds can then be redirected towards more worthy causes that would benefit all stakeholders in the educational ecosystem.

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Conclusion: Can e-learning replace traditional education systems?

As we move into the future, it is likely that educators and management will continue to take advantage of the many benefits of e-learning systems. However, some classic traditional education system practices will remain. Rather than creating a false dichotomy where one is forced to choose between a traditional education system and e-learning it is more likely that a new form of systemic learning will emerge that is a blend of the two. We are already seeing this in practice – with virtual classrooms becoming a reality thanks to tools like Paatham learning management system that allows for a seamless experience, for teachers to reach students in remote parts of the world, through massive online open courses through services. So while it is unlikely that the traditional education system will ever be completely eradicated, it will continue to evolve to be inclusive of new forms of technology and learning, via the e-learning education system.

Why does e-learning in India have a promising future?

E-learning has become more and more common throughout Asia. The increase of Internet users on the continent and the revolutionary changes in education have established a very fertile atmosphere for the growth of e-learning. Hughes Communications India, Ltd (HCIL) is exploring e-learning in India, its drivers and its benefits–and the critical role that broadband satellite plays in delivering it.

Albert Einstein once said, “Education is what stays after you have forgotten what you have learned in college.” While the words of Einstein may have been designed in good humor, they accurately reflect the reality that efficient education is indeed continuous and changing at all times. In reality, over the centuries, the face of education has undergone a sea shift. Once characterized by the traditional model of school, today’s education has transformed into immediate, internet, self-driven, and on-going learning. In India, too, the education journey was dotted with countless milestones — most lately, e-learning.

elearning app for school

Indian government is pushing for e-learning

The Government of India (GoI) is a powerful proponent of e-learning and it has been actively developed by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) instruments and techniques to support it. In particular, DeitY has endorsed R&D initiatives focused on e-learning throughout India at multiple academic instructional institutions. These include content creation, initiatives in R&D technology, human resource development projects, and initiatives in faculty training to enhance literacy through distance schooling.

Exploring the scope in India

Over the past few years, the fast rise in Internet connectivity has been a major catalyst for e-learning development in India. A solid ecosystem on the Internet, with a variety of local and international players, will assist create further inroads online learning.

India’s education system, already one of the world’s biggest with a network of over one million colleges and 18,000 institutions of higher education, will fuel this development. In the target market for education and associated services, more than half of the country’s 1.2 billion population falls.

In the near future, universities will see more students accessing their coursework from outside the traditional campus and classroom.

E-learning gives distinctive benefits, with the most prominent being the capacity of internet teachers to provide all learners with personalized attention. This is particularly critical for those learners who are unable to afford face-to-face private tutoring sessions or who reside in rural regions where such assistance is not accessible. This is only feasible in a standard setup when a extremely qualified tutor provides a student with one-to – one tutorials. However, given that most organizations have a classroom-based configuration, it becomes very hard to have such individualized attention.

Another important advantage is that people living in smaller towns and cities can get access to the best possible learning resources from across the world, at a very affordable price. This helps create a level-playing field.

The developing wave of adaptive learning will also help students with various levels of intellectual capabilities to glean the best from the learning process at their own pace, without feeling left out.

Online tutoring will definitely pose a threat to conventional methods of teaching—while online learning can never look at completely replacing schools as schools offer much more than just academic opportunities within their campuses. However, private tuition centres which are typically managed by individual teachers will have to take a second look at their business model and adopt digital learning aids to sharpen their offerings.

Aspects of e-learning

Technology has enhanced students ‘ learning experience. Although the basis of education is still reading, writing, and arithmetic, there is no doubt that to be efficient contributors in the future, today’s learners will also need a wider education.

E-learning solutions employ technology to deliver:

Live instruction: Certain curriculam may require specialised instructors. By using live broadcasts, these instructors can remain in one location and provide instruction to many students in other locations. This type of specialisation increases as students move into higher levels of education.

Video content delivery: In a forward and store model, pre-recorded content such as lectures, documentaries, and other video content can be delivered so that the material can be viewed when necessary.

Student-to-student interactions (video conferencing): Related to the first point, students may learn just as much from each other as they do from teachers. Thus, communications technology can be used to connect students in different regions or even different parts of the world so that they may interact.

Up-to-date materials: As mentioned above, the basics seldom change. However, virtually all textbooks must be updated. Textbooks are very expensive to purchase, maintain, and deliver. Again, digital delivery solves this issue when coupled with e-Readers such as tablets.

Self-learning: Computer-based training or self-paced learning is common in higher education and trade-oriented learning. Kiosks or terminals to support this may be located close to underserved areas where populations already work.

Teachers and instructors may also take advantage of the technology to interact with their peers, students, and parents using email and social media.

Conclusion

In underdeveloped and developing countries, e-learning raises the level of education, literacy, and economic development. This is especially true for countries where technical education is expensive, opportunities are limited, and economic disparities exist.
Although the Indian market is still young, it will continue to adopt the concept of e-learning in order to meet its communication needs and seize business opportunities.

How E-Learning is helpful to learners – Paatham

A learning system based on formalised teaching but with the help of electronic resources is known as E-learning. While teaching can be based in or out of the classrooms, the use of computers and the Internet forms the major component of E-learning. E-learning can also be termed as a network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge, and the delivery of education is made to a large number of recipients at the same or different times. Earlier, it was not accepted wholeheartedly as it was assumed that this system lacked the human element required in learning.

However, with the rapid progress in technology and the advancement in learning systems, it is now embraced by the masses. The introduction of computers was the basis of this revolution and with the passage of time, as we get hooked to smartphones, tablets, etc, these devices now have an importance place in the classrooms for learning. Books are gradually getting replaced by electronic educational materials like optical discs or pen drives. Knowledge can also be shared via the Internet, which is accessible 24/7, anywhere, anytime.

e-Learning

Importance Of E-Learning

• No Boundaries, No Restrictions : E-learning, facilitates learning without having to organize when and where everyone who is interested in a course can be present.

• More Fun : Designing a course in a way that makes it interactive and fun through the use of multimedia, enhances not only your engagement factor but also the relative lifetime of the course material in question.

• Cost Effective : E-Learning is always cost friendly.

E-learning has proved to be the best means in the education sector, especially The schools which use E-learning technologies are a step ahead of those which still have the traditional approach towards learning.

e-Learning

No doubt, it is equally important to take forward the concept of non-electronic teaching with the help of books and lectures, but the importance and effectiveness of technology-based learning cannot be taken lightly or ignored completely. It is believed that the human brain can easily remember and relate to what is seen and heard via moving pictures or videos. It has also been found that visuals, apart from holding the attention of the student, are also retained by the brain for longer periods. education sectors, are now adapting to the concept of E-learning which helps in the progress of a nation. Technological advancements also helped educational establishments reduce the costs of distance learning, a saving that would also be passed on to the students – helping bring education to a wider audience.