If I use the internet to learn new information, is that e-learning? How about if I send an email to a friend with instructions on how to do something? If I watch a video of someone demonstrating how to use an application, is that e-learning?
Wikipedia defines e-learning as “a general term used to refer to computer-enhanced learning.” With this broad definition, many of our activities today could be considered e-learning.
I’m taking a class on designing e-learning right now and there’s not a lot of agreement among the group about what defines e-learning. The instructor even seems reluctant to provide us with a working definition, but would rather let us ponder the question.
I suspect there’s a fair amount of ambiguity around e-learning because the field and associated technology is changing so rapidly. Wikipedia’s article mentions blogs, wikis, text chat, virtual classrooms, and podcasts among the technologies that could be utilized in e-learning. All of these tools are relatively new and people are discovering innovative ways to use them all the time.
I believe there has to be an instructional component, meaning it can’t just be informational. For me this means that reading an article online is not e-learning. I may learn new information from the article, but the article itself does not teach me how to use the information. Good teaching involves helping people bridge the gap between knowing and doing.
