The Ongoing Evolution of E-Learning Design and Implementation
E-learning development and implementation must be understood within the context of an evolving technological learning environment. While e-learning should continue to be a tool used to bolster existing pedagogical methods, the users’ changing relationships with technology-based education also needs to be considered in the creation and use of online learning material.
The concept of e-learning has evolved significantly over the past decade. From simple online text and image presentations to complex game-based scenarios and microworlds, e-learning design, use and purpose has shifted as technological capabilities, and academic acceptance, have grown and evolved. This divergence and expansion has become so significant that the definition of the term 'e-learning' requires discussion and revision.
Broadly, e-learning refers to any form of teaching or learning that is based in, or supported by, computer technologies. This definition allows for a multitude of categories and activities, ranging from supplementary text and image presentations in a face-to-face classroom, to distance studies courses and learning within an exclusively online environment. The use of e-learning tools will also vary depending on how online resources are implemented, blended, and coordinated with other forms of instruction.
This broad understanding of e-learning becomes further complicated when instructional and multimedia design elements of online course creation are considered. In terms of the creation of online learning material, e-learning is typically divided into three levels. Level 1, or basic e-learning, is comprised of content pages that include text, graphics, or simple audio/video, and employ traditional forms of assessment (ex. true or false and multiple choice questions). Level 2 e-learning is a more interactive form of online instruction, relying on both Level 1 content presentation and a substantial amount of interactive exercises. The interactive elements of Level 2 e-learning include activities that require learners to apply their knowledge in a variety of scenarios, often in conjunction with complex audio, video, and animation presentations. Finally, the most advanced form of online learning is Level 3 e-learning, which is information presentation and assessment in the form of highly interactive simulations, microworlds, game play, or activities with customizable interactions.[1]
Although the availability of online resources and activities has grown significantly in recent years, the level of interactivity and style of e-learning that appears in the classroom depends greatly on the teacher's strategies and concept of learning, the course structure and material, available technological resources, the learning styles of the students, and their familiarity and access to computer systems.[2] It is for these reasons that e-learning and other online resources must be understood as an educational instrument, not a new pedagogical approach. Rather than acting as a replacement for traditional educational methods, online learning should be developed in cooperation with proven teaching strategies, and should be used to satisfy the evolving needs and abilities of students.[3]
Instructional and multimedia designers must consider both the functionality and presentation of content, as well as how content will be used in an online environment to facilitate the optimal achievement of stated learning outcomes. In addition, instructional designers are required to create educational content that not only meets the needs of teachers and students, but also the requirements of other stakeholders, including educational institutions, accreditation bodies and employers. These additional stakeholders may restrict or alter the design of e-learning courses and activities for numerous reasons.
Financial and time-related restraints pose a common and pervasive problem for the production of original interactive and advanced e-learning activities. One hour of a level 1 e-learning course can cost upwards of $10,000 USD to create, with a development period ranging from 45 to 80 hours. The price of more interactive level 2 e-learning courses can range between $15,000 and $20,000 USD per hour of course material, and regularly take between 125 and 175 development hours to complete. Finally, because of the advanced nature of level 3 e-learning courses, including complex computer coding, customized in-course responses, and intricate graphics and animation, the per-course cost of development can range between $40,000 and $60,000 USD. Likewise, the time required to develop one hour of level 3 e-learning material is typically between 250 and 500 hours.[4] These costs often make it difficult for individual teachers to commission the creation of original e-learning content. As a result, it is imperative that e-learning is embraced at the institutional level so that e-learning projects may be properly planned, funded and disseminated throughout entire schools, school boards, or academic institutions.
The challenge for educators who do not currently have access to customized e-learning material is finding low-cost or no-cost online education material that meets the academic requirements of what is being taught, and presents the information in an engaging way that enhances student learning. Furthermore, teachers must find e-learning courses and activities that meet the user experience expectations for students who have grown accustomed to an increasingly interactive and immersive online experience. The oft-used term 'net generation' has become somewhat of a misnomer, as successive generations who have used computer technology in their everyday lives, as well as their education, have had vastly different interactions with the online experience. While students five years ago may have been newly acquainted with video sharing websites like YouTube, those entering the secondary and post-secondary systems today often expect an online experience that is immersive, customizable, and can be shared through various forms of online social media.
Not all online learning is able to satisfy this expansive list of demands from both educators and learners, but several e-learning activities have been developed that are free-of-cost for the user, offer substantial educational information, provide an interactive user experience, and enable the sharing of data via social media websites. One such example can be found at Made in a Free World's .[5] This website allows users to investigate the nature and causes of human slavery by first providing a brief synopsis of the current state of human slavery, and then asking the user to complete a survey outlining their daily habits, the products they own, and the services they use. As the user proceeds through the survey, they are given information pertaining to how each category relates to the existence and proliferation of slavery in various contexts. The information that the user provides in this survey is then used to tabulate “the slaves that work for you”, which is a number generated based on the number of slaves that are typically found the production and supply chain of the products and services that were indicated in the survey.
Fortunately, this is not where the user experience ends. Once the survey is completed, the user may share his/her results on websites like Facebook and Twitter, share a message with an online community comprised of others who have completed this survey, and take direct action in the form of lettering-writing campaigns, donations, volunteer opportunities, petitions, or lobbying political representatives. It is this multi-platform approach, incorporating an interactive online learning experience, social media websites, and real-world action, that makes the Made in a Free World: Slavery Footprint experience so valuable. In the context of a history or humanities classroom, this website provides students with the opportunity to take valuable information regarding the ongoing existence of human slavery, disseminate it, and act upon it in a real-world context.
Although e-learning should be understood as a tool used to bolster existing pedagogical methods, the user's evolving relationships with technology and learning must also be considered. Similarly, e-learning must be designed and used in such a way that it enhances and augments the learning process. Despite the costs associated with its development, teachers who use interactive and engaging e-learning will likely encounter greater student enthusiasm and more meaningful learning experiences than those who use online material for simple information transmission.
[1]Chapman, B. "How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? [Research Study]." Chapman Alliance LLC. Accessed April 4, 2012.
[2]Alexander, Shirley. "E-learning Developments and Experiences." Education + Training 43, no. 4/5 (2001): 240-248.
[3]"State of E-Learning in Canada." Canadian Council on Learning, May 2009, 62. Accessed April 5, 2012. .
[4]Chapman, B. "How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? [Research Study]." Chapman Alliance LLC. Accessed April 4, 2012. The estimates give by Chapman are within the accepted range for e-learning development, but have been modified for the work based on the author's personal experience as an Instructional Designer.
[5]Slavery Footprint. Accessed April 3, 2012.