Online learning means when you are able to study "without studying" when the professor and the pupil are separated by space. Developing of this form of education was the growth of achievements in the field of educational technologies, media, and communications, the rapid growth of the technical base. What does it mean? It is these moments that make online learning relatively cheap and accessible, opening up opportunities for communication over long distances. Therefore, it explains the popularity of such education.
The exact date of the appearance of distance learning still causes heated debate among professionals. Some of them argue that the pioneer of distance learning is Caleb Phillips, who is in 1728 was placed in the Boston newspaper ad in which he offered to all who wish to enroll in courses in accounting and rapid writing. The lessons were supposed to be sent home to students by regular mail once a week. Some believe that this method appeared in 1840 due to Isaac Pitman, used this method of mailing students while teaching.
But it all was so to speak private attempts to introduce a new method of learning. Among academic institutions, the University of Illinois is considered to be the pioneer of distance learning – it was there that in 1874 students were offered a program of study by mail. And from that moment on, distance education began to spread rapidly around the world.
As a result of the experiment, the methodology of distance education was developed, which made it regular for different universities to work on their basis. The main idea of the methods studying from distance is making of a special educational information environment, which gives unique opportunities for obtaining knowledge in a form convenient for the pupil (there are options for fully independent learning and through interactive communication with a consultant tutor).
There are some different approaches in online education. You are a teacher, tutor, developing your brand or company, and maybe you are just wondering what and how you can teach/learn using the Internet? In this article, we will try to explain what online training is, what forms it can take and how to find the best option for you.
Synchronous And Asynchronous Methods
Let's start, perhaps, with the fact that training is asynchronous or synchronous. So, Synchronous learning is a meeting that requires a “meeting” between a professor and students takes is something that happens in a real time. All students of the course are logging in at the same hour and can even discuss between each other. When it comes to online training, it can be a webinar or online training. This lesson is very similar to the traditional lesson, with the only important difference — the teacher cannot appreciate the reaction of pupils.
Asynchronous learning differs from synchronous in the fact that a pupil does not meet the teacher or contact the teacher. It can be e-courses, blogs, screencasts, or even YouTube videos!
Distance Learning (Or D-learning), E-learning, And B-learning
This method is a method that allows you to learn remotely. The student does not meet the teacher or his/her “colleagues” online. But despite this, two-way communication between them is a prerequisite: email, Skype or traditional mail is great for this.
E-learning- what is this? This is one of the types of distance learning. It is often chosen for courses due to its convenience – for such lesson, a person needs only Internet and a computer and thanks to e-learning, you can participate in seminars, get a help with an essay, complete courses or even University program. Besides, all of this is possible without leaving your home! A huge number of firms, trainers, universities have chosen e-learning to train their employees and students. E-learning is suitable for both small groups and thousands of groups.
B-learning or blended learning is a blended learning method that allows you to combine both online and traditional studying. It depends on your purpose, goals in training, and ways of communication with teacher you use. If the topic requires practical skills, students come to the audience and, at the same time, some of the information is sent to the email or posted in the form of a video lecture. From time to time, pupils meet their professor online.
Webinar
A webinar is a presentation, lecture, workshop or training organized using the webcast technology. Webinars provide two-way communication for the professor and pupils. This technology is ideal for simultaneous training, as the webinar can not only send and receive information in real time. It used also to hold discussions, questionnaires, and brainstorming.
A web room is an Internet page that hosts a webinar, conference, or meeting. We can say that this is an analog of a conference room or an auditorium, the size of which can be easily changed if desired.
How does it work? The presenter can, as in the usual class, show additional materials, leave notes on a special interactive whiteboard, use a pointer. Students can easily stay in a touch with the teacher by asking questions in a chat room or using the microphone.