Online Learning

Online learning has grown in popularity. What is up with it really? What makes online classes so attractive? In this post I have explored four different types of online learning. Each type of online learning has either been tested and proven to increase the percentage of retained material over a long-term period of time, or it deals with how long it will take before education is completely online, or finally, deals with how online learning can be and is integrated into the classrooms we know them as now.

60 MINUTES on CBS has a segment about online learning for K-12. It is called Khan Academy. Sal Khan started this online academy in 2009. This academy has 3,800 videos ranging from basic math to physics, history, and biology. These videos are 10-15 minutes long, and deal with one topic in a certain content. This free source of education is extremely helpful. The teacher can assign a certain video, along with problems dealing with that video, and be able to go around and individually help the students who need help based on how long it took them to complete each problem and help them figure out how to solve each problem quickly and correctly the first time.

According to EPIC 2020, the physical universities we know now will only be available to the rich and sports teams. The campus will contain luxury suites, gourmet meals, and a large social atmosphere. The sports will be an addition to these accommodations. Online learning at the college level will be the dominate path of instruction. Face-to-face interaction will be obsolete when it comes to the classroom. The learning will be done online in scenarios as in the next example.

TED has a video in which a Ph.D, Daphne Koller, discusses online education. The online classes will start on a certain date, end on a certain day and in-between you will have real homework due at a certain time. At the end of the class you will receive a certificate stating you have completed the required work for that class. You can then show this certificate to the university or college you are attending and be able to not have to take that class there. Also, your future employers can see that you have indeed taken that class. She goes on to stress about practical learning in the classes. You only watch the videos you need and or want to watch, you engage in the lesson by answering questions dealing with the concept which has been taught. You will not be able to continue until you get the right answer.

Apple has an app called iTunes U in which you can write your own textbook for your class. This can be used in any classroom setting; K-12, college, or university. Your students can be added to the class list which the book is used for. Then, your students will have access to all of the materials you are using for the course right on their iPad. All of their notes are collected into one place; notes from videos, lectures, and even about a book. Assignments for the class are put into a list and the students can check off each task as they complete it.

So, online learning; does it still hold the same fascination? Has the attractiveness gone from that of an interesting idea to something we all wish was available at this time? Hopefully this post has answered a few questions about online learning. I also hope that this post has posed a few questions which will lead you in a direction which will help you make discoveries make you learn online.