Articles | Educational Technology Insight

Personalized Learning – A New Educational Paradigm

Aug 192010

One of the greatest promises offered by e-learning is its potential to offer a personalized learning experience to each individual learner.

In traditional learning education providers offer courses to which learners sign up. A course consists of a fixed syllabus, or list of things to be learned or objectives to be met. The learning is delivered by a particular instructor using a fixed method at scheduled places and times. That’s fine as far as it goes, and indeed many of us learned a great deal from traditional learning.

But the online world changes everything. No longer do instructors hold a monopoly on knowledge to be dispensed to the privileged at their discretion. We are now surrounded by knowledge and the challenge of learning has become that of seeking the guidance to follow a meaningful journey through the information jungle best suited to our needs and interests. Continue reading »

Learning Theories and Learning Styles

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Aug 042010

Understanding how people learn is the key to producing effective instruction, both traditionally and in the form of e-learning. Although many theories of learning have been proposed, with some leading candidates described below, it seems clear that different individuals learn in different ways. One of the strengths of e-learning is its ability to provide a unique learning experience for each participant rather than the one-size-fits-all approach dictated by the classroom. The most effective e-learning will be grounded in learning theory, and will also facilitate varying experience to suit varying styles of learning and instructional need. Continue reading »

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Designing e-learning

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Jul 312010

Instructional Design for e-learning

Instructional design is the process of designing learning experiences so as to maximize learning effectiveness. This document describes some of the major issues involved in designing beneficial instruction. It is primarily aimed at those creating online/distance learning experiences for mature learners, however the principles described may be applied to all kinds of learning. It also serves as a portal to the best Web and print resources available for those seeking further information. Continue reading »

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An e-Learning Production Model

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Jul 302010

The author was recently engaged by a leading English academic institution to undertake the Web design and development on a major e-learning project. This paper describes the transferable production model created to facilitate project completion.

The Brief

The aim of the project was to create a distance-learning course presenting in-depth and up-to-date academic materials in the form of an engaging, interactive learning experience. Continue reading »

Education 2.0 – How Technology is Changing the Way We Learn

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Jul 292010

The early 21st century is proving to an era of unprecedentedly fast and relentlessly accelerating change. Initially this change is technological, but ultimately it will also be societal. This article discusses the relationship between this era of change and the quantity and quality of learning it will demand. It also considers the mechanisms by which that new model learning might be delivered.

In the 20th century those entering the workplace might expect to keep the same job throughout their working lives. In the 21st century new entrants might expect to change job, and even occupation, several times before retirement. The 21st century citizen will need learning for each transition. Continue reading »

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What is a Learning Technologist?

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Jul 202010

Recent years have seen a new title appearing among the job vacancy ads, that of learning/educational technologist. The terms “learning” and “educational” technologist are equivalent, with “educational” favored in North America while “learning” is preferred in Great Britain. But what exactly does this rapidly growing profession do? Continue reading »

e-learning: The Threat and the Promise

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Jul 202010

e-learning refers to any learning process that partly or wholly uses computer technology for delivery and or support.

The concept of e-learning is not new. Psychology professor Sidney Pressey developed a mechanical teaching machine in the early 1920s. Numerous computer-based training (CBT) applications were developed in the 1980s to exploit the evolution of the personal computer. However, the proliferation of the Internet has fuelled the growth in both volume and scope of what is now known as e-learning. Continue reading »

Learning in the Information Age

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Jul 202010

There is widespread belief that society is moving from the industrial age to the information age. This paper discusses what is meant by the term information age and how society will differ from the industrial era of the previous two centuries. In particular it considers the impact upon learning, both in terms of differences in the type of learning that will be required to survive and thrive in this new era, and of the new and improved methods it brings which might enhance the learning process. Continue reading »

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Learning Technology: The Myths and Facts

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Jul 202010

This paper considers some of the major issues in the field of learning technology. It seeks to identify areas in which technology has greatest potential to contribute to the learning process, and also those areas in which the application of technology is inappropriate or detrimental.

Issues described include the support of different kinds of learner, learning environments, reusability and accessibility. Questions raised include the changing role of learning in the information age, the extent to which learning materials may be re-used and how misunderstandings between the various contributors to learning technology projects may be overcome.

The paper concludes with a description of a hypothetical example of an effective application of learning technology. Continue reading »

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Accessibility in Educational Technology

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Jul 182010

Educational Technology has the potential to offer learning opportunities to a wider audience than ever before, and as such has the power to promote a fairer and more equal society. The issue of accessibility is concerned with ensuring that the opportunities offered by the technology truly are available to as large and diverse a group as possible. In particular it is concerned with ensuring that learners with disabilities, including those who may be accessing materials through assistive technologies such as screen readers, are not unduly disadvantaged.

Accessibility concerns are not solely altruistic. The number of people worldwide with some form of disability represents a massive potential audience that few educational providers (or indeed commercial operations) can afford to exclude. Additionally much educational provision is, or will soon, be subject to accessibility legislation. Continue reading »

Older Entries

Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha

Educational Technology Insight

Personalized Learning – A New Educational Paradigm

Learning Theories and Learning Styles

Designing e-learning

Instructional Design for e-learning

An e-Learning Production Model

The Brief

Education 2.0 – How Technology is Changing the Way We Learn

What is a Learning Technologist?

e-learning: The Threat and the Promise

Learning in the Information Age

Learning Technology: The Myths and Facts

Accessibility in Educational Technology

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