Benefits of distance learning from a student's perspective
The duration of e-learning should be justified from the duration of stay expected in the organization
a) the education may be directly related to the information required
b) the education must be specific for the situation that is to be faced
c) the education must set a standard of learning which is to be uniform for all the individuals going through the course
The education has to be provided in a manner that is easy for the students
The education should also be beneficial to the person providing the information so that it will continue.
The use of e-learning is for various purposes, but what is being discussed here is about e-learning that is provided for commercial purposes. This system has been found to be useful for employers and has the possibility to evolve into a major method for training of employees. This is because it is probably the cheapest method of training available for them. The important reason for making a choice regarding a cost effective method of teaching is rather very simple -- as most of the employees belong to a specific age group and skill levels and do not remain in the stores for a considerably longer period of time. Thus there are several numbers of potential employees who have to be trained continuously and this should be done at very low costs. Since the length or duration of service is also not expected to be too very long, the information or training to be given to the employees also does not hold information that has many secrets that the organization or the employer concerned would not like to be divulged. This sort of training is also given in the case of employees who have to be trained in a very short duration of time for specific purposes to be carried out. (Faced with High Turnover, Retailers Boot up E-learning for Quick Training)
Training programs of such types can be classified or made into categories regarding the areas of training for different types of products or specialties and the future employee may take up for learning the subject about which the employee is expected to know or have knowledge of at the time of his service with the employer. This enables to reduce the duration of the program to a length which is acceptable for the employees and also makes sure that they are in a position to concentrate on the subject that they will have to know or understand. The design can be by means of various methods and an important retailer has used the format through an underground railway system for this. Thus once the process of e-learning starts, it would be possible to travel from one area to another area, while areas which are not considered so important for the trainee can be just avoided or skipped without bringing about a wastage of time. The duration of each segment or area of training may thus be kept for a short duration and this will ensure that the learner will only be informed regarding the information required by the person. Since the system is quite simple, it could be said that a possible transformation in the e-learning program for different types of branches where the individuals are to be employed, could be done if it is so required. At the same time, since the method of training is all by means of the same medium and also follows the same method of training, it would ensure certain basic level of standards of training for the students. This would help the students to have a better reception at the centers where they would provide their services. It could also be mentioned that this e-learning procedure or process could be supported by way of the individual trainers personally on special occasions when such a necessity is being felt.
The other question is regarding the issue of providing the training by means of a medium that is to be suitable for the students, and the novel concept today is to send the information by means of mobiles as that is an item most students are most likely to have and do use in these recent times. This will avoid or discourage the students from getting into learning centers and other areas where some of them might not feel at home. Nowadays mobiles are considered to be an advanced medium whereby students can even call for more information if they want to know something. This may become a requirement or necessity when the students need to have information regarding new products. (Faced with High Turnover, Retailers Boot up E-learning for Quick Training) The final question is to be sure whether the training will try to continue and this is generally done by means of a cost benefit analysis. The cost benefit ratio is measured in terms of the financial benefits in due comparison to the cost of training. By means of this method, the financial benefits are considered obvious as it is a means to provide employees to the organization and regarding the cost of training it will be the lowest once the programs for e-learning are considered fixed. (Formulas for Quantifying the Value of a Training-Technology Investment)
(a) Liberal Arts through distance learning
The situation today is such that everybody thinks education should be carried out like a factory where the students are expected to perform like machines and the teachers are expected to give the students doses of information. This was not the situation even earlier when Sir Isaac Pitman of Bath in England had started the concept of rural learners learn secretarial skills through the translation of Bible into shorthand and then sending the material back to him by mail for grading. This was started as early as 1840. (Philips, 2000)
The next question that comes is whether this is a valid method of teaching in a college as it is felt that teaching in colleges must be carried out with the professor or the teacher on the stage. The difficulty is further compounded by the fact that many individuals do not find it possible to think of a college without a campus, at the same time no college can give the freedom that exists in cyberspace. This is an area where it is possible for one person to listen, read, comment and even reflect on what the students have to say -- and the attention can be paid to each one in turn. There has to be direct communication and the students cannot just pass their time sitting in the seats of the last row doing nothing as the class goes on.
At the same time, to make a real comment on teaching liberal arts through Internet has to be considered in the position that liberal arts education was when Plato was teaching in Athens. When any Individual goes to study philosophy in Athens, one is taught that for education to get through to the minds of students, it is important to discard all textbooks and notebooks so that one is not bound by them. Those tools are essentially to help one's memory and does not help learning, which comes from the individual capacity to think and that will depend on the then existing situation. (Philips, 2000)
The teaching of Plato used to be with his students and the teacher arguing continuously so that they finally agreed on a point. In the case of cyber students, they have books as learning aids, but that is not the only source of their knowledge as they can also learn from the knowledge of their mates. This takes place through collaboration in terms of online debates, conferences and papers. The students have to decide about their own points-of-view and thus have to come ready for the classes each week so that they can argue and mention their arguments to all others also attending the class. (Philips, 2000)
Some famous writers like English Professor John Ottenhoff have written about the likely positive benefits that the possibility of distance education has had on the teaching of liberal arts. While talking about the benefits the biggest benefits that have come are the virtues of the education like reflection, integration and connection of knowledge as compared to the other method of teaching through an education tech forklift method of content delivery. (Ottenhoff, 2003)
In many instances the value of a liberal arts education is realized by others outside the education system and those are of critical and creative writing, speaking and critical thought. Compared to them, others have much more difficulty in constructing proper sentences in writing and getting good memos, letters and reports. Today the world is moving fast and that shows the requirement spoken and written communication. At the same time, the present day graduates from regular colleges are unable to talk on their feet, or even otherwise communicate clearly. In the case of liberal arts graduates from…