Where Did e learning Come From?
Electronic learning has been with us for quite some time now. It’s basically the use of electronic methods to deliver information and education to students. In lay man’s terms it can be online learning or just a simple DVD teaching people how to exercise. E-learning is characterized with many advantages such as reduced costs and environmental impact, convenience, flexibility and quality of education. It has brought about some sort of sophistication to learners who are now not limited to local information only but also international. The history of e-learning dates back to the 19th century although it has only come to be documented and popularized since 1999.
Early e learning approaches
Distance learning was practiced in 1840 by Isaac Pitman to teach his students shorthand through correspondence. Teachers in this era would send their students information and assignments through the mail service and then they would work on it and return to their tutors the same way. The first testing machine was invented, quickly followed by a teaching machine that would send instructions to students, and then computer programs that could send messages came through. All these systems of electronic learning would only work one way and the sender had to wait sometime before the receiver sent back the results.
Fortunately, in the early 1970s systems that allowed interactive learning and real time communication were invented. The invention of electronic mail was first utilized in Britain by students and teachers who had been using post to send assignments and correspondence. Unfortunately computers were too big and expensive so students could only access them in schools. In the 1980s more and more people started to buy computers in their homes but not many people could afford them at this stage. Third world countries especially did not experience this amazing invention until the 1990s, and only limited information was available and so there was no real change in the world of learning.
E learning through home computing & the Internet
The 1990s came with great change and advancements. Computers were very small and many people anywhere in the world could afford them. There were many universities offering electronic learning to people in their country and from further afield. Many search engines were invented and the invention of Google and the likes helped a lot of people. Internet became very popular around the world and classes could be taken online even though the teacher and the student are worlds apart.
e-learning available to the mass market
Nowadays, almost everybody does e-learning and also take exams the same way too. There are many applications that make e-learning very easy and the invention of smart phones has made this programs extremely convenient. These days you can do and read anything you want from your phone and even attain an international degree.
Originally e learning was used by adults and as it developed only university students would research through the internet. Now high school and recently primary school pupils are using laptops and desktops to learn either through demonstrations or training. Distance learning has really come a long way since the 1800s and now everybody knows how to learn through the internet but it’s obvious that it’s growing pretty fast and is going to continue to grow and develop. To add e learning to your WordPress site, try Tuitle
