eLearning
What is eLearning? There are many definitions of this term,
but it depends very much on the context.. For example eLearning for
part time students is likely to be different to a system implemented
for full time ones. Similarly eLearning in a school is likely to be
very different to that for a taught postgraduate programme run by a
University. Generally it is now used as a term to describe a unified
specialised system designed to deliver teaching and learning
facilities to staff, students or pupils. Sometimes the terms Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE) or Learning Platform are used in the UK.
So how does OXACT see eLearning? We think that :-
It is not:-
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a substitute for good teaching and learning
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merely a place to store lecture or teaching notes
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a replacement for the library
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only suitable for distance learning
It is
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An opportunity to enhance learning, but not replace it.
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A place to provide access to teaching and learning resources.
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A place to offer new forms of communication between students and teachers.
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A place to offer students access to administrative information.
We also believe that it is vitally important that the acquisition and implementation of an eLearning system is properly managed and backed by a properly constructed strategy adopted by the senior management of an institution.
Choosing the right system is fraught with difficulty - these are only a few of the decisions to be addressed:
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Should an institution write its own?
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Should each department or faculty acquire their own system?
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Should the institution buy an off the shelf system like Learnwise or Kaleidos?
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Or use one of the open source packages like Moodle?
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Or use a hosted solution shared with others?
OXACT can help you develop your eLearning strategy, write a suitable Request for Proposal (RFP), evaluate potential suppliers and finally help you reach the right decision. We can also assist with implementation and integration with other systems (e.g. student/pupil records). If you are thinking about an eLearning system and would like to discuss how we can help further, please contact us.
