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At present, the internet is seen as a successful and influential educational tool in both academic and corporate institutions. Academically, it has been adopted for e-learning methods of teaching and learning. It is perceived as a cost-effective method of providing lifelong education. It is important to know about the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning in adult education and compare them with the experiences of the people who are and have been engaged in adult education.
E-learning can be defined as a learning process of interaction with digitally delivered content, network-based services and teaching support and it’s any technologically mediated learning using computers whether from a distance or in face to face classroom, also it is a shift from traditional education or training to ICT-based personalized, flexible, self-organized, collaborative learning based on a community of learners, teachers, facilitators, experts. And what the most important is that it is a great reform for study itself as well as its production through the study.
SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE OF E-LEARNING
To determine the significance importance of e-Learning to adult education, and with the following specific objectives to;
Perception of Traditional Learning
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Everyone in his/her life has experienced somehow traditional learning, the face to face learning. Traditional learning is an ancient method of learning that is been conducted by a teacher gathering students in places such as classes, labs or seminars to study and learn about different subjects. This method of learning has been practiced around the world in all levels such as kindergartens, primary, secondary, high schools, colleges and universities. Traditional learning method similar to any other method has its own advantages and disadvantages that are more or less similar in many cultures; some of the important advantages and disadvantages of traditional learning.
Advantages
i. It gives immediate feedback
ii. Being familiar to instructors and other learners
iii. Motivating adults
iv. Cultivation of social community
Disadvantages
i. Instructor-centered
ii. Time and location constraints
iii. More expensive to deliver
i. curriculum tools,
ii. digital library tools and
iii. Knowledge representation tools.
LEARNING PLATFORMS (LMS)
LMS stands for Learning Management System and it’s a global term for a computer system specifically developed for managing online courses, distributing course materials and allowing collaboration between students and teachers. A LMS will allow you to manage every aspect of a course, from the registration of students to the storing of test results, as well as allowing you to accept assignments digitally and keep in touch with your students.
Some examples of Learning platforms Include:
i. Easy GUI stands for Graphical User Interface.
ii. Customization
iii. Enrolment
iv. Virtual Classroom
v. Course pathways
vi. Report
BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING TO ACADEMIC ADULT EDUCATORS
One can study at home, work or on the road, one can read materials online or download them for reading later. People no longer necessarily need go to the library to obtain information or knowledge or need a face-face setting tutoring because internet are now available to the user at his/her home, office and cyber café centers.
Some benefits include:
i. Greater collaboration
ii. Increased access
iii. Developing skills and competencies
iv. Human resources
E-LEARNING FACILITIES
E-mail
Mails can be sent or received through e-mail without having both the participants at the same time. One can send and receive e-mail in any sector of the economy at all times.
CD-ROM packages
CD-ROM means Compact Disk Read –Only Memory. It is a secondary storage disc and a product of information and communication technology (ICT). . It can be used to store huge amounts of data like text books, periodicals, dictionaries and encyclopedia.
Videophone
It enables the instructor and the learners see each other face-to-face in the screen and have classroom interaction electronically. In other words, it creates virtual classroom
Computer
A computer is an electronic device which is capable of accepting input data, processes the data, stores and retrieves the data when the need arises. A computer connected to the internet can be used to access education websites.
E-learning characteristics
There are two types of eLearning characteristics which include:
A. Asynchronous e-learning
Asynchronous e-learning is based on asynchronous communication between the teacher and the learner, and most of the times special software needs to be used in order for something like this to be achieved like the LMS.
Synchronous e-learning
Synchronous e-learning, the teacher and the students are not in the same place and they communicate each other in real time with the help of some video conference system.
A human resource plan that will cover the following in the training programmes of adults should be made available:
i. Guidance
ii. Training
iii. Mentoring
iv. Counselling
v. Working resources
