Benefits of E-Learning

E-Learning and online education programs have many benefits.  Multi-media tools assist instructors in successfully engaging students.  “Related technology may be intimidating, confusing or simply frustrating, lacking part of the informal social interaction and face-to-face contact of traditional classroom training.” (Virginio, pg.336)  The University of Phoenix provides a Technology Resources Library to assist students that are struggling in understanding and utilizing technology tools.  The library provides numerous tutorials to assist students.  “The segmentation principle simply states that a multimedia tutorial that provides the user with pacing control, through use of a Start/Stop button or Continue button, will result in greater learning than a tutorial that plays from beginning to end.” (Lusk, pg. 637)  Video tutorials allow students to start and stop as needed and repeat sections that they would like to review.  The library also provides images and written information to increase student ability to apply multi-media tools in their courses.  “Multimedia, in conjunction with traditional teaching materials, enhances the educational experience for online students by offering a variety of ways in which to learn and interact with content.” (Buckly, para. 21)  The Technology Resource Library provides resources to assist students in understanding and creating multi-media, technology based, products.

References:

Buckley, W., & Smith, A. (2007). Application of multimedia technologies to enhance distance learning. RE:View, 39(2), 57-65. Retrieved from http://saccharometric

Lusk, D. L., Evans, A. D., Jeffrey, T. R., Palmer, K. R., Wikstrom, C. S., & Doolittle, P. E. (2009). Multimedia learning and individual differences: Mediating the effects of working memory capacity with segmentation. British Journal Of Educational Technology, 40(4), 636-651. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00848.x

Virginio, C., Cellario, M., & Porta, M. (2004, October). Perspectives and Challenges in E-Learning: Towards Natural Interaction Paradigms. Journal of Visual Languages and Computing, 15(5), 333-345.