Technology development and applications have been applied to almost every sector of the economy. Technology has both negative and positive effects depending on the specific circumstances and the goals it has to accomplish. Information Technology – enabled online learning is a common practice in learning institutions. It involves the use of various technology to enhance the teaching process and in enhancing learning.
Improved learning can be achieved through the use of a variety of media, with a particular focus on visual effects that allow the students get an understanding of the lessons being taught. Information Technology – enabled online learning incorporates audience response technology as well as effective learning software as well as social networking (Anonymous 2011.). This paper examines the aspect that is Information Technology – enabled online learning, and the associated technologies used.
Discussion
Information Technology – enabled online learning has been a result of the development and use of Technology in the field of education. In the past, learning was conducted in classrooms that were physically occupied by students and teachers gathered to enable learning to occur.
In the event that there was a need to get some experience on the job it was possible to arrange the arrangement of the equipment in a different room (such as a lab) and the teachers along with students were engaged in practical exercises to build on the knowledge and skills acquired from the classes. Learning could only be achieved by direct contact with the students and teachers.
Technology advancements and the stream of videos online as well as the requirement to have an actual classroom for meeting place has been eliminated. This is due to Information Technology – enabled online technology has made it possible to listen of lectures from anywhere.
Recording what happens in a lecture hall can also eliminate the hassle of having to gather all the details with other students because one is able to listen at a time that is convenient and as often as is possible (Shelly, Cashman, and Vermaat 2007).
Certain technologies include multimedia streaming on the internet, such as streaming audio push technologies, data channels that serve to transmit information from the relevant websites for use in a classroom. audio chat, voice over internet protocol to communicate purposes, web whiteboards; graphic conferencing is a type of and instant messaging to facilitate urgent and quick communication, as well as information and learning objects that are integrated into the lessons to help students learn.
There are hand-held as well as wireless technologiesthat facilitate transfer of information between the teacher and the students. Peer-to-peer file sharing is a technology used for online learning. It can be extremely useful for sharing learning materials and learning units, thus giving teachers and students an abundance of information (McGreal and co. 2004).
The proliferation of technology has facilitated online learning by creating smart classrooms that incorporate interactive collaboration and communication tools such as chat rooms electronic forums such as teleconferencing and email programs as well as other applications are employed.
The advent of online learning has altered the way people view learning, and the majority of them appreciate the fact that learning is effective and doesn’t have to be conducted in a classroom, so long as the goals of learning are met (Marzano and Paynter 2001).
According to Nakashima Aghajan, Nakashima, as well as Augusto (2009), Information Technology enable online learning led to many positive changes to the education system, most notably the possibility of implementing effective distance education that involves the learning process from a remote location not necessarily being physically present in a classroom, but instead to get important information on diverse subjects, and then completing the assignments required and then sending them online.
It is possible by the use of diverse technological features such as networking and online applications such as chat rooms, email as well as various social networking platforms that have made it possible to share and disseminating of information.
Smart classroom technology also allows instructors to manage remote and local students in a coordinated manner and gives them the control over their presentation regarding what information should be included and what needs to be not included. This is a successful method for learning that is efficient and saves costs such as time.
However, there are certain issues that come in Information Technology – enabled online learning. These include expenses associated with the acquisition and maintenance of different equipment, as well as education that is designed to equip participants with the necessary abilities and skills in order to make the whole process successful.
Another issue is that the majority of universities prefer to purchase the equipment that is affordable and they are prone to becoming outdated quickly with the development of technology, which means they need to buy new equipment every now and again, an expense and time-consuming.
The lack of necessary skills is another cause for concern since it hampers the effectiveness of learning. Many instructors don’t understand the goal of Information Technology – enabled online learning and the responsibilities they have, and they consider it an attempt to ease the stress of teaching, but this should not be the scenario (Shelly as well as Vermaat 2010.).
Based on my own experience with the field of online learning that is enabled by technology I have discovered benefits that outweigh the negatives. This is the reason, I am in full the online learning movement. The first is the convenience aspect that allows one to learn at any point in time without going to an actual classroom because of the network technology that allows transfer of information over large distances, however distant they might be.
The benefit of recording lectures also enhances the quality of life for everyone as it is possible to plan and organize effectively without being present at every time the tutor or lecturer is giving a lecture. There are however some issues that I’ve faced during this course of online education such as interruptions to internet connections. Insufficient personal contact is another issue I have experienced, which is why I prefer traditional classrooms.
Conclusion
It is obvious that the concept of online learning is a beneficial development in the educational system. It has very effective in that it helped students learn using different technologies that facilitate more understanding, as certain aspects can be more easily grasped by using one particular media instead of the other.
By utilizing online learning technology in the educational sector Learning has been enhanced by the development of an innovative, superior and a favorable environment that allows for aspects of learning like distant learning that wasn’t possible prior to the advent of technology.
The final part is improving the efficiency of online learning programs in order to accommodate the changing requirements for learning and the evolving technology rate.