Technologies Used for Online Education

e-Learning can make use of a wide range of technologies and media.  These technologies can be categorized by delivery media or interaction tools.  It is also important to realize that each learner will often learn best with certain technologies.  We recommend that potential online learners reserve judgment about any of the technologies until they have used them in a real learning situation.

It is worth mentioning that many companies make similar products from the following technologies.  Some e-Learning providers (colleges & companies) select technologies from a variety of vendors and many others select an all inclusive course delivery or management system that may include many of these technologies.  Some providers blend online with traditional offline technologies.

Delivery Media & Technologies:

(Click on any unknown terms for definitions from Webopedia.com )

Print:

• Textbooks, Study Guides, Workbooks - Are still very common in online learning courses.

Audio:

• Streaming audio - Used to deliver the instructors comments over any network.

• Audio tapes - Could be mailed to students.

Video:

• Streaming video - Can deliver video over any network.

• Videotape - Could be produced and mailed to students.

• Cable TV - Course segments can be produced and aired in various locations nationwide.

Data:

• Web Pages - A very common form of delivering content.

• CBT Content - Often delivered via CD-ROM, but also deliverable via a network.

• Computer files - Can be emailed or downloaded from a server (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database, etc.).

• Online Tests - Computer scripts can be written to deliver a variety of test formats.

• Interactive Tools - The following tools can also be used to deliver content to learners.

Interactive Tools

Asynchronous:

• Email - Used for questions and discussion.

• Listservs - Basically email to everyone in the class or section at once.

• Web Forums - Also called discussion forums or bulletin boards.  They are probably the most common form of interaction in online courses.

• Newsgroups - Public forums that use the Usenet system.

• BBS - A computer bulletin board that you dial, and use like a web forum + email + file transfer.

Synchronous:

• Chat Rooms - Can be either moderated by an instructor of un-moderated for class use.

• Shared Whiteboards - Allow class members to write on the same digital whiteboard.

• Application Sharing - The same program and file can be shared for demonstration or collaboration.

• Teleconferencing - Could be used to deliver instructor audio, or for collaboration.

• Videoconferencing - Either from expensive, high quality, dedicated systems, or from less reliable desktop versions.

• MOOs & MUDs - Virtual worlds where users take on avatars and interact in various ways.