Elearning Stimulates Paradigm Shift in Education
The demand for e-learning is increasing as face-to-face training and learning become more difficult due to the impact of the new coronavirus infection. e-learning can be taken anytime, anywhere, and more and more companies are adopting it, especially now that more people are working from home. Against this backdrop, many people in charge of e-learning may be considering its introduction in the future. However, some of you may be asking yourself, ”What is e-learning anyway? Why is e-learning use increasing? We have prepared this report to answer these questions and more. If you are interested in learning more about e-learning, or if you are considering implementing an e-learning system, please take a look at this article. What is e-learning? e-learning (e-learning) is an abbreviation of ”electronic learning," meaning a learning system using the Internet. In the business world, it has been adopted as a tool for human resource development. Terms such as "online learning," "web learning," "e-run," and "WBT" are sometimes used with the same meaning. In most e-learning systems, learning materials and video materials produced in HTML/CSS/JavaScript, etc., are generally taught using a web browser. Before the spread of smartphones, e-learning systems were mainly used on PCs, but many e-learning services now support not only PCs but also smartphones and tablet devices. Back to Table of Contents History of e-Learning The e-learning learning format has developed along with the spread of the Internet and the evolution of mobile devices, and has become a part of our daily lives. Here is a brief history of e-learning as it has evolved into its current form. (1) 1950s: Started in the U.S. Development began mainly in the U.S. with the idea that computers could be used to support education. In 1995, Windows 95, which became explosively popular, went on sale, and personal computers spread to ordinary households. In 2000, the then Mori Cabinet launched the "e-Japan Strategy," which aimed to create a Japanese-style IT society. In the latter half of the 2000s, smartphones such as the iPhone and Android, as well as larger tablet devices, began to appear, and e-learning underwent further significant changes. 5) 2020s: Rapid growth of the market due to the coronavirus epidemic The spread of the new coronavirus infection will lead to a rapid increase in home-based learning at schools and telecommuting at companies. Development of group learning and CAI before the advent of e-learning Conventional group learning and group education have faced challenges in terms of time and cost. Specifically, students and instructors need to be in the same place at the same time, which requires preparation, travel time, and transportation costs. In addition, since all students receive the same learning in a uniform manner, there is a tendency for differences in the level of understanding on the part of the learners. CAI stands for "Computer Aided Instruction," which means education using computers. The Birth of "CBT," CD-ROM-Based Learning In 1995, Windows 95 went on sale, and personal computers became widespread in many homes and businesses. This led to the emergence of a CD-ROM-based learning format, called CBT (Computer Based Training), which created an environment in which students could learn through multimedia materials that made extensive use of video, images, and sound. However, CBT has some problems, such as the cost of creating CD-ROMs, difficulty in modifying the program, and the inability of the company to manage the progress of the learners. Evolution to "WBT" (Web Based Training), a learning method using a web-based system, was developed based on the problems of CBT. WBT overcame the weaknesses of CBT by enabling the collective management of learning materials and learning history on a server. WBT is a web-based training system. Another key point for learners is that they can take lectures at any time and place with an Internet connection. Today, the online learning style described above is called e-learning, and it is used in a variety of settings, such as corporate training, knowledge sharing, and distance learning. Modern e-Learning Utilizing Multiple Devices and SNS In the 21st century, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have become widespread, and there is a growing need for e-Learning to be compatible with multiple devices, not just PCs. The ability to view e-learning courses on smartphones and tablets is expected to lower the hurdles to learning and improve knowledge acquisition and motivation to learn. Another trend in modern e-learning is the use of SNS to promote communication among learners, in addition to one-way feedback from the administrator to the learner. Dedicated contact points, bulletin boards, and internal SNSs are set up to solicit posts and questions from learners, with the aim of increasing their motivation. Back to Table of Contents Why has e-learning become more important in recent years? Here are five of the most important reasons. Reason 1: The coronavirus disaster has made group training difficult With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, travel to and from the training venue and gathering at the training venue itself has become restricted. Many schools have cancelled attendance at school and have taken measures such as conducting classes remotely. Web conferencing services such as Zoom are sufficient for one-way delivery of classes and training programs, but they cannot be used to measure understanding or to have students submit assignments. Therefore, by introducing an e-learning system, the scores, learning status, and assignment submission status of each learner can be monitored anytime, anywhere, providing a variety of advantages for both the administrator and the learner. Reason 2: Dissemination of Communication Environment and Information Devices With the spread of fiber-optic lines at home and at work, and the spread of high-speed, large-capacity communications such as 4G and 5G on smartphones, it has become possible to view videos smoothly. The improved communication environment has also contributed to the spread of e-learning, as it has become easier to manage data centrally on a server, and users can retrieve data when they need it. The GIGA school concept promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has begun to provide one learner terminal per student at elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. Depending on the school's policy, the degree to which students can freely use the terminal or take it home may vary, but at least one terminal per student is becoming an environment in which students can use it exclusively. In addition, most students now have smartphones. In the early days, smartphones had inferior performance compared to PCs and were limited in what they could do. Recently, however, the performance of smartphones has improved, and web content designed for PCs can now be viewed with almost no problems. Many websites are now accessed more frequently from smartphones than from PCs, and many websites are now optimized for smartphones. General Public Penetration According to a survey by the Mobile Society Research Institute, smartphone ownership among men and women aged 15 to 79 will reach 94% by 2022. Smartphone ownership among the working generation is even higher, making it feasible to offer e-learning using personal devices, although security considerations must be taken into account. In e-learning, the same content is generally provided to a large number of learners, and in some cases, a high level of confidentiality is not required. If a high level of confidentiality is required, measures such as restricting learning to company PCs are necessary. Reason 3: Sophisticated Work With the advancement of information technology, the knowledge required to carry out work has increased overwhelmingly. We no longer live in an age where we can eat off the knowledge and skills we learned in school for the rest of our lives. Workers need to constantly acquire new knowledge and skills. New knowledge and skills need to be acquired in a timely manner, and there is not always someone nearby who can teach them. Teleworking has become more common, and now workers can work from any location. E-learning is suitable for deploying work manuals and materials on legal revisions created at the head office in Tokyo to offices scattered across the country. Reason 4: Mid-career hiring and job changes have become commonplace. It is becoming less and less common for new graduates to stay with a company until retirement. As a result, the timing of hiring and entry into the workforce has become more varied, and training is now provided according to the time of entry, rather than hiring new graduates in batches and providing the same education and training over the course of a year. If an educator takes time to train each time a new employee joins the company, it may interfere with the work that should be done. Mid-career hires vary in job types and skills, so it would be inefficient and unmotivating on the part of the learners if everyone were given the same level and speed of training. In such cases, e-learning can be used to provide training that is appropriate for each individual according to their level of understanding, and can be conducted efficiently. Document sharing systems such as Google Docs and Google Spreadsheets may seem sufficient for the purpose of distributing manuals, but document sharing systems cannot adequately monitor the status of viewing and learning. However, document sharing systems cannot fully grasp the status of reading and learning. In addition, it is difficult to grasp the level of understanding because it is not possible to conduct confirmation tests, etc. Therefore, an e-learning system is suitable for "cases in which learning is essential and evidence of learning must be preserved. Back to Table of Contents Benefits and advantages of implementing e-Learning If you are currently struggling with how to train your employees, share the knowledge you have accumulated within your company, or develop your human resources, e-Learning is recommended. e-Learning brings benefits to both managers and learners. Please see the table below for details. Benefits of e-Learning for administrators ・ Cost savings ・ Centralized management of learner progress, grades, and attendance information ・ Easy revision and updating of course materials ・ Easy provision of appropriate learning materials for each learner ・ Repeatable courses ・ Fewer location and time constraints Easier to monitor learning progress and comprehension ・ Easier to work with smartphones and tablets Back to Table of Contents Disadvantages of e-Learning and their Countermeasures By understanding the weaknesses of e-Learning, you can take countermeasures when e-Learning is introduced. We will explain specific countermeasures to help you. Difficulty in maintaining motivation In the case of e-learning, educators and learners do not meet face to face. Therefore, unlike in schools or other educational settings, or in corporate group training, motivation cannot be maintained by the skills of the educator. In order to maintain motivation, it is of course important to provide interesting and effective learning materials, but e-learning is often conducted during work hours or while traveling, so a "micro" structure is preferred. While a typical school class or group training session lasts 45 to 90 minutes, a few minutes per session is preferable for e-learning. In addition, e-learning systems such as rankings, badges (medals), and guilds (team cooperation and joint responsibility), similar to those used in social games, are sometimes used to arouse a desire to learn and a sense of competition. Inability to see the learner's face "face to face" also means that the learner's level of understanding, feelings, questions, etc. are not known. Including questions to check comprehension will give you an idea of their level of understanding. You can check their feelings and questions by asking them to answer questions in the form of a report or a questionnaire. E-learning allows students to complete their learning online, and because they cannot see your face, you need to communicate with them carefully. Difficulty in securing content Although it may seem difficult to think about creating instructional materials from scratch, some e-learning systems allow you to upload and use content that is already available. For schools Some e-learning systems for schools provide teaching materials that follow educational guidelines and textbooks. By using such e-learning systems, you can introduce e-learning without the hassle of creating teaching materials. In the case of private companies If the content is directly related to business operations, there are no ready-made e-learning materials available, so you will need to either create the materials in-house or use an e-learning materials production company. Although using an outsourcing company makes it easier to create great-looking content, it is also more expensive and difficult to update the content, so it is important to choose between outsourcing and in-house support. Back to Table of Contents What you need to implement e-learning When implementing e-learning, you need to prepare two main things: a learning management system (LMS) and learning materials. Here, we will introduce each of them. Learning Management System (LMS) LMS stands for "Learning Management System," and is a system that can create and distribute e-learning learning materials and centrally manage learning progress and grades. It is the foundation of the environment that supports the implementation of effective e-learning. Learning Materials Even if you have a high-quality system, it will be a waste of resources if you do not have effective learning materials. To ensure the creation of high-quality learning materials, systems are now available that allow users to create and select from a variety of types of learning materials, including quizzes, tests, and questionnaires. When preparing learning materials, choose the best one from the following three methods according to your objectives and budget. Use off-the-shelf products from companies that provide specialized learning materials in areas such as sales and PC skills Ask a company that provides e-learning to produce them Create them using only your own resources Return to Table of Contents Let's build an efficient learning environment using e-learning In this issue, we will explain the history of e-learning and why it is becoming more and more important, We expect that e-learning will be used more and more in the future, and that it will be introduced in many more situations. Let's build an efficient learning environment by taking advantage of its merits and covering its demerits well. If you are considering the introduction of an e-learning system for your e-learning implementation, please take advantage of "learningBOX. This e-learning system features ease of use that requires no complicated operations and reasonable fees, making it easy for even those without specialized knowledge to create teaching materials and tests. Up to 10 accounts can be used free of charge, so please feel free to start with a free trial. ▼ We also recommend you to try this one! Also read Back to Table of Contents
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