Online learning occurs when students utilise a learning environment accessible via the Internet. Such a learning environment can be an LMS such as Moodle, Blackboard, Google Classroom, etc. It can also be a combination of an e-mail program, a video calling program such as Skype or WhatsApp and a storage and sharing system.
How teachers and students can use online learning is explained in various blogs.
The core of learning is that the student finds the material (learning materials and assignments) in the learning environment and that all communication occurs there. The core of the management is that the teacher carries out all his activities through the learning environment. He offers the material there and communicates with the students. A teacher who directs student learning continuously works in the online learning environment to encourage students to undertake learning activities and respond to them.
However, in most online learning programs the universities organise because of Corona or the open universities’ study programs, there are moments when students can meet with each other and the teacher. This F2F time is, however, in most situations limited. For example, there is only one meeting of two hours in one or two weeks.
The Blended learning approach and online education overlap strongly. All the options for using IT given in the E-course can be applied to both types of education. IT gives you many possibilities to enrich traditional education.
As a teacher, you have certain expectations about the effect of using ICT. It is you who decides which options you like to apply to make your course better.
However, in most cases, the IT options are based on research in specific educational contexts. In different learning situations, IT will have other effects. You decide how and when to use IT! Check if you have realised your whished impact. The question is, will the IT options you select? What is the expected effect on your course? The six essential IT-pedagogical functions for which IT can be used are shown below. In the E-course, all kind of options for using IT is presented.
IT offers all kinds of reasons to use IT in the teaching-learning process. For example:
- Deepen the study on the conceptual level.
2. Exercise problem-solving skills.
3. Exercise standard calculations.
4. Possibility to give feedback to the students.
5. Give necessary support to the students when the teacher is unavailable.
6. Make available extra explanations for students using text media, … an essential element of modern higher education.
7. Increase of a too-low entry level of students.
8. Improve the accessibility of available information for students. Use various online and offline options to present content and assignments (multimedia, up-to-date) and encourage them to work independently.
9. Give the students with ITedu tools more control (and responsibility) over their study activities.
10. Support the students if the teacher is not available.
