Introduction:

This pandemic, ‘Covid -19’, has cast a gloom over the entire world. No corner of the globe seems to be unaffected by its horror. Cries and tears of millions who have lost their dear ones and/or source of livelihood have flooded the planet like never before. The world economy has crashed, unemployment has touched the bed of the deepest plunge, and lives have been ruined. For almost a year now, everything has come to a standstill! We must, however, not forget that there is a silver lining to every dark cloud! The world did not end, it kept moving to shoulder the burden of all those who are alive and struggling to make ends meet. Gradually, things are returning to normalcy. Government offices, transport services, recreation parks, etc. have started operating, although with limited capacity for now. Shopping complexes have opened, allowing a limited number of persons in at a time, considering the danger that still looms.  One thing, but, cannot and should never operate with a limited capacity, and that is the educational sector. It needs to keep functioning at its fullest capacity under all conditions. Why? It is because learners of today are going to be the experts of tomorrow who can solve problems faced by the world in the future. If we want them to be successful tomorrow, we must make efforts for their learning today! How is it possible, but, in these times of fear and contagion? It is possible through the medium of e-learning.

What is e-learning?

• It is learning with the help of virtual mediums rather than via personal contact or learning in a physical classroom environment. One can make use of electronic gadgets, applications and softwares to access e-learning. A laptop or a smartphone and a good internet connection are the needs for boarding onto the process.
• E-learning, also referred to as online learning or electronic learning, is the acquisition of knowledge that takes place through electronic technologies and media. In simple language, e-learning is defined as “learning that is enabled electronically”. Typically, e-learning is conducted on the Internet, where students can access their learning materials online at any place and time. E-Learning most often takes place in the form of online courses, online degrees, or online programs. There are many e-learning examples out there, and we’ve covered those in greater detail in our previous articles.

“E-Learning” is one of the words we use most in Avanzo. Some terms that surely sound like you and that many times mean the same thing as e-learning are the following:

• Teleformation
• Distance training
• Virtual education
• Teaching or online training

Although all of them have nuances, most of the time we are referring to the same thing: to train (workers, students)

Advantages of E-Learning

1. Reduction of the cost of the training

While the investment is initial and maintenance, we avoid the expenses of transfer, accommodation, or educational material that are required when the practice is face-to-face. It is especially important when we talk about large organizations with different locations across the globe.

2. Immediacy

Once connected, any communication gets carried out quickly and both by students and students with tutors.

3. Flexibility

While the face-to-face training requires closed calendars, the online one enjoys the flexibility that allows us to connect at any time, provided the Internet is available.

4. More Fun

Designing a course in a way that makes it interactive and fun through the use of multimedia or the more recently developed methods of gamification (further discussed in later chapters) enhances not only your engagement factor but also the relative lifetime of the course material in question.

5. No Boundaries, No Restrictions

Along with locational restrictions, time is one of the issues that learners and teachers both have to face in learning. In the case of face-to-face learning, the location limits attendance to a group of learners who have the ability to participate in the area, and in the case of time, it limits the crowd to those who can attend at a specific time. E-learning, on the other hand, facilitates learning without having to organize when and where everyone who is interested in a course can be present.

Drawbacks of E-learning

1. Isolation

Though e-learning offers ease, flexibility, and the ability to remotely access a classroom in the student’s own time, learners may feel a sense of isolation. This is because learning online is a solo act for the most part, which may give the learner the feeling that they are acting completely alone. As technology progresses and e-learning benefits from the advancements being made, learners can now engage more actively with professors or other students using tools such as video conferencing, social media, and discussion forums amongst others.

2. Health-Related Concerns

E-learning requires the use of a computer and other such devices; this means that eyestrain, bad posture, and other physical problems may affect the learner. When running an online course it’s a good practice to send out guidelines about correct sitting posture, desk height, and recommendations for regular breaks.