E Learning is Shallow Yet Has Potential

I have great hope for the future of E Learning but in it's current state, E Learning is shallow and ripe for innovation. I was discussing this with Rosa and she asked me to share my thoughts with the JJL community.

Why is E Learning Shallow?

The challenge with E Learning is it tends to be impersonal, lacking one-on-one interaction, and reciprocal action.

Learning is an experience.

Learning cannot be bottled, controlled, or packaged - learning is the experience of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice, experience, or study. A teacher, mentor, or speaker can impact a students experience, direct their attention - despite that, learning is very much a personal journey.

Solitary E Learning offers flexibility, self-paced, and self-study opportunities that traditional approaches cannot match.

It is the exchange of ideas, debate, and exploring on an idea or concept between two or more people that creates a plethora of learning opportunities. Unless we can create a synchronous  electronic environment that provides for interaction, collaboration, and synchronous (at the same time) conversations.

We Need to VAKOG E Learning

We learn through our five senses and its a unique combination of visual, auditory , kinesthetic, olfactory, and gustatory (VAKOG) stimulus that creates the 'learning experience' and until E Learning can simulate more of a interactive, live learning environment it will not reach wide acceptance, by learners.

I am not suggesting that people cannot learn via E Learning, just that its potential will be limited until we can create a rich, live, and interactive user experience.

• Are you aware of any E Learning platforms that provide a synchronous and rich experience?
• What has been your experience with E Learning? What did you like or dislike?
• Why do you think E Learning has become popular?

Greg Balanko-Dickson is a Business Performance and Lifestyle Coach that helps entrepreneurs to have their business and a life too.

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Greg, maybe the e learning you talk of is already here in Second Life? I have not been to visit so my knowledge of it is all hearsay and second hand info (no pun intended).

The e learning I have been involved with is evolving. I have not found any tools today that will meet all of your VADOG requirements. As we continue to evolve JJL and introduce other tools into this collaborative experience, we may help to get there sooner as opposed to later.

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Perhaps Second Life is a good example of what is possible with E Learning, like you say to engage a full VAKOG experience - we would need a version of smell'o'vision.

Current teaching focuses on the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (VAK) modalities to maximize the learning experience.

I think E Learning would be better named E Teaching as what actually happens in E Learning environments more resembles teaching and information dissemination.

A new technology is currently in the early stages of development, it sends a digital 3D image to a laser 'printer' to manufacture products like chairs and tables.

Using an engineered material the laser alters the state of the material from a powder to a solid and in the end you have an actual chair that you can use. Right now the technology is not commercially feasible as the costs to operate the printer are too expensive and take too long - but they are working to improve the technology.

My article was not meant to be a criticism of JJL rather a commentary of where E learning is, its limitations, and hope for the future.

[Rosa Say]

Since we talked about this Greg, I set up a Google Alert for eLearning, and there's a lot that is coming up; it surprised me.

For instance, Dr. Tony Karrer is CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, and he set up this page that doubles as his "First Time Visitor Guide" and an e-learning resource:
http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2006/08/first-time-visitor-guide.html
Lot to read there!

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

That is a great resource Rosa, thanks for the heads up.

[Karen Wallace]

Greg, I see this as a huge challenge for those of us doing business on the net, where some of our offerings as coaches, mentors, consultants or educators are based on e-learning models.

To me, you've thrown down the gauntlet and challenged me to take a real 'coach approach' to some of the learning I am currently designing for my clients - rich, live and interactive. Powerful stuff!

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Hi Wanda, there really are some great opportunities online, just because everyone is going with the crowd doesn't mean we have to follow.

In fact, it means that there is money to be made where the majority has not recognized yet.