E Learning Technology for the Classroom: Pro's and Con's

The great amount of progress made in technology over the past 20 years has led many people to reconsider the implications for education. How can educators and teachers use computers in order to advance learning? Surely there are several ways. One of the most discussed methods is e learning, which is short for electronic learning. e learning is when students learn using computers, typically through the internet, cloud computing, or software. This form of educational technology is used very widely in K-12 and higher learning. It is estimated that the industry is worth over $48 billion each year. But does this technology really deliver the 'learning solutions' it proclaims? This article will discuss the plentiful pros and cons of online learning.

The most cited advantage of e learning is that it allows students to learn remotely. It has given rise to dozens of colleges which offer online learning exclusively. And many of the traditional universities also offer health science classes and business education which use online curriculum. As a result, e learning programs can save time and money by making commutes and trips to class unnecessary. Even better, most online learning classes allow students to study the material whenever is convenient for them. Students can schedule their classwork around their personal, professional, and academic schedules. Another advantage is that e learning is widely believed to increase student engagement. Take a finance class as an example: would students rather listen to their business teacher lecture? Or would they rather interact with learning software which shows them diagrams and graphs with impeccable delivery? Most would say the latter. Finally, online learning products can make life easier for teachers. They offer resources for educators such as standardized curriculum and streamlined grading.

Despite all the advantages, there are some drawbacks to e learning as well. The first deals with the comfort level that teachers and students have built up with traditional classrooms, over time. It may seem strange to engage in computer-based learning at first. Teachers may feel that they should be proving more instruction to their students. And students may miss the guidance of an available instructor, as well as the social action that classrooms provide. Additionally, there are many distractions when learning with technology. When a student is in a classroom, everyone around them is learning, and they are likely to pay attention and work hard due to this structure. When a student is learning online from their home, they may feel less motivated and end up surfing the web or chatting with their friends. Finally, there are many classes which require hands-on instruction, which may be difficult to simulate through online learning products. For example, many medical classes, such as those in CPR instruction, nursing certification, and EMS training, benefit from the physical presence of a teacher.

Since there are huge benefits to be drawn from e learning, but several disadvantages as well, many educators have opted for the middle ground-blended learning. These so-called blended learning solutions bring educational technology into traditional classrooms, thereby getting the time and engagement benefits, while maintaining the teacher-student relationship and hands-on instruction. Competition in the blended learning field has boomed as a result. Traditional curriculum providers such as Pearson have expanded their practice. While up and comers such as Applied Educational Systems ( http://aeseducation.com ) and Cengage ( http://cengage.com ) have filled the niche space. Blended learning has been accepted by the educational community and seems to be the perfect marriage of traditional and e learning moving into the future.

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Learning Technologies and Other Modern Teacher Resources

It is amazing as an adult to walk into a modern day classroom. They are simply so different from those in which we remember learning. The blackboards have replaced with whiteboards, the rulers have been replaced by smartphones, and in many cases the teachers have been replaced by robots! Just kidding (for some of my older readers who might actually be concerned). But it is not uncommon these days to see classes taught entirely or partially on computers. The amount of learning technologies which have found their way into the classroom is amazing. And they have helped facilitate teaching and student learning over the past decade. Some of these educational technologies are class websites, mobile devices, podcasts, and e learning products.

Class websites are a great and easy way for teachers to facilitate online learning. While traditional classes are still held, teachers have the opportunity to post additional educational material and even homework assignments on a website. In many cases, a college will allow students to look at all of their courses at the same time, on a site such as Blackboard. This helps students manage heavy course loads and manage all of their curriculum, resources, and assignments. The lesson plans from class may be available too.

Mobile devices have been useful classroom resource since the invention of clickers and smart phones. Clickers help to facilitate PowerPoint presentations which teachers often use to their benefit. Instead of writing notes on the blackboard as they teach the class, teachers can prepare their lesson plans ahead of time and click through notes and diagrams as they lecture. Smartphones such as the iPhone and the Droid are easy to bring into a class, and can house information, diagrams, and other tools which may be useful for student learning.

Podcasts are a cool new way for teachers to reach students remotely. Needing only a computer, microphone, and an internet connection, educators can post videos or audio recordings of their lesson plans. This is obviously a great tool for distance learning, or when a student is unable to make class. Many teachers make an audio recording of each of their traditional classes and post these online later for students to re-watch.

E learning is the new trend in educational technology. It is when students use computers to learn, typically accessing online curriculum resources through the internet, cloud computing, or software. Using e learning technology, entire classes can be taught without ever meeting in a traditional classroom. While this is great for distance learning, many topics such as health care education and business education require hands on instruction. Educators have created a hybrid between traditional learning and e learning called blended learning, which allows them to reap the time management and engagement benefits of online learning while still providing personal instruction.

All of these learning technologies have had a big impact on the way that modern students learn. Some, such as class websites, have become a mainstay of K-12 and secondary courses, while others, such as e learning, are quickly becoming a part of secondary and post-secondary programs. Many traditional curriculum providers, such as Pearson http://pearson.com/, are expanding their practice to include blended learning products. And others, such as Applied Educational Systems http://aeseducation.com/ are helping to fill niche markets of online learning. The future of education will be fun to watch. And while blended learning takes hold, it will be interesting to see what new learning technologies emerge to help students and teachers.

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Article Submitted On: May 20, 2011

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Learning About VPN and How It Works

The typical use for a VPN or private virtual network connection is through remote workers of companies, to enable to gain access to the company's local network when working from home or other remote places. With VPN in use, employees are able to access securely the office printer, external hard drives, and files, without physically being there.
VPN can also be utilized for personal use, especially when you connect outside your home quite often. Hotspots or places with a free Wi-Fi connection is a place where many hackers lurk, waiting to intrude in another person's private computer system, either for fun, or to steal sensitive information that he/she can use.
Important Things You Should Know About VPN
Security Benefits
A computer acts like a personal safety vault these days. Important information is stored in it, like confidential business data, personal photos, and even banking information. For those reasons alone, that a secure way of connecting to the internet is needed. VPN can provide that kind of security, since it provides the user a virtual private tunnel where data can be sent, without the risk of other people seeing them. A secure connection is the foremost benefit that one can get from having a VPN connection.
Surf Anonymously
One of the things that people who seek the use of VPN look for is to be able to surf online anonymously. Did you know that whenever you surf the internet, which is a private network, other people have the ability to access your system? They can do this by tracking your IP address that's visible to every websites you visit, as well as to your ISP. When you use a VPN, though, your true IP will be hidden, revealing only the public IP address of your VPN connection. With VPN, you have the freedom to visit websites without the fear of being identified.
Simple to Use
Your virtual private network, however technical it may sound, should be easy to use. I am speaking of good VPN service providers, who offer ease of use to users. There is no software needed for set-up, most providers will email you instructions on how to set-up your VPN connection. Once in place, you only need to provide your username and password, and you are set to use your VPN connection anywhere in the world.
Performance
When you use a virtual private network, you will most likely see changes in the performance of your internet connection. It may slow down, or even be unavailable sometimes. This happens when you use VPNs that have very low monthly fees. There are VPN providers that offer affordable plans with big bandwidth, wherein you can avoid these types of problems. It's not reasonable to pay for a low priced service when it prevents you from going online. A good priced VPN connection is well worth the investment, because it can deliver a secure and fast connection.
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