eLearning Delivery Media
About 3 min read
Classroom training or education are usually delivered to the students by a live teacher and through the use of text books.
eLearning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program or degree delivered completely online.
Basically, eLearning is training, learning, or education delivered online through a computer or any other digital device.
Questions you may have include:
- What are the different ways to deliver eLearning material?
- Which medium is the best to use?
- What about additional material?
This lesson will answer those questions.
Delivering e-learning
- via the Internet – online learning
- company or school Intranet
Internet
A large portion of e-learning is delivered via the Internet. It can be in the form of text, animations, and or audio.
Software
Using software delivered from
- CD-ROM
- DVD
- Thumb drive
Delivery on CD-ROM
Since a large number of companies and users have computers with CD-ROM players, most CBT titles are now delivered on a CD-ROM. This allows the use of large amount of data, as well as audio and video effects to be included in the CBT.
A problem with using a CD-ROM with video is the slow throughput, resulting in jerky video pictures. One solution is to require the user to load the files to his or her hard drive. New, faster CD-ROM drives and enhanced video software is improving the video performance from a CD-ROM.
CD-ROM considerations
Factors to consider with delivering a CBT on a CD-ROM are:
- Must the CBT material be downloaded to the hard drive? And if so, is that acceptable to the users?
- Does the user company have sufficient PCs with CD-ROM players?
- Are the users’ CD-ROM players fast enough for pleasing video and audio effects?
Delivery on DVD
The new DVD medium has even greater advantages, since the disks hold seven times as much material as a CD-ROM. Since a DVD disk can hold a 2 hour video, its potential as a delivery medium for CBT is great. At the moment DVD players are not that common and DVD recorders are even less common. In a few years DVD will overtake the CD-ROM.
Intranet
Some companies and schools use internal communicat ions through an Intranet. However,Intranets don’t pull relevant and current stories in the way that we are used to receiving information. Content is often out of date because publishing to intranets can be difficult and time-consuming.
here is a distinct technology gap in corporate communications today: only 25% of communicators use their company intranets to communicate with employees.
LAN delivery
In some companies, the training material is saved on a central server and is distributed over the local area network (LAN). Speed and response time becomes an issue in such a situation.
Including books
Some CBT developers include a work book, a text book, or an exercise manual along with the CBT floppies or CD-ROM. This is not seen very often, but it can be an effective way to re-enforce the training. The user can gain understanding by reading material, as well as by doing written exercises.
Sometimes people become passive when dealing with visual information. Reading and solving written problems can get them more involved in the learning process.
Summary
The usual method to delivery a CBT is on a CD-ROM. DVD may be the medium of choice in a few years. Some are still using floppies, since they are convenient. Using extra material such as manuals and books is an option that is not used as much as it could be.
Benefit society by applying your knowledge of Computer-Based Training.