E-learning: structured VS un-structured
E-learning structured VS unstructured
E-Learning is a process to educate people through online web-based information. It is helpful by using the different E-learning elements that lead to one program. This program has components like quizzes, videos, activities, games, audio, and video content. Besides, many other useful ways are there to enhance the learning capabilities of the students. In the general term, we can use E-learning as a way to educate others electronically. E-learning breaks the barrier of distance, time, and collaborate with many people at the same time. There are a lot of benefits of E-learning that make it demand for hours. These advantages include that you can get its services at any time, it is less expensive than that of traditional classroom learning, allows pupils to collaborate, and interact with multiple cultures and traditions.
Significance of structured and unstructured approaches
E-learning has its two branches, and both lead to different mainstreams having different convenience and students by using them makes the most of their work. Structured E-learning refers to the pathways having some traditional chain of framework or formal hierarchy that opens onto objectives. Using these objectives learning process is performed within different organizations. As far as unstructured learning is concerned, it disperses the seeds of formality. Informal ways of E-learning have distinct variety and nature. Both mainstream is divergent and discrete in providing information. By using a structured approach and that shift toward the unstructured way brighten up the mind and polish skill set. For example, if you observe the course history of the student from grade one to higher education in developed countries, you will able to identify that in initial years students are educated through the traditional way and structured E-learning. When they shift to higher education, they have to and need to polish their skill set and use an unstructured approach for learning.
Structured Approach
Structured approaches have general objectives that act as the roots of a framework. It results in the certification or award at the end of the courses. This type of approach boost the students and they try to achieve the certificate at the end. It stimulates their eager behavior toward learning.
Educational department and E-learning
Many universities provide E-learning through different short, and long courses, and provide certificates, and degrees. These organizations set objectives and course content for the students. This content may be audio lectures, video lectures, animation, presentations, e-books, journals, articles, or elective courses from different books. It is divided into months and weeks. Tests are taken a week to week in the form of quizzes, and short online subjective tests. At the end of the course, students attempt a lengthy paper within a short period of time and the student has to submit it in return. After the week or month, the result will be uploaded, and students can see it through their LMS. If they pass exams, they will get a degree or certificate as a reward. This way is helpful for the university as its objectives of spreading E-learning and making more bright alumni are fulfilled.
Online programs
Some entrepreneurs have started online programs that also highlight e-learning techniques. By using this method, many students get benefited to polish their skills sets and to get more knowledge on their desired course.
Online Training courses
Online Training programs are now in demand. These programs provide detailed courses of about three to four months for the students who are skill-less or those who need a particular way to polish their skills. DigiSkills is one of the best online training programs for those who want to gain a specific skill or to polish it. It has different learning programs like AutoCAD, content writing, graphic designing, freelancing, digital marketing, E-commerce management, digital Literacy, word press, Quick books, and search engine optimization (SEO).
The framework of structured E-learning approach
There are diverse ways for an organization to handle structured E-learning processes. Clear and prime objectives are determined to achieve a sharp channel for a structured E-learning framework.
Set objectives
It is an initial step toward the mainstream as plans need objectives and execution of target carries on by these objectives. For starting a program, an organization, institution, platform, and program needs key objectives that act as the pillar of the learning building. There is no understanding of a structure without pillars, and learning without intent.
Roadmap learning
E-learning uses a structured approach to acknowledge the learner about what and how they are going to study the content. The roadmap gives a comprehensive overview of the organization/program, its objectives, course content, and pattern of study. It allows the students and educators to be well aware of all the schemes and rules before entering into the specific course.
Course content
It is a second step after setting an objective. When an institution or organization or training program defines its aim, then it is time to decide the course content of the specialized area. There should be a good course structure for E-courses that best fit the students and keep them engaged with the course.
Course outline
After the course content, create an outline of the total course content and divide it into weeks and hours. Sectioning of the course makes it more precise and organized. Now, this organized course-content, and syllabus are brought in the form of notes, presentation slides, document, video, and audio lectures.
Unstructured Approach
Unstructured e-learning used different informal ways to educate others. This kind of learning involves a more experience-based life, nurtures the capabilities of a person, stimulates the cognitive growth of the persons, sharpens the skills, helps to show expressions of different feelings, and makes them more confident.
Unstructured approaches of E-learning presents different courses of action that encourage pupils in life activities.
Online Resources
Different online resources are now in hands via the Internet. These are Google, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, articles, journals, e-books, and many other resources that broaden the mind of students and learners. All these resources have diverse data and information on each subject. If we take an example of YouTube, YouTube provides the video content. Thousands of videos are present on a single topic, and this diversity helps to get more and more information attractively. Google is one of the eminent online resources of information in the form of audio, video, pdfs, websites, articles, and images. All these resources assist a learner during E-learning.
Peer learning
Peer learning is a process in which similar social groups come together to learn from each other. It can occur through audio and video calling or zoom. In peer learning, teachers are not involved in guidance and help, but students support each other by themselves. When you are studying with your friend or batch-mate, the night before exams on video or audio calls, then it reflects peer learning.
Questioning techniques
Question techniques are the best way to deepen your mind and open your deep reasoning abilities. When someone asks questions like when, how, and who, it amplifies brain cells to respond quickly and sink into it. E-learning is liked worldwide because it allows people to add questions from the world online community. The Internet now provides different platforms where you can ask questions from the experts of the subjects.
Webinars
Webinars are also an informal way of E-learning in which an online conference is organized for participants. Learners or participants ask questions, interact with each other, and collaborate to work in a positive, healthy web-based environment. Participants from all over the world can come to the same page. It is possible through the audio and video component of the webinars. E-learning content that can share through webinars are presentations, videos, and other multimedia content.
Online jobs
Another method of informal and unstructured E-learning is an online job. Many platforms provide an online job to people. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and many other platforms are available to provide job experiences to skilled persons across the globe. These jobs increase the confidence of the learners. Through these experiences, one can enhance its learning.
Hence, E-learning does not limit you but breaks all your barriers. Both structured and unstructured types are involved to justify the learning needs of the persons. Learners can get their information in several repetitions. The digital revolution lets students and learners to have updated content on every subject area. E-learning also provides scalability and consistency. It makes course content more effective and students can easily digest the content to achieve the certification and degree. The cost of E-learning is much less as compared to traditional classroom learning in which students pay expensive fees to enroll in a single subject. One of the considerable importance of E-learning is that it helps the environment to protect itself by less emission of carbon dioxide, less cutting of trees, and other dangerous gases from vehicles and paper industries. Thus, it has proved that E-learning techniques are rapidly expanding, and maybe in the upcoming years, E-learning took the whole place of traditional classroom formal learning.