1. E-LEARNING
STUDENT NAME
STUDENT COLLEGE
Abstract
According to (Horton, 2011), E-learning is the use of computer technologies to create
learning experiences. This means that students can acquire their knowledge virtually, without
necessarily being physically present for the lesson. The purpose of this essay is to establish why
students need to connect in the e-learning environment, to discuss the critical components for
interactions and also discuss the various techniques that can be used by an instructor to
encourage students.
Why students need to connect in an e-learning environment
Real time access: Live learning events require that students have a schedule that is aligned to the
training calendar. E-learning eliminates this because the course can be accessed anytime,
anywhere. This can also happen without Internet access.
Freedom to fail. Real learning requires some failure, but no one likes to fail in a classroom full
of other people. E-learning lets you fail without fear. This encourages exploration and testing of
ideas. With the right feedback, one can create a great learning environment. On top of that, you
can always start over which is something you can’t always do in class.
Improved retention. The combination of multimedia and instructional design results into a very
good learning experience that is repeatable. With some good practice activities with feedback,
you have a learning environment that’s going to help learners retain the course content which

2. will produce favourable results.
Personalized learning. Learners want control over what they are
learning. E-learning offers control to the learners in a way that classroom learning doesn’t.
Ongoing access to resources. If you take a class in the real
world and need a refresher, you will require good notes. E-learning does not need one to have
notes. Ideally, you continue to have access to the online content and resources to polish up on
what you learned.
Knowledge management. Many people see e-learning as only the authored courses but e-
learning includes all sort of online technologies. Incorporating some of the tools that allow
collaboration and conversation helps capture organizational knowledge that is available for
future learners.
Encourage sharing. The foundation of a learning community is built on sharing what you know
with others. Incorporating a forum or wiki adds value to your e-learning. Depending on how the
course is structured, you can encourage sharing of resources and insight gained from the course.
Employer of choice. People want opportunities to grow. A catalog with all sorts of elearning
courses allows students to explore other opportunities in the organization. During downtime, it
would be great to spend fifteen minutes learning to manage meetings in a better way or improve
working with peers. Offering these opportunities to learn develops a place people want to stay.
Interaction is considered an essential element to student learning and to the overall success and
effectiveness of distance education (Bruning, 2005). Shale and Garrison (1990) stated that “in its
most fundamental form, education is an interaction among instructor, student and subject
content”. Moore (1993) suggested that there is a transactional distance in distance learning
environment as instructors and learners do not interact in the same physical and temporal space.

3. In order to overcome potential shortfalls due to transactional distance, Moore identified three
types of interaction essential for learning in distance education:
i. Learner-content interaction: It is the method by which students obtain information from the
course materials. The content can either be in the form of text, audio or videotape, CD-ROM,
computer program, or online communication.
ii. Learner-instructor interaction: This refers to the interaction between the learner and the
instructor. This can take the form of instructor delivering information, encouraging the learner,
or providing feedback. In addition, this can include the learner interacting with the instructor by
asking questions, or communicating with the instructor regarding course activities.
iii. Learner-learner interaction: It is the exchange of information and ideas that occurs among
students about the course in the presence or absence of the instructor. This type of interaction can
take the form of group projects, or group discussion, etc. The learner-learner interaction can
foster learning through student collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Critical components for student-student
interactions In an online environment, the learners
interact in one of the two ways: synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous, meaning at the
same time, includes instruction methods such as chat. The learners can be in different locations,
but have to be at the computer at the same time. Asynchronous communication includes email
and discussion boards which do not require the learners to interact at the same time. The
instructor can prearrange the learner-learner interaction or the learners can take the initiative and
interact on their own. The elements that are used are: chat, email, discussion boards and video
conferencing. Critical components for student-teacher interactions
The interaction may not be just between the learners and

4. instructors, but may include people who prepared the course content as well as the technical
crew. Next, the instructor's responsibilities may not be that different, but the way they are
achieved may be. The instructors need to keep the students motivated to learn, give appropriate
feedback for support, and continue a dialogue at a distance (Moore, 1989). The instructor needs
to participate in chats, video-conferencing, message boards, and frequent emails to have
simulated interaction. This requires the instructors to be competent in using technology as well
as have effective writing skills.
Techniques an instructor can use to encourage and develop a sense of
presence and engagement in the online classroom.
Use visual elements.This could mean something as simple as
uploading a picture to accompany a discussion board post, or using an avatar or a favorite photo
if privacy is a concern. This allows for simultaneous stimulation of multiple sensory modalities;
the student will actually “see” the instructor, something we take for granted at a brick and mortar
university, but it is more challenging to do in an asynchronous environment.
Incorporate audio communications. Podcasts are
an easy way to allow students to hear the voice of the instructor. There are many free education
technologies that can provide this service, and most computers come equipped with a
microphone that is sensitive enough to suffice. Voice allows for tone in inflection, something
that is very challenging to achieve in the written word, and it will resonate with students who
learn through hearing.
Remember specific details about your students. Generate a spreadsheet with notes on
each student, including nicknames, hometown, favorite hobbies or sports teams. Students will
appreciate any time an instructor can incorporate these details into a response or feedback.

5. Be available when students need help. Faculty presence is
fundamental in an online environment, especially if students are located all over the world.
Consider varying office hours to accommodate different time zones and work schedules.
Use methods of communication that students are
fluent in or prefer to use: Email is an inefficient way to communicate in an asynchronous
environment; consider giving students a telephone number to call if that is within university
guidelines. If privacy is a concern, sites like Google allow for the generation of a free number
that will ring to an instructor’s office or personal phone line.
Fostering a Collaborative Environment: Engaging students in the learning process
through the use of communication tools that foster a collaborative environment is shown to
reduce attrition and to keep e-learners online (Osberg, 2002). In order to encourage and foster
student participation, the educator must also maintain an online presence (Sheard, 2004). By
maintaining an online presence and through the use of technology as a tool to facilitate
interaction among students, the educator is able to reduce the barriers of time and space and
foster an online community which promotes active learning. In order to encourage and foster
student participation, the educator must also maintain an online presence (Sheard, 2004). By
maintaining an online presence and through the use of technology as a tool to facilitate
interaction among students, the educator is able to reduce the barriers of time and space and
foster an online community which promotes active learning. In order to encourage and foster
student participation, the educator must also maintain an online presence (Sheard, 2004). By
maintaining an online presence and through the use of technology as a tool to facilitate
interaction among students, the educator is able to reduce the barriers of time and space and
foster an online community which promotes active learning. The

6. Instructor’s Role in a Discussion Forum: In online learning environments, the use of
asynchronous communication tools such as discussion forums is predominantly student-driven
communication with little to no instructor participation. Discussion forums, when used
effectively, can be the foundation for an electronic learning community providing students with
assistance, support, and social structures usually associated with face-to-face traditional
classroom environments (Sheard, 2004). Further, discussion forums provide an opportunity for
an instructor to interact with every student rather than the select few questions time constraints
allow for in traditional environments (Hardin, 2004). Without the restrictions of time and space,
discussion forums provide considerable opportunity for active learning and the sharing of
multiple perspectives with and among student participants (Sheard, 2004). The instructor should
guide, but not dominate the discussion in an asynchronous forum while maintaining an active
presence when student-to-teacher conversation is necessary or warranted. By allowing more time
for students to reflect on the questions posed in a discussion forum, greater opportunities for
inspired and engaged learning occur in the online classroom (Picciano, 2006). students are more
responsive to questions posed by other students, than to those posed by instructors (Sheard,
2004).

7. References
Hardin, K. (2004). Teach them to Fly: Strategies for Encouraging Active Online Learning.
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE , 10-14.
Horton, W. (2011). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Moore, D., & Readence, J. (1993). Pre Reading activities for content area reading and learning
(2nd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Osberg, C. (2002, October). How to Keep E-Learners Online. T + D , pp. 45-46
Picciano, A. G. (2006). Online Learning: Implications for Higher Education Pedagogy and
Policy. Journal of Thought , 75-94.
Sheard, J. (2004). Electronic Learning Communities: Strategies for Establishment and
Management. Proceedings of the 9th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation
and technology in computer science education (pp. 37-41). Leeds, United Kingdom:
ACM.