Learning Curve

In this Developing Skills for Online Learning class, besides all the e-learning concepts and technologies that I learnt from the weekly online synchronous or asynchronous classes, the most valuable thing that I have gained is the awareness of self-directed learning. From facilitating one class session on the topic of "Online Learners", doing reading assignments and posting reflections on the group discussion topics in the learning management system, and some other critical and practical learning activities, I have improved my study skills, time management skills, and collaborative skills. There is limited time for the class session in one semester, but the learning experience in this class built my intrinsic motivation to keep working on the readings and practices on e-learning.

Alternate Reality Learning

Using Second Life Avatar to build social network in a virtual world may support the education in the real world. Alternate reality learning provides users rich visual and interactive instruction; self-paced and flexible learning schedule; and an opportunities to expand the users' social network from the communication, collaborative learning experience in the virtual world. Alternate reality learning and other forms of e-learning may not be able to fully replace the traditional in-class learning, but they provide learners more opportunities to have new forms of learning experiences with the consideration of the traditional teaching and learning principles in the society. Alternate reality learning may not be able to fulfill people's every need in the desire of learning, and may not be able to overcome the barriers of the cultural differences. Alternate reality learning requires the development in higher-quality of game design, usability design, and computer programing. An improved user-interface and user-experience design will engage and increase learners' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. 

The Advantages of E-learning

E-learning is a trend nowadays, especially for adult learning. The advantages of E-learning are as follows:

1. E-learning is a type of distance learning. Learners take courses online synchronously or asynchronously.
2. Learners have flexible learning schedule, since they have the opportunities to do asynchronous study.
3. The learning content can be more focused to meet the learners' needs. E-learning includes training courses to meet organizations' needs.
4. Since E-learning is developed along with the development of internet technology and telecommunication technology, the design for E-learning courses can be more interactive and engaging for each learner compared to the traditional in-class learning.

Here is a Youtube video of CISCO introducing E-learning.

Online Instruction

Besides all the advantages of an e-learning course, I realized the following disadvantages of e-learning based on my experience:
1. Asynchronous learning may makes the learners out of track of the core learning content.
2. When in the case of traditional in-class learning take place every week, e-learning course may schedule to give learners more self-study time which may cause inefficiency to go through the learning curve.
3. Learners may feel isolate in the virtual learning environment with less learning context explored. The learners don't meet their classmates face to face, which decreases the possibilities to build a healthy social network and learning community.
4. It is difficult for learners to communicate with their instructor. The learners may not be able to get immediate (within 48 hours) feedback from the instructor.