E-LEARNING FAQ - What is an e-Learning System?

A comprehensive software package that supports "courses that depend on the WWW for some combination of delivery, testing, simulation, discussion, or other significant aspect" (Robson, p. 271).

There are a plethora of other terms and acronyms for such systems - check the Glossary for an explanation and a reflection on the terminology used.

How are they different from previous technologies?

Which ones did the IJET Authors use?

The 1999 IJET Special Issue includes four reports on implementing four different systems in four different institutions. The four systems are tabulated below with links to the supplying company's home pages. Also included are also links to the relevant seminar speaker and university where the system was used together with an update on what appears to have happened in the intervening years.

Experiences with Four E-learning WLEs

WEB CT

TOP CLASS

1999: University-wide experiences with (126 courses) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Report by Lazenby.

2002: A Virtual Campus is now available for over 26,000 flexible learning students (see Telematic Learning and Education Innovation).

1999: "used in 80 courses and over 6500 students at the University of Technology, Australia", Report by Alexander.

2002: The university now appears to be using Blackboard instead (see UTSOnline).

LEARNING SPACE

TeleTOP

1999: Various courses and university-provided professional development for teachers at Marquette University, Wisconsin, U.S.A. Report by Fisher.

2002: The University now appears to be using Blackboard as well (see Learning on the Web).

1999: Over 60 courses, faculty-wide (and broader) use of a locally produced system at the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Report by Collis & DeBoer.

2002: Now adopted by the University - and a commercial edition is planned for "summer of 2002" (See Why TeleTOP fits your way of teaching).

A visit to the company's home pages will reveal whether they are primarily aimed at business, training or higher education.

How many systems are there?

Bruce Landon lists 112 such systems on his Web Tool for Comparative Analysis of Online Educational Delivery Applications site. His web tool reviews compare the technological features of the systems by means of a fast database of well-organised criteria. Clicking on the underlined name of any of the technological features will take you to a glossary of terms.

You could use this tool to discover, say, which of the systems mentioned above is the best for disability access?
HINT: To compare two or more applications you can go to the Option 1 Side by Side Comparisons page or the Option 3 - Comparative Analysis Feature page. NOTE: Teletop is not listed.

112 different systems! How do people decide which one to use?

According to Robson, institutions decide according to "perceptions about ease of use, appearance of the interface, recommendations from peers, marketing strategies and position in the market" and NOT according to pedagogic distinctions. Indeed he points out that " it is hard to find good data that expose pedagogic distinctions " (p.276). Bonk & Dennen complain that "Web designers have created tools that focus on management and administration over student needs and learning" (p.402). While Collis & De Boer "came to the conclusion that none of the commercial products we studied met all of our requirements" so they created their own (which they called Teletop).
Some suggestions for the type of tools that would be included in a learner-centred system can be found in Bonk & Dennen, p.402.