Community means integrated body of individuals. Therefore learning communities could be defined as a unified body of individuals whose purpose is focused on learning. Learning communities can be brought together in a variety of ways. Schools, colleges and universities are a good example of communities. But there are some communities slightly different from the traditional communities which we see in colleges or university, and are called virtual or e-communities (electronic) or online education communities.
Here the question of address is what makes up an e-community, the theories that help those communities boom, the strong effect that those communities have on the participants, and the issues involved in developing an online community.
E-communities: There is an important difference between diverse types of online education and online learning communities. E-communities or virtual communities are not physically seen but exists in the cloud of internet. E-communities that meet mainly in cyberspace are emerging. Online education cannot be stated plainly by the use of technology since there is usage of different degrees of technology during education. An online course could be web-based, flexible of 1 to 29% of learning taking place online, blended/hybrid, comprising of 30 to 79% online education, or purely online where 80% or more learning takes place online. A recent study on online education shows that 11% of all U.S. higher education students, over 1.6 million people, registered in at least one of their courses online. Today, 57% of academic leaders understand that the learning result for online courses is equal to or better than face-to-face instruction.
With these online communities there is a significant difference because e-communities can grow in any of these circumstances, but internet is a tool and just having the tool would not help in sustaining relationships needed in making a community. The being community-ness of e-communities develop when there is interaction – sharing collective wisdom. This switch-over of ideas, knowledge, and imagination takes place between the learners and facilitators and makes up a mutually entertained experience rather than an experience that is just shared. This exchange of ideas takes place from learner-to-learner or learner-to-facilitator.
E-communities can be successful if there applies the constructivism and adult learning theory. The other element of its success is technology. Constructivism means learners must share knowledge actively and build new ways through which the real experienced based knowledge is shared. In addition, the role of the educator is also a key that will be act as a developing an environment that will promote real life experiences that lead to learning. Besides, educators have also placed an emphasis on the social aspects of constructivism, the collaboration of learners during knowledge acquisition and problem solving. Whereas adult learning theory is an important hypothetical reflection of study since people go for online education mainly after the completion of high schooling.
An obstacle to promoting e-community-based learning there is the complete absence of face-to-face instruction which is practically non-existent. The other obstacle may be the geographical and time-zone differences that hinder the learners from being communicative to other individuals of the e-community.
Technology and instructional design are the other two critical elements of designing an e-community based education. Technology based learning and communication is composed of video, audio, and text programs which could be of synchronous or asynchronous type. There should be some on the lookout consideration that explains which medium for this learning is suitable, when it will be used, and how it should be used be supposed to be included into the instructional design process. Other issues that should be considered in the instructional design process include how constructivism and adult learning theory contribute to making significant the function of the instructor and how they contribute to the sustainability of the e-community.
In conclusion it is obvious that the future of e-communities is certain. In simple words the medium used today for teaching will transform into another form whereas theoretical basis will remain comparatively the same. When there is more data on the effectiveness of various mediums as they connect to learning theories, the design of instruction for e-community learning will become a more precise science. Learner will get the rights to use the best instruction available, irrespective of geographical or time constraints and this will become more of a reality. Students will also be able to make choice of instructors/facilitators that they believe will fit with their learning styles and thus creating a more focused and dynamic model for instruction and learning.
By: Ismail Ahmed Alhashmi
Posts Tagged ‘Education Online’
E-Communities – The Advanced Phase of Online Education
April 11th, 2010Is Online As Good As Traditional Education? The Truth Exposed!
April 8th, 2010
Since online education classes are a new education format, it also does not possess many of the known support systems that we can find inside a traditional school structure. This process is usually done with your classmates in a traditional school system but because of the nature of online education, you really do not have classmates in the traditional sense. However, there are people who fear that online courses may not give students the same benefits that traditional courses do.
Earning an educational qualification from the comfort of one’s home or workplace is an idea that is appealing to a large number of people who do not have the time to enroll for a traditional classroom-based course. Before you sign up for your first online course you might find the information presented in this article useful.
Courses are offered in a sequence, and students can complete each course in about five to six weeks. Offered by many accredited colleges and universities, this method of distance learning can help you earn a degree that is every bit as valued as the one you’d get if you were physically attending courses on the campus of a major university. The distance learning programs offered and degrees available through online education or correspondence courses (yes, some do still do it the old fashioned way) vary by school, so it is best to research the school you’re interested in to be sure that the degree you’re interested in offers the program that you are looking for.
This liberation of education has truly revolutionized the way we as individuals and professionals can attain additional knowledge and skills. With an online education – gaining knowledge has been freed from the confines of a school building and has now entered the domain of the individual in whatever place or time that is convenient to him. Many people find that helping students achieve knowledge is one of the most rewarding careers available because of the unique challenges and the often surprising results.
In this age of global education and the need for current knowledge and skills, this is a fast delivery system that will bring all the technological advancement right into your living room instantaneously.
It is up to you to set up a convenient schedule for study. Most online driver education courses do not have any fixed schedule or time line for completing the course, which means that there is no pressure at all. There isn’t even a need to ever meet the teachers or other students and you can do it at any time of the day so it won’t interfere with your work schedule or your life in general.
Determine your goals, make a plan, stay committed and never give up. To determine whether or not online education is right for you, you need to be honest with yourself and ask the following questions. If you are ready to succeed, take some time to determine why this is a great thing for you.
By: Derek Dexter
Elementary Education Online – It is Possible to Do This Today
March 27th, 2010
There are a lot of people who want to teach at elementary school. Traditionally, you will need to pursue your education offline at some colleges or universities. Nowadays, due to work or family commitments, some of these people can choose to get this elementary education online. This is now possible because a lot of the colleges and universities understand how popular this is becoming nowadays. They are now making it possible for you to get the elementary education on the internet.
When you get an elementary education online you will be qualified to have a career in teaching elementary and high school students. Getting your elementary education degree online is also known as distance learning. By getting your degree online you are able to obtain the education that you need at your own convenient pace and from the comfort of your own home. You can also continue to work at your current place of employment while you do this.
In order to be able to teach at the elementary or high school level you will need to have a Bachelor’s degree that has an emphasis on elementary education. This is the minimum requirement necessary in order for you to be able to teach. One of the first things that you will need to do is to get an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science Degree. This is the first step that you need to take. Once you have done this you will need to continue your education to get the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.
Once you have the Bachelor’s degree for elementary education, you can go a step further and advance your career by getting a Master’s degree or a Doctorate (PhD) degree that has an emphasis on Elementary Education. With the Master’s degree or the Doctorate degree you will be eligible for a career in elementary schools as well as being qualified to work in higher education institutions.
There may be some extra classes that you may have to take at a college or university but this is something that you will have to check up with the relevant authorities. With most of the elementary education online it is very possible to accumulate one hundred percent of the required credits that you need for your elementary education degree.
There will always be a need for teachers at the elementary level and the high school level. So you need to make sure that you check into all of your options when getting your degree. An elementary education online may be just what you want to do. It is very possible to get your elementary education degree online if that is what you choose to do. You just need to make sure that you check into everything before you decide what to do.
By: Lester Lee
