E-CONTENT FOR E-LEARNING: THE NEED OF THE HOUR

RISHAD KOLOTHUMTHODI
Lecturer,
Sullamussalam College of Teacher Education,
Areacode, Kerala, India


“India can become one of the developed countries in the world by 2020, if we adopt technology as our tool. For this the teaching community should change its mindset and enthuse the students by means of technology”.
Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam (2004)

The wonders of technology never cease. It continues its race towards developments and advancements. This is an era of knowledge explosion. Tremendous progress in computer technology has invaded the arena of education. Technology has had a significant effect on the education system for many years. We have shifted from the days of black board to the days of web. The new instructional technologies have brought about changes in pedagogy and curriculum content, and have been instrumental in increased academic productivity and teaching effectiveness. Learning process is now in a position that cannot be attained without the help of computers and Information Technology. This gave birth to E-learning. E- learning offers new opportunities for both educators and learners to enrich their teaching and learning experiences, through virtual environments that support not just the delivery but also the exploration and application of information and the promotion of new knowledge.

E-learning is considered a more effective way of teaching to a large group of students which provides consistency in educational quality. It is an environment in which the lessons and lecture notes are deployed on CDs or web servers. It is any learning that utilizes a network LAN, WAN or internet for delivery, interaction or facilitation. It includes Distributed Learning, Online Learning, Open and Distance Learning, Computer Based Training (CBT) delivered over a network and Web Based Training (WBT).
E-learning provides significant and numerous opportunities. When it is integrated with mobility its power is multiplied manifold. Mobility allows the learner to have access to learning and information anytime and anywhere. Information is every where, sometimes more accessible then at other times. Technology has allowed the creation and dissemination of information on an unprecedented scale and with unprecedented ease. Government has expanded to e-government, commerce has expanded to e-commerce and learning has in turn expanded to e-learning. Technological advances have extended the dimensions of the information used and provided by social institutions and have revolutionized the process that make the information meaningful or amenable. E-learning breaks the limit of time. We can decide our own time for learning. Using internet, materials can be delivered that may not only be viewed online, but also retrieved and stored for viewing at a later time.

Grey Revolution
The world has undergone so many revolutions. This era is of knowledge explosion. The tremendous developments and advancements in the field of Information Technology is termed as Grey Revolution. In the industrial age the main raw material was steel and as a nation we used it to build trains, machinery, ships etc. The raw material of our age is information. It is used to create products like, newspapers, books, websites, computer software etc. Thus ability to shape information into new products is a fundamental employment skills of our times. As a nation, we need to remain skilled at making products from information.

Taking this into account so many E-learning systems have been developed webCT, Blackboard, knowledge presenter, Angel etc are some of the proprietary E-learning systems. ATutor, Moodle are open source e-learning systems now in use.

E-Content
As an E-learning resource, e-content has vital role. Simply, e-content is content in the electronic form. It is usually meant for visual effect. The e-content and associated web based learning environments do not seek to replace traditional teaching and learning, but is expected to supplement them. The inclusion of e-content in learning is now inevitable. Responding to the need, concerted efforts have been initiated for e-content creation by a variety of agencies. The UGC-CEC has taken initiative to develop quality e-contents designed to meet the new challenges, and to help India take the lead in this newly emerging field. The goal of UGC – CEC, through e-content development is to encourage individual teachers, groups of teachers in colleges and universities and experts in the IT Industry in visualization and multimedia production to develop educational content in electronic format, suitable for use in various teaching and learning programmes. It will develop the learners skill of seeking, sorting, shaping and storing information and processing the same for academic purposes.

In tune with the saying, “Senses are the gateways of knowledge”, e-content integrates text, image, audio, video and animation and thereby activates the vital senses of the learners to make the learning process very effective and efficient.

Growth of knowledge
00 AD - 1750 AD Knowledge doubled in 18 centuries
1750 AD - 1900 AD Knowledge doubled in 150 years
1950 AD - 2000 AD Knowledge doubled in 50 years
After 2000 AD - Knowledge doubles every year

Knowledge Packaging
Knowledge packaging is nothing but digitalizing the knowledge in which it can be accessed by many people without geographical and time boundaries through wired or wireless communication large amount of data can be transmit within a short period of time.

Lectures, Conversation, Songs, Stories, Ballads, Manuscripts, Print, Audio, Video and every forms of knowledge can be packaged. Integration of these types of knowledge will constitute a good e-content.

Nowadays the knowledge required is very high. A standard of knowledge now is entirely different what we had in the past. Reach & Richness of E-content is very high. The three Q’s – Quality, Quantity and Quickness is also very high in Knowledge packaging.

Features of E-content
¨ Multi-Sensory Learning Experience
We have the sayings,
“Senses can the gateways of knowledge”
“A thousand hearings are not so effective as one seeing”
Learning takes place,

1% through TASTE
1.5% through TOUCH
3.5% through SMELL
11% through HEARING 83% through SIGHT

We remember,
20% of what we HEAR
30% of what are SEE
50% of what we SEE AND HEAR
80% of what we SAY
90% of what we SAY AND DO

Taking these assumptions into account e-contents are prepared. Since it activates the vital senses of the learners, the learning process become very effective and efficient.

¨ Digital Convergence:
Everything has digitalized now. So the access and process has become easy and quick. Electronic or digital resources are the converted forms of different medias like text, video, animation, audio etc. and they help us to have a better understanding.
¨ Principle of Chunking
It refers to the breaking of knowledge to small small units to make the student understand well.

¨ Accessibility
Accessibility is very high. Everybody can access according to his convenience. There is no limitations or criterion for access.
¨ Reusability
Since everybody can use it at their own time, there is no question of expiry. We can use it any number of time.

¨ Interoperability
It works in any platform. We can work it with windows media player, real player and even in any mobile devices. It can be made available through Internet, Cable TV Networks and Direct to Home Systems.

Types of E-Content
¨ Assembled E-Content
Assembled e-content constitute compiled and assembled from several resources and books with due care taken for IPR and copyright issues. Here the authors will be main content providers. Content assembled will be given the credit as compiled by and edited by (if edited).

¨ Created E-Content
Content developed by the author based on various sources, as well as his/her own work. Here the authorship will be of the content creator.

¨ Short Course / Unit / Module
It covers a short course, a unit or a module.

¨ Full Courseware
A full course is packaged as e-content here.

Short Learning Objects (SLOs)
Short Learning Objects are a new way of thinking about learning content. They are much smaller units of learning, typically ranging from two to three minutes.

The most important forms of E-content are Short Learning Objects (SLOs) and Modules.

SLO may be a description about an item, a concept, an equipment, a property, characteristic feature, process, form, definition, activity, reaction, plan, cause and effect relations, causative factors of events, results of events, applications of phenomena or processes explanation of components in subject of learning etc.

E-learning modules are larger independent structural experiences, containing objectives, learning activities and assessment. It is a comprehensive package containing a lesson. It contains lecture modules with inbuilt visuals, text, quiz, FAQs, assignments, glossaries, case studies, references, discussion and download. The output of an e-learning module is deployable on the web or CDs.

The following concepts have to be taken into account while designing an E-learning module.

Ø A key Phase of modeling and comprehensive visualization
Ø A global understanding of curricula to conceive a content object as part of larger whole.
Ø A micro vision to create content as standard learning experience.

Composition of an E-learning module includes arrangement of elements, preferably a combination of multiple elements, stylistic considerations, Edutainment based on sound pedagogical principles.

The steps involved in the creation of an E-learning module are, write a script, correct it (for grammar, spelling, consistency, meaning, factual items, names etc.), collect all visuals and pictures needed, prepare a storyboard (show details line by line in three columns), prepare for the narration (Rehearse the style), video shooting (Practice for Camera) and at last edit the video.

So, as an E-learning resource e-contents have brought paradigm shift from the traditional teacher centred learning to the recent learner centred learning environment. Now the learner has an ocean of methods and strategies around him to learn. It is his duty to choose one which suits much to him. Development and use of novel technologies in education will broader the concept of education till the dooms day.

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