The dynamicity of educational world has led to an immediate need of improving teaching quality, which has bought web tools into limelight. Modern multimedia tools include a wide range of technologies to improve on-line education. Several courses are now given in a digital teaching web, using state-of-the-art technologies. These new tools approach our students to a new environment, where they can obtain complementary material in the Internet that is not available in classroom. With the proliferation of Business Computer Science, several subjects are now being imparted at the university level like Introduction to Management Information Systems, Business Computer Science, Management Information Systems and Introduction to E-Organisation.
A growing number of teaching professionals are now using modern multimedia tools to innovate traditional lectures,
making them more graphical and didactic. Widespread access to personal computers and Internet has helped to create new work environments that improve students and teacher mobility. WWW is now being used to reinforce on-site education with continuous training, which is, essentially distance learning.
Within this framework the students and teachers can meet in a virtual environment. Solutions can now be provided in many different situations, ranging form long distance education, folders for different teaching material, evaluation tools, calendars, image and video database, communication tools (e-mail, forum) and self-evaluation tools (tests, exams, homework). In teaching methodology, we can see the net as two different frameworks, as an information distribution system or as an educational one. The focus is now on organizing the information and learning, avoiding designing a web-based distribution system that revolves around the site more than in the contents.
The efficiency of an on-line environment depends on the organization of contents and materials and the amount of proposed activities. E-learning is a strategy that encompasses and utilizes today’s technologies to satisfy learning necessities. The web communication technology enables a teacher to move the acquisition of skills, knowledge and behaviors close to the uses, more quickly and with greater currency. In this respect e-learning is extremely powerful because it allows individuals to learn “anywhere, any time”;minimizes workplace downtime, and allows content to be rapidly up-dated.
Today we have access to a plethora of learning methods, learning media and learning strategies. Methods include tutorial, heuristic (discovery) learning and role-play. Media encompasses computer-based training (CBT) including CD-ROM bases learning and web-based learning (WBL), video, simulators and emulators. The packaged content in e-learning evolved with the advent of WWW.Thanks to this environment, access to information is cheaper and easier. Blended learning has now become a necessity to impart practically viable aspects of management education; but the paradox from a teacher’s perspective is that education based exclusively in web methods, will eventually lead to loss in the relation teacher- student and finally the teacher’s role in teaching.
As higher education institutions and systems seek to widen access, the need to maintain quality standards is clear. However, what is potentially even more important is the opportunity to improve educational outcomes overall and to assess learning outcomes in innovative ways, through the widespread use of instructional technology – course management systems in particular.
Blended learning makes the learning procedure accountable. In the traditional classroom, there is limited data and metrics that can be used to measure quality or intervene with students having difficulties. Often no objective data is available until a mid-term grade. In comparison, some course management systems collect lots of data about how students interact with the system during the learning process (e.g. which pages of content, how much time, how often a self assessment was taken, etc.). This provides two opportunities for higher education to improve quality and student outcomes. First, instructors have the ability to track each of their students’ learning activities so they are able to view if a student is falling behind or not keeping up with their reading material. This enables them to proactively intervene prior to students’ achieving failing grades or dropping out. Utilizing this data at the instructor-student level should be promoted in training initiatives and rewarded in practice.
Second, and possibly more importantly, the collection of this learning activity data also gives institutions the opportunity to assess quality across the curriculum by aggregating the data for analyses by assessment and institutional researchers. Once there is a critical mass of learning activity taking place online, institutions will be able to analyze outcomes as well as activity patterns to better determine what leads to student success and use those insights to improve the overall quality of the educational offerings.
Assessment frameworks will take time and research to develop the appropriate and proven methodologies for using this data. As more and more students experience at least a portion of their learning through academic enterprise systems over time, this type of assessment should be planned for as part of the long-term quality assurance framework for higher education institutions and accreditation reviews.
The ability of blended learning to better address varied learning styles is one proposed reason for it to be self -paced, highly interactive, and results in increased retention rates.