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E-Learning Environment

“E-Learning”

Mathetics (=science of learning, subjective didactic) vs. Didactics (=science of teaching, objectiv didactic) (Eichelberger; Laner et al., 2010, p. 63)

Definition of E-Learning

= Merge of educational processes with digital technologies

  • Blended Learning: mix of face to face and digital remote learning
  • Online Learning: digital Learning

(Kergel, Heidkam-Kergel, 2020, p. 2)

Advantages & Disadvantages of E-Learning
  • Advantages:
    • The participants do not depend on time and space, more autonomy (time management)
    • online seminars parallel to daily life → immediate application in daily working processes
    • diverse learning offers → focus on one topic or individual topics
    • collaboration with others → new insights, contacts, enrichment
  • Disadvantages: 
    • Need of good self- & time-management (often a hindrance)
    • lack of Presence → no interaction with the others, easier to step behind, to avoid visibility
    • a knowledge shared is a knowledge doubled → only if cooperation (based on previous experience)
    • need of courage to say something, harder in virtual space
    • responsibilities for learning process are not clear
    • motivation doesn’t last until the end
    • technology is a hindrance, if participant is not familiar with
Learning competency

Definition of Learning competency (Born 2014, p. 12f.) 

    • knowledge, capacities, skills, abilities and attitudes that are necessary for individual and cooperative learning processes - can be developed and optimized through learning. 
    • includes: 1) technical skills; 2) methodological skills; 3) social skills and 3) self-competence
    • Self-competence especially important: possibilities for motivation, organisation & controlling cannot be copied from face-to-face teaching  need of individual responsibility, self-organisation
  1. Access/motivation:
    1. Help pages, contact via e-mail/phone open to public
    2. Frustrating, in case of problems/difficulties
  2. Online Socialisation
    1. Present – perceive – orientation (on the platform)
    2. Useful: attractive entrance into the topic, arousing interest; efficient & fast support
    3. Where appropriate, face-to-face seminar for introduction
  3. Exchange of information
    1. Perception of possibilities for information & communication
    2. Indication for support, FAQ & content related suggestions
  4. Joint knowledge construction
    1. Forming of working groups – learning with and from one another
  5. Development & transfer, Self-organisation
    1. Role of instructor changes to role of supporter and learning colleague
The Participant:

(Born, 2014, p. 7f.)

  • Ideal Characteristics: Discipline, Endurance, Motivation, Power, Cooperativeness, self-confidence, self-esteem, knowledge, ideas, brain
  • Participant as Co-producer of the learning success: quality and learning success are based on active role of participants
  • Participant is dealing with two worlds: personal life & virtual learning space 

→ Participants in the focus → Task of teacher: support them in order to guarantee their learning success 

Team members of online-seminars:
  • Seminar manager
    • Responsibility for all action in the three phases: Preparation – Implementation – Evaluation
    • Organisational frame of the seminar: content related and didactical conceptualization, course material
    • Coordination of the team’s internal cooperation
  • Moderator or teletutor
    • Co-responsibility for the communication and cooperation in the seminar groups
    • Co-participation in achieving and verify the learning goals
    • Reflection of the learning and working process together with seminar manager
    • Definition and implementation of measures for intervention
  • Expert
    • Bring in expert knowledge for the seminar’s content
    • Joint development of course (teaching/Learning) material
    • Ready in the background for questions and more information
  • Supporter
    • Responsible for the technical frame, technical implementation of the wishes pronounced by seminar manager and experts
    • Support for the handling and utilization of the learning platform
Literature / References

Eichelberger, H., Laner, C., Angerer, H., Bronkhorst, J., Günther, H., Hungs, E., ... & Stary, C. (2010). Unterrichtsentwicklung via eLearning. Oldenbourg Verlag.

Kergel, D., & Heidkamp-Kergel, B. (2020). E-Learning, E-Didaktik und digitales Lernen. Springer VS.