Perspectives on E-Learning

Abstract

For students, teachers, and administrators, e-learning is a relatively new and sometimes uncertain event. With popular technologies and instructional trends coming and going, distance learning practice and policies change constantly. Regardless of one’s preference for an online learning management system, he or she may be forced to drop it in favor of an inferior and untested courseware shell that was developed internally and adopted solely because it was free. Adding to the confusion, technology tradeshows and teaching and learning conferences continue to alter their themes to fit the current online terminology, which, in turn, changes and evolves. Despite the anxiety caused by the many uncertainties and the accelerating pace of change, teaching online is fast becoming an expected part of one’s scholarly endeavors or, at the very least, a legitimate practice of one’s colleagues and home institution.