It and People

Education has always been the key to knowledge, without it we would be senseless. Over the pas 50 years education has advanced in various ways. The 1950s and the 1960s saw the development of an important line of study. This was the study of cognition, or how the mind functions in perceiving, remembering, reasoning, and problem solving; also known as 'cognitive science'. In the past twenty-five years more than twenty educational improvements emerged. These included improvements in student learning, tools and processes that enabled teachers to change and improve.

During this time the theory of TechPrep began to evolve and take action. TechPrep was a complex process that involved the integration of new discoveries with human dynamics. TechPrep emphasized that "hand skills without head skills" have little or no long-term benefit. It also emphasized the value of work in the educational experience. Many of the skills that are so valuable for life and work can be taught in the context of real worksite learning experience.

This general theory of TechPrep has continued to grow throughout the years and it has proven to expand without limits. The future of our community depends on how well we teach our students. They need to see the connections between school and the world of work. Educating the students of today for the world of tomorrow is the utmost importance for improving education.

Throughout the history of human communication, advances in technology have powered shifts in education, which have effectively resulted in distance education and e-education; which includes any form of learning that utilizes a network for delivery, interaction, or simplification. Communication between teacher and student is a vital element of successful distance education. In the last 20 years, with the advancement in technology, independent study has become more accessible for distance education students. [1]

Seeing as the use of computers within classrooms has increased, researchers have tried to evaluate whether the use of educational technology has a significant and reliable impact on student achievement. Looking for an answer, researchers realized that technology cannot be successful on its own, student achievement is measured not only on how students perform on exams but also by their ability to use higher-order thinking skills; such as thinking critically, analyzing, making inferences, and solving problems. Evidence shows that when used effectively, technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in genuine, complex tasks within common learning backgrounds.

The advancement of multimedia and telecommunication technologies along with the need for developing educational standards for student achievement led to a new set of expectations for how technology can provide meaningful learning support for students. It has become a standard for most schools to prompt the use of various technologies (ranging from word processors to modeling software to Internet-based research) across the curriculum.

The change in expectations for student learning has been a response of three key factors that must be considered in evaluating the impact of technology on student achievement. The factors are as follows:

 Different types of technology; includes a wide range of electronic materials and methods for learning. Each type of technology has different uses and fulfills different learning goals.

 Assessment of Student Achievement; assessing the effect of technology on a student achievement is a complex process.

 Complex Nature of Change; changes in the classroom correlate with changes in other educational factors as well.

These factors indicate that the link between technology and student achievement is more complicated now than when computers first appeared in our classrooms. Technology is rapidly progressing and it is offering a huge range of opportunities and resources; student achievement and improvements in thinking skills are difficult to measure; and schools integrating technology are changing in a multitude of ways all at once. [2]

E-learning was defined as any form of learning that utilizes a network for delivery, interaction, or simplification. The network could be the Internet, a school or college LAN or even a corporate WAN. Learning can take place individually or as part of a class. Online classes can meet synchronously, asynchronously or some combination of the two.

E-Learning can make use of a large range of technologies and media. These technologies can be classified under two categories; delivery media and interaction tools.

Delivery Media Interactive Tools

* Print (texts, study guides...)

* Audio (streamed, tapes)

* Video (streamed, video, cable TV)

* Data (web pages, CBT computer files, online tests, interactive tools) * Asynchronous (Email, Listservs, Web Forums, Newsgroups, BBS)

* Synchronous (Chat, shared whiteboards, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, MOOs & MUDs)

Figure 1

It is important to realize that each student will often learn best with certain technologies.[3]

To completely evaluate e-learning, we must view both advantages and disadvantages. As more and more learning providers began to deliver education online a list of pros and cons was generated by instructors and students regarding e- and distant learning. [4]

Advantages:

* No time spent commuting to class

* No travel costs

* You can have a job while you take classes

* You can learn when you need it

* Your learning options are not constrained by your geographic location

* You can learn at your own pace

* Learning can be fit into your busy schedule

* Can be more effective for certain types of learners (shy, reflective, language challenged, those that need more time)

* Often more student to student interaction

* Can be more focused on the learner and less on the instructor

* Instruction can be more customized and flexible (especially CBT)

* Can lower