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online education

Panel of Experts How is eLearning technology creating

dynamic learning experiences?

eric richards Hunt Lambert francis x. mulgrew paul gleason

Kelley Direct Public Programs Chair Associate Provost, Colorado State University President, Post University Online Senior Vice President, Educational Operations
Continuing Education Embanet Corporation

For ten years, the Kelley Direct online pro-
gram has enabled the world-renowned Indiana
University Kelley School of Business faculty to
create dynamic learning experiences through
various web-based tools:
Discussion Forums: Working professionals
can bring their daily experiences to case discus-
sions while simultaneously linking to outside
sources that provide deeper and more robust
learning experiences.
Asynchronous Presentations: Instructors
provide audio-visual presentations in a down-
loadable format that enable students to study
anywhere.
Live Chat Sessions: Students participate in
live discussions hosted by faculty. In addition
to simulating the “traditional” classroom experi-
ence, sessions are recorded, allowing students
to “replay” specific points to facilitate better
comprehension.
Virtual Teams: Students learn to work in
teams with members located around the world,
simulating today’s corporate teams.
Global Leaders Network: Direct access to the
perspectives of business leaders is not limited
to the normal constraints of time and space as
Kelley professors are able to bring them into the
electronic classrooms.
eLearning technology allows delivery of
high-quality learning opportunities to indi-
viduals who previously could not complete
their undergraduate or master’s degree due to
geography and time constraints. The advent of
active online teaching, combined with excellent
course delivery technology, greatly expands
access to and impact of education. eLearning is
the next major step in education’s continuous
adaptation to society’s needs. It has a dynamic
and systematic impact by affecting who learns,
and where, how, and from whom they learn, all
according to their individual needs.
Dynamic elements of eLearning are being
refined and used more effectively every day.
Online discussions are not restricted by class-
room time, greatly increasing students’ and
faculty’s ability to share thoughts and experi-
ences anytime, anywhere. High-quality software
and high bandwidth allow real-time interaction
via audio and video, as well as archiving live
discussions for student review. With eLearning,
we are creating high-quality, low-cost public
education that grows.
The most dynamic learning goes on in an
active and engaging learning environment.
eLearning technology is allowing active learn-
ing and communication beyond both the walls
of the traditional classroom and the limits of the
networked computer at a desk. Web 2.0—the
web in your hands—and the combination of
emerging social networking tools and existing
anytime-anywhere discussion tools are being
used to extend and improve learning. These
tools have opened the door to highly interac-
tive and personalized ways for students to col-
laborate with their professors and classmates
beyond the standard limits of time, distance,
and social and cultural space. Universities’ learn-
ing management systems, such as Blackboard,
connect with Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter
to more fully integrate with students’ social and
professional networks. The exciting trend with
emerging eLearning technologies is that the
technology is fading into the background, and
the student—the human-being—is now at the
center of the dynamism.
A dynamic learning environment, whether
it occurs in the classroom or online, has cer-
tain characteristics. First, the experience is not
organized around rote memorization of static
content. Rather it engages learners in challeng-
ing and realistic tasks that require integration,
application and reflection on the key concepts
and competencies of the course. Second, it
fosters a community of learning where social
interaction surrounds and stimulates the learning.
It is critical to emphasize the requirement to
explain, defend and expand your thinking
based on establish theory and renewed appli-
cation. These are part of the social friction that
precipitate learning and are very important
online as well as in the classroom.
Technology provides the structure and the
functionality to create these active learning
environments by bringing learners from across
the country and around the world into learning
proximity with each other and world-class
faculty. Once together they can engage inter-
active multimedia case studies, work on proj-
ects, participate in live webinars, battle it out
on blogs, form study groups, and in the end,
become competent members of their discipline.

Are you looking for practical training, effective practices

and diverse perspectives for online teaching?

Find out how Sloan-C can help you: www.sloanconsortium.org

The Sloan Consortium

Providing knowledge, practice, community, and direction for educators

WAtCh For 2009 online leArning Survey reSultS At: http://WWW.SloAnConSortium.org Join uS on: linkedin FACebook tWitter
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online education

Servicing the Military Henley-Putnam University is the

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FACULTY: Professors and faculty

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ost University has been a pio-
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tioned at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. “I know
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get ahead, and I’ve had nothing but
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exclusively specializing in Intelli- www.Henley-Putnam.edu
important to me as gence Management, Terrorism and or contact the admissions
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department at 888.852.8746.

university to offer active duty person-

nel access to education with no out-
of-pocket expenses. Online classes,
along with the new GI Bill’s “layaway
plan” and funding assistance will help
boost opportunities for education. In
the past, many veterans did not use
their GI Bill benefits, most citing a
lack of time. With raising a family and
earning a living taking priority, educa-
tion fell to the back burner.
“The online program gives me
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home, and that is important to me as
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combat veteran who is enrolled at
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“Each course was tailored to relevant
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tremely fortunate to have been a part of
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- Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Force Special Operations
and Henley-Putnam graduate, 2009
Sergeant First Class Sherwyn Gibbs is pursuing a B.S. in Business Management (Bachelors Degree in Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies)
completely online through Post University.