E-Learning Vendors Change the Face of College Campuses

E-learning programs, such as WebCT and Element K, have greatly increased the range of options for universities to provide access to their education to a broader student population.

Without being confined to the walls of an institution, e-learning programs have created an extensive outreach for some of the world's greatest universities. Now people around the world can access the same quality education that was once available to only the few who attended classes on the institution's physical campus.

E-learning programs, however, are not just for those who need distance education. There is a current trend on college campuses to use e-learning in the classroom to augment the existing curriculum. The impact of technology on the modern university education is only beginning to be felt and trends suggest it will only become more extensive in the future.

How to Implement E-Learning on the College Campus

Many university professors are afraid of e-learning because they fear that it will lead to their being replaced by a computer. This is not, however, the direction in which e-learning is going. E-learning is simply making the amount of information to which students have access broader. Through e-learning software, students can download course requirements, information, and project guidelines, saving time, energy, and resources.

E-learning makes it possible for one professor to deliver course content to a wider population of students. On the college campus, students have access to the university network right in their dorm rooms. They can sign in to online courses and work on their coursework in the comfort of their own rooms. Professors can provide a larger amount of information, because its presentation is not limited to a set period of time in the classroom. Now more material can be made available to students via online modules.

E-learning programs have also made administrative functions much easier for teachers and students alike. Students can perform class functions like paper submission online while professors can respond with more extensive evaluation, faster grade reporting, and enhanced one-on-one interaction. Online testing is also available and increasingly utilized as security and verification routines have improved to authenticate the identity of the individual taking the exam.

Online education can be used in conjunction with the traditional classroom setting. Teachers can put lecture notes online for the students to use. Students can participate in online group studies outside of class time. Much more information can be covered in a traditional course time period with the supplementation of online learning.

Specific E-Learning Vendors

There are several high quality e-learning vendors in today's market. Here are some of the best:

Blackboard Academic Suite

Blackboard Academic Suite offers universities the chance to create a customized learning environment. Using Blackboard, professors can create an on-line syllabus, use pre-made course cartridges, use on-line assessment and student surveys, and access an online grade book. The extent of resources Blackboard offers is truly limitless. The company was one of the first to introduce online education, and they are continuing to produce high quality software. Coursework is delivered using an online web portal where students can access content modules, interactive communities, and customized information delivery. Blackboard is accessible on PDA devices as well.

The Blackboard Academic Suite is flexible, allowing each institution to create a customized learning environment and to expand those environments as needed rather than being held back by out of date programming. The cost of the Blackboard Academic Suite varies depending on the number of applications the university needs.

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