Figure 3: Three Dimensional Taxonomy of e-Learning
Largely there are two ways to enhance a
classroom-based course. In the beginning, the
Internet was mainly used for out-class purposes such
as emailing and posting of course materials like
lecture notes, assignments, articles, and other
references at a course web site. As more classrooms
become Internet ready though wired or wireless
networks, the Internet has been used more
aggressively for in-class purposes such as course
materials presentation, instant access to relevant
information, simulations, and streaming video
watching. The Web-based model is similar to the
anytime & anywhere DL. However there is a big
difference between these two since the former is not
just for non-traditional students unlike the latter but
for any student. For instance, an on-campus student
may take a Web-based course. Colleges start
offering Web-based versions of their regular courses
designed not only for their distance learning students
but also for their traditional students. Some courses
are offered two different modes in tandem or
alternatively so that a student has a choice between a
Web-based course and a Web-enhanced one.
Advocates argue that such move may result in cost
reduction and alleviate shortage of classrooms.
Some colleges require their regular students to take
at least one Web-based course to get exposed to this
new mode of learning. On the other hand, some
colleges restrict their regular students from taking
their Web-based courses with a concern of possible
cannibal effect that a student may take a Web-based
course in lieu of a classroom-based course in his/her
dormitory room. Many researchers claim that there
is not much difference in terms of quality between a
traditional course and a DL course with various
empirical studies. If that is the case, there is not
much reason why a traditional student is not allowed
to select a learning mode at his/her choice.
It is not quite feasible to have a hybrid model in
non-Web-based distance learning because of
incompatibility of underlying technologies. However,
since the Internet technology is used as an
integrating foundation for all learning models in e-
learning, various hybrid models are possible. For
instance, the Singapore-MIT Alliance
(http://web.mit.edu/sma) offers courses to students at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at the
two universities, National University of Singapore
and Nanyang Technology University, in Singapore.
A class session is digitized and delivered in both
synchronous and asynchronous modes. Two e-
learning models are available to an MIT student: a
Web-enhanced one if he/she takes a course in
synchronous mode at an MIT classroom and an
anytime hybrid one at any place at his/her choice in
asynchronous mode. Also, two e-learning models
are available to a Singapore student: an anywhere
hybrid model if he/she takes it in a classroom and a
Web-based one if he/she takes it at any place.
Furthermore, the Internet technology makes it easy
to deliver major components of a course in different
modes. For instance, a weekly quiz for a course may
be done in an anytime & anywhere mode. Cyber
discussion at a discussion board may be done in an
anytime mode. Online chatting at a virtual classroom
may be done in an anywhere mode while the
remainders are done in a Web-enhanced mode.
In addition to space and time, process is another
constraint in learning. There are two distinctive
kinds of process in learning, batch vs. repetitive. A
batch process mode means that students enroll in a
course simultaneously and complete it in a batch
during a certain set period of time while a repetitive
process mode allows a student to enroll and
complete it individually without a set duration. Most
college courses are offered in a batch mode with
some exceptions like independent study or
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