B.F. Skinner, a professor at Harvard, is credited with inventing the "teaching machine" in 1954. This device allowed schools to supply pupils with education that was pre-programmed. But it wasn't until the latter part of the 20th century that the idea of e-learning became accessible to a wider demographic thanks to the proliferation of personal computers and the internet.
E-learning development is an interesting application of the study of instructional design and technology, which you may want to look into if you are considering making a career transition into the realm of technology. E-learning is especially pertinent in today's uncertain times since there has been a significant movement toward remote, online learning and work since the start of the coronavirus epidemic. This trend makes e-learning particularly important. You have the opportunity to work as an e-learning developer in a variety of different contexts, including public or private education, as well as corporate training and professional development programs.
What Exactly Is Online Education?
Acquiring information via the use of electronic technology and media is the essence of e-learning, which is also sometimes referred to as online learning. Even if a course is taken offline, it may still be termed e-learning in today's internet-connected world since it is provided and consumed through digital devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Students can receive some instruction while attending class in person and some instruction remotely or through electronic means when a hybrid model is used to incorporate e-learning into education and training. This model allows students to receive some instruction in person and some instruction remotely or electronically. The same education or training may often be obtained wholly online, allowing students to begin and complete a degree or program without ever having to set foot inside of a traditional school building at any point. The models of e-learning may be successfully used to academic education as well as training and skill-development for workers of firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. E-learning models can also be applied effectively to skill-development for students.
What exactly does it mean to be an E-Learning Developer?
Using electronic interfaces and a wide variety of media, e-learning developers construct systems and courses, providing material with the intention of meeting certain learning and skill-acquisition objectives.
It is the responsibility of the e-learning developer to ensure that the course design, delivery, user interface, and learner interaction satisfy both the content learning objectives as well as the participant's preferred learning style and pace. In addition, the developer is responsible for making sure that each individual component of an online learning course is interesting and can be given without any interruptions.
Can Individuals Who Specialize in Instructional Design Also Work as E-Learning Developers?
Instructional designers and e-learning developers often collaborate on the design of e-learning projects; nonetheless, each role demands a unique set of abilities, as well as specific training, a significant amount of information, and years of experience. There is a possibility that one person will fulfill both of these jobs inside the same project. However, there are a number of important benefits to incorporating both, which are reflected in the design of the course as well as the possible effectiveness of the product.
When instructional designers have a solid grasp of the technology behind e-learning authoring, they are better able to match material to instruction and delivery techniques. In addition, they are better able to construct intricate, unique delivery modalities into each course. Because teachers in both the public and private sectors understand how important it is to cater to students with a variety of learning preferences and requirements, this component of course design is critical to the whole process.
In the Process of Getting Ready for a Job as an e-Learning Developer
In the highly competitive industry of e-learning development, professionals will have a better chance of breaking into the sector and landing higher level employment if they receive a master's degree that combines instructional design and technological capabilities. Due to the fact that a significant proportion of education has moved online as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, there is a pressing want for qualified e-learning developers. In addition, the advantages of online education and working remotely, along with the unpredictability of the future, have the potential to hasten the transition from traditional learning methods to e-learning and hybrid formats. It is abundantly obvious that creators of e-learning content will continue to play an essential role in education and training, both in the academic world and in the business world.
The Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology program that is offered by St. Thomas University may be completed entirely online and is designed to educate working adults for careers in the rapidly expanding area of e-learning development.