Online learning is a force in higher education because this medium
allows students to have access to education anytime, anywhere. This new
breed of teaching is challenging traditional instruction in two ways.
First, learning is moving from being synchronous to asynchronous.
Second, higher education is beginning to shift from being
teacher-centered to learner-centered. This article focused on the
implications of these two changes. In addition, the authors (Repman,
Zinskie and Downs, 2010) identified and offered solutions to problems
inherent with the adoption of this new approach to teaching
The authors clearly defined the difference between distance learning,
online learning and e-learning. They defined distance learning as
being the expansive idea of teaching individuals at a distance, which
has a long and varied history. Online learning was identified as the
approach to teach courses through course management system (CMS) in a
synchronous or asynchronous format. E-learning was defined as a
recent approach to teaching that incorporates Web applications that
are learner-centered.
Web applications offer at least two powerful benefits. First,
collaboration and connectivity are part of the fabric of Web tools.
Second, Web tools allow students to become active creators of
content rather than passive consumers of information. This second
benefit moves teachers from the role of knowledge transmitter to a
position of facilitation. The authors presented research (Craig, 2007)
that questioned whether or not CMS could promote collaboration and
creativity. The authors pointed out that there is a huge disconnect
between the way individuals currently use the web and how CMS operate.
Unfortunately, the growth of online classes is not limited to a pure
pursuit of increased learning and better teaching methods. One of the
primary rationales for increasing the number of online courses was
access and efficiency. Another reason given for the increase of online
courses was a push for schools to do more for less.
