Theme 3: Reading Two

Dobbins, B.D. & Berge, Z.L. (2006). Support for distance education and training. Distance Learning, 3(1), 1-8.

E-learning allows the scope of the education offered by an institution of higher education to expand exponentially while keeping expenses per student far lower than what is possible in a traditional classroom environment. E-learning is a tremendous educational resource that allows an organisation, whether a commercial firm or university, to serve a larger and more diverse student body than would be possible with a traditional classroom format.

The principle drawback of e-learning is that it requires both a computer and internet access. Studies indicate that e-learning students view the teacher as a very important source of support during the e-learning process. Teacher encouragement of peer tutoring also will have a significant impact on both student performance and their prospects for successful course completion.