Don't build an e-learning site based on cost or difficulty, says CSUEB professor

• July 8, 2010 5:46am

Bijan Gillani, professor of teacher education, contributed an article to the 7th volume of Information in Motion: the Journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology (2010 Informing Science Press).  All the articles included in this publication provide insight into information technology and cover research in IT Education, such as curriculum and techniques for teaching IT.

In his paper, “Inquiry based training model and the design of e-learning environments”, Gillani states, “The explosive growth of the Internet and the dramatic advances in the design and development of online technological tools in recent years have revolutionized the way students and teachers view technology in education. These technological advances have made it possible to produce educational materials and transmit them over the Web. In parallel to these technological advances, the field of instructional design has made phenomenal contributions to curriculum planning. A synergy of these two fields would enable educators to produce effective electronic educational materials. Unfortunately, a great majority of e-learning sites that use online tools lack appropriate theoretical foundations for curriculum content organization. These sites, all designed by highly intelligent and well intentioned educators, use online technologies without any regard for application of pedagogy to the design of courses…However, high cost and difficulties in design should not be the basis of what kind of effective e-learning site one should develop. If your research shows that a cognitive approach is the best suited for your project, then it must be implemented.”

KL