© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.

org (ISSN-2349-5162)

E- Education and its Tools: A Necessity of Higher

Education System.
Amardeep Kaur, M.Ed , Ganga Institute of Education, Kablana, Jhajjar.
Parmod kumar Sharma, Research Scholar,Faculty of Education, Jagannath University, Jhajjar.

Abstract
Information technology opens up the whole world of knowledge and allows teaching and learning to take place
beyond the traditional boundaries and resources of the school. The paper discusses e-education: a necessity of
prospect generation. Though information technology is at its great speed still some steps and efforts needed at
various levels for providing e-education. The global scenario shows the invading role of information and
communication technologies into education sector so it is necessary to adopt technologies for education in India
also. The paper pictures a model for e-education and highlights Tools for e-education, significance of e-
education. Also mentions advantages of e-education. Paper concludes with the golden idea of e-education.

Introduction to e-education:
Commonly referred to as online education, e-education is the process of learning online. Whether you're a high
school student or a graduate college student, a person looking to expand technical skills or a retiree who simply
wants to learn more, Internet learning provides a boundary-free way to broaden your horizons. This wide variety
of schools offers a range of programs from Master of Business Administration to graphic design. Depending on
the program you select, you can complete it entirely online, or combine it with a traditional "in-person" learning
setting. The flexibility of online learning is particularly helpful for working professionals who want to return to
school, but need to remain employed to support their families.However, the kind of focus the educators in on-line
business are keeping would indicate that these issues are well taken care of. Moreover, even in the traditional
setup, these issues are very much prevalent and create difficulties in learning and teaching. As per Steven Crown,
executive director, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, “We also acknowledge that on-line
institutions create special concerns about the quality of instruction, usually related to the lack of physical
connection between faculty members and students, and among students. Those who believe that high-quality
education requires face-to-face interaction will always question the performance of virtual institutions. However,
many faculty members and students say on-line programs actually enhance interaction. Their positive, firsthand
experiences undercut simplistic denials of the effectiveness of distance education.” (S M Nafay Kumail, 2000)

The information and communications technology witnessed a remarkable growth in the second half of the past
century and in recent years the delivery of education has seen a rapid transformation on impact of this
technology. Higher learning used to be a field reserved for a few who got access to the high towers. These have
been gradually thrown open with unlimited possibilities and immense potential for imparting uniform and high
quality education for everyone. The teachers as well as the taught have gained access to a wide range of media-
print, radio, television, audio, video, audio/video conferencing and the tools like-computers, CD-ROMs, e-mail
and internet. It expanded the reach of teaching/learning process to such an extent that education at a distance
became not only possible but enriching too. If fact, it has facilitated the transfer of focus from the teacher to the
learner and the institution of instruction to the study room of the learner. Education, being an accepted resource
for social and economic development, has become an easier and simple prospect, is really a significant
development. The revolutionary developments in information technology has now enabled the practitioners of
learning to take the classroom and campus initiatives on the cyberspace. The teacher-learner interaction, which is
JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 707
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

essential for effective learning process, has become possible at a distance through distance education. It seems to
be the “wave of the future”. Everyone is expected to side this wave and benefit from this omnipresent
educational system. With the cyber network expanding throughout the length and breath of country, this dream
can be a reality in near future, to create informed and educated citizens.
With the advent of information technology and the internet the concept of distance has been significantly
modified. A learner anywhere, at any far off place in a distant island in a vast ocean or a next-door neighbor, can
be taught in equal terms through the internet, provided he has, of course, an access to it. Then there is a range of
telecommunications media, like computer conferencing, audio-graphics, video conferencing which are provided
to the distance educators. Besides, the communication media like computer-based text, interactive video and CD-
ROM can be used in which the learner interacts with textual information.
Media can be synchronous and asynchronous. In an asynchronous medium like computer conferencing, both
learners and tutors get time to think over their respective responses and prepare messages to be put into their
machine at their convenience for the conference. One can read and re-read messages at one‟s convenience, rather
than set at a time. Further, messages go on filing up every day from various corners and one gets time to read,
reflect upon and respond. The conferencing remains alive through this process, though anyone individual
member may not have contributed to this for days together. However, asynchronous communication, especially
for distance learning, has at times been boring since issues take much longer period of discussion to be finally
resolved. In synchronous communication, on the other hand, there is use of voice and vision, and both learners
and teachers need to respond there and then. Those who like to think it over or lack command over language or
do not feel comfortable with spontaneous communication, and would like to read more references before
formulating an opinion, find it hard to cope up with this form of communication.
As such, the use of telecommunications media in the Distance Education has created a new world in
teaching/learning process. The learner is free to connect himself to the system anytime through his telephone and
computer or from a shared machine and a telephone line at any workplace. Through distance education, a wide
variety of higher level courses, professional courses and the course on IT are being offered through
telecommunications.
Since a great variety of resource materials are available on the net and the discourses and learning experiences
have greatly enriched by the contributions of the learners throughout the world, the learning has, as such, become
much more universal and according to the needs of latest standards. The handicapped and physically challenged
learners have been greatly benefited by the system as they challenged learners have been greatly benefited by the
system as they can easily respond and interact with their tutors and other students making use of their own
language through their own PCs.
There is, unfortunately, some rigidity, in times of admission and contact due to the usage of the media within the
traditional campuses and it has limited the practice of open learning. However, there is no doubt, that the use of
these technologies has opened enormous vistas of learning and the delivering quality education. The quality of
campus education has also improved by the use of there technologies. The students on campus use computer
conferencing for greater interaction with tutors and students and for global experiences through the use of
Internet. The concept of isolated studentship, depending on printed texts and postal communications, in distance
education has been removed and these technologies have increased the level and extent of communication far
ahead of those possible in face to face situation. In the developing countries like India, there is limited access to
internet, compared to the developed countries, but it is poised for a rapid expansion like the television and radio,
in these countries including India. Also, those getting education through resources over the internet would soon
the more acceptable to the employers.

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 708
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

Model for E-Education

Figure 1: Model for E-Education

Conceptual Illustration of the E-Education System to Be Used in the Proof-of-Concept Trial

Class A attends a course (instructor is teaching class in normal fashion). The same course instruction can also be
received by Class B (where no instructor is present).

Figure 2: Remote E-Education Proof-of-Concept System Configuration

Teaching materials on the electronic whiteboard of Class A, plus the audio and annotations from the instructor‟s
presentation, are shared on the electronic whiteboard of Class B located at a distant site, and are also displayed
on the e-textbook terminals of the students.

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 709
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

Figure 3: Remote E-Education Proof-of-Concept Trial Instruction Conceptual Image

Tools for e-education

• Teaching and learning management software systems can be linked to their back office administrative systems
• Web course management tool
• Student tracking and collaboration tools
• An entire suite of learning aids, personal bots will emerge
• Personal digital assistants
• Summarizers, finders, connectors, learners
• The wide gulf between students and practitioners will be narrowed by education coming to the desktop and
practicing experts made available for testimonials, examples, actual observation of behavior through broadband
methods

The significance of e-Education

New models of learning are radically changing our conception of education. Education for human development
in the learning society requires collaborative learning and involves focusing on building knowledge. These
changes arise from shifts in educational goals, and from new concepts in learning and knowledge creation.

The Department of Education believes that developments access to learning opportunities, redress inequalities,
improve the quality of learning and teaching and deliver lifelong learning. E-Education can accommodate
differences in learning styles and remove barriers to learning by providing expanded opportunities and
individualised learning experiences.
Experience worldwide suggests that education does play a role in the transformation of education and training. E-
Education can enhance educational reform by enabling teachers and learners to move away from traditional
approaches to teaching and learning. In a transformed teaching and learning environment, there is a shift from
teacher-centred, task-oriented, memory-based education (with technology at the periphery), to an inclusive and
integrated practice where learners work collaboratively, develop shared practices, engage in meaningful contexts

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 710
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

and develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. There is sufficient empirical evidence that investments
yield positive results for learners and teachers. Studies have demonstrated improved learner achievement in:

• Application and production of knowledge for the real world;

• Ability of learners to manage learning;
• Ability to promote achievement for learners who experience barriers to learning; and
• Access to information that increases knowledge, inquiry and depth of investigation.

Furthermore, the use of computer has demonstrated improved inventive thinking skills, such as creativity,
problem solving, higher-order thinking skills and sound reasoning, along with improved effective
communication. Improvements in interpersonal skills, such as writing, public speaking, teamwork and
collaboration, and improved productivity skills, including creating high-quality products, have also been
reported.

The Interactive Advantage

The Internet not only provides inquiry-based learning where questions are answered by the most proficient
people of the field, it also gives an enormous scope for discussions, exchange of views, resulting into multi-
dimensional research on the subject. If on the one hand teachers and students can come together, study and
collaborate with the rest of the world, it also gives teaching community the opportunity to share learning
technologies and strategies that can be integrated across curricula.
Teaching and learning have become self-paced and the Internet has dramatically increased the speed of learning.
Internet-based pedagogy is different from the traditional classroom variety. The combination of text, sound, and
images produces much better result than the education through communication technologies. It has resulted in
the emergence of new breed of educators who call themselves “Instructional Technologist”. This community is
focusing a great deal on how to deliver education through the Web. The two main theories of education
“objectivism” and “constructivism” are aptly handled by Internet-based education since Internet and WWW have
most of the infrastructure a school needs, and are capable of using them in a better fashion.
It is not very difficult to visualize a situation where a global curriculum could be developed and followed which
answers the changing global needs. The Internet has changed the way distance-education can be delivered. It has
added that magic of “interactivity” which was missing from the other media such as TV and radio. Flexibility is
one of the most attractive elements of online learning, but the benefits don't stop there. In fact, many online
students find their educational journey is particularly rewarding. Benefits include:

 Virtual classrooms that can be accessed from anywhere

 Well educated, professional instructors just like traditional education
 Diverse programs in a variety of disciplines
 Accredited programs to complete college degrees
 Technical programs that provide real-time training
 Freedom to enhance skills –and resume – while still working full-time
 Financial aid possibilities
 Real-life application of classroom materials
 Greater comfort with interactive technologies
 Work/life balance

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 711
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

The Critics and the Advocates

The spread of Internet-based and on-line education has not gone without criticism. James Perley, chairman, and
Denise Marie Tanguay, member, of the American Association of University Professors‟ Committee on the
Accrediting of Colleges and Universities, argue, “the fundamental difficulty with institutions that rely heavily, or
exclusively, on distance education is that they are characterized by a practice called „unbundling‟. In that
practice, course materials are prepared by a „content expert‟ and delivered by a „faculty facilitator,‟ in a uniform
manner, producing predictable and measurable „outcomes‟ that fit uniform assessment tools. Such a process of
turning education into modular units represents a basic change in an essential characteristic of higher education.”

Conclusion
All said and done, on-line education is here to stay. And the success of on-line education is critical since it will
decide how another communication revolution in the form of satellite providers will impact education. The future
has a lot in store. If this technology becomes economically viable, a new way of education and training will
emerge. This has already started in some parts of the word. Yes, “the learning on demand or anytime anywhere
learning” is not far away. E-education is not entirely new concepts but has grown as the WWW has developed in
each country. E-education is taking roots for Indian students as well. But first, it is important to understand
exactly what we mean by e-education and quite simply it is education and training delivered and accessed via the
Internet. One of the major advantages of e-education is that one can access the best education in the world direct
from the persons who wrote the courses for online study. The courses may range from technical, medical,
academic to general interest subjects and the levels can be from beginner to higher advances. With over 800
courses to choose from, the individual should find the right course and level without difficulty. In the 21st
Century, students may stay at home and take distance education (synchronous and asynchronous) in their homes
across the world. Geographic comparative advantage will shrink and shrink and shrink. More importantly,
excellent students who could not be accepted as onsite students in prestige universities (due to lack of financing
and constraints as to how many can fit into onsite classrooms) face new opportunities to get a prestige degree in
their own homes.

References
 http://news.indiainfo.com/2002/07/10/india-index.html. Future of Simputer rests on govt‟s backing
Wednesday, July 10 2002 08:30 Hrs (IST).
 http://www.schoolnet.ca/
 http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/
 http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/
 http://www.ruv.itesm.mx
 http://www.westgov.org/wga/initiatives
 http://www.avu.org/
 http://mit.edu/
 http://www.netvarsity.com/netvarsity/nv000/frame.asp/
 http://www.pratham.org/
 Vidya Vahini to bring IT to Govt. schools in State, Hindustan Times, 12 June 2003, p 2.
 When classrooms go hi-tech. Hindustan Times, HT Horizons. 11 June 2003, p 1.
 City leading the e-learning process. Hindustan Times, HT Live. 11 June 2003, p 3.
 http://www.incg.org.in/CountryGateway/eGovernance/News/spend+200.htm
 India‟s Net subscriber base stands at 35 lakh. Hindustan Times, HT Tech 4U, 2nd June 2003, p 11.

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 712
© 2020 JETIR March 2020, Volume 7, Issue 3 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

 IBM plans computer that understands Indian lingos. Hindustan Times, HT Tech 4U. 14 Oct. 2002, p11.
 Royal Dutch seeks to launch e-education venture in India March 6 http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu
 Edu-comp‟s Learning Mate to offer Blackboard e-education solutions in India
www.itpeopleindia.com/careers.html

JETIR2003111 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 713