With the population tipping past the 7 billion mark, there is an increasing need for resources that assist with how people learn. Scholars, educators, mentors, and teachers are finding new ways to interact with students, employees, friends and people for the sharing of knowledge and wisdom.

Computer based education is not a new idea. However with so many new discoveries and information content accessible, learning opportunities about for individuals, employee groups and customers around the planet. The old learning paradigm was for each person to go to the location of the instructor – elementary school, high school, university/college, adult education center, corporate training facility. In this environment, teaching and learning was either 1 on 1 or in groups. It was all live information delivery.

Computer based education was a concept originated in the 1960’s at the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois. It was called PLATO. As one of the network participants for DARPA research, a few engineers collaborated on design the PLATO hardware. The software required original thinking and involved individuals with differing backgrounds including several with no computer background.

PLATO was constructed as a timesharing system. This was the forerunner of what we now call the internet. A special-purpose programming language called TUTOR is used to write educational software.

Today, education proliferates throughout a very mobile, very wireless world. Therefore, you should be asking about to take advantage of distance learning and information transfer. Here are a few examples:

• What subject do you want to learn?
• What information do you want to share with customers, clients and friends?
• What training is needed by your work force – full-time, part-time, contractors?
• How does new information get distributed and learned by everyone connected to you?
• Can distance learning provide a more cost-effective approach to training and learning?

Distance learning has the unique capability for students to learn at a pace that works for them. The teaching source can be a human speaking live, a prerecorded human, video tutorials, slideshows, audio casts, audio books, webcasts and webinars.

• A key benefit of distance learning is the ability for each student to
• Use instant replay to watch something a second, third or fourth time when needed
• Access links to supplemental information such as images, maps, definitions, more detail
• Teaching materials will be the same throughout the enterprise

There is a lot to consider when you seek to teach people in your organization or community. Learning capacity is embedded within every laptop, tablet and smartphone. Mobile connections enable the knowledge transfer to be extremely effective.

Resources

• More information can be obtained in our Knowledge Management & Training section.
• Unlimited Priorities Upgrades Distance Learning Site for Earlham School of Religion