eLearning: a Brief History
Have you ever stopped to think about how we learn online? eLearning has become a massive part of our lives, but it wasn’t always delivered through eLearning platforms and interactive courses! In this article, we’ll take a trip down memory lane to explore the fascinating history of eLearning, packed with fun facts and surprising stats.
Believe it or not, the roots of eLearning can be traced back to the 18th century! In 1728, a man named Caleb Phillips offered the first-ever distance learning course by mail. Students received weekly lessons to learn shorthand ? pretty impressive for the time!
Fast forward to the 1840s, and Sir Isaac Pitman took distance learning a step further. He created the first-ever course in the modern sense, where students received feedback on their work. Pitman used postcards with a special way of writing called shorthand, which uses symbols and abbreviations to represent words and letters. This made it faster to write and send lessons. He relied on the newly introduced uniform postage rates in England to send these postcards to students. Students would then try their hand at writing in shorthand themselves and mail their attempts back for Pitman’s review and correction. It was a clever way to provide feedback, even across distances!
The Rise of Technology: Hello, Computers!
Fast forward to the 1960s, and the education landscape received a major tech upgrade. The University of Illinois developed PLATO, a groundbreaking computer-based learning system. Imagine this: instead of textbooks and lectures, students could interact with lessons and exercises on actual computers! PLATO’s arrival paved the way for a future filled with more interactive and engaging learning experiences.
The 1980s saw another major shift with the rise of personal computers (PCs) entering homes and workplaces. This explosion in accessibility made eLearning even more attractive. Suddenly, the possibility of learning new skills or taking courses wasn’t limited to those who could attend physical locations. Finally, by the 1990s, the internet boom arrived, forever changing how we communicate and access information. This digital revolution also impacted education.
Online courses became a reality, and the term “eLearning” itself was coined in 1999 by Elliott Masie to describe this new way of learning. This marked a turning point, giving a clear and concise name to this rapidly growing field. While terms like “online learning” existed before, “eLearning” became the widely recognized term for learning that utilizes electronic technologies.
eLearning Today (And Tomorrow!)
As you well know, eLearning is a giant industry now, with people using it all over the world! A report says the eLearning market could be worth a whopping $465.47 billion by 2028 ? that’s a lot of learning! There are a few reasons why eLearning is so popular. It’s flexible, so you can learn anytime and anywhere that works for you. Plus, eLearning can be tailored to how you learn best, with interactive elements, videos, and even personalized learning paths.
Remember that whole time everything shut down? eLearning became a key asset then too. Schools and workplaces were closed, but eLearning platforms kept education and training going strong. Students of all ages kept learning online, and grown-ups could still take courses to improve their skills. Even though things are back to normal now, eLearning isn’t going anywhere. It’s convenient, effective, and offers tons of courses, so it’ll definitely stick around to help us learn new things for a long time!
At Knolyx, our vision for eLearning is simple: to transform how people work and learn. We believe learning shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all experience. That’s why we focus on making learning learner-centered. This means putting you, the learner, at the heart of the experience. Here’s how we achieve this vision:
- Collaboration is key! We encourage interaction and knowledge sharing through features like online communities. Learning from each other is powerful, and Knolyx platforms foster a collaborative learning environment.
- Personalized learning paths: We understand everyone learns differently and at their own pace. That’s why Knolyx offers personalized learning paths. These custom tracks cater to your specific needs and goals, ensuring you get the most out of your learning experience.
- Structured learning made easy: We know sometimes finding the information you need can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why Knolyx utilizes powerful knowledge graphs. Imagine a massive, interconnected map of all the knowledge within your organization. These knowledge graphs structure all the information, making it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for in no time. No more endless searches ? just dive straight into the learning that matters most to you!
