Web-based Learning

Worldwide Web'(www):

          The World – Wide Web, shortly referred to as www, is a graphical hypertext-based internet tool that provides access to home pages created by individuals, business houses and other organizations. With a computer having an internet connection, any one can visit the home pages available in the websites.

Web-based learning

Web-based learning environments may be designed for students of distance education as well as conventional classroom students. For example, Tamilnadu Teachers Education University has created its own Website named 'tntedu.com' and floated home pages under the headings Admission, Syllabus, Examinations etc. Information presented in these home pages could be updated now and then. Instead of writing to the individual affiliated colleges, announcing important information or changes brought in the existing system, they could be incorporated in the home pages of the web-site so that interested may visit them as and when they desire to do some.

Principles of Web-based Learning:

1.    The learning experiences designed for web-based teaching must focus specific learning objectives and outcomes.

2.    The learner should be actively engaged and made to feel the real-life experience through simulation.

3.    Keeping in mind the various learning styles of students, a variety of media are made use of to develop appropriate learning environment to achieve the desired learning out-comes.

4.    Learning environment must include both knowledge-based as well as problem-based learning. Knowledge-based learning involves recall, comprehension and application whereas problem-based learning focuses on higher order cognitive abilities like analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

5.    Learning experience must reflect the needs and interests of the community. Provisions should be made for the visitors of the web-site to react and exchange ideas with it.

6.    Incorporating new knowledge and view points empower learners and encourage critical thinking. Knowledge becomes functional when the individual creates meaning from his experiences instead of simply accepting what others say as true. True knowledge results from critical analysis of what one happens to learn.

Characteristics of Web-based Learning:

Quality web-based learning has the following characteristics.

1.    Develops the ability to derive meanings and engage in active discourse.

2.    Encourages the learners to collect the information they need and develop their own knowledge instead of providing tailor-made knowledge.

3.    Provides for the teacher and the taught to share information mutually.

4.    It is learner-centered and encourages active participation and knowledge-construction.

5.    Fosters the higher order cognitive abilities like analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

6.    Allows for group learning too; encourages collaboration and cooperation among the group members to collect and share the needed information.

7.    Focuses on real-world event sand problem-solving.

Nature of Web-based Learning:

Each educational institution may include the following information on its website.

1.    Details of the courses : Courses offered, their salient features such as topics to be covered, total duration, working hours, course objectives, details about text books and reference books, evaluation procedures and grading policies.

2.    Class Communication: Student can access to e-mails of the institution and get at the announcements made, circulars issued, information sent by the project group members, biodata of the teachers and students etc.

3.    Assignment and Tests: Distribute assignments and tests, provide for on line submission and give solutions, hints, samples of expected answers and other feed back regarding the evaluated assignments.

4.    Contents Covered in the Class: Make available lecture notes and handouts as web-pages of downloaded files.

5.    Demonstration, Animation, Audio and Video: Students can have access to audio and video cards through their computers.

6.    Cited Reference Materials: List the reference materials available in print and electronic form.

Skills for Web-based Teaching:

          Important skills required for web-based teaching are :

1.    Word Processing: Ability to transform MS Word files to Power-Point displays.

2.    Designing Personal Web-pages: Ability to convert MS Word files into web-pages using HTML (HTML is the short reference for 'Hypertext Mark-up Language' the encoding system used in designing web-pages containing diagrams, links, headings, and paragraphs).

3.    Handling e-mails: Ability to communicate with students as individuals and in groups.