Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The most important aspects of a focused learn-
ing for engineering students is shown in Figure 1.
The final objective of a learning object is to
realize three fundamental learning goals:
orative work and it was used to support learning
by means of desktop and video conferencing
systems. Consequently, a new paradigm arose
around educational institutions which were de-
fined as computer-supported collaborative learn-
ing (CSCL). This emerging system was based on
the contributions of constructivist learning theories
about the term collaborative learning, which fo-
cus on social interdependence and maintain that
engineering students consolidate their learning by
teaching one another. CSCL environments were
created for using technology as a mediation tool
within collaborative learning methods of instruc-
tion. Since then, and thanks to the great evolution
of network technologies, engineering education is
moving out of traditional classrooms. These col-
laborative e-Learning environments have caused a
revolution in the academic community, providing
a great amount of advantages for using both the
Internet and technologies for 'any-time, any-place'
collaborative learning (Jara et al, 2008).
It should be noted that e-Learning is becom-
ing one of the most popular solutions to meet
new needs especially in technical courses. In e-
Learning course development and management
for engineers the emphasis is often on technical
aspects, whereas the relevance of learning products
for the actual process of learning is not considered
in depth. Indeed the most important aspect of a
learning product is its aptitude to provide knowl-
edge and skill by stimulating in dept study, further
researches and close investigations (Campanella
et al, 2007).
The present chapter is a study on the growth of
e-Learning in engineering education as the most
important objective area of science apart from
the medical science. Using the definitions and
aptitudes of e-Learning we tried to find a more
specialized way to develop e-Learning in engineer-
ing education. To this aim, we have investigated the
progresses being made on engineering e-Learning,
and the benefits and difficulties of implementing
e-Learning in engineering education. The study has
focused on the importance of e-Learning design
•
To inform the engineering students to be
responsible of their learning, capable to
manage processes to reach aims and to un-
derstand their learning needs;
•
To promote real and meaningful learning
environments and contexts, enabling the
engineering students to retrieve informa-
tion and build knowledge by using differ-
ent learning ways;
•
To create stimulating situations and learn-
ing dynamics that prelude to wider learn-
ing tasks
Nowadays, the use of ICT has improved
learning, especially when coupled with more
learner-centered instruction, or convenience,
where learning and exchange with the instructor
can take place asynchronously at the learners own
pace or on as-needed basis (Motiwalla, 2007).
The consequent applications of all multimedia
and simulation technologies, computer-mediated
communication and communities, and Internet-
based support for individual and distance learning
have the potential for revolutionary improvements
in education (Gladun et al, 2008).
Hence, electronic collaboration (e-collabora-
tion) technologies for engineers are technologies
that support e-collaboration. An operational defi-
nition of e-collaboration is collaboration among
different individuals using electronic technologies
to accomplish a common task. These e-collabora-
tion technologies include several Internet-based
technologies, such as e-mail, forums, chats, and
document repositories (Padilla et al, 2008).
However the first computer-supported collabo-
ration system emerged in 1984 from the need of
sharing interests among product developers and
researchers in diverse fields. This revolutionary
approach was called computer-supported collab-
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