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We’ve moved from viewing online learning as a vehicle to share existing course materials out to a larger audience, to a realization that learning online can be so much more than a window into a traditional classroom environment. eLearning, when thoughtfully developed, is enhancing learning and teaching and creating new ways for students to assimilate a vast amount of information effectively and efficiently- but only when the learning materials are presented in a way that supports students in this environment. The focus is no longer solely on what we teach, but how we teach it.

Integral to enhance and support the learning process is the use of instructional media. Instructional media, or the “physical means, other than the teacher, chalkboard, and textbook, via which instruction is presented to learners,” not only help learners understand concepts more fully but also help the instructor to organize and explain these concepts more fully and easily (Reiser and Dempsey, 18). Traditionally, instructional media were viewed by most educators as supplementary materials, whereas “teachers and textbooks [were] viewed as the primary means of presenting instruction” (18). Technological advancements such as video, computers, and the internet, as well as the increase in online education programs in both the non-profit and for-profit arenas, have changed the scope of instructional media. One such instructional learning technique–collaborative online learning—should be included in any discussion of instructional media.

The design of an online course and the presentation of the course materials become larger determining factors of a student’s success; whereas even a decade ago, the learner’s success was based largely upon the presentation skills of the instructor. Engaging students in an online environment removes this integral part of the traditional classroom environment. In an eLearning environment, the course materials need to be engaging and interactive, and not just the instructor, in order for the student to assimilate the material.

One element which helps students interact not only with each other but with the course content as well in collaborative online learning. The educational benefits of collaborative online learning are numerous, and the use of these methods for teaching and course structure are quickly “becoming an instructional approach of choice for online courses” (Chiong and Jovanovic, 2012).

Learning has changed since I started teaching in the early 90’s. In the past 20 years or so there has been an increase in the use of educational computer games to support and enhance student learning. “Technological developments such as the Internet and Web-based applications have accelerated this trend and game-based learning has recently become a significant focus of attention in the field of education” (Wu et al).

One facet of online collaborative learning that has viable future options is the incorporation of digital games. Low-tech learning games (such as board games) have been utilized in learning environments for decades. Both low-tech and digital learning games allow students an opportunity to interact with each other and the material in an alternative and (hopefully) exciting way. Digital learning games allow students the opportunity to work not only in groups but individually as well, but this research focuses on those digital learning games which are collaborative in nature.

Technology will continue to influence the educational landscape in ways that we cannot imagine. As we move forward, developing meaningful learning environments for students who assimilate information in new ways, it will be increasingly important to not only examine what we teach but how we teach it.

Works Cited

Chiong, R., Jovanovic, J., & Gill, T. (2012). Collaborative Learning in Online Study Groups: An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective. Journal Of Information Technology Education, 1181-101.

Kiili, K., Kiili, C., Ott, M., & Jönkkäri, T. (2012). Towards Creative Pedagogy: Empowering Students to Develop Games. Proceedings Of The European Conference On Games Based Learning, 250-257.

Wu, W. H., Hsiao, H. C., Wu, P. L., Lin, C. H., & Huang, S. H. (2012). Investigating the learning-theory foundations of game-based learning: a meta-analysis. Journal Of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(3), 265-279. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00437.x

Whitton, N. (2012). The place of game-based learning in an age of austerity. Electronic Journal Of E-Learning, 10(2), 249-256.

Romero, M., & Usart, M. (2012). Game Based Learning Time-On-Task and Learning Performance According to Students’ Temporal Perspective. Proceedings Of The European Conference On Games Based Learning, 424-431.