4-21-13--elearning barriers

How can eLearning remove barriers found in a traditional classroom?

Blended/online learning can remove barriers that prevent some students from learning in a traditional "brick and mortar" classroom. I find this to be true because blended/online learning gives students an opportunity to develop and display individual creativity. In a more traditional classroom, students sometimes feel they must all learn the same and finished projects must look exactly like the teacher's or the person sitting next to them. In addition, eLearning allows students to control his/her own pacing or have a self-paced learning enviornment. This means not everyone in the class has to learn at the same rate. Given this opportunity students who learn more quickly can work at a faster pace than students who may need to read the instructions 2-3 times before even beginning the assignment given.  eLearning opens the door for students who struggle with staying attentive or on-task to take the breaks needed to complete the course requirements. These students would be less likely to bother or interrupt other students trying to learn. "Brick and mortar" classrooms are more of a whole group learning environment in which students can easily be distracted and bothered by those around them which in turn interferes with everyone's learning. Finally, an online teacher may remove some of the "personal" barriers that could possibly evolve between a teacher and a student in a more traditional classroom setting.  In summary, eLearning has the potential to remove many barriers found in a traditional classroom.