13.

SMART-EDUCATION AND E-LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES:

PRE-READING.
Read the prompt.
According to recent study, the more people use the Internet, the less time they
spend with real human beings.

READING.
Skim the text.
Smart Education Initiative
About the author by Anna Sohn
TEXT A
I’m a New Jersey girl with a lifelong fascination with Korea, my
motherland. In 2011, I moved to Seoul and I’ve enjoyed living in this wired and
fast-paced city ever since. I’m excited to share the latest tech and design
developments I encounter in Korea and hope you enjoy the AT&D blog as much I
enjoy writing for it!
In Sejong City, students aren’t told to put away their tablets – they’re
expected to use them in class! Seven months after launching its Smart Education
initiative at four schools, Sejong City’s high-tech approach has proven popular
among students and parents.
At Chamsam Elementary School in Sejong City, tablet PCs are part of every
student’s learning toolkit. When students turn on their tablets in one music class,
their attendance is automatically recorded. Instead of the traditional blackboard at
the front of the class, a 72-inch screen hangs on the wall.

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 As the teacher gives directions, students listen to a song on their smart pads,
which look like regular tablets. These smart pads allow direct communication
between the teacher and students. Whatever the teacher writes on the 72-inch
screen appears on the smart pad. When students write questions or answers on the
smart pad, they will automatically show up on the teacher’s screen.
One of the benefits of Smart Education is enhanced interaction between
instructors and students. Yu So-yeong, a teacher at Chamsam Elementary School,
told Korea Joongang Daily, “With Smart Education, which is customized for each
student, teachers and students communicate more directly with each other than
before”.

TEXT B
In schools with Smart Education, advanced technology goes beyond the
classroom. Students at Hansol High School, for instance, are given electronic
student IDs. When a student arrives at the school gate, the Radio-Frequency
Identification reader scans her ID and sends a text message to her parents to alert
them.
Korea’s cutting-edge ITC technologies also make an effort at eradicating
school violence. Schools install CCTV cameras in areas with low traffic to
discourage bullying and intimidating behavior. Just because a teacher isn’t around,
it doesn’t mean you can get away with stealing another kid’s milk money.
Parents are so impressed with this educational initiative that they jockey to
transfer their children to Sejong City’s school system. According to the Sejong
City Office of Education, schools have been tackling overcrowding by hiring more
teachers and setting up temporary classrooms.
The overwhelmingly positive response to Smart Education has prompted
Sejong City to increase the number of available schools. The education office
announced that it will build one more elementary and middle school each by
September 2014.
This must be a relief to Korean government officials who worried that
Sejong City would split up families. In an effort to encourage balanced growth
across the country, most ministry offices and other government organizations are
being moved to Sejong.
Ahead of the move, many bureaucrats reported that their families would
remain in Seoul because of its rich educational environment. In turn, the
bureaucrats would keep studio apartments in Sejong City during the week and

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commute on weekends. Perhaps this Smart Education initiative will help keep
families under one roof.

POST-READING.
Read the prompts and remember them.
‘Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and
motivating them, the teacher is the most important’
- Bill Gates
‘The internet could be a very positive step towards education, organization and
participation in a meaningful society’
- Noam Chomsky
‘In the practical world of computing, it is rather uncommon that a program, once it
performs correctly and satisfactorily, remains unchanged forever’
- Niklaus Wirth

READING.
Skim the text.
Qatar’s Smart Education (by Kummal-Maadeed)
Unlike previous generations, the millennials enjoy the benefits of growing
up in a sophisticated, everything at the tip of your finger, technology. The
possibilities and opportunities are endless in front of them, especially in the field of
education. They don’t have to travel or spend years trying to learn something new,
they can just grab their phone and google it!
Going back to school in Qatar University after finishing my Bachelor degree
in 2011 made me realize how advanced education has become in Qatar. Online
resources such as books and articles are available and widely used and many
software are available to make student’s life easier, like Blackboard, a learning
management system which facilitate virtual and in class learning and Banner, an
online registration system which help student find their classes, register and keep
tap on their academic records. Everything is done online from submitting requests
to paying online. I can do a lot just by clicking few buttons on my keyboard! In
preparation for the new academic year 2015/2016, Qatar University launched a
new application, QU Mobile for students and academic professors. I never thought
I needed an App until I used it!
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 Other than that, the Supreme Council of Education has a whole e-learning
portal where students, teachers and even parents can interact and benefit more from
the school experience. The portal aims to “provide a learning environment where
learners, teachers, researchers and wider institutional stakeholders use technology
to enhance the overall educational experience by providing flexible and high
quality learning tools that encourage creativity, diverse personal, teaching and
research.” The portal adopted projects that includes Learning Management System,
e-Library, e-Content and providing tablets to every student.
The concept of e-learning will keep developing year after year and more and
more online courses are offered to students and the general public as well and
many free resources such as the huge collection of e-books and documents in the
Qatar National Library. It’s not too late for us, non-millennials! So, let’s take
advantage of this opportunity and grow our own skills and talents through the
smart education.

READING.
Skim the text.
Text A.
What is E-Learning?
Did you know that almost everyone who uses a computer has completed
some type of e-learning? Perhaps it was called web-based training, or online
learning, or computer-based training, but it’s all under the same e-learning
umbrella. E-learning can encompass a wide variety of online initiatives. So, a
good, broad way to think about e-learning is as the use of electronic media
(computers, tablets, or phones) to educate or train learners.
This article will focus on e-learning in terms of course development and
content authoring, and then explore what it is, why we use it, how it’s evolved, and
much more. So, if you’re interested in finding out more about e-learning in
general, you’ve come to the right place. Read on!
How Do We Define E-Learning?
Many people would recognize a basic e-learning course as a slide-based
online activity that contains simple navigation buttons (such as Next and Back) and
incorporates quizzes with true-false or multiple choice questions. But not all e-
learning courses share the same fingerprint. For example, an e-learning course
could be a software simulation that demonstrates the click path through an
application. Or, it could be a very interactive course that features role playing and

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complex decision-making. In this article, we will take a deliberately broad view of
e-learning, and appreciate its near-infinite and ever-evolving forms.

Text B
What’s the Value of E-Learning?
E-learning offers a lot of value compared to more traditional training
options, like facilitated sessions or lectures. E-learning:
• can be either an asynchronous or synchronous activity: Traditionally, e-
learning has been asynchronous, which means there is no predetermined time for
the learning to take place. Everyone can go at their own pace, and take their time to
learn what they need to know, when they need to know it. However, more
synchronous e-learning is now being offered through web conferencing and chat
options. The great thing about e-learning is it gives you the option to do one, or
both.
• has a global reach: E-learning can simply be placed online and easily
accessed by people around the world. There is no need for expensive travel or
meetings across multiple time zones.
• spans multiple devices/mobile: Online courses can work on computers as
well as on mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets. This means e-learning
courses can literally be in the hands of the people who need them, at all times.
• is just-in-time/needs-based: It’s possible to create, publish, and share a
course within a few hours. The software is so easy to use that almost anyone can
create engaging courses.
• reduces costs: All of the above-mentioned factors result in a cost savings
for organizations that use e-learning courses to replace some of their traditional
instructor-led training.
As the world becomes more connected and globalized, more people have
consistent access to the internet, computers, smart phones, and other technological
devices. When we provide people with learning opportunities on these devices,
they can use them to access timely resources and training while on the job.
The value of e-learning is that it can save time and money. It can often be
more efficient to develop one course that can be distributed electronically and
consistently to thousands, versus one that’s delivered in person to training groups,
where the message, equipment, and other conditions can vary enough to affect the
outcome of the course.

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 Text C
How Has E-Learning Evolved?
The past decade has radically transformed e-learning. In the early days, e-
learning courses were typically custom creations, coded by programmers and
developers who used highly specialized tools and code to create these courses. In
those days, it could easily require an entire team to create a simple, linear e-
learning course. Very few people had the skills or knowledge to do so on their
own.
Now, with advances in technology, creating e-learning is much more
accessible. The course development tools have advanced to a point where just
about anyone can create an e-learning course, without any programming or coding
knowledge.
Changes in technology have also impacted the types of hardware tools we
use. We’ve gone from using desktop computers exclusively to a mix of desktops,
laptops, tablets, and smart phones. Naturally, e-learning has followed suit to span
the array of devices we use. In fact, e-learning developed specifically for mobile
devices, such as tablets and smart phones, is sometimes referred to as “m-
learning,” or mobile learning.
The learner’s experience of accessing e-learning has also evolved. It wasn’t
so long ago that learners had to first add custom applications and/or download
players before they could view course content. This setup often took time and was
fraught with challenges for the learner—even before the course started.
Then, in the late nineties, Adobe Flash became the standard for e-learning,
which made it really simple to view and share e-learning content. For nearly a
decade, a majority of browsers came with Flash, so learners could play courses
through the Flash player in their browser. However, now that many mobile devices
and tablets are not Flash compatible, many developers are shifting to HTML5 to
publish and share e-learning courses.

Text D
How Is E-Learning Shared?
Once you’ve created an e-learning course, you need to distribute it to
learners. There are many ways to do this, and — like everything else related to e-
learning — those ways are constantly evolving and improving. Here, I’d like to
look at two ways to share content: informal distribution and formal distribution.
Informal distribution
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 Informal distribution of e-learning content typically means users are trusted
to view the e-learning course, and are not tracked or scored for completion. One
way to informally share an e-learning course is to put it on a web server, then send
participants the link and have them view the course. You don’t really have a
systematic way of knowing whether learners have completed the course, but
sometimes that’s not necessary.
Formal distribution
Sharing an e-learning course formally means there’s a need to track and
record learner results. Most organizations that have a need for formal distribution
of e-learning have specific systems and standards in place for this.
Tracking is usually done in what is called a Learning Management System
(LMS). Certain standards are in place to report the information to the LMS,
including AICC, SCORM, and, more recently, Tin Can.
Here are a few important terms to understand related to the distribution of e-
learning:
LMS: LMS stands for Learning Management System and refers to software
used to administer, track, report, and document the delivery of your e-learning
courses.
SCORM: A Shareable Content Object Reference Model is a collection of
specifications and standards for e-learning, which allows communication between
the e-learning content and the LMS. There are several versions of SCORM.
AICC: The Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee is a set
of specifications designed so learning technology vendors can spread their costs
across multiple markets.
Tin Can: Tin Can API (Application Programming Interface) is a new
specification for e-learning, which is not tied to an LMS and collects data about a
person’s learning experiences across various devices. These devices are able to
communicate with each other using this new spec.
What Makes an E-Learning Project Successful?
Many factors contribute to a successful e-learning program, but the top two
are: 1) a production process that uses good tools; and 2) solid instructional design.
Tools
Good form-based or free-form tools let you create the functionality and
interactivity that you want for your learners. They help you make e-learning that
looks and works great, which goes a long way toward a successful e-learning
course.
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 The easier the programming, the less time you have to spend on technical
issues. This frees you up to commit to the instructional design to craft a great
learning experience.
Instructional design
One way organizations measure the success of an e-learning project is by
how much the learner’s knowledge and skills have improved after they’ve taken
the course. To provide your learners with the best odds, you should have content
that is designed in an instructionally sound manner. Instructional design is all about
creating educational and instructional experiences that maximize learning and
present knowledge and content in the most effective, efficient way.
Consider reading about some instructional design basics for e-learning to
help you create courses that are instructionally sound with solid learning
objectives. You can have the most fabulous-looking course in the world, but if
there isn’t good, quality content within the course, it’s not going to have the impact
you desire.
The key thing to remember about e-learning, and specifically e-learning
course development, is that it is a constantly-evolving field. From the tools you use
to create it, to the applications learners use to view it, the technology behind
creating and sharing e-learning changes daily. The tools you have will continue to
improve; however, your focus should remain on using those tools to create the best
e-learning possible.

COMMUNICATION.
Read the prompts and remember them.
“People often tout interactivity as the great benefit offered by eLearning, yet most
interactivity does nothing to either engage or instruct”
- Ethan Edwards

“Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today”
- Jennifer Fleming

“Online learning is not the next big thing; it is the now big thing”
- Donna J. Abernathy

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READING.
Skim the text.
Distance Learning (E-Learning)
Distance learning, sometimes called e-learning, is a formalized teaching and
learning system specifically designed to be carried out remotely by using electronic
communication. Because distance learning is less expensive to support and is not
constrained by geographic considerations, it offers opportunities in situations
where traditional education has difficulty operating. Students with scheduling or
distance problems can benefit, as can employees, because distance education can
be more flexible in terms of time and can be delivered virtually anywhere.
Popular distance learning technologies include:
- Voice-centered technology, such as CD or MP3 recordings or Webcasts;
- Video technology, such as instructional videos, DVDs, and interactive
videoconferencing;
- Computer-centered technology delivered over the Internet or corporate
intranet.
Studies indicate that distance learning can be as effective as the traditional
format when the methods are appropriate to the teaching tasks, there is student-
teacher interaction, and the teachers provide students with appropriate and timely
feedback.

COMMUNICATION.
Read the prompts and remember them.
“Online learning can enable learning to happen in a variety of contexts, locations,
and times; it allows for a transformation of curriculum and learning.”
“Online learning can be a lifeline to those who have obstacles, such as
geographical distances or physical disabilities”
- Paul Levinson, author, “The Soft Edge”
“With the growing popularity in e-learning, it occurred to me that the e should
mean more than electronic. If we are going to call it e-learning, shouldn’t it be
effective, efficient, and engaging?”
- M. David Merrill, First Principles of Instruction

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 “To teach our kids what they need to know online, we have to talk to them off
line”
- Galit Breen, Kindness Wins
“Technology is a compulsive and addictive way to live. Verbal communication
cannot be lost because of a lack of skill. The ability to listen and learn is key to
mastering the art of communication. If you don’t use your verbal skills and
networking, it will disappear rapidly. Use technology wisely”
- Rick Pitino
VIDEO.
Watch the following video: What is a MOOC? - YouTube

USEFUL SYNONYMS/ANTONYMS
Words/Phrases Synonyms Antonyms
initiative action, drive, leadership, push, inactivity, indifference
ambition, dynamism, energy
toolkit tool box -
alert alarm, notify, signal unalert, hide
cutting-edge up-to-date, advanced, new, old-fashioned, traditional,
modern, recent, innovative uncreative, uncontemporary
jockey manipulate, negotiate, guide neglect, misguide, remain
relief ease, comfort, aid, release pain, injury, damage, distress
sophisticated complicated, difficult, tricky, simple, unsophisticated
complex
keep tap on monitor, observe, keep track ignore, disregard, neglect, miss,
of, keep under observation, forget, not care, discourage
keep watch on, track, keep up
with, look at, regulate, view
fingerprint mark, impression, misrepresentation
characteristic, pattern,
description
facilitated simplified, assisted, promoted -

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