Is E-Learning Real Learning?

Some people wonder if "e-learning" is real.  I poked around the internet and it looks like there are plenty of studies on both sides of the coin.  

But I have to say from firsthand personal experience that I know that e-learning is real...and that it works.  Here's the details (but please don't tell anyone because I'm embarrassed to tell the story):

Prior to my start in academic support, as a practicing attorney, I had a video-conference hearing in a courtroom in Colorado.  I liked to be in the courtroom early, so, as I sat in the courtroom awaiting the judge, I noticed that the opposing party and her counsel were not present.  

At that point, the judge came in, and, with the hearing set to momentarily start, the judge asked the courtroom clerk on the video-conference to go out and look for the opposing party and counsel. Before waiting for the clerk's response, I bolted upright and blurted out loud, "I'll go look for them.  They might just be in the waiting room."  

At that, the judge remarked: "Mr. Johns, you do know that Salt Lake City is a good 500 miles away from Denver, and that, while appreciating your willingness to help today, it might just be a touch too much to drive to the courthouse in Utah before the close of today's court session."

We all had a good chuckle, and I was mighty glad that no one but the judge (and the courtroom clerks in Denver and Salt Lake City) knew about my impulsive offer to leap to help.

Here's what I learned.

You see, even though we were having a video-conference courtroom hearing, it was as real as life to me.  So real that I completely forgot about the geographical expanse - not to mention the massive Rocky Mountain ranges - that separated me from the opposing party and counsel on the other side of the case.  

So is "e-learning" real learning?

Well, it sure can be. But it all depends on our willingness to perceive it as such, to make it work as well or even better than in-person learning, to actually be in the moment relating with our students in order to reach them wherever they are.  

In my opinion, learning is a relational social experience. But, that doesn't mean that we need to be physically present in the same classroom with our students.  Indeed, as I learned through my experience in "online" litigation, what happens online can be just as powerful as what happens in the presence of each other.  

(Scott Johns).

P.S. Please keep this story just between you and me!

P.S.S. Still doubting the efficacy of e-learning? Here's a quick blurb from a Penn State blog about one student's perspective on using zoom this week:

"Someone in my bio class with more than 300 students accidentally started talking about the professor, not realizing her microphone was on, so that made things a bit awkward. The chat feature is enjoyable. I have seen conversations ranging from Jesus to nicotine. I also received an email from my English professor reminding us to wear clothes. Of course Zoom isn’t ideal, but it is pretty effective given the circumstances."  C. Nersten, Reviews: Zoom Classes, Onward State Blog, https://onwardstate.com/2020/03/17/os-reviews-zoom-classes/ 

...Reading between the lines, e-learning can be very effective, but it takes careful planning and curating by us, just like regular classes do...