However, in the eLearning space, the ecosystem is slightly different from what we used to know. In the industry, the term is associated with the various delivery methods and devices that work for certain types of eLearning. You’ll surely agree with me that – in today’s world, one size fits all doesn’t work anymore. That’s so because many of us have different learning techniques and styles that work for us. This is exactly what the eLearning ecosystem is all about, having a community wherein various technologies, authoring tools, and materials are readily available for every learner to learn and acquire their desired skills.
Are you interested in finding out more about what exactly the eLearning ecosystem is all about? If yes, the rest of this article will shed more light on it. So, without further ado, let’s get straight down to business.
What exactly is the elearning ecosystem?
As earlier mentioned, the term ecosystem comes from biology – “ecology” to be precise. It’s the study of the interaction between living organisms and their immediate environment. In a natural environment, both living things and nonliving things need to interact – that’s exactly what an ecosystem is all about. Living things need nonliving things to thrive and survive. For instance, there’s no way human beings and other living creatures can survive without any of the following – food, water, soil, sunlight, and air.
On the other hand, the eLearning ecosystem is slightly similar to that of ecology. That’s so because it involves having “different delivery methods and devices that work for certain types of eLearning.” In a simple definition, a digital eLearning ecosystem is an environment that has educational technologies, authoring tools, and learning materials readily available and accessible. The purpose of this is to allow members of the community to gain valuable knowledge and develop skills that’ll enable them to progress.
Like the natural ecosystem, the eLearning ecosystem can never be complete with only educational technologies, authoring tools, and resources. It also needs the active participation and contribution of all members of the eLearning community. The bottom line is, for the ecosystem to be successful, every participant in the learning environment needs to gain the right skill and understand how valuable they are to the community. That’s not all; for the digital learning ecosystem to work, every learner must be offered the right tools and resources needed for them to learn better. They should also be able to opt for the learning style that suits their needs.
The basic features of the elearning ecosystem
When it comes to having the right eLearning ecosystem, several different components come into play. Earlier, in this post, I mentioned that the ecosystem needs e-learning and technology-based solutions. However, you need to understand that many other features are needed to make the environment perfect for all. Let’s go back to the ecology ecosystem. In this type of setup, the three main components that make the environment better for all are:
- Organisms
- The physical environment
- Interaction; that is, the relationships between the organisms and their environment
Like the natural ecosystem, the digital learning ecosystem also has several different components. Without these elements, it’ll become pretty difficult for the ecosystem to become successful. That said, below is the breakdown of the different components that make up the elearning ecosystem:
● Digital learning culture
The first component that every eLearning ecosystem needs to become successful is the digital learning culture. This ensures that all members of the community participate and contribute properly to enable learners to get the best out of them. The bottom line is, the digital learning culture of the eLearning ecosystem will help to create an environment that will encourage the development of new skills, improvement of performance, and behavioral change.
● Learners & facilitator
The second component, which is also very important to the ecosystem, is “learner & facilitator.” Let’s face it; without the active participation of the learners, there’s no way the elearning ecosystem is going to be successful.
● Digital learning resources
The eLearning resources also play a pivotal role in how successful an ecosystem will be. As earlier stated, one-size-fits-all doesn’t work anymore. Learners are now looking for resources that’ll allow them to learn using their styles and pace. That said, the ecosystem must have all resources available, irrespective of the learning style that the learners are looking to use.
● Engaging content
Another component of the elearning ecosystem that can make it successful is engaging content. This factor will go a long way in allowing your learners to fully participate and make meaningful contributions.
● Continuous assessment
The essence of continuous assessment can’t be overstressed. It allows digital learning professionals to easily track and gain insight into how their learners are interacting with their courses.
● Technologies
Like the rest of the components on this list, technology is also very important in the digital learning ecosystem. Some of the elements of technology include LMS, LCMS, AI, mobile devices, sensory devices, and advanced authoring tools.
