DIGITAL EDUCATION (E-LEARNING)

Abstract

Development of digital education is briefly analysed in the paper. Digital education (e-learning) is considered as an infrastructure, which consequently becomes one of the models for teaching pupils, students and adults. Considering the fact that lately the phenomenon of digital learning became a multi-disciplinary subject of studies of different scientific fields (since it enters the domain of social and natural sciences), the paper will in its first part try to provide a basis for the introduction of the subject matter terminology with the short overview of historical development (from distance learning to digital learning), while the second part is devoted to the model of digital learning and teaching, which is the main topic.

The paper presents the findings aboutdigital learning development, the importance of programmed teaching, and the definition of digital education and digital teaching which are related to the hybrid teaching model (associated with motivation, mental fitness and users’ experience). It also analyzes some of the tools for digital learning and teaching (video-conference, forums, social networks and others), as well as their pros and cons.

The purpose of the paper is to give a framework for thetransition from traditional (correspondent) learning to digital learning, without a detail description ofevery digital learning aspect. Instead it focuses on the possibility of transition from analogue to digital learning. Courseware tool is a piece of software designed exclusively for education. The word courseware consists of two terms: course and software. The tool can be in the form of a CD-ROM, webpage, floppy, digital textbook, learning software, etc. Courseware tools enable distance learning and teaching using certain system configurations. Nowadays, two configurations are being used: Learning Content Management System (LCMS) and Learning Management System (LMS). The most impressive tools are web browsers which connect networks for the data exchange on the Internet.