(
Electronic-
LEARNING) Education and training via computer. E-learning is administered over the public Internet, private teaching networks as well as in-house via the local network. See
e-learning terminology.
In the 21st century, e-learning has become as widespread as the classroom. Both free, as well as paid, college and university curricula are available in nearly every subject. During the COVID-19 pandemic, high schools and colleges quickly moved to e-learning. It was fortunate that most students had the required hardware and Internet access at home. However, not everyone was so lucky (see
technology gap).
Home Schooling and COVID-19
Although schools scrambled to use Zoom and other video platforms, teaching has not been consistent from one school district to another. It is difficult enough to create engaging online courseware, and there was no time to transcribe a daily curriculum to e-learning. For the most part, students were required to sit in front of their computers and look at the teacher all day much to the social and emotional detriment of many kids.
Children already being home schooled did not have this problem, because home schooling courses are set up to be taken as time permits. Needless to say, home schooling administrators were inundated with requests by parents during 2020 to switch to tried-and-true educational curricula. See
MOOC and
CBT.