e Learning Students apply inside and outside the classroom

There are four main types of electronic learning that we have today to manage the teachings required by the 21st century school . Learnings that, far from being in opposition, complement each other to give our students the tools to learn not only autonomously, but also effectively and meaningfully . And what are these four types of learning? eLearning, bLearning, mLearning and uLearning.

eLearning

Known as simplification of Anglicism Electronic Learning, it could be defined as the teaching process that is carried out or developed on the Internet through the use of electronic means . If you are not familiar with this word or are not very familiar with it, perhaps expressions such as online training, distance education, virtual teaching, teletraining or, of course, electronic learning are more familiar to you.

Among the characteristics of this type of teaching, I would like to highlight the following:

Speed ​​and agility in the information search process. Immediacy when it comes to obtaining the necessary information for any type of learning. The information is obtained at the moment and in an agile way and, in general, accessible.

Just-in-time teaching (JiTT). This methodology or way of working allows the student to learn just when they need it. Until not long ago, traditional learning took place at a fixed time and place. With the advent of technology, this takes on a new dimension and what is being pursued are two very specific objectives: on the one hand, to make classes with students in classrooms more effective and, on the other, to make the student learn on their own. Even outside the classroom and autonomously, to later consolidate this learning with the help of the teacher in the classroom.

Just-for-me. In addition to being able to carry out learning when desired, eLearning allows a much more individualized and personalized type of teaching or learning, that is, each student has the opportunity to learn at their own pace and depending on their level of knowledge on a topic.

Feedback or feedback. ELearning also stands out very positively for the enormous feedback that it is capable of generating when being relocated and not depending on a defined time space. An example of feedback would be discussion forums in virtual classrooms.

bLearning or Blended Learning

The bLearning or blended learning could be defined as the combination between face-to-face and non face- to- face teaching through technology. It is what we could consider as blended learning, where the presence of the teacher in the classroom is combined with learning outside the classroom through the use of new technologies such as mobile applications or virtual classrooms such as Moodle. In fact, within this type of electronic learning would be the pedagogical model called Flipped Classroom , also called flipped classroom or reverse class. To understand what this pedagogical model that the class invests consists of, I refer to the definition that appears on its website and that reads as follows: "Pedagogical model that transfers certain processes outside the classroom and uses class time, together with teaching experience, to facilitate and enhance knowledge acquisition and practice processes within the classroom."

From bLearning I would highlight the following advantages:

Flexibility in learning. It does not break with the traditional teaching model in the classroom in which the teacher teaches his students their knowledge through different means, preferably electronic.

The determining role of the teacher. Being a blended learning, it does not start from the idea that technology should replace the teacher. On the contrary, technology is another tool for learning and the teacher is, so to speak, a facilitator who guarantees the teaching-learning process of his students.

The classroom as a space for learning and cooperation. The classroom continues to be a critical place for teaching. And it is because it is not only a space in which you learn, but in which you also learn to cooperate by combining the lessons learned outside the classroom through technology with active methodologies such as PBL (Project-Based Learning) or cooperative learning whose purpose is mutual help, personal autonomy or the fact that a student can learn not only from the teacher, but also from their peers.

Materials. It allows coexistence with different materials, both in paper and digital format, although it is true that it advocates an eminently digital content and that it is hosted on educational platforms.

Mobile learning or mLearning

mLearning

MLearning or mobile learning is called learning based both inside and outside the classroom in the use of mobile devices from multiple digital channels, including the Internet, mobile applications, discussion forums, training platforms, digital books or instant messaging , to name a few examples of how students can with devices such as a mobile or a tablet.

Among the many advantages of mLearning I would highlight:

Multifunctionality. multi-tasking can be done. It is what could be defined with the term multitasking.

Portability.  The size of mobile devices such as a smartphone makes it easy for the user to always carry it with them and, thanks to the connectivity, have all the information necessary to access the knowledge they need on a certain subject or topic.

Motivation. Learning through devices such as mobile phones or tablets tends to be more motivated when facing certain learning. One of the reasons would be in the value, for example, of the game or gamification as an instrument to learn without giving up the playful aspect of a content.

Personal use. Each individual owns their device and it is totally personalized.

Ulearning, one of the fashionable electronic learning

uLearning

Ubiquitous learning or ubiquitous learning is a relatively new term that is not easy to define and that, moreover, is the sum of the three previous learnings. ULearning could be defined as the type of learning in which knowledge is incorporated without being fully aware of it , that is, it is carried out while parallel activities are carried out in spaces that are not necessarily directly related to study, such as it is traditionally conceived.

In fact, the term 'ubiquity' has to do with the ability to be omnipresent, that is, to overcome the limitation of a physical environment . Thus, learning should be understood as an activity that can be exercised anytime and anywhere. For this reason, it goes beyond the four walls of a classroom and does not necessarily understand schedules.

If I had to highlight some characteristics of uLearning, they would be these:

Promotion of synchronous communication (exchange of information over the network in real time) and asynchronous (communication between people when there is no time coincidence).

Permanence. The training activities that are created or shared are stored in virtual spaces that can be accessed for consultation.

Collaboration. The work goes from being individual to group work. A clear example of this would be Google Drive where several students can create and edit content in real time.The school of the 21st century must be a school capable of adapting to the technological changes of our time. But these inevitably go through these four electronic learning , which must be accompanied by methodologies that promote cooperation, inclusion and, of course, understand the importance of the teacher as an essential and irreplaceable facilitator of knowledge and learning.