Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication - Research Paper Example A home-maker can get cooking lessons as well as learn website designing, managing her kids and household. This surely indicates the capacity of online learning in changing lifestyles. The technology of ‘online learning or e-learning’ has reconstructed the perception of learning and education. Online learning is a concept that keeps evolving into more comprehensive modes of facilitating the learning experience with the help of new technologies. As online learning also includes different types of learning processes like instructor-led, blended and self-paced, it has become the most sought after medium for knowledge acquisition. This new age learning platform has indeed created a tremendous impact on learning and development across professional and academic fields. Online learning or e-learning modules are implemented in work places for training purposes as well as in the academic world for comprehensive and experiential learning. It has also given way to a competitive know ledge and learning industry. Definition of Online Learning Online learning or e-learning is a systematic process of delivery of instructional material and the assessment of learners with the help of internet tools and resources (Michigan Merit Curriculum, p 1) and tailored to meet the needs of the individual or the organization (Learning Solutions, p 2). The learning system can best be understood by asking the three essential questions: 1. What is online learning? 2. How is it different from actual classroom learning? 3. Why has online learning become popular? What is online learning? Online learning is learning provided by the digital medium or the computer. It is a deviation from the real time classroom learning experience where the medium of knowledge delivery is the teacher or the instructor. However, nowadays, online learning too provides the option for instructor facilitated learning sessions. But an instructor led virtual session is way different from the real classroom learn ing experience. What does it do? Online learning is all forms of learning that take place via electronic medium; hence it is also called e-learning. The focus of online learning is to make the learning process effective and interesting so that the learner gets curious and drawn to participation in the learning activities. Keeping to the objective of the learner-centric model, online learning integrates different learning styles for different learners for easy and stress free learning experience. An online learning module includes audio, video and text options to deliver the learning content and the lesson is so planned that it gives ample scope for learners to stay active throughout (Learning Solutions p4). How is online learning different from its older counterpart classroom learning? The difference lies in the medium of delivery, which is the biggest factor in understanding the learning system. To access online learning or be part of this learning industry, one has to understand t he conditions that work for effective learning to take place through this digital medium. For instance, one is participating in an online training session conducted by an instructor in a collaborative learning environment along with the facilities of hearing and seeing the instructor through video-conferencing. In this case, the learner can see, hear and interact with the instructor just like in a real classroom. Apparently there seems to be no difference between the two modes of learning but obviously the difference is in the

How concerns of commerce and business spur on the development of Essay

How concerns of commerce and business spur on the development of mathematics - Essay Example The term mathematic was derived from the Greek word mathema to mean an instructional subject. Mathematical methods were further refined by Greek mathematics and that lead to expansion of the subject matter. The value system was a contribution by Chinese mathematics whereas the numeral system and its operational rules were from the Hindu (Kline 200). The roots of mathematics lie within the concepts of magnitude, number and form. The number concept has been gradually evolving with time and has lots of support from languages existence that provide distinction between numbers like one and two or many (Menninger 77). The most ancient demonstration of prime numbers and sequences is thought to have been from the Ishango bone, which was found in Congo near the Nile river headwaters (Avner 87). That bone was approximately 20,000 years old and it had a series of carved tally marks running in three columns as per the bone length. There are arguments that the prime number concept came after divi sion concept. It has also been claimed that, geometric designs were represented pictorially in 5th millennium BC. Other geometric ideas like ellipses, circles and Pythagorean triples were incorporated in England and Scotland monuments (Menninger 77). The history of mathematics is explained further by the contribution of different countries believed to have been involved in its development. Babylonian mathematics defines mathematics of Sumerians, people from Mesopotamia (Hoyningen et al. 42). Its name relates with Babylon’s central role of study. Sumerians who drafted tables of multiplication on clay tablets, solved division problems and geometrical exercises evidenced written mathematics (Avner 87). Most of the clay tablets that were recovered included cubic and quadratic equations, fractions, algebra and calculations of pairs of regular reciprocal. Quadratic and linear equations solutions were also included. Egyptian mathematics is defined as mathematics in Egyptian language (Avner 87). The Rhind papyrus is its extensive text and it is a manual of instructions for students in geometry and arithmetic. It gives multiplication methods, area formulas, working out unit fractions and division. It also shows knowledge of composite, prime numbers, and arithmetic. It also describes how geometric series and linear equations are solved (Hoyningen et al. 42). Greek mathematics is also called Hellenistic mathematics. It was more complicated than other mathematical genres. Others used inductive reasoning and repeated observations for rule establishment but Greeks used deductive reasoning (Mumford 105). Calculations of volumes and areas of curvilinear figures were introduced and great advancement in geometry reached. The Euclidean geometry theorem introduced subjects of the time as algebra, number theorem and solid geometry (Kline 200).This theorem proved infinity of many prime numbers and the irrationality of the square root of two. This theorem was also thorough on subjects such as optics, conic sections, mechanics and spherical geometry (Hoyningen et al. 42). In Chinese and Middle Eastern advances, there was pie estimation by circumscribed and inscribed polygons. They were also particular in notation of the decimal system, development of the Chinese algebra and