Networked Learning In Higher Education

Networked learning plays a significant role in todays higher education and adds a new dimension to contemporary education. Nowadays, classrooms have made way for computer monitors. It includes interaction which can be synchronous, asynchronous or both and takes place with online materials in the form of text, voice, graphics, videos, shared workspaces or combinations of these. Networked learning has changed the concept of education and widened its scope, making higher education accessible to a larger number of learners.

Networked learning is used in higher education either to supplement the facilities in a conventional classroom or to replace them. In the former case, some networked facilities like email help line, a web-based discussion space or a computer conference are added to an existing course. The idea is to provide students, especially those who are pursuing higher academic degrees, with additional facilities to discuss their queries or seek clarifications apart from conventional classroom sessions. In the latter case, a number of universities have now evolved a hybrid distance teaching system to replace traditional classrooms by networked learning. In this system, ICT is employed to substitute the role of conventional teaching facility. Websites, emails, computer conferencing and audio-visual aids are used to establish and sustain communication. Students spread over different locations can access a set of facilities and resources using network technology. This enables universities to specialize and gain a wider market for their courses especially at post graduate level. In todays competitive world, higher education becomes a priority to the job-seekers for employment; and to the employed for career advancement. This is where the significance of networked education becomes most tangible.