A study on needs for e-learning - Through the analysis of national survey and case studies

Abstract

The needs of Japanese universities and learners for e-learning are mainly focused on in this study. First, e-learning cases are classified into three categories: type I, correspondence courses where students can obtain credits and/or degrees mainly based on e-learning; type II, on-campus courses where students can obtain some credits based on e-learning; and type III, on-campus courses where the faculty uses e-learning tools as a supplemental measure of their classes. A Survey conducted by National Institute of Multimedia Education clearly shows that the needs of universities for type III is comparatively high. Based on case studies, this paper clarifies the following two points: first, students such as working students, foreign students, and those who study specialized areas are the main beneficiaries of types I and II ; second, all types meet students' needs by improving the qualities of classes. It seems reasonable to conclude that type III is expected to become the most popular model of e-learning because it responds to the needs of students and universities and that promotion of type I and/or II is possible if universities are successful in providing curriculums that suit the needs of potential students. © 2005 National Institute of Informatics.