Creative Development and E-Learning: Best Friends or Butting Heads?

It's easy to see how e-learning can be facilitative to a cut-and-dry study subject such as math or science. With an e-learning program, the material can be archived for later reference and re-visited whenever necessary; any and all necessary learning tools are at the learner's fingertips; the program can tell the student whether an answer is right or wrong. But when it comes to schooling on a more creative subject, like writing or design, do e-learning systems have any place in the classroom?

Learning Speed

Consider this: in a standard schooling environment, students have to keep up with (or be held back by) the pace of the instructor. It's un-productive for one student to ask for more time when he or she is the only person in the room who needs it; on the flip-side, why attend class on a project you've already finished? The one good thing about e-learning is that it allows students the opportunity to learn at their own pace. By now we know that learning speeds vary from student to student, and e-learning lets students fully absorb a subject before moving on.

Learning Style

Just like every student learns at a different pace, there are different methods of teaching that work for some students that won't work for others. Learning style is particularly important when it comes to fostering creativity. A student simply can't unleash his or her creative abilities if they're not partaking in an intuitive process. E-learning systems allow students to take advantage of the types of lessons and resources that work for them while doing minimal work on the types of projects that don't facilitate their success.

Learning Environment

Learning in a classroom isn't for everybody. Working in front of a room of people sometimes creates a sense of pressure or inability to perform. And, for some, the class period just isn't long enough. Interactive e-learning systems let students take advantage of lessons and resources from their mobile devices, so no matter where they may be, they can re-visit the material and practice. This lets them get into an environment that relaxes them, whether that's inside the classroom or out.

No Limits

One thing that really restricts the mind's creativity is limitations. When using e-learning tools, a student doesn't have to be finished exploring a subject that really speaks to them just because a chapter is over. Having the lessons on their mobile devices allows them to dive as deeply into content as they please, which is crucial for helping them figure out their niche creative capabilities.

E-learning isn't just for cold, hard facts. The unlimited access to resources, environments, other students' input, and projects creates a "no-limits" type of environment that cultivates the creative mind instead of cutting it off.