Forecasts for online education in 2014 are that 81% of post-secondary education coursework in the United States will be obtained wholly or in part online. Classic instructional methods were based on a teacher providing instruction to students. Teachers created assignments which were delivered to students as assignments. Completed assignments were then returned to teachers for evaluation. E-learning systems merely transitioned the delivery method of classic teaching models.
More recently developed e-learning systems, or E-learning 2.0, further expand the e-learning model. E-learning 2.0 transitions e-learning from merely advanced delivery of assignments to upgrading the method of instructional interaction and delivery through software. Technology has enabled more socially focused e-learning. Software includes asynchronous wikis, pod casts, blogs, synchronous activities such as chat rooms, virtual meetings and classrooms, and virtual realms such as Second Life.
The foundation of E-learning 2.0 is that knowledge is a social construct building on meaning and understanding. Learning occurs by interactive discussions about meaning, understanding, problems and actions. Enhanced meaning and understanding (knowledge) occurs when teaching others in a knowledge network, according to social learning advocates.
Online discussions among students and the construction of knowledge from learning networks have been part of the e-learning landscape for many years prior to e-learning or E-learning 2.0.
In addition to virtual classroom environments through online live presentations or classrooms with more than one instructor, social networks have become an important part of E-learning 2.0.Social networks are popular methods in online learning communities from liberal arts, test preparation, language education and hobbies.
Social networks that provide collaborative interaction and knowledge sharing have transitioned from dependent communities within a social network platform to stand alone communities. Interdependent communities within Facebook, LinkedIn, and Wikipedia have increasingly given way to social network development tools such as Wiki software, Ning, Google Friend Connect, Google Orkut, Google Knol, Google Jaiku, Google Sites intranets, and other niche software to advance the construct of knowledge realms from concept to collaborative learning.