Chapter 21: Beckoning E-Learners Through Exploration of Computer Technology

In this chapter, the journey of a group of preservice secondary-school mathematics (PSSM) teachers in an English-speaking Caribbean setting is provided to demonstrate how computer-technology integration served as a vehicle to e-learning. Despite the many challenges they face, the PSSM teachers were willing to pursue in their quest for the knowledge and benefits e-learning had to offer to them and their students.

E-learning is increasingly shaping the current borderless world. Some of its main concerns are to foster collaborative learning and improve teaching methods. In terms of access, e-learning is universally recognized as a useful proposition for overcoming many barriers imposed by distance and time in educational institutions. Among other features, e-learning is characteristic of gaining access to education and training anywhere or anytime (synchronous and asynchronous). This form of educational technology can facilitate learning to many underserved communities; enables flexibility in integrating learner’s schedules; permits the integration of geographically dispersed learners into a single virtual learning community; and the use of geographically dispersed human resources (Mallalieu, 2004).