Virtual education has evolved significantly from early distance learning methods using print materials and video/audio recordings. Today, virtual education commonly refers to online learning delivered via the internet with teachers and students separated geographically. Major online learning platforms like Coursera, Codecademy, edX, and Udacity provide free university-level courses. While virtual education increases access to education, future research is still needed to better support online students and improve teaching methods using new technologies. Overall, virtual education is growing and will continue to be important for expanding educational opportunities worldwide.

1. VIRTUAL
EDUCATION: THE
FUTURE

2. History of Virtual Education
Virtual Education in Today’s World
Virtual Education & The Future

3. Virtual Education:
 Virtual




having the essence or effect but not the appearance or form of: a virtual revolution
physics being, relating to, or involving a virtual image: a virtual focus
computing of or relating to virtual storage: virtual memory
of or relating to a computer technique by which a person, wearing a headset or mask, has
the experience of being in an environment created by the computer, and of interacting
with and causing changes in it
 rare capable of producing an effect through inherent power or virtue
 Physics designating or relating to a particle exchanged between other particles that are
interacting by a field of force: a virtual photon

4. Virtual Education – Definitions
 Virtual Education
 distance learning that takes place via the Internet (INACOL)
 a form of distance education whose central defining characteristic is the separation of
teacher and learner (Keegan, 1996)
 teacher-led education that takes place over the Internet, with the teacher and student
separated geographically (Keeping the Pace)
 Online learning is instruction via a web-based educational delivery system
 enhances educational opportunities
 synchronous or asynchronous
 accessed from multiple settings
 Blended learning combines online learning with other modes of instructional
delivery.

5. Modes of Learning:
 Traditional Classroom learning
 Not needed to explain as the term describes itself
 Online learning is instruction via a web-based educational delivery system
 enhances educational opportunities
 synchronous or asynchronous
 accessed from multiple settings
 Blended learning combines online learning with other modes of instructional
delivery.

6. iNACOL
 I want to introduce you to iNACOL, the international council on online learning.
 It is the leading organization on research and expanding online education in the K-12
arena for all grades.

7. History of Online learning
 As technology improved and advanced, distance learning was able to occur through print
materials, CD-ROMs, and video and video conferencing. Now it has expanded to online
learning via the internet.
 In 1960, the University of Illinois initiated a classroom system based in
linked computer terminals where students could access informational resources on
a particular course while listening to the lectures that were recorded via some form
of remotely-linked device like television or audio device.
 In the early 1960s, Stanford University psychology professors Patrick
Suppes and Richard C. Atkinson experimented with using computers to teach
math and reading to young children inelementary schools in East Palo Alto,
California.
 Educational institutions began to take advantage of the new medium by offering
distance learning courses using computer networking for information.

8. PRESENT ERA & VIRTUAL
EDUCATION

9. Present Era & Virtual Education
 Early forms of online courses included Advanced Placement courses and college prep
courses that weren’t available for students in rural areas of USA.
 The growth of online education in post-secondary and professional development
contributed to the legitimacy and growth of online learning in K-12.
 Online learning has become common place in higher education, but is growing in the K-12
arena as well. In the K-12 arena we see online learning in the form of blended or hybrid,
and fully online programs.

10. Top 4 E-learning Sites
Now I will tell you briefly about top 4 e-learning sites today.
 Coursera (www.coursera.org)
 Codecademy (http://www.codecademy.com/)
 Edx (www.edx.org)
 Udacity (www.udacity.com)

12. Coursera
 The top of the list is Coursera.
 It was launched in April 2012, and it has now 5.2 Million active users.
 I have personally used Coursera. It is the best out there. Coursera provides online courses
of university and college level by partnering with the top Universities of the world.
 Each course includes lecture videos, quizzes, assignments and projects on weekly basis. At
the end of the course if you pass the final exam you get a statement of achievement or a
verified certificate.

14. • This website just teaches
programming as the name tells
“Codecademy”.
• Wonderful site to learn many
popular programming
languages.

15. Codecademy
 Next on the list is Codecademy.
 It was launched in 2011, and it has now 5 Million active users.
 Codecademy is an online interactive platform that offers free coding classes
in programming languages like Python, PHP, JavaScript, and Ruby, as well as markup
languages including HTML and CSS.

17. edX
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Next on the list is edX.
It was launched in May 2012, and it has now 1.2 Million active users.
edX provides university level online courses.
You get a certificate of successful completion at the end of the course if you pass.

19. Udacity
 Udacity was launched in June 2011, and it has now 7 lac active users.
 Udacity provides university level computer science courses.
 Each course includes lecture videos, quizzes, assignments and projects, unlike coursera
you can do the coursework whenever you want to, there are no deadlines or time slots.
 At the end of the course if you pass the final exam you get a certificate of completion
indicating your achievement.

20. Pakistan & Virtual Education
• The Virtual Education Project
Pakistan (VEPP) is a concept
built on the premise that a
global network of scholars
could contribute through video
conferencing technology to
the content delivered in
classrooms across the
country.

21. Pakistan & Virtual Education
Virtual Education for All
Pakistan
• To help bring about qualitative
improvement in the education
sector through the provision of
virtual educational resources
for Pakistani primary school
students.

22. A small advice
 If you want your country to
prosper, educate
yourselves about Virtual
Education, and teach online
so that children or adults
who have special needs
and can not learn in a
traditional class room can
learn online. Almost all the
developed countries are
taking Virtual Education
very seriously and if we
don’t want to be left behind
we have to do the same.
Now Usman will tell you
about the Future of Virtual
Education.

23. VIRTUAL EDUCATION: THE FUTURE

24. Advantages of Virtual Education
• Automatic retention- You do not have to take notes
• Fosters more interaction among students and instructors
• The knowledge you want first
• Learn at your own pace
• Anytime, anywhere, accessibility

25. Disadvantages of Virtual Education
• Learners with low motivation or bad habits can easily fall behind
• Lack of routine structure
• Students feel isolated from classmates or instructor
• Instructor may not always be available
• Slow internet connections and slow computers are a problem

26. Future of Virtual Education
 Future Research
 A better understanding of online student characteristics
 Predictive instruments, diagnosis, and prescription of services and
supports
 Research that will inform instructors about the most effective
interaction types, tools, and frequency for learners and tasks in a
course
 More research on gaming and social software.
 Research on at-risk and struggling student performance and
improvement by involvement in virtual learning

28. Conclusion
“The world as we have created it is a
process of our thinking. It can not be
changed without changing our thinking.”
— Albert Einstein
“As long as your going to be thinking
anyway, think big.”
— Donald Trump
The only thing that interferes with my
learning is my education.
— Albert Einstein
My education was interrupted only by my
schooling
— Winston Churchill

29. Credits
• Syed Farjad Zia Zaidi