Update on Fola - learning at a distance in Nigeria December 31, 2011
Since then he's had some real time advice through a skype chat and email help packed with references about useful free teaching resources. Many thanks to Ray, Ricardo and Andy for responding.
When people talk about e-learning it often conjours up pictures of formal courses provided by traditional learning establishments but delivered online.
The really revolutionary aspect of e-learning is much more subtle and less visible. It's the sum of millions of personal contacts, small exchanges of information, teaching and mentoring at a distance, and generally "rubbing minds" so that skills and knowledge flow more effectively from person to person around the globe. Typically, though not always, it is an exchange between people who have equal respect for each other and their very different perspectives. In my experience of this kind of e-learning people are unlikely to be in a traditional top-down teacher to learner relationship. It's more likely that they will be in a relationship of collaboration - working together and attempting to solve a problem.The problems (or challenges if you prefer that word) may be intellectual or practical.