The internet can be a great source of learning. There are many instruments which can be used successfully to gain knowledge. These can either be used as independent sources of information, or augment the knowledge that one is gaining from other traditional sources. For many domains, such online means of attaining knowledge have become so popular that they do not depend upon classrooms and books anymore.
One such tool which is being used with effectiveness is that of online portals. These portals belong to various institutes or organizations that offer distance or online learning courses. There are many well known bodies in India offering such courses. They create portals having all the required information about the courses which they run. These portals are specially designed by collaboration between instructional designers and graphic designers. Subject matter experts and tutors are also involved, as each one of them plays an important role in the development of a portal that is comprehensive, interactive, attractive and worthy of the time spent on them. These portals have a combination of online study material, which are similar to be books that are included in the curriculum. Then, there are games and quizzes to help students learn. Worksheets and tests are also there to assess the knowledge gained at the end of a certain course. They also have general information that is important for students, like examination dates, venues and changes in course module. In some cases, online exams are also held through these portals.
Another valuable source of knowledge is e-books. These are not just electronic copies of books that are published. E-books, in most cases, are designed with the online readers in perspective. So, they have a high proportion of illustrations and charts, which break the monotony of text. Since it is much more difficult to read from the screen than from printed books, the e-book writers have to give such relief to readers. E-books can either be downloaded free of cost, or after payment of certain charges from authorized sites. With technically advanced e-book readers being launched in the market, utilizing e-books for gaining knowledge has become all the more convenient. All one has to do is search with the appropriate keyword or author’s name, and the desired e-book can be found on the internet.
These methods are certainly changing the way we learn. Explore the innovations and gain knowledge in an interesting manner.