E-learning is using electronic tools (NITC) and specialy Internet, but distance education (more general) can use other "traditional" tools (like "traditional" mail : letters from post-office, printed books, ...). So, e-learning is the modern form of distance education.

التعليم الالكتروني يستخدم الوسائل الالكترونية (تقنيات الاعلام والاتصال الحديثة) وبصفة خاصة الانترنت، لكن التعليم عن بُعد (أأشمل منه) قد يستعمل وسائل تقليدية (مثل الرسائل التقليدية المُرسلة عبر مكاتب البريد أو يستعمل كُتُب مطبوعة،...).فالتعليم الالكتروني هوالصورة الحديثة للتعليم عن بُعد.

In my opinion, e-learning doesn't necessarily involve a large amount of distance between the instructor and student(s). For instance, I can incoporate online tests, articles, and interactive activities that my student complete during physical class time or outside class time at their leisure. However, they don't leave our campus -- the just use some type of electronic resource to facilitate learning, such as an online business simulation. Distance learning, however, would involve some geographic distance between the student(s) and instructor without attendance or interaction in a physical classroom.

Based on my understanding e-learning can be possible if anyone is in regular presence and contact with their respective institutions. distance doesn't really matters in e-learning. whereas in distance learning the learners mainly can't physically attend their institutions in regular basis. hence they will be basically involved in distance learning which can comprise with e-learning as well. to me its all depending on the learners situation whether distance or e-learning would be appropriate for them. but there is no doubt e-learning can help for both distant and regular learning process.

Dear Ahmad, this article can be of help

Article ‘Distance education’ and ‘e-learning’: Not the same thing

E-learning generally involves completing a course of instruction on the internet. Distance learning generally refers to a variety of programs that are away from the main campus. Distance learning can be satellite campuses in another town, remote CCTV broadcasts, correspondence courses, seminars given for college credit at non-campus remote locations or any other alternative way of presenting the course material. The key point in both types of learning is access to a quality, accredited education to a population of students that for reasons of time, convenience, work, or distance cannot attend traditional main campus based classes.

I very much agree with Dr. Doss. E-learning doesn't necessarily involve a large amount of distance between the instructor and student(s). For instance, I can incoporate online tests, articles, and interactive activities that my student complete during physical class time or outside class time at their leisure. I see the popularity of student residing on campus using the e-learning platforms as well as department replacing traditional on-campus classes in an effort to expand enrollment and free class space.

I also agree with many posting here. I believe both have a place, but of course, our courses and delivery continue to evolve as technology changes the face of education. I also see the popularity of student residing on campus using the e-learning platforms as well as department replacing traditional on-campus classes in an effort to expand enrollment and free class space.

I strongly agree with Gregg W. Etter.

e-learning is a wider concept than distance learning. Distance learning may represent two out of the four quadrants of e-learning. The four quadrants of e-learning are :

1- Synchronous on-site learning or 1:1 learning (same time same place)

2- Asynchronous on-site learning ( different time same place e.g technology clubs)

3- synchronous distance learning or virtual classrooms ( same time different place)

4- Asynchronous distance learning or Self-paced learning.

What is the difference between e-learning and distance education?

Esta pregunta fue ampliamente analizada y respondida en un estudio realizado por Meza, J. y Ferrer, J (2002). En estricto rigor, e-Learning corresponde sólo al aprendizaje que es mediado por un elemento tecnológico, y no solamente al aprendizaje mediado por Internet.

Which is considered the best alternative to traditional education?

Esta es una amplia pregunta. Para responderla necesitas conocer los objetivos de aprendizaje del programa formativo, las características del grupo destinatario, los elementos disponibles que mediarán el aprendizaje, entre otros. Sin embargo, tratándose de una pregunta de tal magnitud, podríamos señalar que una respuesta a su altura sería optar por el blended learning.

E-Learning is a general concept of using ICT in education process, it can be used to implement Blended Learning ( presential + Distance)

However

Distance education can be implemented ever without ICT for example using postal letters

E-learning is often related to a learning environment that is ICT enabled ( as noted by many others earlier). It is applicable for both student on campus / who meet the instructor and even those doing distance learning. This broadly includes equipping learners with skills to use the available technologies to not only access the available information, but also to contribute and share knowledge through different platforms. this brings in arguments for a more robust Information Literacy Skills program ( ILS).

Distance learning has always been there even before the advent of ICTs in teaching and learning. One may pair Distance learning with need for basic literacy skills and E-learning with ILS.

Hi!

Check chapters 3:2 and 8 in my recent doctoral dissertation synthesis, where I discuss these differences in some details and also include online and blended learning and Internet occurence statistics.

Thesis From blended learning to learning onlife - ICTs, time and ac...

Dear Ahmad Abdullah Mohammed, kindly check the pages suggested by Anders Norberg in his thesis. It will be of great help.

Best regards

e-Learning uses computer technology, distance education is where the student is remote from the instructor. The same e-learning software can be used in a classroom or for distance education.

It should be noted that distance education, using paper, postal services and radio, is more than one hundred years old and so should be considered a form of "traditional education". Distance education using computers and telecommunications is several decades old and also is not exactly new.

e-Learning can complement traditional classroom education, with students doing some tasks on a computer and some without. Similarly distance eduction can complement traditional on-campus education, with research showing on-campus higher education students do better with some online courses.

I will be talking on some of this at EduTECH 2018, 8 June in Sydney: http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/it/eportfolios/

e-learning is learning using digital technology or digital education. This can involve students participating in virtual classrooms. Distance education is where the student does not get face to face learning interactions with the instructor. Both face-to-face teaching and distance education can use digital tools or e-learning techniques.

Hi,

alot of definition given above, but to answer your question " Which is considered the best alternative to traditional education? " it's depend on the situation in your place. to improve traditional education become more interactive, we can use e-learning, some condition must be consider why ?

1. students will be interested in learning as it depends on ICT

2. e-learning can make time and learning boundaries in the way conventional learning will unfold. there is no longer a time limit in learning and learning places in e-learning.

3. e-learning depends on the internet. whether each teacher can have access to the internet easily, as well as his students.

4. some countries, for example in my country, internet access is still quite expensive. the need for teachers to understand by cooperation with the student guardian about this facility.

5. student ownership of gadgets, do all students have them? or whether there are public facilities that are free to be used by students freely at any time outside of school time, given the e-learning through time limits and places of study.

6. student ownership of gadgets, do all students have them? or whether there are public facilities that are free to be used by students freely at any time outside of school time, given the e-learning through time limits and places of study.

The key difference between online learning and distance learning is geography. Students can be together with an instructor and use online learning. This form of learning is designed to create an online communication between the teacher and the student. It's a new way of learning that suits a lot of learners, both school-aged and adult.

However, distance learning implies that students and instructor are separated. This concept is more about the distance between the student and the teacher, and how technology bridges that gap. For more:

https://elearningindustry.com/differences-between-elearning-and-distance-learning

Abdullah is right about the nature of on-line learning and the physical separation between the student and the instructor. However, this can easily overcome. Of course there are e-mail messages. However, don't forget skype and the old fashioned telephone. You do have to figure out time zone though. what is 1300 to me might be 0200 the next day to you.

Right Gregg!

I suggest we make places and physical proximity teacher student a second priority, after the priority a well-designed teaching/learning process seen in time categories; synchronous, asynchronous, the order and shift between these modalities in a course . Freeing up time by negotiating place for learning is a mode our digital tools supports well. We must give up the tragic center-periphery perspective on teaching and learning that is visible in expressions as "distance learning", but not thereby in any way deteriorate the function of the teacher - on the contrary.

As a second priority we have place - place is important also in online studies. Without a supportive environment, wherever it is, you can hardly study. And for some learning equipment, secturity issues and physical-social situations are necessary - but these ideal places for situated learning can more likely be found in workplaces than campuses.

Enclosing a well-cited paper on time perspectives on ICTs and learning.

Article A time based blended learning model

@Jessica Meza: Would you consider give the full reference of Meza, J. y Ferrer, J (2002)?

https://www.jstor.org/stable/25068081

https://elearningindustry.com/traditional-learning-vs-online-learning

https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/college-life/online-vs-traditional-education-answer-never-expected/

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/153/234

E-learning may involve geographical distance between the student and Instructor. But distance education certainly involves geographical separation.

I think e-learning is the 21st century distance learning( or) Distance learning evolved into e-learning.

For me e-learning (Specially Virtual learning ) is the best alternative to traditional education. Because it reduces time, money, travel, furniture and maintenance of big structures(buildings).

But, there is need for research focus on leveraging student engagement , proper assessment and authorization of the e-learner 's work.

For me e-learning (Specially Virtual learning ) is the best alternative to traditional education. Because it reduces time, money, travel, furniture and maintenance of the

e-learning using technology ( website - CD - MOOC's)

distance education

• traditional ( Magazine - TV - Mail )
• Modern Technology ( Smart phone - Tablet - Laptop - Sat )

So interesting, great contributions.

With my teaching moving online this year, there really is no difference between distance and e-learning. Some students are resident on campus, some in the same city, others spread across the country and the world. But none of them are attending a face to face class and all can be helped online. They will be learning that way for at least the remainder of this year. https://blog.highereducationwhisperer.com/2020/07/higher-education-after-covid-19.html

There is a difference between these concepts. Check out this Article E-learning, M-learning and D-learning: Conceptual definition...

The difference between them is that e-learning is more general than distance education.. Of course, the first is an alternative to traditional education

Dear Ahmad Abdullah Mohammed

See the following useful RG link: Article ‘Distance education’ and ‘e-learning’: Not the same thing

Kindly see also the following useful link: https://www.ripublication.com/irph/ijict_spl/ijictv4n8spl_07.pdf

Also check please the following useful link: https://www.skillsacademy.co.za/e-learning-vs-distance-learning/

Dear Sir Ahmad Abdullah Mohammed , We may consider the following regarding e-learning and distance learning: E-learning can be understood as- Collins (2002) defined “the creation and proliferation of the personal computer, the globalization of ideas and other human acts, and the use of technology in exchanging ideas and providing access to more people.” E-learning is undertaken remotely but is also meant to be utilized alongside a range of different in-person educational modalities. Distance learning- Moore (1972) defined it as "the family of instructional methods in which the teaching behaviours are executed apart from the learning behaviours, including those which in a contiguous situation would be performed in the learners' presence, so that communication between the teacher and the learner must be facilitated by print, electronic, mechanical or other devices.” It aims solely at delivering instructions remotely. Hope this helps. Thank you.