Korea to Present Future of e-Learning
The section provides simulation of a
future classroom using ubiquitous technology
MOCIE, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, runs the e-Learning Pavilion under the theme "e-Learning Korea."E-Learning is education combined with Internet and IT technologies that go beyond time and space limitations. E-Learning has attracted public attention as a means of creating, transferring and accumulating knowledge since the late 1990s when Internet and broadband services began to spread.
Advanced countries are trying to capitalize on e-Learning to enhance knowledge capability and industrial competitive edge. Recognizing the importance of e-learning, the Pentagon, which is dispatching U.S. forces around the world, established the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative, an e-Learning research institute.
e-Learning is considered as a means of solving the digital divide, a headache hindering informatization society.
Thanks to the rapid advancement of IT technology and network, e-Learning has evolved from digitalization of off-line education into individual one-on-one learning employing games, simulation and 3D-based technology.
Korea has jumped on the bandwagon making the most of e-Learning, riding on world-class IT infrastructure and education fever. Figures released by Economist Intelligence Unit in 2003 showed that Korea ranked fifth in the world in terms of e-Learning.
The local e-Learning market is projected to grow from 1.3 trillion won in 2004 to 6.9 trillion won in 2010 with an annual increase rate of about 20 percent.
The government enacted a law governing the development of the e-Learning industry in January 2004 for the first time in the world. It has since introduced diverse inter-ministry policies aimed at disseminating e-Learning.
The e-Learning Pavilion is partitioned in four parts ― industrial policy introduction hall, e-Learning hub hall, next-generation e-Learning technology hall and corporate education model hall. The industrial policy introduction hall is aimed at introducing e-Learning promotion policies of MOCIE, responsible for the promotion of the local e-Learning industry, ranging from the legislation of the relevant law and standardization to technology and manpower development. The e-Learning hub hall introduces the Cheongju City e-Learning Industry Support Center, being implemented under the government's regional innovative scheme. The next-generation e-Learning technology hall demonstrates such futuristic e-Learning technologies as 3D and game-based learning, now under development, while the corporate education model hall displays field e-Learning cases. nw