The design dimensions of e-learning

The currently popular term e-learning is shown to have several meanings which confuse discussion about a new technology which is finding widespread international use in a range of educational sectors. This paper analyses the characteristics of e-learning applications, and proposes a set of four design dimensions which could be considered when designing and assessing the suitability of e-learning applications. The applicability of the four proposed dimensions, and their shortcomings, are discussed in detail, and found to be justifiable