E-learning as a new educational paradigm

As the form and method of distance learning have changed over time, so have the teaching materials and forms of communication between students and teachers. From the first correspondence courses, in which printed materials were sent by mail, through radio and television lectures to today's digital platforms, distance education has undergone a fundamental transformation. Today, the boundary between distance learning and traditional teaching has almost completely disappeared, as a large number of higher education study programs use hybrid and flexible forms of teaching that combine elements of both approaches, enriching teaching with the use of technology.

In such an environment, relying solely on traditional textbooks and handbooks is no longer enough. Although they still have their value in providing structured and verified information, their static nature and slow updating process make it difficult to keep up with the pace of contemporary scientific and social development. Teaching materials today need to be dynamic, accessible and adaptable to suit different learning styles and digital habits of students.

The development of scientific and educational communication has further encouraged the emergence of institutional repositories and open archives that enable rapid exchange and sharing of knowledge. In the academic context, these are places where teachers and researchers can store their work, materials and teaching resources, thereby increasing the visibility and accessibility of knowledge. Similarly, in the field of education, repositories of educational materials have developed that allow easy updating of content, reduce printing costs and promote open access to knowledge.

With the digitization of educational materials, digital teaching content was created, followed by open educational resources (OER, which you can read more about in this activity). These can include digital books, lessons, interactive modules, videos, tests or entire e-courses available for online download. Their specialty is that they are free to use, share and adapt, usually under Creative Commons or similar licenses. Such resources enable teachers to adapt materials to their own needs, and students to learn from current, accessible and contextually relevant content.