Human Issues in Implementing eLearning Technology J.UCS Special Issue

Today, there is hardly any doubt that eLearning is a powerful and valuable extension to traditional educational initiatives. Thus, a fair amount of research and development (R&D) programs into the ways to improving the impact of eLearning have been carried out and are still ongoing. These programs traditionally focused on two different views on eLearning: technological issues on the one hand and educational issues on the other hand. This special issue on human issues in implementing eLearning technology is an attempt to combine these different views, since the most valuable results in eLearning will certainly be obtained when researchers and developers from as many different professions as possible come together and undertake joint efforts. The contributions of this special issue deal especially with two topics, which are considered equally important for a successful eLearning initiative: the first is personalization regarding training and content and the second is considering issues such as motivation, acceptance, resistances and fears, or social requirements. Adapting content and training to the learner in aspects such as prior knowledge, previous experiences, contexts, access devices, needs or interests enhances the motivation to learn, makes the learner feel involved, and thus supports knowledge acquisition. Accordingly, the papers of this special issue are structured alongside the following categories, which are aiming at covering a preferably large number of issues that arise from viewing eLearning from the two distinct perspectives laid out above: 1. Methodology and Teaching Issues 2. Technology Issues and Experiences gained 3. Impact of eLearning on Education and Vice Versa