What is the role of eLearning in the Caucasus?

Tamar Lominadze: ELearning is a relatively new, but very fast-growing approach to teaching and learning in the Caucasus. The flexibility and convenience offered by this method of learning is equally attractive to all: to learners from the educational sector and business-sector; to lifelong learners, etc. In the Caucasus, eLearning has another very important role: It serves as a bridge connecting three countries - linking their languages, cultures, and religions.

How widely distributed and accessible is it?

Tamar Lominadze: In the Caucasus, eLearning is, of course, most developed in the big cities with relatively well-established internet connection. As might be expected, there are problems in rural regions, where IT infrastructure and internet connection is poorly developed.

Who produces it? Who consumes it?

Tamar Lominadze: The main producers of eLearning are various educational institutions that are producing eLearning courses for different target groups. Of course, the main market segments they are aimed at are students at varying levels of education, but there is an increasing demand from the side of the business sector as well. On-the-job learning and lifelong learning are becoming important approaches to education, and eLearning is the effective tool in order to satisfy demand for these new types of education.

In which types of education and training situations is it used in and for which topics?

Tamar Lominadze: One of the most developed usages of eLearning is its implementation at educational institutions in the format of blended learning. In these cases, eLearning is mixed with traditional face-to-face learning and serves as an additional tool in order to achieve the best learning outcomes at the traditional F2F institutions. Topics that cover eLearning are quite broad, starting from language learning and ending with teaching to the particular skills required on the job.

How do you view eLearning's future in the Caucasus?

Tamar Lominadze: In parallel with the rapid advance in informational technology and the development of the new approaches to the educational environment, the future of eLearning promises to be successful in the Caucasus. Thanks to its flexibility and its independence from time and space, eLearning can fit the demands of a very broad segment of learners who want to gain knowledge in the most convenient way. The most promising is the usage of eLearning for lifelong learners - for those who would like to improve their education in a particular field or even obtain new skills and knowledge regardless of their age, occupation, background, and social situation.