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E learning is a technologically supported way of learning that is very flexible and can be used by a variety of people to gain knowledge about endless topics. In this case, I have chosen to E-learn First Aid, (a course that I have taken in the past) as I feel that will give me the chance to truly compare traditional learning methods with that of E-learning.

 My objectives for this course were to improve my existing first-aid knowledge as well as identify the differences between the two teaching methods. I expected that most of the content would be familiar and that the questions should be reasonably simple to complete with no real grading besides the final exam. I have found that through the e-learning course I was able to recognize the situations I have become uncertain about and that time has taken it’s toll on my skills. I believe that the e-learning course was an efficient way to brush up on first-aid skills, but was too brief to establish any new skills.

I identified that the course was very thorough in it’s teachings and was presented in a very user-friendly manner. The disheartening issue is that the information is insufficient for beginners to successfully master the processes and there are no methods of collaboration. As a result the learning process is sheltered from external views. This lack of communication can impede on the ability of the student to acquire knowledge, as problems cannot be discussed with peers and other ideas aren’t infiltrated to assist in the formation of greater understanding. This E-learning course is suitable for those who are First-Aid certified and wishing to brush up on their skills, but cannot be accepted as an adequate means of professional education for beginners. It gives an insight into the skills obtained from a first-aid course and can be used for the acquisition of simple first aid knowledge. Despite the user-friendly framework of the website, it failed to provide a welcoming atmosphere. The questions and answers were straightforward and often became tedious to answer. However, the examination process of the course was very effective in that it questioned the learner in terms of their response, which was very similar to those that would be asked in a traditional course.  However, despite my proclamation of the lack of content in the course, I was able to learn that knowledge is lost rapidly if it is not practiced and the use of E-learning is a great way to revise old skills. E- learning is a very flexible framework as it allows users to attain new skills or revise old ones in their spare time, so that it doesn’t interfere with their daily plans. In comparison to the traditional framework it is very user friendly and much cheaper. The traditional setting cannot be under estimated in this course as it provides the chance for learners to act out situations and responses can be graded accordingly.  E Learning experiences should be built in a user-friendly and comfortable atmosphere with plenty of interaction between users and regular prompts from administrators to ensure that learners continually have something new to learn. The information should be presented in an orderly manner and examinations should be as realistic in situations as possible.

The course began with the selection of an injury type from a wheel, followed by the selection of a sub category. After selecting my chosen category I was presented with a list of skills that I would obtain from completing this topic and was then confronted by a first aid question which was related to my selections, followed by two choices of action listed below.
By selecting one answer I would either be applauded for being correct or corrected if the answer I chose was wrong. If the answer is wrong, then learner is then corrected and returned back to the question page to re-answer correctly. (shown below) 
I believe that this technique is unique to that of a technological medium. Learners are able to be ‘taken back’ by their mistakes to re-select and understand the reasons for the correction. This practise is often hard in a face- to- face situation due to emotional factors as well as time restraints.

Each sub-category is made up of 5 short questions to increase the effectiveness of the course and to maximise the attention of the learners. At the end of each subcategory, which summarises everything that is covered.
I believe that this is a very effective way of learning as it allows reflection and correction through the repetition of questions and facts in different formats.

First Aid is a very physical practise and the E-learning course has implemented Videos(above), which showcase real situations to determine whether the learner is able to implement first aid knowledge in day-to-day situations.

This course is provided by BBC based in the United Kindom.
The E-learning course is introduced with a spectrum wheel seperated into slices representing different types of injuries.

I thought that by seperating the different types of injuries and sub-categorizing them (as seen below) was an effective way of presenting an abundance of topics without confusing or putting off the learner.

The sub-categories are also supported by imagery and the status of that topic. The status allows the learner to follow through the course without completing the same section twice.
These characteristics of the E-learning course reflect the guidance that is given by trainers in a face-to-face course.

I have chosen to do a short First Aid e-learning course purely because it is a topic that is normally COMPLETELY irrelevant to technological mediums such as the internet. Most of the courses that I came across through my reserach included, short e-learning course for the use of:
- Microsoft Word
- Powerpoint Presentation
- HTML

- and other related topics

I have completed a traditional first aid course before and believe that this experience will allow me to draw on the differences between the two experiences.  

My objective is to identify the weaknesses and strengths of this E-learning course compared to that of a tradtional course.
I expect that this course will have interactive content and will be a great basis for people looking to attain a first aid certificate, especially those who choose to participate in accelerated programs, which are provided by a number of emergency departments.