Abstract:

In a society where traditional education is losing ground and teachers are no longer the sole source of information, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the approach to teaching and learning. Thus, e-learning is becoming a preferred learning method not only by students but also by teachers or trainers in the field of technical and vocational education. In Romania, although e-learning is less used in the technical and vocational education, there are attempts to implement it widely. This research aims to explore the relevance of e-Learning platforms used by students and teachers in the classroom. The sample was formed by 135 people, including 60 teachers/trainers and 75 students from technical colleges from Bucharest. It used both quantitative and qualitative research. It was based on questionnaires given to teachers and students, and interviews for trainers from technical and vocational education schools in Romania. Research results show that both teachers/trainers and students in technical and vocational education do not use too much the e-Learning technology in the classroom. E-learning requires costs for its design and maintenance. There is interest in using e-learning in technical and vocational education in schools in Romania but teachers do not always manage to keep up with new technologies. On the other hand, students learn faster and show more interest if e-learning is used. In this paper we present the research done and its main results.

Keywords:

Online education, e-learning, technical and vocational education.