Challenges of Supporting Specialized Diagramming in the e-Learning Environment

摘要

Many disciplines require learners to create diagrams that are standard to the practice. Diagramming, or drawing, has many benefits in learning and helps prepare students for diagramming in professional practice. Online e-learning, in which the student and teacher are not collocated, compounds the challenge of learning specialized diagramming. Recent developments in web-based diagramming tools are changing the landscape by reducing some barriers to diagramming in the e-learning environment. Cloud computing and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) are the major enablers of web-based tools. This paper provides background on specialized diagramming in both learning and in professional practice, examines problems with traditional diagramming tools, explores the benefits of emerging web-based diagramming tools and argues the need for further research regarding specialized diagramming in the e-learning context.