The worldwide available knowledge has reached a quality and quantity that never existed before and hardly increases with reasonable speed. The principle of the lifelong learning is the answer to the continuously growing requirements of the students, to acquire exactly fitting knowledge and to form relevant competences.

The new media support forms the self-controlled learning as well as the collaboration of location-independent acting virtual learning groups.  With new media a full range of technical information and communication options as well as configuration possibilities are met on the basis of information and communication technologies. In doing so the computer, as a universal medium with its diverse options like multimedia and the Internet as information and communication platform, is the central point. They also include DVDs, Videos and audiotapes.

The term eLearning is not used consistently.

A further version includes all forms of the electronic supported learning. Thereby, eLearning includes all teaching and learning forms, which because of a digital preparation, are executed with the help of electronic media. 

Distance Learning (classical correspondence course) and virtual learning (didactic content on the Internet or on CD-ROMs) are also classed in this field.A similar version the definition refers only to the net-based learning. In the course of this, eLearning can be taken for a multimedia, interactive and Internet-based training which has both an information and communication component and a practice component.

eLearning features the use of modern multimedia technologies as well as electronic data and communication nets. It offers the possibility to learn self-control, autonomy and interactivity. For online learning the course content is on a learning platform on the Internet. A timeframe for the processing of the sections is given.

An online tutor takes on the support of the online course. Asynchronous (forums, email) and synchronous (chat, video and audio conferences) communication elements allow a communication between the students. In connection with eLearning the term Blended Learning is mentioned.

Blended Learning events represent the dominant trend for eLearning solutions. Blended Learning concepts demonstrate a didactic and meaningful combination of present learning and online learning on the basis of new information and communication media.

 Advantages towards traditional learn

• location, time, speed and content of the learning can be defined within a given frame
• creation of an individual didactic setting
• requests and/or questions of the individual person are considered by the online tutor
• advancement of media competence (extension of the capabilities in dealing with the PC, Internet and different computer software)
• occupational and social status of the students cannot be seen; anonymity
• the worldwide distribution of didactic contents is possible over the Internet. By the means of learning in groups of different nationalities the intercultural communication is encouraged and prejudices are abolished
• the content can be viewed with the web browser and are realisable for every operating system
• considerable reduction of travel costs and full-time absence of the members of staff from the workplace