eLearning Definitions

Over on eLearning Technology Tony Karrer wrote about definitions of eLearning in eLearning Technology: eLearning Defined. I commented about his post there but wanted to write more here. To start, here is what I wrote to Tony.

Tony,

A few years ago I came up with a definition of training for the Philosophy page of my e-Portfolio. I wrote that "Training is getting the right information, to the right people, at the right time, using the right medium and methods." Granted this is somewhat simplistic. Maybe that is not bad.

It is, however, also broad enough to encompass eLearning. As a subset of this definition I would define eLearning as any learning delivered by some electronic means. This covers all CBT and WBT plus the range of KM and EPSS solutions. Granted this is also quite simplistic. Nevertheless, perhaps this is good.

What do you think?

Tony included a few definitions of eLearning which he took from glossaries of eLearning related terms. A few of those definitions are similar, though probably more complex, than mine. I like my definitions precisely because of their very simplicity. Although it is needful to be more precise in some circumstances, I am not sure this is one of those circumstances.

Any comments?