The rapid growth in the use of online technologies is transforming Australia, economically and socially. One shift can be seen in how we engage in educational activity.

In the year 2000, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 26 per cent of the 3.9 million adults accessing the Internet at home were doing so for educational purposes.

This shift represents a growing and more diverse market for online education services, creating demand for education that is more accessible, flexible and customised.

Australian education and training Ministers recognised this trend and have established a non-profit company, education.au limited, to facilitate, build and manage national education and training networks. These will be supported by distributed online information services for schools, vocational education and training (VET) providers and universities. Education.au recently held a Global Summit of Online Knowledge Networks in Adelaide. The summit brought together leaders, specialists and policy makers from Australia and around the world to share experiences and explore future directions in the development and management of online learning, education and training networks.

E-learning is currently being adopted by the broader education sector, with higher education institutions taking advantage of the flexibility it provides for students.

Universities such as the Australian Catholic University (ACUweb) and the University of New England (UNEonline) are creating virtual campuses for their students.

Advantages for teachers and students using online educational environments such as ACUweb, include the availability of customised and high quality content, the interactive relationships and accessibility.

At its best, e-learning is an opportunity to evolve education into a hands-on interactive experience.

The Online Coordinator for Graduate Theology at ACU, Dr Gerard Hall, has used e-learning to create a new environment for his students.'Preparing my most recent online unit, proved an excellent opportunity to use the tools of the web more effectively. Rather than rely entirely on academic texts, I found myself using paintings, icons, other artwork and poetry. Students have told me how much they appreciate this approach.

'Dr Hall also found that e-learning is helping to bridge the IT skills gap.Mary Morrissey, who is studying at ACUweb and who is a Director of Studies at a high school and volunteer firefighter, says 'I started studying online because I thought it would help me learn more about computers and it has certainly done that.

'TafeVC is a virtual campus that hosts its online education environment for providers of education, such as TAFE Institutes, learning networks and VET providers.

Margaret, a teacher who uses the TafeVC online environment, believes that e-learning is the way to overcome barriers of traditional education, increasing accessibility.

'All our students have different needs, they may be disabled or elderly and have limited mobility, they may not fit into the education system, or they may be unemployed and requiring extra skills. It's about lifestyle, work needs and just-in-time training,' she says.

E-learning can be more expensive for the provider than traditional methods, since educational resources for an interactive online environment are developed to provide an additional service, not as a cost saving measure.

However, the extra resources must be considered alongside the improved service provided to students and the opportunities for better results. Students have access to more diverse and better quality information. This provides an avenue for students who are alienated by traditional learning environments to engage in more interesting learning methods as well as developing their IT skills.

Education institutions are also delivering courses on e-learning to academics and teachers from higher education institutions. These will assist them in the design and delivery of e-learning environments. The University of Technology Sydney offers Graduate Certificates and Masters in e-learning.Such training helps to raise the necessary awareness in the education sector, encouraging staff to use e-learning, be convinced of its usefulness and seek appropriate training.

E-learning gives education a new dimension, taking classroom learning to the next level through the creation of virtual communities of learners and teachers who interact online.

E-learning is more than distance education where resources are simply put online. E-learning is a virtual campus that involves rich, instructional and social interaction; it could improve the flexibility, quality and focus of education.

Though still in its infancy, e-learning offers a potential new growth industry.

Australia is a world leader in Internet access and has a higher profile VET sector than many other countries. An opportunity exists for Australia to become a leader in the application and use of new learning technologies and build a promising export industry.