The worldwide eLearning industry is estimated to be worth over forty-eight (48) billion dollars according to conservative estimates. Developments in internet and multimedia technologies are the basic enabler of eLearning. eLearning 2.0 is a catch-all term that covers a wide range of instructional material that can be delivered on a CD-ROM or DVD, over a local area network, or on the Internet. The term e-Learning 2.0 is used to refer to new ways of thinking about eLearning inspired by the emergence of Web 2.0.
From an eLearning 2.0 perspective, conventional eLearning software solutions were based on instructional packets that were delivered to students using Internet technologies. The role of the student consisted in learning from the readings and preparing assignments. Assignments were evaluated by the teacher. In contrast, the new eLearning places increased emphasis on social learning and use of social software such as blogs, wikis, podcasts and virtual worlds.