E-Learning Issues - The Use of Information Communication Technology - Report Example

E-learning issues Customer inserts his/her name Customer inserts tutor’s name Customer inserts grade course 13,05,2012. Introduction It is true that most educationalist concurs with the need to shift from the conventional methods of teaching to the model that employs ICT use, yet the process of realizing this is very complex and in most case may turn out unfruitful (Lennon & Maurer, 2003, p. 1244), owing to problems related to technical, infrastructural, and other parameters essential for implementation purposes. When any learning environment seeks to introduce information communication technology (ICT), some of the issues likely to be encountered include copyright, plagiarism/academic dishonesty, privacy and legal issues, gender and cultural issues, equity, design and resource management, evaluation, and technological issues. These issues have unique ways of influencing web-enhanced learning processes. Currently I am teaching English as a second language at King Abdul-Aziz High School, but efforts to encourage the school to embrace a learning process in which the computer laboratory forms the virtual learning environment may not come into existence as anticipated. The application of this novel advancement may come with many advantages mainly to the students (Yunus, Lubis, & Lin, 2009, p. 1). Even if the model were adopted, challenges would greatly influence the implementation process. Some of these logistic difficulties would be true with any process seeking to bring change to a learning environment in the form of ICT. Even though educational reform should welcome transformations that instil and nurture a culture of learning, these issues will always be a thorn in the flesh for most educators. In this context, the three key issues likely to hamper effective implementation of ICT use in King Abdul-Aziz High School are addressed; the appropriate resolutions elucidated the most effective recommendations made. These three issues include the process of student evaluation, technological issues, and the management of the entire process. The evaluation of students is an implementation problem owing to the shift in the learning culture. The identification of students’ capabilities would probably take time so that their specific issues could be addressed. The eventual change in performance may raise concerns from stakeholders. Addressing these issues would require the institution of measures that monitor the learning process. EVALUATION PROCESS With web-enhanced learning, one challenge of implementation will involve arriving at a conclusive process through which the students will receive appropriate evaluations owing to lack of developed mechanisms that oversees the issue when learning English. The lack of a scientifically approved method is a major setback in this regard, and this could be the primary reason many educational settings have no idea how to address the issue. It makes the process too labour-intensive, that verifying the validity of the responses is too difficult. One of the suggestions involves dividing students in groups to help handle a given group at a go, this will also open up the room for them to learn and help themselves, with the understanding that the groups should be constructed based on different learning abilities so that those with slow learning capabilities would benefit from their fellow classmates with exceptional abilities (Vrasidas, 2000). The other options involve carrying out an open testing to gauge learning capability of students at random. Discussions will also play an integral role in helping out though each of these may not come out as the best option because different students have unique ways of learning. Grouping students with different learning abilities Group evaluations may not clearly elucidate on the learning capabilities of individual students, yet an individual approach would require too much work because of the time it takes to help individual students on their respective machines. This would be a problem to the students, the teachers, and the administration as well. The adoption of an e-learning process may not translate equally to English students with different learning abilities, whose English scores are likely to decline in the initial stages of implementation. Slow learners will find it hard to progress their learning process in a different environment, unlike those with excellent learning abilities. Grouping students with different abilities will help them learn among themselves. Those who are slower to understand are likely to gain from this, and the teacher’s burden of moving around during sessions will be reduced (Almadhour, 2010). Random testing and open discussion The teacher may decide to engage all the students in randomized testing of what they have learned in the previous session before commencing a new session. This will help evaluate and explore what they have learned either before a practical session, during the session, or after the session. In this regard during open discussions students would have an opportunity to express their weaknesses and their perceptions regarding how the learning criteria helps or demoralises their learning abilities. The discussion would also give students an opportunity to memorialize important facts taught in class as well as the uniqueness of these facts based on the characteristic of delivering mode (Galina & Ligija, 2010; Littlejohn, 2003). This may also help those having issues with the learning model to appreciate it outside a rigorous practical session. The teacher’s participation in these sessions will help those who did not capture some facts during the learning sessions to do so in a more relaxed manner. Indicators depicting success in evaluation process Some of the indicators to ascertain the attainment of this issue would involve reaching a certain criteria upon evaluation of students. Most would attain grades within a given range to confirm the uniformity in their comprehension of facts. Equal student participation during group discussions with every member contributing in one way or another would show the right direction in the learning process. These students should be in a position to demonstrate they have acquired relevant information based on the evaluation criteria in use to elucidate that. MANAGEMENT OF E-LEARNING   The students to whom I teach English as a second language have four learning sessions in a week. Since the school has only one laboratory installed with computers, I would need to find alternative ways of ensuring that all four sessions had access to the computer premises for those lessons. Vrasidas (2004) ascertained that learning, teaching, course pedagogy, and administration of courses are the main functional categories of e-learning (p. 911). The issue of frequently booking the premises and ensuring that students arrive in the laboratory on time at specific intervals during English sessions would be real setbacks. Booking the laboratory for e-learning Since the computer laboratory serves the entire school, I would need to book the facility during these sessions to be assured of its availability. It would be a challenge to accomplish this procedure. Personally I would find it very inconvenience to always remember to book the use of computer laboratory. The personnel in charge of the laboratory may find it equally impossible to accommodate my four class sessions each week. This issue can only be resolved if the administrative unit gives the laboratory personnel directives to ensure that certain sessions are given priority. For instance, the English sessions may be used as a feasibility study before making the entire learning environment ICT compliance (Conole, 2004; Hoy & Miskel, 2001). Shifting of students to the laboratory from the classroom The unprecedented shift from the normal classroom to a computer laboratory session may not go well with many students. They would need to adjust to the new procedures in which they would need to move from a traditional classroom to the laboratory during English classes. One of the issues in this regard is time management to ensure that students arrive for lessons. Additionally, preparing the laboratory prior to students’ arrival to ensure that all the machines are functional could prove impossible if proper measures are not instituted. To address the issues of transition and time management, I would ask the school administration to allow my English sessions to take effect with the help of the laboratory assistants. The assistants would be tasked with ensuring that all systems were functioning properly prior to students’ arrival. Further, to ensure maximum utilisation of the class session students assignment in grouping would suffice as earlier on noted (Naidu, 2005; Rovai et al., 2004). Properly motivating teachers and students would help in making the managerial duties efficient. Lennon and Maurer (2003) note that people whose ideologies are taken into account tend to feel part of the system and, therefore, are unlikely to oppose the trend of shifting educational delivery models. The motivation of all parties would in fact make the entire process a success in that their participation would be optimal and this would make teachers’ role of delivery and teaching approach practical. Involvement of major participants Regarding effective managerial roles, Bingimlas (2009) notes that the integration of ICT in the learning environment should consider the concerns of all stakeholders. This would involve training teachers on the curriculum preparation, the instruction delivery, and even the presentation process before they fully embark on their teaching process. This would help them meet the the standards and upgrade ICT performance while improving professionalism, a move that ensures integration of problem solving ability and effective reasoning (Chang & Zhao, 2011, p. 116). Additionally, Lama (2006) agrees that the use of ICT to help pupils during foreign language learning is fruitful if teachers take the bulk of the initiative in implementing the program. These findings assert that, although the students would eventually have a bigger part to play in individual learning process, teachers’ intervention will always catalyse their desire to learn the foreign language. This shows that the involvement of teachers in the implementation process will dictate the entire role of ICT in a particular school setting. These findings were congruent with a study carried out by Kuo et al. (2006) whose data shows that teachers’ perceptions have a lasting impact on their roles in embracing ICT use in secondary schools. Indicators depicting success in managerial issues This would mostly depend on the technological indicators discussed below. Upon empowering the students to spend less time organizing commencement for ICT class, it would be certain that time spends on booking and shifting of students would reduce. Therefore, maximising the duration of each English session is the primary indicator. This would also determine the level of engaging students in the entire learning process. Once the students involvement is at the peak, their learning process becomes easy to manage and this improves their learning process. TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES Presence of adequate and sufficient infrastructure in implementing this program is a major challenge. Technological difficulties are the most pressing issue in the implementation of an e-learning program in my work environment. Having only one computer laboratory that serves the entire school is a hindrance to the effective application of this program; the short time limit allocated to each session may not suffice for students to integrate facts properly. The scarcity of fully functional machines is also a setback. Other technological obstacles would include students’ inconveniences during learning sessions and the absence of vital literacy software for use; it is thus paramount that students be part and parcel of this implementation process. This can only happen if they get to know the possible challenges ahead. Vrasidas (2004) argues that absence of perfect designs as well as development kits hinders effective planning and the delivery of instructions online. This is made worse by absence of sound technological infrastructures. This makes most learning environment struggle with the desire to formalise ICT in their institutions (p. 911). Although embracing technology is pivotal in improving the learning process, initiating a shift from conventional teaching to using ICT in teaching will encounter several technological hindrances as outlined below. Time allocation of the computer laboratory The timetable that regulates the class sessions within the computer laboratory may not go well with the implementation process. Having four weekly class sessions in the school computer laboratory may not be viable because the school has only one computer laboratory for use by the entire institution. Since the transition of lessons from the classroom to the laboratory on the same day would not be practical, this would slow down the learning process. The most appropriate solution to this problem would be to outsource for smart phones like iPads and laptops to be used during lessons in the classrooms to avoid scrambling for the limited number of personal computers in the laboratory. Parents, the public, and even the government could prove important in this drive for more technology (Hoy & Miskel, 2001). Limited capacity of computers The number of properly working machines may not adequately fit the class population, which would not allow each student to have access to his or her own machine after the lessons were over for the completion of assignments and further reading. This would be a setback because most students would have to share the desktop computers, limiting their ability to produce original and independent work. This situation would further worsen the evaluation and grading of students and could lead the teacher to make assumptions that the entire class is progressing well. This issue can be resolved through the acquisition of more computers installed with relevant literacy software. It would be important to engage both the public and the parents to assist with funding. The government could make contributions as well, and the funds outsourced would be utilised to purchase laptops for each classroom together with a Smart Board. This functions as a reward for classroom motivation (Al-Maini, 2011; Chen et al., 2010). Inconvenience during learning sessions The introduction of web-enhanced learning during English sessions is likely to face numerous challenges owing to the fact that the school has no fully functional ICT department to jumpstart the process. The limited number of machines used by the entire school may affect my English sessions as much as the application of necessary visual aids during the presentation process would (Mahmood et al., 2001). This is because teaching English would require possession of basic skills in ICT accessing Internet, software like PowerPoint presentation, word processor, and also development of pedagogical knowhow for efficient integration of ICT in their teaching process (Chang & Zhao, 2011, p. 117). Lack of skills with any of these programs would definitely hinder the effective management of the process. To ensure the issue is under control, the teachers would need to keep abreast of relevant knowledge on the basics of ICT to understand how various visual aids and their accessories coordinate in making the entire process a fruitful one. With skilful teachers, students would make maximum use of the limited time available for their laboratory work and thus maximize the learning process. Installation of proper software and machine maintenance The obstacles to acquiring and installing relevant software to help in learning may make the entire process an unrealistic dream. Some of the literacy software relevant for learning includes Microsoft Word, audio materials, and grammar checking software (Naidu, 2005). Their costs will influence effective implementation. Microsoft Word is cheap, easily available, and affordable compared to programs that check advanced grammar and plagiarism. Many of these require monthly or annual subscriptions to install (Vrasidas, 2000; 2004). Once these software are acquired their update versions may not be a problem per se, because there several online consultations on the same. I am committed to formulating an effective implementation scheme that seeks to bring together major players and outsource for external assistance from both parents and well-wishers who will place their pledges on the project. This will help acquire some of this software and even help cover the cost of subscriptions to the technical aids available online. Indicators to depict Technological results The ability to hold English sessions away from the conventional computer laboratory would be the first indicator of attaining technological success. Resolving technological issues may take long before its results become visible to the entire learning fraternity. Once the students are able to spend limited time prior to the commencement of the English sessions, this would be a positive trend toward realization of technological progress. Some of the indicators like empowering each student to have their own learning gadgets are attainable only if the program receives a massive support from all corners of learning fraternity. Conclusion The introduction of ICT in matters of learning requires a critical review because there are many setbacks that may hinder its implementation and lead to the stalling of the project. The most important step is to ensure that any possible setbacks that are unique to a given workplace are clearly spelled out before initiation of the process. In this regard, the learning environment at King Abdul-Aziz High School in which I intend to introduce a web-enhanced learning process faces three major problems. The issue of evaluation would need an approach that ensures that all students gain from the new learning process and none are left at a disadvantage. Devising an appropriate method in line with students learning abilities would suffice. The most important point is to make students the primary beneficiaries. I strongly believe that students who have the ability to recall and apply what they learn will be in a better position to pass their national examinations. Grouping may also work miracles in the sense that students will be able to help one another. In fact, a student would gain more if he or she takes time to explain a fact or a process to other students. This would help them remember important aspects as well as learn what they may have missed from their friends. The management of the learning process would mostly depend on the school administration. They would help in making the laboratory a conducive place for e-learning by making the entire institution understand what is happening as well as ensuring the attendants in the laboratory compile a working timetable for the sessions. As far as technology is concerned the school may involve the parents, the public, and other stakeholders to provide funds to purchase devices like iPads that would not need software installation and are portable. These will eradicate the need to study in the computer laboratory. Technological consideration is the most pivotal aspect that would determine the feasibility of the entire project. Installing of portable devices would eradicate the need of going to the computer laboratory hence checking any inconveniences thereafter. I believe the project is feasible owing to the desire of changing the paradigm of learning process from the current conventional to a modern ICT use. Once the drive and zeal is there to bring about this change, the issues of technological, management, and evaluation can be attainable in phases. However, involving of every stakeholder in educational matters would be the pillar in reaching that far. Their advice, financial support, and any other approach would count greatly for its successfulness. References Almadhour, B. (2010). The integration of information and communication technology into secondary technology teachers’ pedagogy in New Zealand. (Unpublished dissertation). Auckland University of Technology, Auckland. Al-Maini, Y. H. (2011). Using technology in EFL in Saudi Arabia. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), 2(3), 477-480. Bingimlas, K. A. (2009). Integration of ICT in teaching and learning environments: A review of the literature. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 5(3), 235-245. Chang, Q., & Zhao, S. (2011). 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