Increasing Enrollment of Students from High School to the Colleges and Universities - Essay Example

Does e-learning technology helps to increase enrollment of students from high school to the colleges/universities in Australia" Your name:   Course name:         Professors’ name: Date: Introduction E-learning technology refers to the use of communications or information technology (ICT) to support and/or enhance learning in tertiary institutions (Zhang & Wang, 2005). E-learning technology covers a wide range of systems, from student using educational portal or e-mails and accessing reading materials on-line while following an entire or partly program entirely online (Allen and Seaman, 2003). E-learning technology is becoming increasingly prominent in education, with educational institutions such as colleges and universities increasing provisions and more students signing up into these programs. E-learning technology in Australia has been seen to change the way tertiary institution teach and students learn, or is it simply a case of professors sending work assignments by emails or course reading lists, and students typing up their assignments on computers (Zhang & Wang, 2005). The vision of e-learning technology came about at the height of dot.com era, where students are able to follow their entire courses at domestic or foreign tertiary institution from their comfort of their houses, without the cost or inconvenience of living in a different place for years. In traditional learning, students can still be found wedded to classrooms, but after the hype of new economy in Australia, growing disenchantment with e-learning technology has replaced earlier over-enthusiasm in Australia’s education system (Allen and Seaman, 2003). This negativity that has been directed towards e-learning technology have, at least temporarily, outshined the prospects of flexible and widened access to pedagogic innovation, tertiary education and decreased cost that e-learning technology once embodied. But tertiary institutions have realized the importance of e-learning technology at their institutions, that why most of these institutions are gradually bringing e-learning technology into the mainstream or core of their programs, and this has been an integral part of a classroom-based course (Endean, Bai and Du, 2010). E-learning technology: the next level of learning The rapid phase of economic and technological developments in Australia has placed greater demand on the existing education systems. It is important for students to focus on lifelong learning, that is, to think critically, to continuously upgrade their skills and knowledge and to inspire innovation and creativity so as to adapt to global change. Recently, there have been a paradigm shift of learning and teaching process, e-learning technology, has emerged as a result of the rapid diffusion of ICT. It is widely believed that e-learning technology, if implemented properly, will increase enrollment of students from high school to the colleges/universities in Australia, thus empowering students to fully engage in the 21st century (Endean, Bai & Du, 2010). Beginning as a revolution, e-learning technology has become a part and parcel of the educational system. In other words, keyboard, computer screen and internet connection is gradually replacing the physical school chalk and blackboard. The most attractive feature of e-learning technology is that it is student-centered. It accommodates student needs and preferences (Jochems, van Merriënboer and Koper, 2004). At same time, it empowers students from various backgrounds to have equal access to tutoring and experience teachers, lecture sessions, resources and referral materials. Most teachers or lectures interested in the use of e-learning technology understand the importance of this program, whether the e-learning course is taught in a hybrid environment or completely online (Jung and Latchem, 2007). Today, tertiary institutions offer variety of e-learning programs such as designing and building training courses, online learning and content management and offering web-based programs for learning (Allen and Seaman, 2003). The format and services of e-learning technology allow for the following benefits:- e-learning technology allows a teacher to hold live lecture or classes on any topic; for example, a high school English teacher in Sydney can hold his/her won class with live audio and video feeds and have a national student audience. This format of teaching allows high school students across Australia to learn easily for the standardized tests by downloading the learning materials they need, rather than paying exorbitant fee for tuitions (Endean, Bai & Du, 2010). It also allows the students in such a program to improve their scores in the standardized tests; through taking doing many tests as they want. In addition, e-learning technology program allows for students to slow down or speed up as they find it necessary. Students have been found to choose the subjects according to their area of interest. E-learning technology is more flexible in terms of age barrier or time limit (Jung and Latchem, 2007). There are a lot of opportunities a student can choose from. In other words, e-learning necessitate an environment that allows students to put focus on their studies due to the effect of saved time, efforts and lesser hassles. E-learning technology opens up a new world of studying comfortably and with better results for students (Endean, Bai & Du, 2010). Accessibility in Education E-learning technology has been widely recognized as a means of enhancing teaching learning process and accessibility. In Australia, particularly among the indigenous people, e-learning technologies has been viewed as a tool for providing opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized students or disable students who are unable to acquire college or university degree due to social, physical and economic constraints. Since the introduction of e-learning technology in Australia, a wider range of students have been reached anywhere and anytime provided that there is availability of internet connection, therefore the number of student enrolment to tertiary institutions has been increased. Besides, significant literature have indicated that online learning support problem-solving, critical thinking skills, learning autonomously , communication and interaction and flexibility in time management. Like in a traditional classroom set-up, both the instructors and learners have to place certain roles in an e-learning program. These roles are important, for they clarify and specify the responsibilities that crucial to guarantee rewarding and efficient learning experience for both teachers and learners. In e-learning programs, students have been found to be independent and this is important motivating high school students to enroll in tertiary institutions. Demographics The demographics on e-learning technology in Australia are straight forward. Over 3 million students participated in the Australia postsecondary education system at all levels: associate, certificate, masters, bachelors and PhD programs (Jung and Latchem, 2007). Over one million of them, primarily undergraduates, are currently enrolled in e-learning technology programs taught by about 150,000 faculty members- approximately 12 per cent of all university or college faculties (Garrett and Verbik, 2004), part-time or full-time. About half the e-learning students are pursuing associated degree programs at colleges, with smaller enrollments in specialized and baccalaureate colleges. Between fall 2008 and fall 2009, the enrollment of students in e-learning programs increased by 35 per cent, or 750,000 additional students, and there are no indications that an e-learning program enrollment plateau has been reached (Garrett and Verbik, 2004). Open University Australia (OUA), which has been a pioneer of e-learning programs in Australia, is a prime example- In the past four years; it has experienced an unprecedented doubling in student enrollment into their e-learning programs. More than 100,000 students from different background now select from OUA’s 1500 units and 180 qualifications offered by 19 Australian universities and other tertiary institutions, including polytechnic institutes. This expansion in students pursuing e-learning programs is a reflection of the attractiveness of online education to fit with the student work commitments and lifestyles (Kelly and Nanjiani, 2005). The company would not have had that growth in the number of student’s enrollment if there was no quality education outcome in these programs, and that the company offered best courses from the best universities that are found in Australia (Jochems, van Merriënboer and Koper, 2004). Easy access to education Generally students who attend special schools don’t achieve adequate level of education that will enable them compete with other students in the employment market (Bishop, 2000). This problem has been compounded by non availability of programs that will enable them be successful in the employment market (Khan and Williams, 2006). The girls with disabilities who enrolled in e-learning programs have been found to have better chances than those in special schools to obtain an adequate standard of education and career options (Bishop, 2000). According to Wappett ( the CEO of OUA) says that of more than 100,000 students who have enrolled in their e-learning program, 65 per cent of the students are women while the 10 most popular courses are criminology, primary school teaching, study skills, communications, management, accounting, marketing, information technology and behavioral sciences (Bishop, 2000). In most e-learning programs that are offered in Australian universities, these programs don’t have prerequisites to enroll in a course; students are not required to have done well in their final exams in high schools or finished high school. In addition, students that have enrolled in e-learning programs are entitled to federal government’s Fee-Help scheme that will enable students to obtain Higher Education Contribution Scheme-style loans (Garrett and Verbik, 2004). All these programs have increased the enrollment of high student to universities and other tertiary institutions (Zhang & Wang, 2005). In Australia, online world is increasingly becoming an attractive option for students, so universities and other tertiary institutions have realized the need to combine online learning and the best face-to-face teaching to meet the demand the demand of their students (Khan and Williams, 2006). Australia’s million-plus students have online access to their tutors or lectures as well as their individual subjects, but increasingly numbers of students prefer learning solely via the web, often with the aid of the learning institutions themselves (Garrett and Verbik, 2004). For example, at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, e-learning enrollment has increased by more than 300 per cent in the past three years and last October the university established a separate company that will enable the university to offer all its courses over the internet. Professor Shirley, Swinburne’s deputy vice-chancellor (academic) states that the future of the university lie outside the traditional classroom set up. Therefore, university must change their mode of teaching to survive, and to remain relevant to the next generation of students (Bishop, 2000). Bringing the gap in education There is an urgent need in Australia to increase enrollment to post-secondary education to indigenous students through a variety of means to meet a range of student’s goals, needs, life circumstances and prior learning histories (Carswell, Thomas, Petre, Price, and Richards, 2000). Indigenous population seeking post-secondary education has been increasing, particularly in accredited courses (Kelly and Nanjiani, 2005). Gaps between non-indigenous and Indigenous Australians in terms of education outcomes have been documented by many educationists. E-learning technology has been seen to have potential to overcome some of the challenges facing indigenous students to post-secondary education (Kelly and Nanjiani, 2005). Yet, to date, e-learning technology has been little exploited for meeting the needs and overcoming barriers of indigenous students. In the past, e-learning technology was often dismissed as a tool of learning among indigenous students because it was not interactive or assumptions that indigenous students always prefer learning through face-to-face encounters that rely on oral and visual communications (Khan and Williams, 2006). Rapid developments in e-learning technologies have been seen to offer new avenues for increasing access to university education for indigenous students, particularly those students who live in remote and rural areas of Australia. E-learning technology also seems to hold promises for indigenous students, who have family, work, or community roles that prevent them from enrolling in on-campus programs, or student who have financial or personal reasons for deciding not to join classroom-based learning environment. Updates on the internet connectivity in Australia indicate that internet connectivity is steadily increasing in rural areas, with nearly 200 per cent access to high speed internet. This will translate that more and more indigenous students will be able to enroll in e-learning study programs (Carswell, Thomas, Petre, Price, and Richards, 2000). Sunchild E-learning Community has started a program that advances the inclusion of Indigenous students into the mainstream workforce since 1998. This organization has been providing quality educational delivery to reserves in NWT and Alberta through the use of e-learning technology. Since its inceptions, the organization has been able to provide the opportunity for indigenous students to complete their high school education without leaving their communities, raising the quality of standard and life of living on reserves, keeping indigenous skills where it can advance the community as a whole (Kelly and Nanjiani, 2005). The success of this program has been achieved since the number of indigenous students log in online during class times and can speak to their teachers has increased tremendously since the inception of this program and many more indigenous students are able to graduate with a high school diploma; thus proceeding to the university (Kelly and Nanjiani, 2005). As a new approach to indigenous learning, e-learning technology delivery of courses offers flexibility for students at their own pace rather than ‘lock-step’ as part of indigenous student cohort. Recent developments in e-learning technologies have synchronous interaction using audio and video. Graphic communication, electronic text, and online media including library data bases provide key learning modalities and supports for varying learning styles and content foci. Students can be flexible and independent with respect their tuition (Carswell, Thomas, Petre, Price, and Richards, 2000). Conclusion Education can be described as a basic human right. it is the key to success and young people should be encouraged to have. Therefore, e-learning technology should be encouraged in Australia because it possesses many benefits. In this mode of study, learners can study at the comfort of their homes, it reduces environmental impacts because it allows student to avoid travelling. But above all these benefits, e-learning have been found to increase student enrollment to university or other tertiary institutions. References Allen, I.E. and Seaman, J. (2003) Sizing the Opportunity: The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2002 and 2003 Wellesley, MA: The Sloan Consortium Bishop, T. (2000). UMUC’s online MBA program: A case study of cost-effectiveness and the implications for large-scale programs. Online Education, 2, 173-182. Carswell, L., Thomas, P., Petre, M., Price, B., & Richards, M. (2000). Distance education via the internet: the student experience. British Journal of Educational Technology, 31(1, 29-46. Endean, M., Bai, B., & Du, R. (2010). Quality standards in online distance education. International Journal of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning, 3(1), 53-73. Garrett, R. and L. Verbik (2004), “Online Learning in Commonwealth Universities: Selected Data from the 2004 Observatory Survey, Part 2”, Observatory on Borderless Higher Education. Jochems, W., van Merriënboer, J., & Koper, R. (2004). Integrated e-learning: Implications for pedagogy, technology and organization. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Jung, I., & Latchem, C. (2007). Assuring quality in Asian open and distance learning. Open Learning, 22(3), 235-250. Khan, H and Williams, J (2006), “Poverty Alleviation through Access to Education: Can Elearning Deliver?”, U21Global Working Paper No. 004/2006, July 2006. Kelly, T. & Nanjiani, N (2005). The business case for e-learning. Network business series, Cisco Systems, Cisco Press, 2005. Zhang, W.Y, & Wang, L. (2005). International cooperation in the development of e-learning learning environment inventory. In W.Y. Zhang (Ed.). Management and learner support in modern distance education (pp. 1-18). Beijing: Beijing Radio and TV University Press. Read More