Pros and Cons of eLearning - Literature review Example

E-LEARNING Author’s Name Course Instructor Institution City Date of Submission E-Learning Literature Review Introduction Technology advancement has led to e-learning which is being integrated into the institutions of higher learning. The world is continually transitioning from the traditional ways of learning to electric learning due to its increased efficiency regarding accessibility of the internet. E-learning is a revolution which has emerged as a result of the emergence of computers in the recent past. The computer revolution is a process which has taken many years to be where at the current state and it is continually advancing with the digital era. In the past, the computers were expensive and almost unaffordable for use by individuals. The computers were hence used by the public. The era has changed with computer personalization in the present world. The Apple Company was the initiator of personalized computers, and the company made the prices affordable to the customers as early as 1977 (Swierenga 1974, p. 267). The computers produced by the modern and international organization were also made easy to use by the buyers (Meyer 1997, p.331). Later in 1981, IBM another organization which is popularly known as the world number one computer vendor also produced the IBM computers which could be used for personal affairs as well as for the business purposes (Barker 1977, p. 153). The computers became popular in different parts of the country and were used for various purposes including the government entities. In the United States, the laboratories and the universities’ computers were connected by a type of internet which was referred to as ARPANET (Amato 1997, p. 147). The type of the internet linked the networks making it easy to carryout research in these institutions in the United States of America. The type of the internet was in place since 1982 until 1983 as a project of Advanced Research Agency in the United States (Diem 1986, p. 130). The technology was still advancing, and ARPANET was changed into the TCP/IP protocol. The technology was effective as it led to worldwide computer network connection (Susser 1997, p. 140). The protocol also led to the establishment of World Wide Web in 1989 by Scientist from England which was called Tim Berners-Lee. WWW was developed at the European Laboratory for Practical Physics popularly referred to as CERN. The present day computer advancement is increasing in the fields of telecommunication, wireless networking as well as the transfer of electronic files through media such as emails. Many institutions of higher learning in the world are continually leaving the traditional ways of learning and adopting the e-learning classroom environment. The technology has already been integrated into many developed countries and the developing countries are also adopting the technology in universities. Perception of Traditional Learning in the Historical Aspect Traditional learning is often the face to face learning where the tutor is in the process of the learner as the learning process takes place. Traditional learning is common in all parts of the world even those which have adopted the e-learning. Therefore 90% of the learners in the world have experienced traditional learning. There are different modes of traditional learning including seminars, classes, and workshops (Lett 1973, p. 240). In schools, the traditional method of learning starts from the kindergarten, advances to primary schools, then to high schools and finally into the colleges and universities. Traditional learning is associated with some advantages which make the form of learning effective up to date (Arrey 2005, p. 5). For example, in traditional learning, the learners and the tutors get direct feedback from one another. The environment created in the traditional learning is effective as it creates familiarity between the tutors and the students hence the two parties are comfortable in the environment. Traditional learning is also beneficial to the students regarding motivation (Loon 2010, p. 214). The teachers have a role of advising the students to lead positive lives, and hence become responsible members of the society. The social community is also cultivated in the students especially through the means of communication and the skills applied in the classroom. For instance, the students learn the values of their communities as the teacher speaks verbally and expresses the lessons using the non-verbal techniques of communication (Bhoyar 2016, p. 102). The traditional form of learning, however, has some disadvantages which increase the need of e-learning especially in the institutions of higher learning. The first disadvantage associated with traditional learning is time constraints as well as the location constraints. For instance, if a class is scheduled at a particular time and place, the students and the tutor have to meet there whatsoever (Al-Qatari 2012, p.225). The people whose settlement is not favored by the school proximity may not be punctual for class. Additionally, if one is caught by traffic, they may not be in a position to attend the classes. The learning process is also expensive regarding delivery of content to the tutors. For instance, charts are required, a white board, white board markers and many other materials for description and demonstration of the content which the instructor teaches. Additionally, the learning is much centered on the instructor. The presence of the instructor is much dwelled on by the learners. Learning may fail to take place where the tutor is not present (Westover 2014, p. 96). The context of traditional learning has continued to experience a broad range of changes and the present day learning is not restricted to the regular classrooms only. There are a lot of advancements encompassing the impact of the mode used to teach the learners. Relationship between the Student Affairs development and the Traditional Learning Students’ affairs are different in every institution and are more pronounced in the colleges and the institutions. The history of an institution is the determinant of the professional and the students’ affairs. However, the student affairs in all the institutions of higher learning in the world including Sultan Qaboos University originated from the Harvard University. The American system of high learning is based on the students’ affairs of the Harvard University. The student affairs are the influential factors of the school learning environment (Zany 2016, p. 163). There are some activities which are linked to the students’ affairs of the traditional ways of learning include the students’ unions, career planning as well as the extracurricular activities (Mckenzie 2015, p. 174) such as athletes (Sonstrom 2009, p. 36). The department of the student affairs is hence of great importance in the universities as it provides programs and service as well as the resources which will foster the learning process of the students as well as the professional affairs of the instructors (Barbarian 2016, p. 141). The students can hence achieve their career and educational goals through the department of the student affairs. Furthermore, the department fulfills the personal needs, offers educational as well as cultural consultancy to the students (Frio 2014, p. 190). Students Affairs and the Advanced Technology Technology advancement has had positives impacts on the learning process as people can easily access the internet in the present day. The electronic mail has also been significance especially in the ways through which people conduct businesses and personal exchange of information since 1991. The institutions of high learning have become conversant with the use of the advanced technology for educational purposes. For instance the use of the internet, the emails, and other technologies especially the social media has been embraced by colleges and universities (Pettigrew 2014, p. 106). The use of the new technology has been in use for the last two decades. Additionally, the advanced technology has led to changes in the students’ affairs for instance; the traditional ways are no longer used to keep records and to carry out various activities. The traditional methods of operation have been replaced completely by databases, word processors, spreadsheets and the general tools that are used for computer services in the new era (Agamid 2014, p. 52). Internet-based technology has taken over as well as the associated technology such as WWW, chats emails and other modes of present day communications. The new technology has been of great significance especially through the services efficiency. The institutions of high learning provide services which are fast due to the integration of internet and new technology into the school system. The student's electronic records can be accessed online through the student portals, and the students can easily access the school administration in case of anything through the internet (John 2003, p. 113). The New Learning Models Traditional learning was influenced by some factors. These factors included the size of the classroom, the knowledge of the teacher, time and distance constraints among others. There have been some weaknesses associated with the traditional means of learning which have led to the great need of the advanced technological learning (Jones 2011, p. 139). There is a high increase of population, and many people are continuing to enroll for courses in institutions of great learning. The environments of learning are also changing to accommodate the increased population and to satisfy the needs of the people towards education. As the institutions continue marketing themselves, they reach for more students both locally and internationally (Sharpe 2011, p. 119). The statuses of the students are also changing day by day. For instance, there are married students in the universities; others have children while others are employed. Some students attend the full-time classes while others can only be part-timers due to their busy lives. The responsibilities of the students continue to create distance from the institutions and accessibility is hindered for example due to a tight schedule at work. However, the new learning models have emerged so as to fill the socio-economic gap created by the adult students (Hall 2010, p. 138). The new learning models are the internet dependent hence they are referred to as the e-learning models. The e-learning model does not involve the traditional classrooms, and the supervisor’s present is not necessarily important. E-learning is conducted using a web class, and the remote schools as the learner do not need to be within the institution so as to attend the classes. E-learning is the abbreviation of electronic learning (Boles 2010, p. 140). This mode of learning is primarily characterized by using the electronic media for the learning purposes and completely doing away with the traditional classrooms. Some of the media used for e-learning include the intranet, the extranet, and the internet, CDs, computer-based training and satellite broadcasts. The model of learning is popular in the 21st century, and it is preferred by many institutions due to efficiency and flexibility (Sharp 2010, p. 125). The model of learning has the strengths that lead to its popularity but also has some disadvantages to which e-learning is associated. One of the advantages is that e-learning is dependent on the learner and is based on the learning pace of the learner. Unlike the traditional methods of learning where the tutor was the central point, the electronic learning is based on the interest of the learner as well as his or her availability. Electronic learning takes place anywhere and anytime (Condole 2002, p. 103). There is, therefore, the flexibility of time and the locations where the students are, and therefore the daily schedule of an individual is not compromised (Lisewski, 2004). Additionally, e-learning is relatively cheap hence affordable for the learners. The learners can hence access the classes since there are little resources required. Also, e-learning is available in the languages which are used in the most parts of the world. The efficiency of e-learning is hence global, more so, due to the advancement in technology, the learner can translate the lecture into the language he or she is conversant with if there are challenges of interpretation. There is unlimited knowledge access in e-learning. For instance, the student can continue searching on the internet in case a concept has not been understood. The student has the freedom to access as many web pages as possible in their research so as to expand their knowledge. There is also a possibility of the knowledge archival. For instance, the tutorial that was used five years ago can still be relevant in today’s context (Bell 2011, p. 129). Therefore knowledge can be stored and be reused in future. Additionally, one tutorial can be modified to include a new curriculum or to remove some concepts which do not have much significance. The earlier piece of the tutorial can also be used for reference even after modification leading to the recycling of the electronic learning part of education (Seale 2006, p. 114). The disadvantages of the electronic learning have made it not fully integrated into some parts of the world as the means of learning. Some of these disadvantages include lack of the feedback satisfaction between the tutor and the learner. There is no parameter of the teacher assessing whether the learners have fully understood their concepts. Additionally, the instructor requires much time to prepare for the tutorials (Smith 2000, p. 38). The tutor must fulfill all the needs of the students universally concerning the course regarding the curriculum and the context of the course. Additionally, the instructor must ensure that the tutorials are embracing equality regarding race and gender and therefore, there is much time required to satisfy the learner (Mistry 2010, p. 15). Development of E-learning with relation to Student Affairs Computer-centered literacy is dependent on instructions. As the learner gets the training about the content in the computer, commands are instructions are necessary. Over the years, the electronic world, as well as communication, has changed to a great extent. In 1990s technology was only centralized to the desktop computers but with time, the computers were advanced to portable laptops. During the 19th century, the computers were few and accessibility was limited unlike in the present day generation where many devices have been computerized hence accessibility of computers increase every day (Holland 2007, p. 122). Communication continued to grow into virtual platforms. The social media became attributed to sites such as Facebook and twitter making communication more efficient. Communication was no longer limited to emails as in the 1990s (Gentle 2017, p. 147). With the current advancement of technology, more sites have been created including the WhatsApp and the Skype which allows for video calls despite the distance difference in the regions of the people sharing the information. There is hence an undeniable requirement for e-learning in the society today. The internet availability is extended all over the world and e-learning is hence not limited to a given region. E-learning takes place anytime and anyplace in the world (Edemoh 2017, p. 25). The departments of the student affairs in the universities have also included e-learning issues into the program. The student affairs department works with the information technology experts to facilitate the connectivity of the students to the institutions both locally and internationally. E-learning has made the students more literate computer-wise as well as improved interaction among students from different regions. Internationalization and globalization are enhanced as universities, and colleges advertise for e-learning opportunities attracting students into their programs (Sanchez 2007, p. 15). Diversity is also promoted through the development of e-learning as the tutor ensures the content being posted on the e-learning website is reliable and useful to all the students. E-learning is continually yielding equality among students from different continents. The criteria for assessing whether the website meets international academic statuses has ensured that the tutors adhere to the rules hence there is no discrimination of any sort including the racial discrimination as the tutor requires watching the word choice to prevent biases (Lomas 2006, p. 250). E-learning and the online services Various services are linked to e-learning. For instance, the academic advising, the financial aids, career services, the scholarships, tutoring, services for multicultural groups, services for female students, services for students who are disabled, services for the international students and the supplemental instructional services (Tait 2013, p. 114). Additionally, electronic-leaning also offer the student government and the writing center services. Many students are usually interested in the academic advisory, career services as well as the financial and for the further studies regarding scholarships (Sham 2007, p. 215). E-learning Websites Assessment The websites of e-learning can be evaluated using various ways, traditional ways of evaluation and the modern ways of evaluation. Firstly, the authority of the content which is posted to be used for e-learning has great significance in the assessment of the effectiveness of e-learning materials. Accuracy is also used in examining whether the material used for e-learning has reliable information which will be of benefit to the student. Objectivity has also been used to determine the extent of the fact expression by the e-learning material (Block 2016, p.274). For example, objectivity assesses equality regarding whether the material is biased or affects personal feelings in any given way. Currency is also used in the determination of how recent or how old the material of electronic learning is. If the documentation is up to date, it is likely to be inclusive of all the aspects required by the learner (Dolezalek 2008, p. 222). However, if the material is outdated, it could contain information which is less significant or less relevant to the current situation regarding curriculum updates. The fifth criterion which has been used to assess the effectiveness of e-learning is the coverage and the intended audience. The topics in a learning material should be significant to the subject and the intended purpose (Clarke 2017, p. 210). Additionally, the material should meet the needs of the group which it is meant for during the preparation. The above criteria which have been used for assessment of e-learning created a gap as they could not explicitly assess e-learning in the universities. There was hence a great need of advancement in the ways of accessing the e-learning to achieve the objectives (Uwaifo 2012, p. 133). The first criterion is inclusion where the material should be universal hence include all students in all parts of the world. Activeness of the website is also important for testing including the current activities taking place on the website, the names, the dates and the other necessary information. An active website is more reliable than the dormant groups. The third criterion is the representation of the learning materials in the electronic learning websites. For instance, all the departments which have relevance to the affairs of the students should be adequately represented on the e-learning website. Additionally, the websites should be informative such that the students acquire the right information from the material that has been posted (Campbell 2003, p. 381). Currency and relevance are important factors which influence the process of e-learning to a great extent as they determine the quality of education received by the learner. The websites should always be up to date and easy to use hence the convenience. The assessment of the electronic learning website has extended to examine the value of the e-learning media to the community (Baijnath 2015, p. 74). For instance, the site should improve the campus of the students, the community and should have equal benefits to the world. Nevertheless, the material which is used for the electronic learning should promote the students’ learning objectives both short-term as well as the long-term goals. The websites of e-learning should always be focused on learning so and characterized by clarity where the goals can be scaled and measured according to the expectations of the students towards the learning material (Dlouha 2013, p. 10). The website should also be easy to accessible and should also show feedback to the students whenever there is a content which the student cannot fully understand. Therefore, the websites where the e-learning material is posted should be both accountable and acceptable and above all it should be developmental to add value to the lives of the students. Checklists for E-learning Websites Assessment The websites used for the e-learning purposes should be designed in a way that attracts the attention of students. The web designers should also blend colors and images to foster the learning interest of the learners. Additionally, the navigation tools should be clear regarding usage and accessibility to the intended audience (Tossy 2017, p. 39). There are several key aspects to consider in the checklist where the e-learning websites are assessed. Firstly, the technical details of the websites are important; secondly, there is a need to consider the efficiency of the design and the web navigation. The website contents and the aesthetics of the website have significance in the e-learning checklists (Schworm 2011, p. 275). The navigation and design is a key point to include in the checklists of the websites which are used for electronic learning. For instance, the material used for learning should not take more than 30 seconds which leading. The user should click three times at most while accessing the material online. The pages of the website should be updated appropriately within a period which is not longer than one year (Vaughn 2014, p. 47). The list of the updated pages should be chronically presented for easy comprehension by the learners. The toolbar available should be both consistent and appropriate to serve the intended purpose. The students’ affairs should be presented clearly on the home page so as to give the students the relevant guideline. Additionally, the indexing function should be available in the lists where the students are supposed to select specific items (Ryan 2007, p.440). For instance, the information of the students should be separated from the information concerning the faculty as well as the information of the professionals. The division of the information into different categories is of vital importance as it leads to ease in the accessibility of the intended information depending on the user who is surfing the internet (Alebaikan 2010, p. 118). Technical details of the e-learning websites are inclusive of some functions. Firstly, the function for search within the paper is important for ease of data accessibility by the learner. Additionally, there should be a feedback section within the paper so that the users can be in a position to report any issues that have been discovered during the surfing process on the website. All links available in the page should be active once they are clicked and hence should display the relevant content. The page should adhere to the standards of accessibility that have been set for educational websites (White 2005, p. 298). E-learning websites should meet the aesthetic appropriateness hence it is included in the checklist for assessing the websites used for electronic learning. The aesthetic feeling is facilitated by the web designers with the color contrast as well as the other objects which have been included in making a page that creates room for learning and comprehension. The feeling should be linked to the look of the page. The sensation created by the design of the website should be used to captivate the interest of the user. The site should always offer school and other relevant divisions (Pastor 2015, p.680). Additionally, the page should be attractive to the eyes of the reader. The attractiveness of a page creates a healthy environment for easy understanding of the content contained in the website of e-learning. The web content is another important factor to include in the checklist used for the examination of the e-learning websites. The information available on the website should consider the alumni of the institution, the prospective learners as well as the present students (Cunningham 2016, p. 29). The information should also be inclusive of the staff and faculty hence holistically inclusive of all the stakeholders. The content should not put excess emphasis on the sub-tribe or race of certain students as this may create ill feelings out of biasness (Joo 2012, p. 760). The functional areas of the students are the core areas of the websites and hence should be covered effectively. The student affair pages should contain the information of the academic material available on the website. The accuracy and the currency of the materials should always be looked into closely. Relevant details regarding the hours of operation, the contacts and the emails of the people who have contributed to the websites should be well presented (Moerkerke 2015, p.244). Finally, the department in which the information relevance serves should be well indicted to ensure that the students are not misled whatsoever. Current Technology of E-learning E-learning has gained practicality especially because students have busy live hence daytime and full-time availability may not be possible. Additionally, most students who adopt the e-learning model of study do not live near the school vicinity. The costs of travelling and the time that would rather be used in the traditional learning methods are reduced drastically by e-learning (Orawiwatnakul 2011, p. 81). Additionally, the supervisor may be busy hence not easily reached in the times when a student is in need, for example where the student did not understand some content while studying by him or herself. E-learning has hence created a solution for such barriers where the students contact their instructors online. Most universities require the learners to reach their supervisors through e-mails for consultation. However, the process maybe slows especially in a case where the supervisor is not the immediate recipient of the email (Badia 2006, p. 23). Where the email has to go through an assistant or a secretary, delay maybe experienced while transferring the message from one channel to the other. The student hence may not get the intended answer at the right time. However, the challenges are continually solved by the sophistication which is adopted by the students concerning the use of the internet (Selwyn 2013, p. 3). The digital era has led to use of internet in almost all the areas of academics. The internet quality fosters the efficiency of the e-learning process. Additionally, chatting has emerged and the efficiency of a message reaching the supervisor is more improved than when there is an intermediary to pass the email. Additionally, the web designers in collaboration with the tutors have created a website where the students can ask the supervisors and get the answers directly. The website is referred to as the ‘live Help’. The website is however active during special hours which the supervisor has designated for the students’ e-learning purposes according to his or her schedule (Russell 2009, p. 117). The live help may, however, be limited especially for the students who study from different countries. Different regions have different times, and therefore, some students may miss out in the live help according to their schedules and the time in the countries where they are working (Thanaraj 2016, p. 59). However, once the students learn when the official time for the ‘live help’ program then it becomes easy to adjust so as to ask the professor the questions about the areas that require more elaborations in the course contents which have been sent through the websites. Much advancement is continually implemented on the course content in the websites of e-learning. The accessibility of the lecturers has extended from the chats to the call centers where one can be offered the relevant services concerning the course content (Keel 2016, p. 82). The model of e-learning is being adopted by many students all over the world and hence making it feasible will improve the quality of education gained through e-learning. Call services are however applied in few universities due to the incurred cost and therefore the strategy is unsustainable for the universities which are still growing. Additionally, the international students face the time and connection problems especially when the services are not active. References Read More