The Implementation of Elearning - Essay Example

HOW DOES AN INDIVIDUAL STYLE PREFERENCE INFLUENCE THE EXTENT TO WHICH E-LEARNING CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL? By and Professor’s Name University Name City, State Date of Submission Introduction The implementation of e-learning and the web-based educational environment in the United Arabs Emirates requires not only the development of the appropriate architecture but also the incorporation of human factorial considerations. The e-learning context has the user interface as the major channel for the conveyance of information. A friendly and well-designed e-learning interface is, therefore, desirable to enhance the effectiveness of e-learning. Learning preferences and styles are the ways of enhancing the quality of the e-learning experience, especially for students who study alone in front of a computer. The acquisition of learning techniques and styles by students depends on the personal characteristics of the student, the subject of study, and the student’s level of understanding of the subject. Research confirms that different people prefer different approaches to learning. No one approach or strategy of e-learning is optimal for all students. The methods and technologies used for e-learning in the United Arabs Emirates include the use of web-based education techniques, podcasting, internet video conferencing, social networking software, and computer-assisted instructions, among others. The styles of e-learning are especially gaining popularity in the higher education sector where most of the students are distant learners. This paper discusses how the learning preferences of an individual influence the extent to which e-learning can be an effective learning tool, especially in the United Arabs Emirates. E-learning allows the adoption of the education content to suit the learning styles of individual students. It may entail the incorporation of digital media, digitized materials, graphics, web-based interactions, interactive videos, among others. The adoption of different learning styles and methods impact on the effectiveness of e-learning in the higher education sector. Some researchers have supported the adoption of e-learning with the argument that it allows for the adjustment of educational content to suit the learning needs of the students. However, majority of studies in this field have been confined to the use of standard conventional learning styles in the e-learning systems (Brown, Zoghi, Williams, Jaberzadeh, Roller, Palermo, & Holt, 2009, p.4). This includes tutorial, lecture, problem-based learning, and written text. The relationship between the styles of e-learning and the effectiveness of the e-learning system, as well as the attitude of students towards e-learning, has been discussed in many literature sources. Researchers have reported that the performance of students in the e-learning system is primarily tied to their learning style preferences. The learning style preferences in e-learning also influence the attitude of learners towards e-learning. Among the learning style preferences that have a great influence on the effectiveness of the e-learning experience among students include: (1) environmental and instructional learning; (2) personality related learning preferences; and (3) information processing learning preferences. The evaluation of students’ learning styles in the e-learning system provides information about their preferred styles and their impact on the e-learning experience. The awareness has led to the development, design, and delivering of educational programs that stimulate and motivate students’ integration, acquisition, and application of academic and professional information (Littlejohn, 2003, p.20). Notably, some e-learning styles motivate and stimulate students while others make them lazy to learn in front of a computer. For some students, the effectiveness of the e-learning experience is as a result of the integration of more than one style of learning. However, the change of preference greatly influences e-learning. For instance, a student may be used to learning using a laptop or a desktop computer. The change of this style to the use of a tablet or a Smartphone may make the e-learning experience boring. This makes the whole learning experience unproductive and may lead to registration of poor academic results. The understanding of –learning styles and students’ preferences is an important factor to enable the planning, production, and implementation of academic experiences in the country. The implementation of the most preferred learning styles by students helps to enhance learning, the retention and retrieval of information (Littlejohn, 2003, p.6). For instance, many students used to the traditional learning system may be used to taking notes while reading. The provision of an e-learning environment that does not have a space for note-taking may lead to poor mastery of information (Littlejohn, 2003, p.2). Such students may require having a writing table, a pen, and a notebook over and above the computer and the internet to enjoy the e-learning experience. On the contrary, other students just need a computer and the internet, and they are good to go. One of the learning styles developed by Spurlin and Felder in 2005 proposes the implementation of four dimensions of learning: (1) active and reflective; (2) sensing and intuitive; (3) visual and verbal; and sequential and global. In this learning style models, learners tend to understand and retain information by being active in the learning process. The activeness includes discussions and explaining the learned concepts and theories to others. Learners who are used to this style of learning may not prefer an e-learning style that does not allow them to interact and discuss with classmates (Littlejohn, 2003, p.15). The latter implies the use of video conferencing, social media learning and the use of the messaging chat system in the e-learning system that allows learners to discuss online with classmates and instructors. Nevertheless, this learning style preference only works for some students but not everyone. Some learners prefer a quiet learning environment with no one distracting them, either in person or online. Such learners would not entertain a learning style that allows friends, classmates, and instructors to talk to them while reading. If the e-learning system ensures that it is mandatory for all students to chat online and discuss after login into their e-learning accounts, the method may only work for some students who have it as their preference. Active learners prefer an e-learning system that allows students to work in groups while reflective learners prefer a system that allows them to think about what they have read before discussing it with their friends and colleagues. Another learning style preference that impacts on the effectiveness of e-learning is the visual learning e-system. Some learners can remember information that is presented in diagrams, pictures, timelines, flow charts, and demonstrations. If such learners make use of an e-learning system that focuses more on words than presentation of visual elements, they may not benefit from the learning experience. On the other side, verbal learners prefer reading styles that present the content in the form of words. Those in this group of learners may not benefit from an e-learning system that summarizes the academic content in visual elements. However, many students learn best when the information is presented both verbally and visually. Studies have reported that most students are visual learners. The e-learning systems that present information in both the visual and the verbal format are most preferred by students. This learning style preference is also praised by many researchers as one of the major strengths of e-learning. Instructors can explain points and summarize them in tables and graphs for easier comprehension by students. Three stages of e-learning have been discussed by researchers as far as the learning style preferences are concerned. They include: (1) informative stage; (2) integrative stage; and (3) transformative stage (Littlejohn, 2003, p.8). The informative stage entails the provision of information, specification of the program, timetabling, and formulation of reading lists and examination questions. In this perspective, some e-learners prefer reading online content that gives them information about everything that they need in their learning experience. The best style for such students is one that divides the work into sub-contents and sets the mind of the student about important academic events such as examinations and continuous tests. The other e-learning stage that impacts on the learning style preference and the effectiveness of e-learning is the integrative stage. The style entails a dynamic interaction among learners, instructors, and other experts in the field. Face-to-face communication is replaced with online communication. Te learner has access to all the information and people that he or she may need to excel in learning (Littlejohn, 2003, p.20). The style also includes the manipulation of online database, video lectures, group discussions, and online exercises, e-tutoring, summative and formative assignments. The learning style is a preference for e-learners who prefer active learning and interaction with other learners and instructors in the field of study. The transformative e-learning experience provides the e-learning community with technologies and resources to enhance their collaboration and innovation. This includes multimedia simulations and online seminars with invited experts. The goal of the method is to have the e-learning experience as real as possible. It aims to make the student feel in the classroom and avoid boredom. This best elaborates the relationship between the learning style for e-learning adopted by the individual student and the end academic result. The relationship between the preferred style of learning and the end result of the learning process is clearly evident based on the above evaluation. Studies have reported that a negative attitude towards the use of computers in a virtual classroom is correlated with a negative attitude towards computerization and digitization. Other researchers have claimed that the attitude towards e-learning and the effectiveness of the e-learning experience have no correlation with the learning style preferences adopted by e-learners. The majority of studies have maintained that there is a close connection between the learning style preference in e-learning and the effectiveness of the e-learning experience. The use of e-learning and learning style preferences among students have been considered as methods that aim to educate graduates who understand the system and how to benefit from it. Some studies have reported that the most preferred e-learning styles are those that promote flexibility, innovation and effective comprehension of the written content. A study was conducted to assess the association between the use of e-learning materials such as multimedia content with the outcome of e-learning among university students. A significant relationship was found between viewing content online and the effectiveness of the e-learning experience. Viewing visual content online was also reported to enhance student performance since it led to higher student grades (Littlejohn, 2003, p.4). Based on these findings, it is unobjectionable that the learning style preferences adopted in e-learning has a great role to play as far as the effectiveness of the system is concerned. It influences the extent in which e-learning is effective as a learning tool. According to study results on the e-learning experience among university students and the influence of the learning style preference, computer usage is a primary factor that impacts on the effectiveness of e-learning. The style preference entails the extent to which students rely on their computers as tools for communication with others and accessing information. This is a preference for any e-learning experience because e-learners are required to use a computer to obtain information from the internet. Another way that the e-learning style preference influences the extent in which e-learning is effective for students is the use of teacher support. This refers to the extent in which an instructor befriends helps, is interested with and trusts the student. E-learning style preferences also impacts on the effectiveness of e-learning through a variation of student collaboration and interaction. This refers to the extent in which online learners can interact with one another, exchange ideas, and engage in active collaboration. The issue also depends on the extent to which the e-learners can solve real-world problems through their interaction with other online learners. The extent in which e-learning is an effective learning tool also depends on learning style preferences that are detected by the degree of ideological exchange among students on the online forum. Many e-learners prefer a system that allows for active interaction between the learners and instructors. In order for the e-learning experience to be effective and productive, the online interactions must demonstrate equality based on the way the students are treated. The adoption of learning styles and their order of preference also depends on the extent in which the learners are satisfied with the e-learning experience. Most learners are satisfied with an e-learning style that promotes and encourages reflective thinking and posting of messages at times that are convenient to the online user. Studies have suggested that most of the learners who prefer the online system of learning also prefer being engaged with abstract modes of thinking. A study was conducted comparing students in a traditional lecture hall and a second group of students accessing education on their own by the use of computer technology (Littlejohn, 2003, p.24). The results indicated that the students in the e-learning system are more dependent on themselves and less dependent on other students. This gives one of the characteristics of e-learning that a preferred learning style must possess in order for the learning experience to be effective. Instead of asking questions from classmates and instructors, some students prefer going online to search for answers. This encourages them to study on their own and learn to source information that they require. Therefore, the learning style dimensions of visual learning, verbal learning, sequential and global learning have to be considered in relation to the effectiveness of the learning style preference and the e-learning system. As aforementioned, there is not a single learning style that works perfectly for all students regardless of the ethnic and cultural group. Every student has a preferred individualized style of learning. This has led to the popularization of personalized learning that is common in e-learning. Many students prefer the e-learning system based on its personalization and confidentiality. The system deals with individual learning preferences of learners, behaviors and learning styles. The effectiveness of the e-learning experience as a smart learning too has been hampered by a number of factors. Instructors have faced difficulties transferring their academic expertise and wealth of information from the traditional learning environment to the modern e-learning environment. The difficulties have mainly been emphasized by the inability to identify and understand the individual learning style preferences by individual learners. Therefore, the identification and comprehension of learning styles is an important step in understanding how the e-learning experience can be improved. Research has reported that if the academic instructions are delivered in the styles preferred by the student, there is an increase in motivation and achievement of the student. This explains the need for students to understand their individual preferred learning styles, especially in the online system. This enables them to understand the mode of curriculum delivery that best suits their learning styles. The learning style preference by students impacts on the effectiveness of e-learning by influencing the level of understanding and appreciation of the concepts in the learning process. The interaction of the learner with the learning environment equally influences the effectiveness. For instance, some learners may be distracted by the internet to chat with others on the social media and watch online videos that are not related to the course content (Canavan, 2004, p.16). This leads to loss of attention and loss of interest in the learning process. In other words, the learning environment, as well as the preferred learning style, influences the acquisition and storage of information by the student. Some students may be serious learners but end up performing poorly because the learning style adopted in the online platform fails to suit their learning needs. They find themselves distracted, and the learning process hindered. Overall, every individual has a preferred learning method. Institutions of learning adopting e-learning must take time to understand the learning style preferences of individual students. Nonetheless, the individual students would best assess their learning needs and style preferences that their instructors would. This creates the need for enhanced flexibility in the e-learning platforms to give room for the adoption of different learning styles by learners. Studies have reported that the success of the e-learning system and the performance of students is directly dependent on the preferred learning style adopted by students. Most of the students who perform well in online learning are those who can identify the learning styles that suit their learning needs (Jimoyiannis, 2012, p.12). However, students are taught on the factors to consider in determining the best style of learning that suits their individual needs. In most cases, the style that entails both the visual and verbal presentation is most preferred. A good number of students also prefer learning styles that enable them to consult with people they know, such as their instructors and classmates. Learning styles have been found to play a significant role in the reaction of students towards the online instructional program. The preferred styles exhibit both the internal and the external locus of control and the extent to which online education can be a success to many students globally. Particularly, different learning styles have varying instructional structures and ability to facilitate student achievement of the achievement of different learning objectives. Therefore, student learning styles have a direct correlation with the success of online learning. The success is mainly dependent on the mode of content delivery that is depicted in the individual learning style preferred. Conclusion The learning style preference of an individual student greatly influences the extent to which e-learning can be an effective tool. As aforementioned in the paper, learning style preferences are different and depend on the individual student. It relates to the interaction between the student and the learning environment and the extent to which the student can read, comprehend, and remember the information. Studies have reported that the learning style preference of an individual student impacts on the academic performance. In most cases, students do well while using the learning styles that are in their favor. These are the styles that meet their learning goals and priorities. The paper has also discussed how the learning styles differ among students. Some learners prefer using the online system based on its interactive features of the social media, video conferencing, and the chat system. This is especially the case with active learners that prefer actively engaging with other students in the learning process. However, the style is disadvantageous for students who prefer a quiet learning environment free from physical and online obstructions. In conclusion, the paper has noted that the preferred learning style by students greatly impacts on the success and effectiveness of e-learning. Reference List Brown, T., Zoghi, M., Williams, B., Jaberzadeh, S., Roller, L., Palermo, C., ... & Holt, T. A. (2009). Are learning style preferences of health science students predictive of their attitudes towards e-learning?. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 25(4). Canavan, J. (2004). Personalised e-learning through learning style aware adaptive systems (Doctoral dissertation, University of Dublin). Jimoyiannis, A. (2012). Research on e-learning and ICT in education. New York, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Littlejohn, A. (Ed.). (2003). Reusing online resources: a sustainable approach to e-learning. Psychology Press. Read More