Category: Distance Education

The meaning of distance learning is a manner or way of learning remotely or we can say that learning from a long or far distance without being in regular face to face contact or not in touch with a teacher in the classroom. More than the number of 2,70,000 students who are just only undergraduates are taking or having their 1st degrees via or by using the facility or by taking the opportunity of distance learning together with some number of 1,08,000 students who are post graduates.

In recent years with the use of the facility of Internet and widespread by using the computer or even a simple android mobile phone has led to a huge, wide or more and more growth in distantly delivered tuition and study. Distance learning is the way of learning as a self-study without being get disturbed by anyone all around. It is a very easy and simple and also very low cost affordable way of doing study. At the stage of undergraduate, usually the meaning of distance learning is that the students can get engaged easily anytime and anywhere with the learning materials, like at their home or at the workplace if they are doing any job or any business. These learning materials are produced or provided by the universities, colleges or the learning provider and are either get reached to the students directly or most usually today very easily accessed via or with the help of Internet. Tutorial support is also provided via or with the help of virtual or real learning environment, telephone, email or other electronic means. There may be the chances of occasional direct face-to-face contact with tutors and and attendance at week-long summer schools.

The main or top most advantage of distance learning is that it allows or promotes you to easily fit your learning according to your comfort around your working areas and home life or outside the home also wherever you like or feel freely comfortable. The pace or direction of study can be usually set by yourself very easily whenever you want. It depends up to you and your self-decisions, when and where you like or wish to study. It doesn’t matter at all that where you live, because it’s very easy for you to have or take a degree by presenting anywhere in the whole world. Students may very easily find that they gain such a useful, additional, transferable skills, just like planning and research by having a full-time degree. The cost of distance learning course is often very much less than the degree of full-time course or we can also say that a distance learning course is much cheaper than the full-time course.

The downside or disadvantage of distance learning is that you can’t be ever enjoy the new regular college life properly and also can’t interact with other students and teachers or can’t have a good and strong bonding with others and also can’t learn many other activities that what generally and actually happens in regular college life. Most of the times it becomes very difficult to stay connected or being in touch with studies just because of getting the education from distance learning. Many of the students feel the problem of loneliness and fear about getting bad marks without the proper interaction or support of any teacher.

Effectiveness of Online Learning

The concept of online learning has already existed since 1999 when the phrase was first used in a lecture on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) programs. Subhashi (2008) further defined that “Online learning is any learning experience or environment that depends on the Internet or World Wide Web (WWW) as the main medium in communication and presentation”. E-learning has developed mostly due to the advent of the internet throughout the mid-20th century. Many researchers believe that the effectiveness of the online learning method impressively produces more quality workers for the future. However, this newly introduced method required several important components to be executed (Pearl, 2012). Therefore, the future of education moving toward shifting from physical education to online education which gives several advantages and disadvantages of online learning.

One major advantage of online learning is the learning process outcomes were as good as the traditional system despite the student environment. Notably, Rovai and Jordan’s (2004) study affirmed that the sense of togetherness interaction that the online style students had is greater than the traditional style students. According to Harmon and Lambrinos (2006), the pass rates for students in the online environment were four points better than in the conventional system. This pass rate difference can be explained as research undertaken by Bowen and Ithaka (2012) found that students did almost all of the work given when they were at online learning. It can be seen that E-learning not only offers cost-cutting and efficiency benefits but helps create new online educational methods for the students (Bowen, p. 311). Eventually, with the ongoing development of technology over time, even if the environment of every student is diverse, online learning still proves to forestall the rates of the conventional system.

Secondly, online learning is beneficial in combating the rising costs of tertiary education and the possibility of delivering world-class education. According to Dynarski and Scott-Clayton (2013), they stress that the lifetime income difference between university graduates and high school students keeps expanding. One of the factors for the difference is that the college costs rates and college debts grow more rapidly (Nguyen, p. 310). Thereafter, Finaid.org (2014, as cited in Nguyen, 2010) reports proving that the overall global college debts amount to more than $1 trillion. Multiple researchers such as Bowen (2013), Bartley & Golek, (2004) Jung & Rha (2000), Koller & Ng (2014) Tucker (2007), believe that the problem needs to be solved with an efficient method such as distributing the expense of a class which offers from online learning. Thus, the problem of the rising cost of college debt can be solved slowly using online learning and resulted in students’ motivation to pursue their studies without financial constraints.

Online learning also can be interactive in quality. According to Roblyer and Ekhmal (2001), the versatility and accessibility of online learning have made it easier for students. For example, a number of software tools such as online newspapers and websites offer new content for the students (Thourmound, 2003 as cited by Subhash). Bartley and Golek (2004) also claimed that online education has a flexible opportunity to bring distance instructors into the course without the travel time and expenses. Besides, software from Centra-Symposium recommended by Yerk-Zwickl (2003), provides an interactive and network-based environment that ideal for student tasks. In short, the quality of online learning can be interactive for students and educators since it is more flexible and easier.

Next, online learning is cash benefits for a national economy. This can be done by constructing cost matrices that evaluate the cost considerations as cost variables were divided into resources (Bartley & Golek, 2004). Moreover, online education is important as one is able to evaluate some additional costs as to where the school might get after evaluating its advantages and drawback. Also, Bartley and Golek (2004) described online learning as able to provide sequential digital audio for educators and fulfill the scheduling requirements even with the cost of infrastructure. The research by Rotimi, Olugbenga, and Olakulehin (2006) in Nigeria indicates that university goals of predicting profits through e-learning infrastructure become cost-effective and affordable. After all, online learning is not only gainful for the students but also the raising of the national economy in terms of monetary value as it takes into consideration to construct of the cost matrices.

However, online learning also has its downside as using a computer cannot fully guarantee communication. According to Brunet (2011), research has found that the main weakness in online courses is the lack of engagement between teachers and students. This interpretation (as cited in Pearl, p. 2-3) may cause students to take a poor impression of the content course. A study by Chang & Smith (2008) has found that the optimistic behaviors of the students in the course can lead to a degree of engagement in the course. At the same time, interaction (as cited in Pearl, p.2-3) is necessary not just for the enjoyment of the course, but as a goal of maintaining the student focused on the course. In general, communication and engagement in physical class are not fully replaceable as communication is necessary to ensure a better understanding of the student towards the course.

Other than that, in standard courses, students have face-to-face interaction that keeps enables them to maintain focus in completing assignments. Research conducted by Sacred Heart University has shown evidence that the learning and information acquisition mechanisms arise in conversations. It was also agreed by Kreijins, Kirschner, and Jochems (2003) that computer-using learning loses the social interaction required to establish essential discussions. As result, without face to face, the ability to underestimate the necessity of communication becomes an issue in online learning as these courses will take longer to develop and implement (as cited in Pearl Jacobs p.2-3). Furthermore, Fish and Wickersham (2010) have agreed that teachers still need to design the modules and offer excellently written instructions to assist them and keep track of task deadlines. Therefore, online learning makes people feel lacking in social interaction and unable to help practice interaction during learning progress.

Additionally, there are still shortcomings in its design and execution. According to Steen (2008), every course is different thus there will be no one model that suits all electronic learning designs. Research also done by the University of Central Florida (2005) on the educational effect of courses online showed that 77% of the faculty claimed that designing for online classes was harder than face-to-face lessons. The parties responsible for offering online courses still also need to be knowledgeable regarding the current field and might also need to develop new research skills (Garnham and Kaleta, 2002). This is why Dr. Bain pointed out that instructors who taught face-to-face classes need to be trained up to look into different approaches to attract students to the courses. Thus, to make online learning easier for the accessibility by students, the design and approaches by educators need to change.

Last but not least, a complete absence of face-time instructors is concerning for students. People who study through capacitive sensing or visual method will try to improve their education by practicing and experiencing but still thinks that online learning is not an ideal environment for them (Monk, as cited by Zounek). Besides, Monk also mentioned that the visual pictures, are cross-contextualized and mapped onto a two-dimensional frame, making it inaccessible for them. In virtual classes, students required a weekly lesson, or it would not be successful as they could be lagging (Morrison et al., 2007). This is why full online classes have slightly lower rates of success and an increased level of failure even than their face-to-face learning (Central Florida University, 2005). The significance of face-time from instructors is exchangeable, and not all students seemly compactable with the absence.

In conclusion, not all students are fitted with a swiftly-connecting network, or smartphones to help improve the educational experience. Most people that live in countryside areas have little high-speed internet access and the unlimited data packages can indeed be lucrative for some. This is why they prefer to distance themselves from online learning. However, online learning also has proven to be an effective option as it provides more flexible time management for students and educators. The most important thing is education is vital and there are various ways to acquire them. As mentioned, E-learning is indeed a decent way of acquiring information, but not practical for all of us. Individuals have to choose the approach based on their abilities as well as the time they are willing to spend.

References

1. Nguyen, T. (2015). The Effectiveness of Online Learning: Beyond No Significant Difference and Future Horizons, 11(2), 310-312, from https://jolt.merlot.org/Vol11no2/Nguyen_0615.pdf
2. Appanna, S. (2008). A Review of Benefits and Limitations of Online Learning in the Context of the Student, the Instructor, and the Tenured Faculty. International Journal on E-Learning. 7. from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237143888_A_Review_of_Benefits_and_Limitations_of_Online_Learning_in_the_Context_of_the_Student_the_Instructor_and_the_Tenured_Faculty
3. Jacobs, P. The challenges of online courses for the instructor. Research in Higher Education Journal, 5-8, from https://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/131555.pdf
4. Zounek, J. & Sudický, P. (2012). Heads in the Cloud: Pros and Cons of Online Learning. from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311807840_Heads_in_the_Cloud_Pros_and_Cons_of_Online_Learning

Literature review

The pervasive technology and significant social and economic development have forever changed our society. Economic development brings the different way to do anything in life to make easier and give different options to do because economic development means development of technologies. Distance education is the emergence of a new way of doing education that responded to the industrial age in society. Technology in the industrial era enabled new ways of designing education and teaching and learning reconceptualized in ways that shape new roles for teachers and students, emerged to accommodate news models for delivering education at a distance. Distance education is the delivery of instruction and the fulfillment of course work from remote locations; allowing instructors and students to interact without being in same place and it also helps in current situation like (Covid19). However, despite the benefit and growth in the size of acceptance of distance education, there have been criticism and challenges of distance education because it often fails to provide for interactions between students and instructors, and in rural, there has problem in internet connectivity.

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the overall attitude of higher education faculty towards teaching via distance education. It also explore about the distance education and how it was doing and also examines the different types of distance education. Distance education was done when the teachers and students are staying in different place and they study and interact through online using different technologies. It helps students to improve their independent learning and internet also helps to access different information which gives more information to students and they learn new knowledge. Distance education is also excellent method of adult learning because learning independently is more important when we are grown adult because it helps us in acquiring new knowledge and to get confident in ourselves. However, distance education are likely to insecurities about learning because when we learn in distance, there will be lack in receiving helps from tutors. We can’t access and refer book from library which is big source. When there has lack of support from tutors, students can’t do well in learning of knowledge because even in independent learning, teachers support is also most important. In rural areas there have problems in internet connectivity and not well in the verses of technology.

Distance education has different definition and most definitions specify that distance education is teaching and learning that occurs asynchronously, the learners and instructor separately by time and space using a variety technical, media to support the teaching and learning (Keegan, 1996: Eastmond, 1998; Locatis and Weisberg, 1997). In an online environment, interaction between teachers and students increases, and important to reach greater number of learners which resulting in increased diversification and globalization. Distance education was done when the worse situation was happening and the school was not suitable to continue. To avoid from such unpleasant situation, distance education was done. In current (COVID 19) situation, school se distance education to continue and improve learning. Distance education has many advantages such as flexibility, saving money and time, quality; improve in socializing and speaking skills and independent learning. Despite from having benefits of distance education, there have been persistent criticisms of this form of educational delivery because it often fails to provide for interaction between students and instructor, lack of support and source of education and internet connectivity problems. Some critics’ belief distance education’s inability to reproduce a critical dialogue among students which makes students to understand well.

Distance education has become the most significant change to the process of teaching and learning of the last decades (Simonson 2012). The researcher finding that students have positive attitude about online learning outcomes and the computer anxiety is not a problem to most students Well-designed distance education were reported to produce more positive online learning outcomes and to related to overall students satisfaction. Quality and design are most important in order to go smooth in distance education. There has also a question that why some individuals and organizations adopt distance education and others do not have produced many interesting studies. When researcher analyzed the data, the strongest barriers to distance education were because lack of money to implement distance education programs and it is understandable for students who came from poor backgrounds. There has also many barriers that find out and that are lack of strategies planning for distance education which means sometimes both teachers and students have to do some other works which they can’t participate with mass. Lack of technology-enhance classrooms, labs or infrastructure which greatly effects on students way of learning. Sometimes students will not participate in online class because of personal problems and lack of parental involvement.

The growing presence of distance education has changes the landscape of formal education. The promise of all these undertakings is to deliver courses that posses the signature of academic excellence and incorporate sound cognitive and instructional principles. The internet has given distance education a new appeal, either because it taps into unexplored instructional such as just-in-time learning or corporate training. Distance education was rarely in past because of lack of technologies and internet connectivity. In past class are always done face-to-face interactions in class. Nowadays, distance education was done mostly when the situation was not well in school. Comparing to past, presents students have ability to think big and they will not fully depend on teachers like in past. That was because of the development of infrastructure and facilities which students can access world news and knowledge through internet easily. Distance education also have negative impacts on students because unlike past students, present students become lazy because they don’t have to work and search hard to find knowledge because of easy facilities are there. Some students who can’t manage their time properly will waste their time in social media instead of learning knowledge.

Researcher also state about the theory of distance education known as the transactional theory. The concept of distance education was derived from Dewey (Dewey and Bentley, 1949). The transactional that we call distance education occurs between individuals who are teachers and learners, in an environment that has special characteristics of separation of one from another, and a consequent set of special teaching and learning behaviors. Even students and teachers are separated from each other; they are still interacting in video conferencing or zoom video. It is the physical separation that leads to a psychological and communication gap, a space of potential misunderstanding between the inputs of instructors and those of the learner, and this is the transactional distance. Teachers share and teach information from internet which are far from each other and using technologies. Sometimes they will share information not clear because of internet connectivity and technologies problems. There has elements which explain about transactional theory and that are dialogue and flexibly of structure. Dialogue and flexibility of structure varies from program to program, rather than from one medium to another. What determines the success of distance education is the extent to which the institution and the individual instructor are able to provide the appropriate opportunity for and quality of dialogue between teachers and learners as well as appropriately structured learning materials.

To conclude, distance education may go well if it reduces the inequality by providing wide access to enticing learning opportunities in a way that individual difference. Sometimes distance education is unfair to an individual because of several consequences. This research discusses the criticism and challenges that faced by the students. The distance education challenges will not same to all students and as a result it also results different in students’ performance. It was advantages for some but it was not suitable for some students. Distance learning was not used to students and instructors because they always gone through school and doing face-to-face interaction. Some students feel it as fake and uncomfortable. Sometimes time was late, early unlike in school and that give students a lot problem to do well in their academic performance. The topic distance education was examined the benefits, challenges and how students feels such new experiences.

References

1. Bullen, M. Participation and Critical Thinking in Online University Distance Education. Distance Education, 2(13), 1-32.
2. Simonson, M, Schlosser, C, Orellana, A. (2011). Distance education research: a review of literature.
3. Davie, L.E, Wells, R. (1991). Empowering the learner through computer-mediated communication. American Journal of Distance Education, 5(1), 15-23
4. Wedemeyer, C.A. (1971). Independent study. In R. Deighton (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Education lV. New York: Macmillan.
5. Moore, M.G, Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: Systems view (2nd ed.). Belmond, CA: Wadsworth.
6. Galusha, J. M. (1998). Barriers to learning in Distance Education: Barriers to Distance Learning, p.3-24.
7. Moore, M. G. (1991). Distance education theory: The American Journal of Distance education, 25(1), 1-8.

Research methods

Participants

The participants for my study will be the students of Sherubtse College and the reason behind choosing them is because students did and experience distance education because of worst situations (COVID 19). The education provided by the schools through distance learning is considered a continuation of school’s educational program in the same manner as if the program was being provided on-campus. My research is mainly to collect the information about the experience and opinion of students on distance education and the impact of distance education. The rules and responsibilities of distance education are same to students as they participate in learning on-campus. That’s why; I also want to compare the students’ results outcomes between distance education and on-campus learning. Distance Education is a new experience for them and I feel that Sherubtse College students are best suited for my research.

Sampling technique and size

The sample for my study will be selected by using simple random sampling method. By using this method, I will get the data from both gender random students and both gender and unit of population will get equal chance of being included into the sample. My research participants were not based on the basis of subjective such as my close friends or approachable. This sampling technique can reduce the sampling error and reduce opportunity for human bias. The sampling size for my study will be 30 students which comprising 15 female and 15 male from the students in the college. As of the total students inside the college, I will assign successive random numbers to everyone and after that select 30(n=total from n=population).

Materials and procedures

My research type is descriptive in nature because my research on distance education tends to place more importance to quantitative research. My research mainly intends to study the impacts of distance education and difference in both experiencing and result outcomes of on-campus learning and distance learning. I also want to study about the relationship between teachers and students while doing distance education. My research method will include the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. A wide range of teaching media are employed in distance education; their effectiveness consists is organic relationship between planning course content and the planning teaching methods. In the other literature reviews, literatures state the theory, barriers, and merits of distance education and relationship between teachers and students. Therefore, I want to do my research on merits and demerits, relationship of teachers and students and different ways and experiencing. I also want to describe the theory of distance education.

Data collection

The study will be quantitative in nature and it will employ cross-sectional research design. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect the data from the participants using a survey composed of several questions. The approach for my study is quantitative because it tends to investigate the impact of distance education, difference of on-campus learning, and distance education to test the hypothesis that distance education is not better than on-campus learning. A structured survey questionnaire will give to participants to collect data from them which are based on simple random sampling. The questionnaire will use Likert scale to measures the intensity of respondents feeling toward question.

Data Analysis

The data collective will be analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical package for the social science). SPSS is software used for the analysis of quantitative data (Bryman, 2008). Chi-square is carried out because it test commonly used for testing relationships between two variables.

Results

My research will mainly focus on the impacts of distance education and comparing between distance and on-campus learning. I will see the difference experience and students’ thoughts on distance education and see how they feel and their experience on distance education by asking question. After finishing this study, I am expecting that students might feel on-campus learning is better than distance education as my hypothesis states because I see many of my friends complain about distance learning. Distance education was done when there has worst situations in society like outbreak of disease, lockdown and in other situation, and I feel that students are uncomfortable with distance education. Therefore, I hope and think that my research will prove my hypothesis.

References

1. Bryman, A. (2008). Social research methods. New York: Oxford University Press. Manual publication of the American Psychological Association. (2010/. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
2. Gujjar, A, A., Malik, M, A. (2007). ‘Preparation of Instructional Material for Distance Teacher Education’. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 8(1).

1.3.2 Learning under ODL System

To cross over any barrier between members all the while, ODL offers self-organized learning in which the educator and understudies are isolated by reality, utilizing instructional materials, for example, print materials, sound and video tapes, CD ROMs, TV and radio communication, just as sight and sound segments, for example, PCs and satellites transmission. The examination focus encourages the student to explain questions on academic and authoritative quarries. Counseling given by the Academic guides who are specialists in the subject. These advising sessions are intuitive to give chance to talk about and to appreciate human cooperation with guide and companion gatherings.

The printed investigation material gave is self-instructional and adequate to help the student in understanding the substance and ideas and set themselves up academically for directing, composing task reactions, and term-end examinations. The system of assessment in open and distance learning contains self-appraisal activities, assignments and classes/workshops/field visits, the Term End Examination toward the finish of the semester/year, and Projects, Internships, etc.;(During studies). The modular course structure is extra fascination of ODL system.

1.3.3 Categories of Learners under ODL system

Everyone including housewives, professionals, student’s even retired people, who completed 18 years can admissions for any programme at open and distance education system. The system of open and distance learning trains the adults in efficient management of time, place, and pace of education. Open and distance education is flexible and student-centered in approach.

Figure1.1 Categories of Learners under ODL system

1.4. Origin and growth of ODL system- a stress of time

Understanding the limitation of the formal education and so as to utilize the cutting-edge correspondence technology to spread education, a feasible option was the need of great importance. The establishment of the Open University in the U.K., the main solid distance encouraging University bestowing higher education, gave the genuinely necessary impulse to educational organizers and arrangement creators. Consequently, Open University system started with the establishing of the U.K. Open University in 1969. Approach creators started to consider the attractive quality of building up such a University in India to tackle a portion of the issues looked by the educational system.

Depicting the significance of ODL system, that ODL in Asia and Pacific (AP) locale is assuming an inexorably critical job in national higher education system and turning into a significant strategy decision for generally nations. The most particular element is enormous understudy populace in ODL foundations. For instance, in any event seven ODL organizations in the AP locale are uber (colleges with more than 100,000 dynamic understudies in qualification level courses). AIOU (Pakistan), Anadolu (Turkey), CCRTVU (China), IGNOU (India), KNOU (Korea), STOU (Thailand), UT (Indonesia), and PNU (Iran) have more than 5.6 million dynamic understudies all together starting at 2004.

Punjabi University, Patiala was the second University in India to dispatch correspondence courses through its Directorate of Correspondence Courses (DCC) in 1968, and it was the principal University to present territorial vehicle of guidelines. In resulting years number of CCIs expanded quickly. As on date, India has more than 180 CCIs/DDE appended to regular Universities (Srivastava, 2014). During the primary decade of correspondence education (1962-72), the accompanying 13 correspondence units of traditional colleges were set up which offered diverse Post Graduate, Under Graduate, Diploma, and Certificate projects to take into account the necessities of lack of students.

Other than these notable uber colleges, many distance encouraging colleges in the area have been built up more as of late and gave tertiary dimension education to those looking for proceeding with education openings. With 66% of the worldwide populace, the AP locale is known to have more than 500 million potential understudies for ODL establishments. ODL has been getting up to speed quick in all nations of the world-whether created or creating, communist or entrepreneur, and western or non-western.

In the propelled nations of the West, ODL is polished in various structures for well more than 150 years. Be that as it may, distance education in India isn’t so old; it is for barely forty years as it were. Distance education in its prior type of correspondence education began in the West amidst the nineteenth century, however in India; it had started right around a century later as postal correspondence education. The International Correspondence Schools (ICS) and the British Institutes are the noticeable organizations of postal courses began in Bombay, which offered an assortment of postal courses in territories of designing, the executives, engineering, inside beautification, dress making, reporting, excellence care, photography, and cartooning, business expressions and so on.

Distance education in India, in formalized structure, has its beginning in a proposal of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), made in 1961, that an itemized investigation of correspondence courses be made. A board of trustees was set up under the chairmanship of Dr. D.S.Kothari to look at the issue prescribed for beginning of correspondence courses in light of their adaptability, financial reasonability and creativity. The University Grants Commission (UGC) chose to empower low maintenance education, and the University of Delhi was approached to embrace a pilot venture by organizing correspondence courses. In like manner the University built up its School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education in the year 1962.

The Education Commission named by the Govt. of India in 1964, to inform on the appropriation with respect to general standards and strategies for the improvement of education in the entirety of its perspectives, unequivocally upheld the advancement of correspondence education. In its report it suggested that ‘open doors for low maintenance education through night schools and possess time education through projects like correspondence courses ought to be reached out as broadly as would be prudent and these projects ought to incorporate courses of science and technology.”

Table 1.1 Correspondence Course Institutions in India (CCIs) during the First Decade (1962-72)

1. Name of the CCIs Name of the Conventional Universities Year of Establishment School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education University of Delhi 1962
2. Directorate of Correspondence Courses Punjabi University 1968
3. Institute of Correspondence Studies and Continuing Education University of Rajasthan 1968
4. Institute of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education University of Mysore 1969
5. Institute of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education Meerut University 1969
6. Institute of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education Madurai Kamaraj University 1971
7. Directorate of Correspondence Courses Himachal Pradesh University 1971
8. Diectorate of Correspondence Courses Punjabi University 1971
9. Diectorate of Correspondence Courses Bombay University 1971
10. Institute of Correspondence Courses Sri Venkateshwara University 1972
11. School of Correspondence Courses Andhra University 1972
12. School of Distance Education Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages 1972

By the end of the sixties beginning an Open University in India was felt by the Govt. of India. A working gathering established in 1971 under the chairmanship of Shri G. Parthasarthy recommended that the Govt. of India ought to build up an Open University with the goal that understudies from the remotest pieces of the nation could approach education and get degrees identical to those granted by Universities situated in urban regions. Altogether the gathering likewise made a particular recommendation with respect to the arrangement of perusing materials of exclusive requirements keeping in view the prerequisites of the understudies not having the advantages of educators.

Therefore in 1982, the UGC indicated out the need set up a national University. While the Central Govt. pondered over the issue, the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh named in 1982 a specialist board of trustees to think about the issue, and around the same time the principal Indian Open University, the Andhra Pradesh Open University, at Hyderabad was built up. It was in this manner re-assigned as the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU). The empowering beginning of the Andhra Pradesh Open University gave a force to having an Open Learning system for the nation. It prompted the establishment to the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) at New Delhi in 1985. In this manner, other Open Universities were built up in the conditions of Bihar (1987), Rajasthan (1987), Maharastra (1989), Madhya Pradesh (1992), Gujrat (1994), Karnataka (1996), West Bengal (1997), Uttar Pradesh (1999), Tamilnadu (2002), Chhattisgarh (2005), Uttaranchal (2006) and Assam (2006)

Table-1.2 Open Universities in India

Thus with the establishment of Correspondence Course Institutes and Open Universities, India has grown both in magnitude and direction of ODL system. At present there are 13 State Open Universities and 1 National Open University, and more than 180 Correspondence Institutes/ Directorates of Distance Education attached to the conventional Universities. It has been reported in 2009-10, the University system alone provided instructions through ODL system to nearly 744 students at various levels of higher education. It implies nearly 23% of the total enrollment in the universities is accounted by distance education.

1.5. Challenging dimensions of ODL system to the the-then learning system

Higher education possesses a noteworthy position in education system of a country. It remains at the peak of the whole educational system and impacts every single other dimension. In India, a critical increment in the quantity of schools and colleges has been found during the most recent five decades and Indian higher education involves the second biggest system of higher education on the planet after America. It involves 506 colleges, 33 organizations of national significance, 5 foundations set up under State Legislature Act, and 31, 324 universities.

Regardless of being one of the biggest systems of higher education, it has neglected to ensure the understudies’ openness to higher education according to the need. In the ongoing past, the interest for higher education has expanded colossally all through the nation in light of huge mindfulness. Be that as it may, the system of higher education neglects to oblige this regularly expanding interest. Disregarding a noteworthy quantitative extension, India lingers behind created countries and furthermore a portion of the creating countries as to access to higher education. The enrolment proportion in higher education in created nations like Canada is about 100%, USA (80%), France (half) and UK (30%). Even the enrolment rate in creating nations like Egypt is 20%, Thailand 20%, Mexico 16%, Brazil 11%, and Turkey 10%, India falls a long ways behind every one of them. It is evaluated that lone 7 percent (146.25 lakhs) of the age gathering got higher education.

The image is very dreary as the accessible educational open doors at the higher education stage are not available to numerous understudies particularly having a place with gatherings who are impeded on account of different geological, social, social, financial, and etymological or sexual orientation limitations. Survey the expanding request of higher education, Indian higher education needs a genuine make over? ODL furnishes a reasonable elective mode with the target to make education to the entryway strides of the student, upgrading social value, and making adaptability for long lasting learning. Rathore expressed that distance education as correspondence education began with the accompanying objectives:

• To provide an efficient and less expensive method of educational instruction at higher education level in the context of national development in India,
• To provide facilities to pursue higher education to all qualified and willing persons who have failed to join regular university courses due to personal and economic reasons or because of their inability to get admission to a regular college, and
• To provide opportunities of academic pursuits to educate citizens to improve their standard of knowledge and learning through correspondence instruction without disturbing their present employment.

ODL system is being received all through the world as a significant apparatus to guarantee access, value, and quality in the field of education. In this system, the understudies are allowed to learn at their very own pace and accommodation while being far from the organization. This system appeared with the fundamental goal to give more extensive access to higher education as the traditional system was demonstrating to be unfit to adapt to the regularly expanding interest. ODL as of late has in this manner raised as an elective mode for higher education everywhere throughout the world particularly in creating nation like India. Directly, there are in excess of 13 open colleges and 200 different foundations granting distance education in India.

ODL system has altered the present method of education. The developing populace of a nation requests a system of education which can carry learning to the entryway step, with the goal that the level of the populace living in the remote territories, working in the workplaces, and engaged with business and horticulture might be profited. The ladies can likewise exploit this system notwithstanding when they are having a household existence. So, the level of the populace which can’t be profited by the traditional educational system can be profited by the ODL system.

The ODL system of education is another marvel which enables individuals in accomplishing higher education with no custom of going to normal classes to like that in the traditional educational system. The University which grants distance learning can be considered as ‘University without dividers or visitor’. Then again customary Universities are alluded to as ‘Colleges inside the dividers’. The formal customary kind of education has made various hindrances which suspend those individuals from taking education who can’t stand to come to schools, schools, and colleges on account of different requirements.

In such conditions, the ODL system advances to safeguard these people groups. The expanding prevalence of ODL system in abroad and in India is steady of the way that this system has helped individuals in accomplishing learning and aptitudes towards accomplishing intentional objective of life. It gives another opportunity to the individuals who were forgotten or dropouts of formal education system. The deficiency of conventional system of education to adapt to the consistently expanding boondocks of learning prompted the rise of distance education everywhere throughout the world with setting up of various Center for Correspondence Institutions (CCIs) and Open Universities. In this setting Srivastava (2006), expressed that the distance education system of India has been one of the quickest developing educational systems on the planet.

The ODL system jars challenge at that point learning system because of its reasonability, adaptability, cost-adequacy, and forward-looking frame of mind. It could make education to the entryway strides of penniless students. During the most recent decades, the ODL system in view of its utility, high profitability, more prominent adaptability in the plans of studies and examination, cost viability and imaginative methodology has picked up notoriety over the customary system of education. The cost viability may be called as the ‘Theory of the universe’s origin’ of Distance education. The projects offered by ODL system are available for all students independent of their area, age and formal capability. Students can pick their very own blend of subjects and complete the courses at their own pace and places. In the creating nation like India, by far most of the general population lives in rustic regions and are to a great extent engrossed with the battle for survival including the requirement for fundamental abilities, professional aptitudes, wellbeing, social and community education.

The solid mixed media office of ODL system could make this gathering of natives increasingly useful and profitable in their work as housewives, cooks, ranchers, brokers, instructors, specialists, medical caretakers, and so on. These could assist us with building a more advantageous, more joyful, increasingly steady and educated, better refined, and confident populace opined that with its even versatility, distance education rises above the boundaries of time, space, sex, belief, network, and religion by breaking the legend of elitism in regular higher education.

Introduction

Distance education is a medium of teaching and learning that has grown significantly in the past 10 years as indicated by the number of higher education institutions that offer courses and/or full degree programs via distance learning. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (1999), the number of degree-granting higher education institutions offering distance education courses increased from 33 percent in 1995 to 44 percent in 1997-98. More specifically, the use of computer-based technologies has increased from 22 percent in 1995 to 60 percent in 1997-98.

The purpose of this review is to examine the overall attitude of higher education faculty toward teaching via distance education. This review will also note factors that motivate and deter faculty participation in distance education, specifically in a web-based, online format. Information regarding attitudes and specific reasons for participation in distance education can provide insight to administrators attempting to build distance education programming while supporting faculty.

The definition of distance education has been refined and redefined over the years. This is seen in the evolution of Moore’s distance education definitions. In 1990, Moore described distance education as ‘all arrangements for providing instruction through print or electronic communications media to persons engaged in planned learning in a place or time different from that of the instructor or instructors’ (p. xv). Later, Moore and Kearsley (1997) refine the definition to specify that the learning is planned and includes ‘organizational and administrative arrangements’ (p. 2). Most definitions specify that distance education is teaching and learning that occurs asynchronously— the learner(s) and instructor separated by time and space— using a variety of technical media to support the teaching and learning (Keegan, 1996; Eastmond, 1998; Locatis & Weisburg, 1997). For the purpose of this review, distance education will refer only to this asynchronous, web-based, online format.

Degree programs via distance education offer a variety of benefits to faculty, students, and school administrators. In an online environment, interaction between faculty and student increases as does the ability to reach a greater number of learners, resulting in increased diversification and globalization (NEA, 2000). Other benefits include meeting the needs of non-traditional students, who typically have responsibilities like career and family which keep them from taking traditional daytime college courses, and traditional students who may have a preference for learning in an online environment. Furthermore, as public colleges and universities experience decreasing financial state support, distance education provides a new audience and a new stream of revenue without the need of additional on-campus facilities, such as residence halls and classroom space.

Even with the growth of distance education offerings and enrollments, many faculty members are still hesitant to teach online. In fact, 50 percent of faculty in a National Education Association survey conveyed negative or uncertain feelings towards distance learning (2000). Much of the distance education literature focuses Findings of the Review

Concerns of faculty regarding participation in teaching online include a lack of standards for an online course, the threat of fewer jobs, and a decline in usage of full-time faculty which faculty believe results in a decline in quality of faculty (IHEP, 2000; NEA, 2000). In addition, faculty note lack of time, lack of institutional support, lack of scholarly respect in the areas of promotion and tenure, and a lack of training as other obstacles in participating in distance education (Baldwin, 1998; Bonk, 2001; Lee, 2001; Northrup, 1997; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002; Parisot, 1997).

Specifically, the list of motivating and inhibiting factors for faculty participation in distance education is lengthy. Therefore, the author formatted a chart (see Appendix) to record the various factors found within the chosen thirteen studies. Once the factors were charted, they were grouped into categories which included personal, external, technical, pedagogical, and institutional. Upon further reflection, the technical and pedagogical categories seemed to fit best within the institutional category. Thus the final categories were intrinsic or personal, extrinsic, and institutional. Within the institutional category, the following two subcategories were recognized: 1) technology and teaching and 2) technical and administrative support. The factors within these categories are outlined in the next section of this review.

Intrinsic Motivators

Much of the literature supports that intrinsic motivators are stronger than extrinsic motivators when it comes to participation of faculty in online teaching. Intrinsic motivating factors include a personal motivation to use technology (Betts, 1998; Bonk, 2001; Lee, 2001; Rockwell, et al, 1999; Schifter, 2000) or perceiving teaching via distance learning as an intellectual challenge. Some faculty stated that teaching via distance learning added to their overall job satisfaction (Betts, 1998; Schifter, 2000) and that teaching online provided optimal working conditions, as they were able to ‘teach’ at any time and from any place. Faculty also stated a feeling of self-gratification from teaching online (Rockwell, et al, 1999).

Extrinsic Motivators

External incentives in the form of tenure and promotion would also increase the level of job satisfaction as well as the amount of support and recognition faculty receive from peers— another factor that motivates faculty partis’ (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000, Discussion Section, ¶ 4). Another concern regards fully understanding distance education and what subject areas are most appropriate for an online environment (Berge, 1998; Betts, 1998).

Finally, the issue of competition from peers at private and public institutions is a concern to some faculty. No longer are the classroom walls borders for students; they can pick and choose online courses from one or more institutions and they will register for courses at institutions that will ensure their needs are met. Thus, some faculty from traditional institutions worry about the increased competition from those that offer online courses and programs (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000).

Institutional Inhibitors

According to faculty, many more obstacles to teaching via distance education are found within the institution itself and are not considered to be personal deterrents.

Technology and Teaching. Concerns in the area of technology and teaching are mostly in the area of course quality, yet it is interesting to note that many of the concerns regarding quality of online courses originate from faculty who have yet to participate in online teaching (Betts; 1998; Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; Jones & Moller, 2002; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002: Schifter, 2000). These faculty members perceive online teaching as sacrificing quality and therefore would rather not teach via the medium. Faculty are also concerned about the misinformation that is found on the internet (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000) and would rather not take the chance of being perceived as having similar content online.

Furthermore, some faculty believe that online learning is inappropriate for traditional-aged students (O’Quinn & Corry, 2002) and support the need for face-to-face, on-campus classroom experiences. They believe that online courses will foster a decrease in student interaction (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; Jones & Moller, 2002). Finally, faculty are unclear about the policies surrounding copyright issues and are concerned about the absence of intellectual property rights (Berge, 1998; Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002).

Administrative and Technical Support. The majority of factors that are barriers to teaching online are found in the areas of administrative and technical support. One deterrent noted repeatedly was the issue of faculty workload (Berge, 1998; Betts, 1998; Schifter, 2000; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002). According to Bonk (2001), 62% of faculty respondents indicated that ‘the main obstacle to using the web in teaching was the preparation time required’ (p. 8). Time is considered to be an administrative issue because of the institution’s ability to offer release time for development and maintenance of online courses. In Betts’ (1998) study, the deans that were surveyed also indicated that the lack of release time would be an inhibitor for faculty participation in online teaching. Faculty feel that time spent on course development alone takes away from time that could be devoted to research (Rockwell, et al, 1999).

A second administrative deterrent is the lack of recognition for teaching via distance education. Time devoted to teaching or developing online courses is not as highly regarded as is time spent on research or even on time spent teaching ‘traditional’ face-to-face courses. Thus the lack of recognition from the administration and peers in the form of credit towards tenure and promotion is another large barrier to online faculty participation (Betts, 1998; Lee, 2001; Rockwell, et al, 1999; Wilson, 1998). Faculty also see the lack of grants for materials, software expenses, design and development of courses as another barrier (Betts, 1998; Bonk, 2001; Chizmar & Williams, 2001; Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; Schifter, 2000). Another barrier that is monetarily related is the lack of merit pay or financial stipends for faculty who develop or teach online courses (Berge, 1998; Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; Schifter, 2000; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002).

Of all of the barriers cited by faculty and administrators, the one mentioned most frequently is the lack of technical support (Berge, 1998; Betts, 1998; Bonk, 2001; Chizmar & Williams, 2001; Jones & Moller, 2002; Lee, 2001; Rockwell, et al, 1999; Schifter, 2000; Wilson, 1998). This includes concerns about the lack of systems reliability and access to the online courseware as well as inadequate infrastructure, hardware, and software. Faculty are concerned about developing effective technology skills and mention lack of training as another deterrent to teaching online. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge regarding where to go for technical support while teaching in an online environment. Faculty worry about depending on developers and programmers and are also concerned about security issues.

Discussion and Implications

Discussion

By grouping motivators and inhibitors into one of three groups— intrinsic, extrinsic, and institutional— one can determine what factors may still be missing and can also ascertain which group of factors is more influential to faculty. The literature discusses a broad listing of factors and this author found no specific factors missing in the list of motivators or inhibitors. While not a specific factor, the literature lacks a discussion of cultural and contextual influences regarding distance education in higher education institutions. For example, institutional motivators and barriers can differ depending on the culture and the mission of the institution (Berge, 1998).

Although intrinsic factors are typically the primary determiner of faculty participation (Betts, 1998; Dillon & Walsh, 1992; Lee, 2001; Rockwell, 1999), one could argue that if the necessary extrinsic and institutional factors are in place then intrinsic deterrents may be less influential. Intrinsic factors may also be outweighed by social pressures faculty experience, which either supports or deter participation in distance education. These pressures include institutional, peer, student, and community pressure. Institutional pressures can manifest themselves in mission statements, strategic plans, and technology augmentations like additional computer labs, technology-enhanced classrooms, and a variety of software. Twenty-five percent of participating faculty in Betts’ (1998) study believed that there was pressure to participate in distance education and one source of that pressure was the university’s administration.

Peer pressure can be seen as a motivator (i.e. peer modeling, inter-institutional collaborative teaching opportunities, union incentives, etc) and as a disincentive (i.e. distance education not seen as important in the promotion and tenure process) (Dillon & Walsh, 1992; Olcott & Wright, 1995; Rockwell, 1999). ‘The aggregate effect of these institutionally embedded disincentives is to deter faculty participation in and adoption of distance teaching’ (Olcott & Wright, 1995, p. 287). Peer pressure exists at the academic department level and departmental support is essential for increasing faculty participation in distance education (Olcott & Wright, 1995). Peer pressure in the form of competitors— other faculty and programs within higher education institutions and other markets— is also a source of pressure according to faculty (Betts, 1998).

Student pressure is exhibited not only by the way in which students communicate with one another (i.e. instant messaging and chat rooms) but also with the professor (via email). Students increasingly choose to conduct research via the Internet, escalating pressure on universities to provide online library access and causing faculty to be more knowledgeable about copyright and online plagiarism issues. In Betts’ (1998) study, administrators note that pressure on faculty to participate in distance education came from two sources of pressure— the administration and prospective students.

The community also plays a role in the pressure it can place on faculty. Parents of students (of all ages) and the community at large expect their local institution to be cutting-edge and responsive to their needs which put pressure on faculty to not only be conversant with technology but to use it in their teaching and in their communication to students. Meeting the community’s needs may entail offering courses and programs via distance education for rural areas, business and industry, and working adults— generally, a new population of learners (Dillon & Walsh, 1992; Jones & Moller, 2003).

Implications and Future Research

The majority of the data gathered from the studies in this literature review were done so via survey— a quantitative method of data collection. Many of the surveys had an open-ended question portion which allowed for a qualitative aspect. The results provided an extensive list of motivating and inhibiting factors for faculty participation in online teaching but additional descriptive information was not included. Studies more qualitative in nature allowing for in-depth interviews and case studies of ‘best practices’ institutions would inform administrators of distance learning programs and of universities in general thus having the potential to benefit the field. Furthermore, qualitative research could drill down into specific motivating or inhibiting factors for more information and potentially demonstrate interactions or connections among factors. For example, discovering specific reasons behind the intrinsic deterrent of technology fear could lead to focused training sessions and other types of support for faculty.

Another suggestion for future research would be to consider the unrepresented or underrepresented voice of administrators. In less than half (Betts, 1998; Dooley & Murphrey, 2000; Lee, 2001; Rockwell et al, 1999; Schifter, 2000) of the thirteen studies reviewed, administrators’ voices were represented through survey and short answer responses. These administrators were primarily academic deans except in one study (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000) where support unit employees were added to the mix of administrators and faculty. Administrators in these studies were asked to provide opinions of what motivating and inhibiting factors affected faculty who participated in distance learning.

In a few instances, the administrators’ responses were different from faculty responses. In Betts’ (1998) study, administrators listed the top five motivating factors for faculty participation in distance education as ‘(1) monetary support for participation; (2) personal motivation to use technology; (3) increase in salary; (4) credit toward tenure and promotion; and (5) release time’ (Deans’ section, ¶ 10). The only common motivator with those that faculty listed was that of personal motivation to use technology, an intrinsic motivator. Inhibitors from this same study were listed by administrators as lack of technical support, training, departmental support, release time, and concerns about workload (Betts, 1998). Administrators and faculty agreed on three of five of these inhibitors including lack of release time, lack of technical support, and concerns about workload.

In Rockwell, et al’s (1999) study, ‘administrators were more likely to see monetary awards as an incentive than were the teaching faculty (¶ 32). In Dooley and Murphrey’s (2000) study, faculty and administrators typically agreed on most motivators and inhibitors. Differences in responses included administrators believing that proximity to technology was a factor that encouraged participation and faculty and support staff listing administrative encouragement and support as an encouraging factor (Dooley & Murphrey, 2000). Schifter (2002) found that administrators considered financial support issues and release time issues to be most important to faculty, while faculty noted intrinsic motivators such as intellectual challenge as their primary motivators. ‘Overall, the administrators in this study did not appear to truly understand what would motivate faculty who do participate in distance education but had a clear perception of what would inhibit faculty from DE [distance education] participation’ (Schifter, 2002, Discussion section, ¶ 3).

This is significant because many of the extrinsic and institutional motivators and inhibitors can be directly affected by university administrators. Thus, if administrators misunderstand the faculty’s perception of motivators and barriers, they will be unable to structure appropriate distance education programs. Additionally, it is important to ask both faculty and administrators whether or not administrators are implementing changes in distance learning policies and procedures based on the information about motivators and deterrents.

In order to meet the requests of the various types of students who prefer to attend courses via distance learning, either for convenience, preference of learning style, etc., higher education administrators must find ways to motivate and support faculty in their development and teaching of online courses and programs. Therefore further research should be done to answer the following questions: What are administrators’ perceptions of motivating and inhibiting factors for faculty participation in online teaching? Are administrators’ perceptions different from faculty perceptions? Once higher education administrators are aware of the motivators and inhibitors of faculty participation in distance education, how do they support and motivate faculty to teach online? How do administrators apply information gained into institutional distance education policies and then effectively communicate those policies to faculty? Answers to the questions above have the potential to provide administrators with the tools to not only increase faculty participation in and satisfaction with distance learning but could also result in increased student learning, improved assessment of teaching and learning, and overall increased productivity for the institution.

Computer science is the study of the theory, experimentation, and engineering that form the basis for the design and use of computers. Studying computer science and several other courses away from the study center and universities has become easier because of the use of computer itself. The number of students enrolled in universities has increased with the success of e-learning and distance learning centers.

Teaching students may differ across universities due to the different approach to development, as well as different historical backgrounds of the universities. This is especially true in under developing countries like Nigeria, where youth of 24 years and below are the majority of the population the government is implementing new study programs and policies in response to the political and economic circumstances.

According to economictimes.com, e-learning is a learning system based on formalized teaching but with the help of electronic resources. Simply put e-learning is internet-enabled learning. While teaching can be performed both within and outside the classroom the use the computer and the internet form a major component of E-learning, with the rapid progress in technology and the advancement in learning systems, books are slowly being replaced by smartphones and tablets and electronic education materials optical discs or pen drives. Knowledge can also be shared at any time of the day on the internet, irrespective of where you are.

Distance education must involve two-way communication between educators and students occur with them having contacts. With the development of technology in education has increased the need of distance education tools.

Distance Education is a method of education in which learners are physically separate from educators. In recent years higher education systems have had to face an increasingly competitive environment and use of web-based learning in the last decade. The effect of using the Internet in education has gradually increased and new technologies have improved student’s learning. Distance learning has become an important part of the education. That’s why most universities begin to use the web-based distance education systems.

Education is a key factor for sustainable development (Chimombo 2005). The significance of education, especially in developing countries, is increasing because of progressing pressure to catch up with the developed world regarding, for example, global competitiveness (Hawkins 2002). Predictably, educational settings are different in developing countries than in developed countries, such as low quality of education and narrow possibilities in attending schools in rural areas because of far distances and high opportunity costs (Ibid 2005). Chimombo, 2005 opines that country-specific circumstances have to be improved regarding compulsory and free education to foster general access to education. In Article 26 of the 1948 UN universal declaration of human rights the right of obligatory and free education for everyone is already committed (UN Human Rights 1948).

Comparative analysis; Is an overview means of examining two or more things to discover the differences and similarities, in order to understand it more. In this paper, our emphasis will be on Distance learning systems and E-learning systems, so that we can obtain a detailed relative study. The widespread use of computers and the internet have made distance learning easier and faster, and today virtual schools and virtual universities deliver full curricula online. The capacity of Internet to support voice, video, text, and immersion teaching methods made earlier distinct forms of telephone, videoconferencing, radio, television, and text-based education somewhat redundant. However, many of the techniques developed and lessons learned with earlier media are used in Internet delivery.

Furthermore, it is important for us to described comparative education as Nicholas (1996) views it, as an attempt to discover the differences in the forces and causes that produce different educational systems, and the underlying principles which govern the development of the National system of education with modifications and changes which the circumstances provide a wealth of information and never analytical approaches to system of education and showcase the performance of students in different environments such as in a distant classroom, or using their computer and other mobile gadgets to learn.

A broad range of learning approaches exists already, for example, e-learning, blended learning (Maier, 2007), and distance learning which utilize information and communication technology (ICT). The use of ICT can benefit, for example, students in rural areas by having them attend classes as distance learners and motivating them to learn like the “Group Learning Sets” (GLS) initiative offers. Regarding this, the potential of e-learning seems very assuring, but because of gaps between developed and developing countries, knowledge transfer is not only difficult but also costly.

According to case studies, there are already a number of e-learning programs offered in developing countries (Kohn et al. 2008). These programs are developed by various national and international initiatives, for example, the group learning sets initiated by Computer Aid International in collaboration with Kenyatta University. The growth of e-learning programs according to Lockwood and Gooley, 2002 is driven by the need for and potential of providing education in less expensive ways, increased access to information, effective learning, and greater flexibility.

Stephenson, 2001 posits that there is little systematic research into the overall effectiveness of e-learning as a learning medium despite the great interest in it. He acknowledges that while there is much more work to be done, a variety of e-learning courses aimed at making sustainable development a reality have been developed and demonstrate how e-learning can reach thousands if not millions of minds and potentially plant the seeds of change.

1.1.1 Electronic Learning (E-learning)

Fry 2000 and Wild et al. 2002 describe E-learning as the delivery of training and education via networked interactivity and distribution technologies. Other authors notably Roffe, 2002; Schank, 2002; and Sambrook, 2003 see e-learning simply as learning and communication exercises across computers and networks or for that matter any other electronic sources.

In the 70s and 80s distance learning became popular and was done via mail until the rise of Internet usage. In late 90s the digital learning environment was heightened and World Wide Web started as a distributed learning mechanism to support on campus student and distance learners. With the use of this delivery technology learners can get a range of resources like discussion forums, multimedia, chat, video conferencing and electronic black boards (Gulatee and Combes, 2007).

In E-learning system, students are able to interact anytime from wherever with different instructional material (text, sound, pictures, video and so on) through Internet. In addition, learners can communicate with teachers and classmates both individually and as a group discussion with the use of message boards, instant message exchanges and video conferencing (Al-Ammari and Hamad, 2008).

Khan (2005) suggests that e-learning system is used for an open, flexible, and diverse E-learning environment. Moreover, an E-learning system can be analyzed as an inventive approach for delivering, learner-centered, interactive, and facilitated learning environment to anyplace, anyone, anytime by utilizing the features and resources of different digital technologies along with other types of learning materials suited for an open, distributed, and flexible learning environment (Ibid, 2008).

1.1.2 Distance Learning

Distance education is not a new concept. In the late 1800s, at the University of Chicago, the first major correspondence program in the United States was established in which the teacher and learner were at different locations. Before that time, particularly in preindustrial Europe, education had been available primarily to males in higher levels of society. The most effective form of instruction in those days was to bring students together in one place and one time to learn from one of the masters. That form of traditional education remains the dominant model of learning today. The early efforts of educators like William Rainey Harper in 1890 to establish alternatives were laughed at. Correspondence study, which was designed to provide educational opportunities for those who were not among the elite and who could not afford full-time residence at an educational institution, was looked down on as inferior education. Many educators regarded correspondence courses as simply business operations. Correspondence education offended the elitist and extremely undemocratic educational system that characterized the early years in this country (Pittman, 1991). Indeed, many correspondence courses were viewed as simply poor excuses for the real thing. However, the need to provide equal access to educational opportunities has always been part of our democratic ideals, so correspondence study took a new turn.

Following the establishment of the Open University in Britain in 1970, and Charles Wedemeyer’s innovative uses of media in 1986 at the University of Wisconsin, correspondence study began to use developing technologies to provide more effective distance education.

In the 70s and 80s distance learning became popular and was done via mail until the rise of Internet usage. In late 90s the digital learning environment was heightened and World Wide Web started as a distributed learning mechanism to support on campus student and distance learners. With the use of this delivery technology learners can get a range of resources like discussion forums, multimedia, chat, video conferencing and electronic black boards (Gulatee and Combes, 2007).

1.1.3 E-learning:

The term “e-learning” has only been in existence since 1999 when the word was first utilized at a CBT systems seminar. Other words also began to spring up in search of an accurate description such as “online learning” and “virtual learning”. However, the principles behind e-learning have been well documented throughout history, and there is even evidence which suggests that early forms of e-learning existed as far back as the 19th century.

1.1.4 Distance Learning:

The first distance education course in the modern sense was provided by Sir Isaac Pitman in the 1840s, who taught a system of shorthand by mailing texts transcribed into shorthand on postcards and receiving transcriptions from his students in return for correction. The element of student feedback was a crucial innovation of Pitman’s system.

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Challenges faced by students of PULC twinning program

Abstract

Over a decade, Pondicherry University and Loyola College are conducting a twinning Distance Education for the benefit of working people in Chennai. Despite the induction of knowledge through quality faculties and teaching aids, there is a significant difference in effort and result in most distance education programme. Proper and effective Distance Education Programmes demands strategic planning in preparation of course materials and teaching aids. Such planning could be done well if challenges faced by students in the Programme are identified and addressed. This paper focuses on to get a clear picture of the challenges faced by students in Distance Education with special reference to Pondicherry University and Loyola College’s twining programme. The analysis is carried out with respect to various variables identified under the construct – desirable features and problems. The descriptive research design was utilized and the data has been collected from 82 respondents through interviews and questionnaires.

Keywords: PULC Twinning Programme, Distance Education, Institutional and Psychological barriers.

Introduction

Distance education involves the process of educating individuals who cannot attend conventional school, college or universities, but willing to utilize their free time or study at home (Keegan, 1996). Distinct characteristics that separate traditional education from distance education system is that, there is no frequent interaction or no interaction between teacher and students, also there exists only brief discussion on subjects rather than elaborative explanation of each and every concept prescribed in syllabus though the syllabus is no way less compared to traditional educational (Knapper, 1988). Hereby for the purpose of distance education, the institutions are forced to develop a Self- Instructional Materials (SIM) for all courses conducted in the distance education programme.

In Chennai there are lots of Colleges and Universities to give higher education, but always all are not getting the opportunity to continue their higher education. The people who are not able to go for regular courses have a big thirst for acquiring knowledge through distance education by going to work and continuing their studies after their work. Therefore, universities have opened their doors to accommodate this huge number of people who are in need of professional courses for their better employment during evenings, weekends and on online courses. In this context Loyola College has joined hands with Pondicherry University to offer MBA Programmes by conducting classes on Sundays only in Loyola College Campus. From the origin of this Programme, there is an urge and demand for this course by the working community and undergraduates who are interested to continue their Higher education. Within a short period of time the strength of the students has reached to 5000 it is because of the passion and interest showed by the people of Chennai to send or admit in Loyola College. The main areas of study are on the desirable features and the problems faced by PULC Students of Loyola.

Statement of problem

Distance learning is a new form of the educational process; it is based on the principle of student independent training with the help of developing information resources. The environment of training is characterized by that students generally are remote from the teacher in space and in time. However, the distance education mode of learning is also challenging in the sense of required educational quality and services regarding education. So a study was conducted to find the desirable features and problems faced by the students undergoing distance education mode in Pondicherry University and Loyola College Twinning Programme.

Objectives

• To identify the desirable features in PULC Programme.
• To know the problems faced by the PULC students through distance education mode.
• To give possible suggestions for the betterment of quality in PULC Programme.

Review of literatures

Ever since the manifestation of distance learning, the educationists are more concern in implementing and testing new approaches and techniques to make distance learning equivalently effective to conventional learning techniques adopted in the traditional educational system. The study made by (Sewart, 1980) illustrated that, the traditional learning is concerned towards improving the quality of the students while the distance learning is concerned towards completion rates. Therefore, the quality of the students depends on his or her own effort to maximum percentage, while with respect to traditional educational system; the students are forced to become competent with an effort from institutional side. It is being reported by (Edge & Loegering, 2000), that, the distance education demands high-level service relating to course material, exams, grading turnaround times, assignments and counselling sections. It is teachers with high aspiration and achievements are employing modern information and quality teaching techniques, which are innovative enough to compensate limited classes in distance education (Vig & Singh, 2004). Henceforth, the overall effectiveness of the teaching in distance education is reduced due to lack of such competent teachers in respective subjects, leading to overall dissatisfaction to the students and the administrators by the approach that is been adopted in distance education (Stella & Gnanam, 2004). In attempt with various techniques employing Information and communication technology, the effectiveness of teaching is increased also the students’ involvement in class and concentration is demonstrated to be better in comparison to traditional interactive and teaching section (Kukulska-Hulme & Traxler, 2007). Henceforth the Information and communication technology is seen as a major solution and one among the important features for handling open and distance education learning problems (Valk, Rashid, & Elder, 11(1):2010).

Scope of the study

The main reason of this paper is to find the problems faced and desirable features available and those wanted by the students pursuing PULC Programme. Thereby, through the study made, the need and progression to be made in the PULC programme can be identified and rectified in the forthcoming time. Also, the study with its variables can be used to assess the desirable features wanted and problems faced by the various distance education system.

Research methodology

This study was conducted with the sample size of 82 students from various disciplines pursuing education through PULC Programme using interview and questionnaires. In this study, analysis is made on the various variables influencing with respect to desirable features and problems. The SPSS research analysis tool is used for the purpose of study, analysis such as descriptive, reliability test, ANOVA and factor analysis is been employed for interpreting the result.

Analyses and interpretation

Table 1 – Descriptive statistics of demography

Demographic Variable

Respective Options

Frequency

Percent

Age

1. below 25 yrs
2. 71
3. 86.6
4. 25-40
5. 10
6. 12.2
7. 41-55
8. Above 55

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Gender

Male

1. 30
2. 36.6

Female

1. 52
2. 63.4

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Educational qualification

1. upto +2
2. 1
3. 1.2
4. UG
5. 70
6. 85.4
7. PG
8. 9
9. 11

Others

1. 2
2. 2.4

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Marital status

married

1. 6
2. 7.3

unmarried

1. 75
2. 91.5

separated

1. 1
2. 1.2

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Family Income

1. 45000
2. 22
3. 26.8

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Occupation

government

1. 5
2. 6.1

Private

1. 61
2. 74.4

Business

1. 7
2. 8.5

Others

1. 9
2. 11.0

Total

1. 82
2. 100.0

Interpretation:

From the descriptive statistics made with demographic variables, it can be interpreted that, with respect to age group, major respondents are at the age below 25, whose respective percentage is 86.6 followed by age category of 25-40 which is consisting 12.2 percentages of the respondent and rest 1.2 are at the age between 41-55. With respect to gender 63.4 percentages of the respondents are female and the rest of the percentage is male. Most of the respondents perusing distance education had UG qualification i.e. 85.4 percentage of the respondent is UG qualified and 11 percentage of the respondent is PG qualified, it is only 1.2 percentage of the respondent who hasn’t got graduation. Considering Marital status 91.5 percentages of the respondent are unmarried and 7.3 percentages of the respondent are married and 1.2 percentages are separated after married life. It has been found that majority of the respondent i.e. 32.9 percentage of the respondent family income is between 15,000 – 30000 Rs. Followed by 26.8 percentage of the respondent has a family income above 45,000. It can be interpreted that 74.4 percentage of the respondents are working in a private firm, 6.5 percentage are working in government sector, 8.5 percentage are running their own business and 11 percentage are employed through other means.

Reliability test on items considered under a construct

Table 2 – Item reliability determination using Cronbach’s Alpha Value

Construct

Number of Items

Cronbach’s Alpha Value

Features

8 .710

Interpretation:

The calculated Cronbach’s value for the construct – “Feature” is 0.718. Since the calculated value for the construct is greater than 0.7 i.e. Cronbach’s Value > 0.7, the items considered under the construct are reliable.

ANOVA test for finding significant differences in opinion with respect to genders on features and problems

Table 3 – ANOVA (Gender Vs Features)

ANOVA

Features

Mean

F

Sig.

Null Hypothesis

Course material

1. 2.82
2. 6.688
3. .012

Rejected

Quality of instructing

1. 2.55
2. .425
3. .516

Accepted

Multimedia instruction

1. 2.82
2. .103
3. .749

Accepted

Course information during PCP

1. 2.72
2. .016
3. .900

Accepted

Support and services

1. 3.51
2. 1.467
3. .229

Accepted

Social interaction with other students

1. 3.11
2. 4.997
3. .028

Rejected

Class environment

1. 3.27
2. .444
3. .507

Accepted

Interpretation:

From the list of items under the construct “features”, it is only “Course material” and “Social interaction with other students” items whose significance value is i.e. Sig. < 0.05; hereby the Null hypothesis is rejected. This means, with respect to gender there are significant differences in opinion in relation to following items under the construct features. Other items are having Sig. > 0.05, thereby null hypothesis is accepted, which means there is no significant difference in opinion with respect to gender. Considering items meeting null hypothesis criteria the mean value ranges from 2.55 – 3.27, this illustrates they neither agree nor disagree that the following items play an important role in distance education.

Sub – Factors discovery within constructs using factor analysis

Table 4 – (Factor Analysis on Features) Test for factor analysis utility using KMO and Bartlett’s test

KMO and Bartlett’s Test

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.

1. .692

Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity

Approx. Chi-Square

1. 123.712

Df 21

Sig. .000

Interpretation:

High value of KMO (0.692 >0.05), indicates that a factor analysis is useful for the present data.

The significant value of Bartlett‘s test of Sphericity is 0.000 and is less than .05 which indicates that there exist significant relationships among the variables.

The resultant value of KMO test and Bartlett‘s test indicate that the present data is useful for factor analysis.

Table 5 – Factor Analysis on Features (Construct)

Features

Component Matrix

Rotated Component Matrix

Identified

Sub-factors

1. 1
2. 2
3. 1

2

Course information during classes

1. .489
2. -.332
3. .590
4. -.044

Interactivity

Quality of teaching

1. .637
2. -.043
3. .574
4. .281

Class environment

1. .653
2. -.432
3. .782
4. -.049

Support and services

1. .760
2. -.075
3. .696
4. .314

Social interaction with other students

1. .782
2. -.122
3. .739
4. .284

Multimedia instruction

1. .423
2. .800
3. -.032
4. .904

Instruction Medium

Course material

1. .578
2. .496
3. .253
4. .718

Interpretation:

The factor loading is ranging from 0.574 – 0.904. The two factors identified using factor analyses are Interactivity and Instruction medium.

Table-6: Descriptive analysis on Problems faced by PULC students of Loyola

Descriptive Statistics

N

Mean

Std. Deviation

Rank

Difficulty in admin service

1. 82
2. 2.74
3. 1.255
4. 3

Lack institutional network of technical assistance

1. 82
2. 3.34
3. 1.239
4. 6

Poor course material

1. 82
2. 2.66
3. 1.209
4. 1

Lack of time for study

1. 82
2. 2.68
3. 1.304
4. 2

Financial constraints

1. 82
2. 2.87
3. 1.438
4. 4

Conflicts between work/family, study schedule

1. 82
2. 2.74
3. 1.284
4. 3

Lack of support from employer/family

1. 82
2. 3.06
3. 1.417
4. 5

Valid N (listwise)

1. 82

Interpretation:

The mean value calculated is ranging from 2.66-3.34 whose corresponding notation is neither disagreed nor agree. The ranking made using the mean value indicates that a lack institutional network of technical assistance and Lack of support from employer/family is least problems to be considered, as the respondents disagree with the following items under the construct. Similarly, for other items respondents neither agree nor disagree with other items considered as the problem construct.

Correlation analysis

Table-7: Correlation analysis with respect to Problems and Desirable features

Correlations

Features

Problems

Features

&

Problems

Pearson Correlation

1. 1
2. -.621

Sig. (2-tailed)

1. .038

N

1. 82
2. 82

Interpretation:

From the correlation analysis made, the significance value is calculated to be 0.038, thereby the null hypothesis is rejected and alternate hypothesis is accepted i.e. there is significant relationship between features and problems. The features and problems as per the correlation analysis are negatively correlated by the value -.621 or features and problems are inversely proportional to each other or as the features increases the problems reduces and vice versa.

Findings, discussions & suggestions:

From the descriptive statistics, major respondents are below 25 years and major percentage of the respondents is female. Respondents’ family income is equally distributed from Rs. 15,000 to above Rs. 45000. From the test made, the statement of null hypothesis is accepted for all variables in desirable features except the multimedia instruction and course material provided in the PULC programme with respect to gender. Thereby it can be interpreted that irrespective of gender the respondents are not much satisfied with quality of course materials and social interaction with students. Considering problems associated with distance education; poor course material, lack of time for study, Conflicts between work/family, study schedule and difficulty with administration service are identified variables. Through the correlation analysis it is clear that, when the desirable features are increased, the problems will decrease proportionally. Hence if the study is conducted by identifying more number of variables in features and problems with more samples there is better possibility for rectifying the problems and finding a new approach to effectively conduct distance education.

Limitations

The study is limited to the students of Chennai district. There are various distance mode programmes but this study is made only on Pondicherry University and Loyola College Twinning Programmes. The study is made by taking a sample of students so their views are only given as the results so it may differ from the views of all the students who study in this programme.

Conclusion

Poor course material, lack of time for study Conflicts between work/family, study schedule are the major challenges faced by the respondent. They also need better support and services to be offered by Loyola Twinning Programme office. The examination made indicates that the problem decreases with increase in features. Hence on identification of each problem from the students’ side and desirable feature for the respective problem if identified and implemented, there will be effective learning mechanism existing with respect to distance education.

References

1. Edge, W., & Loegering J. (2000). Distance Education: Expanding Learning Opportunities. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 28(3), 522-533-PP.
2. Keegan, D. (1996). Foundations of Distance Education. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, New York, 10-50.
3. Knapper, C. (1988). Lifelong Learning and Distance Education. American Journal of Distance Education, 63-72.
4. Kukulska-Hulme, A., & Traxler. (2007). ‘Designing for mobile and wireless. Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age: Designing and Delivering e-learning – London: Routledge, 180-192.
5. Sewart, D. (1980). Creating an Information Base for an Individualized Support System in Distance Education. Distance Education 1(2), 171-187.
6. Stella, A., & Gnanam, A. (2004). Quality Assurance in Distance Education: The Challenges to be Addressed. Higher Education, Springer 47(2), 143-160.
7. Valk, J. H., Rashid, A. T., & Elder, L. (11(1):2010). Using Mobile Phones to Improve Educational Outcomes: An Analysis of Evidence from Asia. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning – Athabasca University Press, Canada.
8. Vig, P., & Singh, A. (2004). A Study of Role-Structure of Distance Education and Open Learning Teachers of Himachal Pradesh. Paper presented at International Distance Education and Open Learning Conference.

Advantages of online education

There are several advantages of getting online education for the students of the modern era. These days, students are choosing to receive their formal education through online medium and taking into consideration more regularly. Above all, online education presents a variety of benefits to students who have inadequate funds to pursue their education. The affordable costs, the flexibility of time, and easy access to educational resources make online education the most attractive medium for students.

Online education is definitely an attractive solution for students who desire to continue with their education while keeping time for their part-time jobs as well. Also, professionals can also take benefit from online education to promote their designation as well. Here we will talk about the top four benefits of receiving online education.

1. Self-discipline with career growth

Online education is responsible for developing great self-control in the lives of students. They will learn self-control and discipline throughout since getting success in online education demands great strength of mind and discipline. Usually, students don’t have an educator in front of them to teach and inform them when an assignment or test is completed. Actually, they have to log online and make themselves present there to pursue academic activities. In brief, students develop great self-control and discipline in them and that generally interprets to their personal and professional lives as well.

In addition, online education provides a lot of opportunities to promote professional careers. For instance, if students choose to study online while pursuing their jobs, they will certainly get a lot of assistance in developing their professional careers as well. They would have attained additional job understanding and developed other skills that will support them to move further in their professional careers by the time they conclude their online education. In brief, online education is definitely helpful in providing success in professional careers as well.

2. Inexpensive and hassle-free

These days, the fee for higher education is too much expensive. As a student, apart from the regular fee, you need to pay for the books, canteens and a lot of other costs. The majority of students can’t afford higher education and they usually end up borrowing money to pursue their education. However, with online educational programs, you are only required to pay for the credit hours. If you don’t have much money for conventional education and want to save your hard-earned money, online education is a perfect choice.

In addition, it’s simple to focus on online education while doing a part-time job. Generally, all of your communication is usually conducted online and it simply becomes easy for you to follow studies without any time-related restrictions or geographical boundaries. In online education, you can opt to study with your own preferences. Above all, there is no strict dress code obligation that you have to fulfill in online education. You can pursue your education simply in jeans and a t-shirt. You don’t have to be present physically in a conventional classroom and sit on hard chairs or benches. In fact, you can pursue online education by placing yourself on a comfortable sofa or relaxing chair while watching a lecture on your laptop. Therefore, there is no pressure of putting on a specific dress or being present at a particular time.

3. Get a variety of educational courses online

Online education presents a broad variety of educational degrees, courses, training, and certificate options. In addition, you receive all kind of professional degrees such as bachelors, masters, diplomas, certificates, short courses, etc. Here, you can effortlessly get your favorite degrees and courses online without any hassles. From commerce to science or finance to engineering, you can choose from a huge bundle. The accessibility of a broad variety of educational degrees makes online education more supple choice for students.

4. Limitless assistance

Online education works without boundaries anytime, anywhere in the world. In a college setup, the lecturer responds to a lot of students at a time. At times, students are not able to comprehend what teachers are trying to teach in a conventional classroom. However, in online education, students can access to their teachers easily. The teachers directly reply to the queries of the students. Since online education is quite exclusive in nature, students can receive thorough answers to their questions.

In online education, students don’t need to worry if they don’t comprehend the topic correctly. They will always get answers with proper explanation. Unlike the usual setup of the classroom, where teachers try to deal with several students and often tend to overlook the questions while teaching, online education always offers comprehensive and definite replies to the students.

Introduction to Digital Education and the Pandemic’s Impact

Will the world be the same after the coronavirus pandemic? Most people would probably answer: “No”; especially parents who have been wondering how to keep their kids engaged during the lockdown, teachers who have been struggling to adapt to online teaching, and government officials who have been trying to come up with adequate solutions. The pandemic has revealed the inconsistency of the current educational practices and shed light on the need for a new education model. Had education institutions embraced digital learning earlier, they would undoubtedly have shown greater agility in dealing with this unprecedented crisis. Digital education refers to the use of electronic devices and digital media to implement distant online learning or blended learning programs. Digital education enhances our ability to meet the challenges of the future because it has a higher potential to meet young generations’ needs, better integration into the digital economy, and greater environmental sustainability.

Engaging Young Generations: The Power of Digital Learning

First, digital education has proven to create a conducive learning environment, where learners can feel comfortable, empowered, and emotionally engaged. Young students are very comfortable with the use of technology. They love surfing the internet, chatting online, posting on social media, and playing video games; some have virtual friends. They often question the usefulness of spending several hours in the classroom listening to a teacher whose teaching methodology is incompatible with their mindset. To engage them in the learning process, we need to use educational tools adapted to their lifestyle and interests and make learning fun. Videogames are considered by many educators as an excellent learning tool. According to the English psychologist Mark Griffiths, videogames have a high educational potential when they “are designed to address a specific problem or to teach a certain skill [ ].” Plenty of examples illustrate this claim: Mathmateer is great for learning math, HoloLAB Champions teaches chemistry, “StarCraft” helps develop problem-solving skills, and with CodeCombat you learn programming. Virtual reality and augmented reality tools are used to increase video games’ attractiveness and design fully immersive lessons. Thanks to applications such as Unimersiv and Google Expeditions, students can find themselves strolling in the street of ancient Rome; exploring Antarctica’s landscape, and walking on the surface of the moon. In addition to its attractiveness, digital education permits greater learning flexibility. You can learn anywhere, at any time, at your own path and pace. Contrary to the conventional education system that addresses the needs of a whole class, digital learning is more personalized. Integrating technologies into educational systems will make education more suitable for today’s students. Interactive and adaptive software can be adjusted to students’ interests and learning styles. By giving learners the opportunity to pursue their topics of interest, prioritize their tasks, and personalize their projects, digital education fosters their autonomy and sharpens their judgment. They can now feel empowered; they aren’t anymore the passive receivers of the knowledge provided by the teacher, but rather the main actors of their own learning. In short, digital education is a powerful engine for learning that drives learners’ motivation, unlocks their potential, and opens their horizons.

Preparing for the Future: Integration into the Digital Economy

Second, the digitalization of education can also accelerate the integration of educational practices into the digital economy and prepare society for the rapidly changing 21st-century employment market. The jobs of the future are those generated by the digital economy. This emerging economy values task-oriented skills and requires greater job mobility. Artificial intelligence, automation, and digitalization are increasingly disrupting the world of work; and it’s becoming clear that tomorrow’s jobs will be radically different from today’s jobs. A report published by the American management consulting company McKinsey in January 2017 estimates that half of today’s work activities could be automated by the mid-21st century[ ]. Manufacturing and administrative jobs will probably undergo a significant decline. But, if the digital economy destroys jobs, it also creates new ones. According to the World Economic Forum, “65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist[ ].” Indeed, ICT jobs will continue to be in high demand. Most of the high-paying jobs will evolve from expanding new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), cloud blockchain, data analytics, and cybersecurity. In the new knowledge-driven economy, data has become the new source of wealth. Even low-skilled jobs will require a certain level of digital literacy. Hopefully, digital education enables learners to use a range of technology tools to find and assess information, collaborate with others, and produce and share content. Online Project-Based Learning (PLB) helps students develop their communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial skills by making learning collaborative and interactive. In the global transformation age, these soft skills’ importance can’t be overstated. It’s also essential to provide workers with adequate tools to be reskilled every time they need to switch occupations. Gone are the days when one can dream of a long-life job. To ensure prosperity and maintain social and economic stability, nations should implement an agile and flexible internet-based education system that prepares citizens to learn new skills, not only when they are young, but also at all stages of their working lives. To sum up, tech-driven education helps students develop, not only the skills but also the resilience needed to meet the challenges of a world of constant uncertainty.

Environmental Sustainability and Digital Education

Environmental sustainability is an additional argument in favor of the digitalization of education. Many people think that online learning has a positive impact on the environment. If you join a virtual school, you won’t have to use any means of transport (car, bus, train) to go to a physical location every day. You, therefore, reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to the fight against global warming [ ]. Virtual schools also eliminate the need to erect new buildings and consume additional materials and energy or reduce green spaces. Replacing textbooks with e-books saves millions of trees every year and reduces the amount of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and the highly toxic wastewater produced by paper mills. According to the SMARTer2030 report delivered by the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), “ICT has the potential to enable a 20% reduction of global CO2 emissions by 2030.”[ ]. In brief, digital technology aims at enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprint. We can therefore claim that digital education is more environmentally friendly than the traditional education system.

Cybersecurity Concerns in Online Learning

However, online learning prompts security and privacy risks as with all internet-related activities. Identity theft, email harassment, cyber-stalking, indecent exposure, and phishing are the most common crimes that target online learners. Some social media and webinar tools are not privacy-protective by default and can therefore become invasive, undermining an individual’s or household’s privacy. Even in technically advanced countries, online learning platforms are not shielded against vicious cyberattacks. On April 10th, 2020, the Associated Press reported that Singapore suspended the use of the popular conferencing application Zoom after two hackers had used “Zoom-bombing” to interrupt a lesson and show obscene images to students. According to the same news agency, similar attacks targeted teleconferences and online classes in the US [ ]. While the seriousness of this threat cannot be ignored, there is clear evidence that these security and privacy concerns can be addressed if students, parents, and educators adopt some basic “cyber hygiene” habits.

Elementary school children should learn how to create strong passwords, and develop privacy awareness. Parents should use parental controls and monitor their children’s accounts to avoid any internet misuse. Teenage learners should learn how to spot phishing scams, distinguish positive and safe file sharing from oversharing, and adjust privacy settings when using an online learning platform. In fact, one of the main sources of cyber threats is negligence. Sharing access codes and other sensitive information on social media is a mine of gold for hackers. The previously mentioned Zoom-bombing attacks on video conferencing platforms could have been avoided if the users hadn’t shared the code to connect over social media. To sum up, a culture of cyber security awareness and adequate training in internet best practices can make online learning a safe and enjoyable experience.

Conclusion: Embracing the Disruptive Potential of Digital Education

In conclusion, digital education enhances learning efficiency thanks to its ability to customize learning and make it enjoyable and challenging. It also equips young generations with the skills needed to thrive in the knowledge-driven emerging economy, while protecting the environment. Overall, its most striking feature is its disruptive potential. The ubiquity of the internet has stretched learning beyond the boundaries of the classroom. It has become an open process that connects people in virtual forums, where participants develop, not only their factual knowledge but also the collaborative and creative skills that humans will ultimately need to confirm the supremacy of the human mind over artificial intelligence.