Category: Online Learning

Task Definition

The primary task of the article presented by Crowley et al. (2018) was to create and implement a tangible and efficient framework of distance learning on the matter of forestry, sustainable forest management, and global forest restoration initiatives. The researchers were mainly interested in analyzing relevant data on transnational online education and developing a blueprint for remote educational courses. To meet the team-based project objectives, the research team engaged in both literature review and on-hand communication with an expert course design team that coordinated and supervised the project. Hence, the study by Crowley et al. (2018) has a clearly stated goal and topic for research, assisting in the further organization and quality of the article.

Information Seeking Strategies

Considering that the goal of the research was to analyze the results and implications of a practical approach to the forest management course engagement and e-learning development, most information was derived from the expert team from the University of British Columbia support group rather than secondary sources such as scholarly articles and web sources (Crowley et al., 2018). Moreover, the collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet), along with various universities, encouraged the partnerships to be the main source of information about both course design and forestry curriculum (Crowley et al., 2018). Such an approach resulted in quality insights into the present and future of online education in forestry.

Location and Access

The present article contains both primary and secondary sources, including the pilot project and the literature used to assess the success of the experiment. As far as the secondary sources are concerned, the two main subtopics could be outlined: the design and development of web-based learning tools and transnational forestry management techniques (Crowley et al., 2018). However, the majority of sources are dedicated to the specifics of online learning, including web-design techniques, psychology, and course structure. Another subtopic of forest management education is not explicitly addressed in the paper, as the quality of study materials was handled by the university staff and expert team.

Use of Information and Synthesis

All the sources used for the paper were described and cited accordingly. Since most data throughout the research were empirical, the authors thoroughly calculated and systematized the findings, presenting evidence in tables and figures. Moreover, secondary sources were relevant to the study and contributed to the authors’ assumptions on online learning platform development (Crowley et al., 2018). The article did not include direct citations from secondary sources, as the information was paraphrased and integrated into the context of the paper. The information was presented in the form of a scholarly paper, so in order to be comprehensive, the authors followed a rigid structure. The paper sections included an abstract, introduction, methodology and design, results, discussion, limitations, and future implications (Crowley et al., 2018). The information was outlined in an organized and comprehensive manner to appeal to larger audiences.

Evaluation

The present article provides high value to the audience as it synthesizes theoretical knowledge of online courses, their practical application to forest management, and potential challenges related to the industry. The objectives of the paper, concerning both the exploration of a team-based approach to creating an online course and the quality enhancement strategies for the project, were met throughout the study. Both work and presentation of the findings were concise, accurate, and engaging for the readers regardless of their professional background. Hence, it can be concluded that the article in question is a quality piece of scholarly research in the context of the Big 6 framework.

Reference

Crowley, C., Chen, H., & Cerver, M. G. (2018). A team-based collaboration used for the development of transnational online distance education courses. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education, 33(2), 1-22.

Executive Summary

St. Francis Elementary School is an established educational center in California City. However, the lack of online learning mechanisms has inhibited teaching during this COVID-19 worldwide. The school has experienced disruptions of face-to-face learning activities. As mentioned earlier, the school has to design alternative learning opportunities to create distinctive teaching environments. This has led to the need to design an online learning platform suitable for interactive and critical learning experiences by the tutors and their learners. This platform will create a platform for online interaction between tutors and the learners as they engage in learning activities. I anticipate this platform will be essential in enabling you to cover the syllabus within the stipulated period before the end term exams. Similarly, the proposal has availed related literature, methodology to be utilized and the estimated cost to realize this goal. A schedule for conducting operation has been outlined together with the estimated financial requirement to ensure the project is completed.

Introduction

Online learning entails using the internet to deliver your lessons to the students. Education is transformative if learners and tutors can synthesize relevant information within numerous fields by critically establishing varying perspectives and inquiries (Sun & Chen, 2016). Similarly, online learning possesses different definitions which rely on the purpose and the need considered for the subject under study. The motivation for the application of online platforms is because it is driven by mode of delivery, technology, suitability to educative purposes and communication designs (Valverde-Berrocoso et al., 2020). It allows the learners to conduct a variety of activities, including imagination, analysis, critical synthesis, intentionality, creativity, and self-awareness (Sun & Chen, 2016). Therefore, online learning will require tutors to possess relevant skills to avoid experiencing hardship when using this platform (Rapanta et al., 2020). This research proposal outlines a proposed conceptual framework that manages arising constraints.

Statement of the Problem

St. Francis Elementary School is an international institution hosting students worldwide. The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the disruption of physical learning activities in the institution and other facilities across the globe (Valverde-Berrocoso et al., 2020). This is a matter of concern to the management since they feel there exist alternative means of teaching the students using the online platform. Online learning has remained the alternative option essential for creating pedagogical knowledge and foundations of aspects required to facilitate meaningful experiences through the use of this teaching design (Rapanta et al., 2020). Similarly, the ability of students to think critically will be enhanced through online learning. Online learning avails platforms that provide the students with avenues to focus on critical thinking (Sun & Chen, 2016). If adopted, learning activities will continue through this online platform.

Therefore, the disruptions in learning prompt the need to understand any constraints likely to deter the adoption of this system. Modelling and identification of a suitable design for learning require a structural approach. The objectives which need to be addressed include:

1. Determine the features considered by learners for a practical online learning experience during this COVID-19 period
2. explain the components to be included within this system to facilitate and improve teaching standards.
3. Determine the essential factors for predicting the learning outcomes, satisfaction, construction of knowledge and motivation within this environment.

The outcome of this research will be essential to school managers and software providers in improving their system designs for the mitigation of online learning constraints. Similarly, it provides a well-articulated overview of the activities when looking ahead of schedule.

Related Literature Review

According to Valverde-Berrocoso et al. (2020) research, he is concerned with identifying trends emanating from related studies on online learning. Similarly, they seek to determine the effectiveness of these learning environments involving features linking the student and the system (Sun & Chen, 2016). Other studies explore and refocus on the role of tutors’ presence during and after a crisis. Studies have investigated the quality and cost of initiating higher learning platforms to improve learners’ retention and enrollment (Rapanta et al., 2020). The studies fail to provide a suitable remedy to the identified constraints likely to affects their research regarding online learning environments.

Methodology

The primary study design would target students in their upper grades. The identification of the dependent and the independent variables would be essential. The study would incorporate a survey where online questionnaires are the designed tools for data collection. Analysis of the collected data would then be done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The performance of ANOVA will be essential in understanding what the participants desire and the challenges experienced while utilizing the online learning environment. This will provide insights to future researches exploring similar field.

A Management Plan

This research will form a report resulting in its completion by June 15, 2021. This requires the design of the study’s schedule to be strictly followed. It will therefore be presented as shown in the table below.

Table 1: The schedule for the task to be undertaken

This project requires all tutors in St. Francis Elementary School to ensure more accessible and faster transfer of interventions measures bestowed on me to other committee members. Joint deliberations will be performed within those 30 days. Within this period, providing an explanation explaining how St. Francis Elementary School meets certain conditions is conducted. This will be done qualitatively as presentations and requirements of any conflicting information about the institution’s satisfaction by the institution is taken into consideration. The installation costs of these online learning systems are estimated to be $50,000. This amount would be billed after the entire task has been fully accomplished.

Conclusion

Online learning can be accomplished if the participants have access to the internet. There are discrepancies in the distribution of access to the internet worldwide. This raises the necessitate for governments to provide low-cost and universal access to the internet to facilitate online learning potential among the students (Valverde-Berrocoso et al., 2020). Failure to access the internet will inhibit online learning by the institution. Similarly, the success of online learning environments requires the promotion of collaboration, social presence, and the rise of the platform (Sun & Chen, 2016). The features of the learners, system design, and quality of the technology are vital for a practical blended learning experience (Kintu et al., 2017). Furthermore, the response to a crisis pushes for the need to learn and teach using new practices (Rapanta et al., 2020). A formal presentation is expected on June 3, 2021. Similarly, a formal report will be required by June 15, 2021, by the leader of St. Francis Elementary School.

References

Kintu, M. J., Zhu, C., & Kagambe, E. (2017). Blended learning effectiveness: The relationship between student characteristics, design features and outcomes. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14(1).

Rapanta, C., Botturi, L., Goodyear, P., Guàrdia, L., & Koole, M. (2020). Online University teaching during and after the COVID-19 crisis: Refocusing teacher presence and learning activity. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(3), 923-945.

Sun, A., & Chen, X. (2016). Online education and its effective practice: A research review. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 15, 157-190.

Valverde-Berrocoso, J., Garrido-Arroyo, M. D., Burgos-Videla, C., & Morales-Cevallos, M. B. (2020). Trends in educational research about E-LEarning: A systematic literature review (2009–2018). Sustainability, 12(12), 5153.

Introduction to the Theory

Learning, like many other social processes, is a social activity which takes place through the social interaction of the people and construction of the best and effective knowledge is possible only by such contextualized learning. The academicians of high reputation have long confirmed the role of social interactive learning and this has been the basis of contextualist philosophic tradition of learning. On this basis, one of the most penetrating theories of learning has been that of the social constructivism and constructivism can best be understood as “the general view that

1. learning is an active process of constructing rather than acquiring knowledge, and
2. instruction is a process of supporting that construction rather than communicating knowledge.” (Duffy & Cunningham, 1996, p.171).

As opposed to the behaviorist view of learning which gives more importance to the imitation aspects of the learner in the learning process, this constructivist theory gives greater room for the active interaction of the learner who stands at the center of the learning process. Therefore, the learner is provided with a greater responsibility for the interaction with the various learning process and construction of the best knowledge according to their ability for social interaction.

It is in this background that the distance and cooperative learning can best be comprehended and theorized on this background. Accordingly, I strongly belief that a valuable distance learning system would be that which follows the elements of the social constructivist theory. In other words, an effectual distance or cooperative system of learning would be one which puts the social constructivist theory into practice.

Literature Review

Known in several terminologies such as Internet learning, e-learning, distributed learning, virtual learning, networked learning, tele-learning, computer-assisted learning, Web-based learning, or online learning, distance learning has been one of the revolutions in the modern educational strategies. “Distance education uses mediated information and instruction, encompassing all available technologies and a variety of other forms of instruction at a distance, to deliver knowledge and skills to the learner.

Online education is an extension of the traditional form of distance education.” (Elloumi, p.61). There have been persistent discussions on the effectiveness of the specialized delivery technology in the improvement of learning in the modern era. However, most often the focus is laid on the content and the instructional strategy of learning than on type the type of technology in the learning process. “According to Bonk and Reynolds (1997), to promote higher order thinking on the Web, online learning must create challenging activities that enable learners to link new information to old, acquire meaningful knowledge, and use their meta cognitive abilities; hence, it is the instructional strategy and not the technology that influences the quality of learning.” (Ally, p 3).

As the distance learning centers on the learner and the learning material, there are many important factors of social interaction and involved learning that need to be incorporated in the learning strategies of distance learning. For the complete comprehension of this requisite which points to the foundation of such a learning on social constructivist theory, let us define the distance learning as “the use of the Internet to access learning materials; to interact with the content, instructor, and other learners; and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to acquire knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to grow from the learning experience.” (Ally, p.5).

In this definition of the distance learning what we most significantly note is the fact that there is a greater need for the interaction between the instructor, the learner, and the learning material and for the acquirement of the meaning and learning experience through personal efforts and development of individual strategies. All these characteristics of the distance learning point to the greater scope of social constructivist theory into practice.

As we know there are several schools of learning, such as the Behaviorist school, the Cognitive School, and the Constructivist School, with varied perspectives and theories of the methods and process of learning. Whereas the “Behaviorists claim that it is the observable behavior that indicates whether or not the learner has learned something, and not what is going on in the learner’s head,” the “Cognitive psychology claims that learning involves the use of memory, motivation, and thinking, and that reflection plays an important part in learning,” and the Constructivist psychology maintains that “learners interpret information and the world according to their personal reality, and that they learn by observation, processing, and interpretation, and then personalize the information into personal knowledge.” (Ally, p.7).

In the ground works for a basic theory of the distance learning there are certain factors or attributes of learning such as a learner centered, knowledge, assessment, and community centered learning, and affordance of the Internet etc that need to be considered. Such a theory of distance learning should be one which makes it clear that “the various forms of student interaction can be substituted for each other, depending on costs, content, learning objectives, convenience, technology, and available time.” (Anderson, p.43).

It is also notable that the substitutions will not cause a decline in the quality of the learning. In other words, “Sufficient levels of deep and meaningful learning can be developed, as long as one of the three forms of interaction (student-teacher; student-student; student-content) is at very high levels. The other two may be offered at minimal levels or even eliminated without degrading the educational experience. (Anderson, 2002).

In the construction of a distance learning theory, therefore, the most recommended theoretical basis could be that of the social constructivism of Vygotsky which makes room for self-paced education of students utilizing the necessary time, with guidance of the instructor to expand the skills until they feel able to shift to the next stage. The constructivism in general provides opportunity for the students to independently construct knowledge and therefore it can be the best theory to comprehend the distance learning which provides similar opportunities for the students through the materials and the interaction with the instructors.

To know the implications of social constructivist theory in the distance learning, it is important that we consider the relation between technology and social constructivist classrooms. “Technology provides essential tools with which to accomplish the goals of a social constructivist classroom… Telecommunications tools such as e-mail and the Internet provide a means for dialogue, discussion, and debate — interactivity that leads to the social construction of meaning. Students can talk with other students, teachers, and professionals in communities far from their classroom… Networked writing programs provide a unique platform for collaborative writing.

Students can write for real audiences who respond instantly and who participate in a collective writing activity… Simulations can make learning meaningful by situating something to be learned in the context of a “real world” activity such as running a nuclear power plant, writing up “breaking” stories for a newspaper, or dealing with the pollution problems of local waterways.” (Types of Instruction of Social Constructivism).

The Ontological, Epistemological, and Methodological Principles of the Theory

In an exploration of the learning theories that help us in the exposition of distance learning, we have very well comprehended that there is a greater necessity for a learner centered learning. Therefore, the most significant principles of my theory concerning distance learning are based on the same need. There must be the optimum opportunity for the development of a learner’s overall improvement through the procedures of learning. The methods of learning need to concentrate on the provision of prospects for the interaction of the students with the learning material as well as the instructor.

Therefore, the theory bases mainly on the social constructivist point of view when it comes to the development of an ontological position. It is also necessary to consider that “the ideas of Vygotsky are the basic premise on which the theory of social constructivism is developed. At its simplest, social constructivism declares human learning and cognitive development to be social and communicative processes, whereby knowledge is shared and understandings are constructed in culturally formed settings.” (Does the theory of social constructivism have any role to play in computer based learning?).

Distance learning gives great scope for the interaction with the various elements of the learning process. There is possibility for learners to interact with the content directly as well as he or she can interact with the instructor. In the most effective distance learning over the web there is maximum coordination among the teacher agent, the content agent and the learner agent at the knowledge or content interface, thereby providing the utmost possibility for knowledge acquisition.

The most significant duty of every one concerned in the process of learning is to maximize the possibility of such an environment to the learner that enhances his or her learning potential. “Online learning will enhance the critical function of interaction in education in multiple formats and styles among all the participants. These interactions will be supported by autonomous agents working on behalf of all participants. The task of the online course designer and teacher is to choose, adapt, and perfect (through feedback, assessment, and reflection) educational activities that maximize the affordances of the Web.” (Anderson, p.55).

It is of great importance that the learning of various elements is made easy through the interaction and the greater involvement of the learner in the learning process. The significant theories of social constructivism which establishes that the individual cognitive increase happens through interpersonal and intrapersonal skills will form the basis of my theory of distance learning. The social and personal aspects of Vygotsky’s social constructivism (1978) are the basis of the theory in the creation of personally meaningful knowledge through the application of information with the help of shared experiences and opportunities for manifestation. (Vygotsky, 1978).

An Overview of the Core Theory of the Distance Learning and Learning

The basic principles of the theory that has been formulated in the comprehension of distance learning, as we have seen, are based on the social constructivism. Distance learning provides one of the most effective examples of the interactive means of learning and it can very well be considered as the best example for the social constructivist classroom. There is greater possibility, in the distance education, for dialogue, discussion, and debate which provides ample opportunity for the learner for interactivity and in this way the learner can be lead to the social construction of meaning. There is no better way of learning the material and the learner is in continuous interaction with the teacher and the material.

Another great potential of the distance learning which covers a wide range of learning methods is that in this learning the students can talk with other students, teachers, and professionals in communities far from their classroom and therefore there is possibility for interaction par excellence. More significantly, in the distance learning there are also provisions for networked writing programs which provide a unique platform for collaborative writing.

Collaborative learning is one of the guiding principles of constructivist learning. The distance learning is means for the students to write for real audiences who respond instantly and who participate in a collective writing activity.

This enhances the potential of the method in making the learning process more involved and successful. Simulations, which are the most primary assignments and activities of distance learning, can make learning meaningful by situating something to be learned in the real world. Therefore, the students can write simulations on running a nuclear power plant, writing up “breaking” stories for a newspaper, or dealing with the pollution problems of local waterways. Thus, involved participation of the students in the learning activity is ensured. In the distance learning, in a general observation, there is every opportunity for the student for personal acquisition of the knowledge through interaction and persistent activities.

Impact the Theory on the Instructional Design of Distance Learning

The scope for online distance learning in the present era is high and this opportunity to improve the learning strategies has been effectively made use of. However, there are also stories of such institutions fail utterly due to various factors. “There are many reasons why online distance education institutions have failed, including high cost of technology, poor decisions, competition, and the absence of appropriate (or any) business strategies, especially market assessment of consumer demand.” (Elloumi, p.62). One of the very significant reasons for such failures is the problem in understanding the needs of the consumer.

What the learner of a distance learning expects is the provision of every opportunity for the complete development of his or her knowledge and as we have already comprehended there is tremendous possibility for the interaction and thereby the maximum acquirement of knowledge. Some of the most essential elements of an effective distance learning system are synchronous communication, asynchronous communication, scheduling, assessment, feedback, sense of community course, content development, support, and flexibility.

It is only an effective distance learning system that provides opportunity for all these. The impact of my theory is that it looks at all these elements in the learning process will be given high priority in such a learning theory. It will be a guideline for the distance learning designers to base their content on these principles so that there is greater validity for the program they design.

There are various factors that need to be considered in the design of the course and the strategies of distance learning and the theories that are developed in this paper can be best considered as the effective guidelines for such design and other implementations of the distance learning programs. “Instructors and other members of the online course development team should strive to create learning environments that exploit the features inherent in computers and the Web, in order to promote active learning that resides in the control of the student, and that can effectively lead to the development of high-order and critical thinking skills.” (Caplan, p.182).

The thorough treatment of different strategies for the development of the best course plan and content inclusion is necessary and these are criteria for the effective management of the distance learning. The inclusion of various strategies that are based on the social constructivism will be greatly useful in eliminating the risks involved in the course and content design. Therefore, the most important impact of the theory, which is primarily based on the social constructivism, is that it gives opportunity for the implementation of a competent distance learning strategy. In other words, the theory developed helps in a practical implementation of the social constructivism which is a highly potential theory of learning.

Conclusion and Summary

In the ultimate conclusion of the paper, it needs to be maintained that the social constructivist theory is one of the very efficient theories that can explain the significance of distance learning. The role of this theory is great in the modern situation of distance learning where great development is evident in the learning theories. As there are various benefits in following the social constructivist theory in the distance learning, recommendations are made for converting the theory into practice.

Most significantly, “social constructivism has become an increasingly popular theory in describing both the learning and teaching process and as a result it is influencing new trends in the design and delivery of many areas of the curriculum. Without doubt, the information and communication technology (ICT) revolution has similarly influenced classroom methodologies and is an increasingly significant aspect of our students’ lives beyond the school walls.” (Does the theory of social constructivism have any role to play in computer based learning?). In this background, we need to comprehend the theories that are developed in the paper.

References

Ally, Mohamed., Anderson, Terry(Ed.)., & Elloumi, Fathi(Ed.). (nd). “Foundations of educational theory for online learning,” Theory and Practice of Online Learning, Athabasca University.

Duffy, T. M., Cunningham, D. J., & Jonassen, D. H(Ed.). (1996). Constructivism: Implications for the design and delivery of instruction, In Handbook of research for educational communications and technology, New York: Macmillan. P.171.

Anderson, Terry. Toward a Theory of Online Learning, Theory and Practice of Online Learning, Athabasca University. p.43.

Anderson, Terry. (2002). An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. Athabasca university, Canada’s open university. Web.

Elloumi, Fathi. Value chain analysis: A strategic approach to online learning, Theory and practice of online learning, Athabasca university.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Caplan,Dean. The Development of Online Courses, Theory and Practice of Online Learning, Athabasca University. P.182.

Does the theory of social constructivism have any role to play in computer based learning? – A literature review. Web.

Types of Instruction of Social Constructivism, Social Constructivist Theories. Web.

Introduction

One of the most hotly debated scholarly topics these days is the emergence of Distance Learning as the educational tool of choice for tertiary-bound students of the 21st century. The argument stems from the quality of the education that can be received via the internet and what the drawbacks are once there is no physical contact between students and the professors. In his Essay ” Can You Be Educated From A Distance”, writer James Barszcz argues that real education is summed up as:

…a true education reduces or draws out from within a person qualities of intellect and character that would have otherwise remained hidden or dormant” (Barszcz, 524).

Main body

To learn, one must observe his peers and professors, as well as understand that which makes man unique by learning socialization techniques. Other arguments include suppositions that students will not work as hard to learn once left to their own devices. That professors become lax in their work responsibilities and allow students to slide by.

Having taken an online learning course in Basic HTML, I must say that all of the concerns of Barszcz and his companions remain truly unrealistic. You see, although a distance learning student is left to his own devices with which to learn the lesson, it becomes twice as hard to learn if one does not fully apply himself to the lesson. Distance Learning is based upon the trust system between the professor and the student. The course syllabus is given out together with assignments and reading materials that the students are expected to learn. Everything is set up to aid the student in learning the lesson accurately. I found this method to be a learning experience because the setup allowed me to ask my questions of the professor and my classmates as well. Discussions were more enlightening as no questions ever seemed too silly to ask. everyone helped resolve any project problems that we came across.

Distance Learning education is more conducive to learning in my opinion because it allowed for more open class discussions and allowed a student to exhaust all possible sides of the class discussion before moving on because of the online chat room and forums. It was always possible for me to go back to a topic I needed to understand better and discuss with the others even though the lessons had already moved on. In an actual classroom scenario, I would have been too shy to go back to the old topic and face ridicule from my classmates and professor.

Now, as far as the learning from socialization aspect, the truth is that distance learning allows for the same thing although in a different way. You see, in our particular class, we were strewn all over the country and some were foreign students who signed up for the class via the internet. So, when we did get together in the flesh, it is was a new learning experience because we visited each other’s homes, states, or countries. Thereby extending our knowledge of the world and those around us in a way that no amount of on-campus fraternization can provide.

Conclusion

In the end, the result of Distance Learning Education relies upon the student and no one else. If a student is going to slack off, he will slack off even in real life. However, there is something different about distance learning via the internet. The implied trust in each other seems to bring out a new sense of responsibility in the student that cannot be found in real-time education. So in my opinion, I vote yes for Distance Learning via the internet.

The spread of the COVID-19 epidemic has fundamentally transformed people’s lifestyles and habits. The Internet began to play an important role in supporting remote work, e-learning, online collaboration. The education system has been the most affected (Tremmel et al., 2020; Marshall, Shannon, and Love, 2020; Peloso et al., 2020). Closing schools and universities maintaining social isolation in the context of the spread of COVID-19 required new approaches to the organization of education in most countries (Pokhrel and Chhetri, 2021; Renu, 2021). The radical transition from the traditional system of obtaining knowledge to virtual education actualizes research related to the analysis of the specifics and dysfunctions of distance learning. Such a state of affairs contributed to the appropriacy to choose the area given. From the explored sources, the following themes emerged – digital literacy of students, the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning, mechanisms to reduce stress and workload for students, tools to increase their level of motivation and involvement.

As surveys of students from universities in Indonesia and Malaysia conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 show, prior informing students, careful planning, effective communication, monitoring of technical and organizational problems have a positive impact on students’ attitudes towards e-learning (Ana A. et al., 2020). Studies conducted in Saudi Arabia illustrate the high levels of student stress associated with the abrupt and forced transition to online learning. Of particular concern is the uncertainty of knowledge assessment systems (Moawad, 2020). An additional source of concern in the context of online learning is a significant increase in the amount of information received a decrease in the number of personal contacts between the teacher and the student.

Dysfunctions of the rapid transition to distance learning focus scientists on the factors that make it possible to increase the effectiveness of the educational process (Hash, 2021; Rashid and Yadav, 2020; Neuwirth, Jović, and Mukherji, 2021). Involving students in interactive activities and group interaction makes it possible to compensate for the lack of live communication between a teacher and a student in distance learning (Davis et al., 2021; Dhawan, 2020; Wotto, 2020). Great opportunities in this context are the methods of gamification. The game design allows students to practice constructive thinking and analysis skills.

The advantages of distance learning are illustrated by the following factors: flexibility in the organization of the educational process, visibility (an effective system for presenting material using proven methods), and taking into account the individual needs of students (Shamir-Inbal and Blau, 2021; Jameson et al., 2020). The capability to work at one’s own pace, convenient mode, and schedule provides a reduction in stress levels in the learning process. The implementation of these advantages is ensured largely through quality control of digital content the use of digital technologies in education (Friedman et al., 2021; Kozimor, 2020). The results of the research will make it possible to identify factors for increasing the effectiveness of online learning. Among these might be connection with practice, a high level of relevance, involving students in the creation of digital content, monitoring student satisfaction, and adjusting course materials (Khan and Abid, 2021; Madianou, 2020).

It should be noted that the effectiveness of distance learning is determined by the resource provision of the digitalization of the educational space. The results of the research illustrate the problems in the field of financing the availability of digital infrastructure and software in educational organizations (Bubb and Jones, 2020; Tessarollo et al., 2022; Azar et al., 2021). The lack of infrastructure support and readiness of teaching staff to introduce digital technologies into the educational process leads to significant dysfunctions in the practice of distance learning.

The perception of the quality of distance learning by students, first of all, depends on the teacher: their personal qualities and the parameters of using digital technologies. In the context of the digitalization of education, the personal and professional qualities of the teaching staff are of particular importance (Gillis and Krull, 2020; Alqabbani et al., 2021; Ntshwarang, Malinga, and Losike-Sedimo, 2021). This is experience, skills of working in an online environment, the desire to use a wide range of strategies in the process of interaction with students (Smoyer, O’Brien, and Rodriguez-Keyes, 2020; Liu, 2021). Digital trust loyalty to digital innovations determines the success of distance learning. The lack of full-fledged communication with the teacher the complexity of organizing feedback reduces the motivation of students to acquire knowledge, causes difficulties with adaptation, and becomes a source of stress (Shawaqfeh et al., 2020; Saxena, Baber, and Kumar, 2021; Zhou, 2021). Additional problems are technical difficulties lack of infrastructure for online learning for certain social groups of young people.

The purpose of the study is to determine the benefits and risks of the transition to distance learning for university students, which is due to the introduction of quarantine measures in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following tasks are set: to determine how successfully students of higher educational institutions have adapted to the transition to distance learning; identify dysfunctions and difficulties of transition to distance learning; identify new trends in changing the quality of the educational process.

The study puts forward the following hypotheses. First, the effectiveness of the transition to distance learning depends on the professional and personal qualities of the teacher, his motivation, and their ability to adapt the usual pedagogical methods to the new conditions of distance learning. Secondly, the use of modern information and communication technologies the formation of stable feedback with students reduces the negative consequences of the transition to distance learning.

A set of general scientific research methods will be used: analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, classification. Also, empirical research methods will be involved: analysis of documents (information and scientific sources). The key research method is a questionnaire survey of senior students of full-time and part-time forms of education. The choice of an educational organization will be determined both by the internal principles of improving the quality and effectiveness of the transition of education to a remote work format and by its status as a leading innovative university.

Reference List

Alqabbani, S. et al. (2021) ‘Readiness towards emergency shifting to remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic among university instructors’, E-Learning and Digital Media, 18(5), pp. 460–479.

Ana A. et al. (2020) Students’ perceptions of the twists and turns of E-learning in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensional, 12(1), pp. 15–26.

Azar, A. J. et al. (2021) ‘Design, implementation and evaluation of a distance learning framework to expedite medical education during COVID-19 pandemic: A proof-of-concept study’, Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development. doi: 10.1177/23821205211000349.

Bubb, S. and Jones, M.-A. (2020) ‘Learning from the COVID-19 home-schooling experience: Listening to pupils, parents/carers and teachers’, Improving Schools, 23(3), pp. 209–222.

Davis, C. R. et al. (2021) ‘Distance learning and parental mental health during COVID-19’, Educational Researcher, 50(1), pp. 61–64.

Dhawan, S. (2020) ‘Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), pp. 5–22.

Friedman, J. et al. (2021) ‘U.S. children “learning online” during COVID-19 without the Internet or a computer: Visualizing the gradient by race/ethnicity and parental educational attainment’, Socius. doi: 10.1177/2378023121992607.

Gillis, A. and Krull, L. M. (2020) ‘COVID-19 remote learning transition in spring 2020: Class structures, student perceptions, and inequality in college courses’, Teaching Sociology, 48(4), pp. 283–299.

Hash, P. M. (2021) ‘Remote learning in school bands during the COVID-19 shutdown’, Journal of Research in Music Education, 68(4), pp. 381–397.

Jameson, J. M. et al. (2020) ‘Free appropriate public education in the time of COVID-19’, Rural Special Education Quarterly, 39(4), pp. 181–192.

Khan, Z. H. and Abid, M. I. (2021) ‘Distance learning in engineering education: Challenges and opportunities during COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Pakistan’, The International Journal of Electrical Engineering & Education. doi: 10.1177/0020720920988493.

Kozimor, M. L. (2020) ‘Editor’s comment: Three teaching takeaways from the COVID-19 pandemic’, Teaching Sociology, 48(3), pp. 181–183.

Liu, J. (2021) ‘Bridging digital divide amidst educational change for socially inclusive learning during the COVID-19 pandemic’, SAGE Open. doi: 10.1177/21582440211060810.

Madianou, M. (2020) ‘A second-order disaster? Digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Social Media + Society. doi: 10.1177/2056305120948168.

Marshall, D. T., Shannon, D. M. and Love, S. M. (2020) ‘How teachers experienced the COVID-19 transition to remote instruction’, Phi Delta Kappan, 102(3), pp. 46–50.

Moawad, R. (2020) ‘Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and academic stress in university students. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensional, 12(1), pp. 100–107.

Neuwirth, L. S., Jović, S. and Mukherji, B. R. (2021) ‘Reimagining higher education during and post-COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities’, Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 27(2), pp. 141–156.

Ntshwarang, P. N., Malinga, T. and Losike-Sedimo, N. (2021) ‘eLearning tools at the University of Botswana: Relevance and use under COVID-19 crisis’, Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), pp. 142–154.

Peloso, R. M. et al. (2020) ‘Notes from the field: Concerns of health-related higher education students in Brazil pertaining to distance learning during the Coronavirus pandemic’, Evaluation & the Health Professions, 43(3), pp. 201–203.

Pokhrel, S. and Chhetri, R. (2021) ‘A literature review on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning’, Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), pp. 133–141.

Rashid, S. and Yadav, S. S. (2020) ‘Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on higher education and research’, Indian Journal of Human Development, 14(2), pp. 340–343.

Renu, N. (2021) ‘Technological advancement in the era of COVID-19’, SAGE Open Medicine. doi: 10.1177/20503121211000912.

Saxena, C., Baber, H. and Kumar, P. (2021) ‘Examining the moderating effect of perceived benefits of maintaining social distance on E-learning quality during COVID-19 pandemic’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(4), pp. 532–554.

Shamir-Inbal, T. and Blau, I. (2021) ‘Facilitating emergency remote K-12 teaching in computing-enhanced virtual learning environments during COVID-19 pandemic – Blessing or curse?’, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59(7), pp. 1243–1271.

Shawaqfeh, M. et al. (2020) ‘Pharmacy students perceptions of their distance online learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study’, Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development. doi: 10.1177/2382120520963039.

Smoyer, A. B., O’Brien, K. and Rodriguez-Keyes, E. (2020) ‘Lessons learned from COVID-19: Being known in online social work classrooms’, International Social Work, 63(5), pp. 651–654.

Tessarollo, V. et al. (2022) ‘Distance learning in children with and without ADHD: A case-control study during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(6), pp. 902–914.

Tremmel, P. et al. (2020) ‘Educating students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned from commerce independent school district’, Rural Special Education Quarterly, 39(4), pp. 201–210.

Wotto, M. (2020) ‘The future high education distance learning in Canada, the United States, and France: Insights from before COVID-19 secondary data analysis’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(2), pp. 262–281.

Zhou, J. (2021) ‘The role of libraries in distance learning during COVID-19’, Information Development. doi: 10.1177/02666669211001502.

Introduction

Online education is a revolutionary invention that is capable of supporting the educational needs of many students (Oyuang & Stanley 2014). The education model is facilitated by modern developments in technology such as the Internet. More people are now in a position to pursue their academic goals while at the same time focusing on their careers and families. My MBA distance learning program proved to be practical for my personal and professional goals. This is the case because I was able to combine learning with my career objectives. This paper presents my personal reflections on MBA distance learning.

Personal Experience

To begin with, I strongly believe that the university has designed a competitive model to support distance learning. The curriculum is customized in such a way that it meets the diverse needs of more students (Aydemir, Ozkenskin & Akkurt 2015). This fact explains why my experience is commendable. I was able to concentrate on various subjects, complete assignments, and liaise with different instructors throughout the learning process. The distance learning structure allowed students to share notes, books, and ideas.

My personal assessment is that the program was appropriate and capable of empowering every learner. The tutors understood their roles, offered timely instructions, and promoted evidence-based practices that delivered meaningful results. The content was delivered through the use of discussion boards, interactive animations, online videos, and lectures. The concept of excellence supported the learning process, thereby empowering more students (Darden 2014).

Examinations and continuous assessments were handled in a professional manner. I received timely insights and feedbacks depending on the scores attained after every test. The approach made the learning process desirable and capable of supporting my aims. Unfortunately, specific assessments such as finance and accountancy proved to be difficult for me. Nevertheless, I was keen to work hard in an attempt to achieve my academic goals.

Time management was a major challenge for me. The process required me to complete a wide range of roles every day. However, I was dedicated in an attempt to attend every learning session. Effective communication with different tutors and instructors empowered me to manage my time effectively. I designed a timetable to guide me throughout the process.

Illustrating and Evaluating My Learning

The institution promotes the use of different strategies to deliver desirable content to online learners. Personally, I have merged my educational needs with the MBA program model. For instance, the institution exploited online videos and lectures to educate the targeted students. Discussion boards, videos, and interactive animations supported the learning scheme. These tactics were relevant for every student. Personally, I developed superior skills in management, finance, and accounting.

Additionally, I was keen to support my goals using various strategies. I embraced the concept of self-study. After receiving the content from the tutors, I created enough time to study class materials. Journal entries were used to ensure specific concepts and skills were developed (Moon 2006). The application of peer-to-peer interaction with different learners supported the learning process. Emails were shared with fellow students and instructors. These attributes explain why my distance MBA program was a success.

How Learning Informs My Practice

One of the outstanding benefits of the distance MBA program is that it gave me enough time to acquire new dexterities. Such competencies are currently being applied in my professional practice as a real estate marketer. For example, concepts such as business operations, decision-making, and problem-solving were acquired from the program. Several management functions such as accounting, marketing, and planning have been applied in my organization. I have improved my leadership philosophy by considering new skills and concepts that were developed throughout the learning process.

The notion of lifelong learning emerges from this program. For instance, I have been focusing on and identifying evidence-based strategies, ideas, and practices that can be applied in different organizational settings. The concept of teamwork, for example, has been embraced and implemented in my working environment. Followers are sanctioned to make timely decisions, focus on anticipated goals and address every focusing on effective marketing processes (Northcote & Gosselin 2017). Specific areas in the organization such as marketing, financial management, and accounting have been monitored using the insights gained from this learning process. I will use my proficiencies whenever interacting with different stakeholders such as investors and customers.

Evaluating Reflective Practice: Learning Theories and Critical Perspectives

As indicated earlier, the ideas associated with the course continue to influence my management strategies. I understand that marketing is a complex field that requires professionals to focus on the best functions that can add value to the targeted organization. I have learned how to engage in planning. This know-how has made it possible for me to come up with appropriate marketing aims and visions. Such goals are usually communicated to the targeted followers in a timely manner. Aspects to do with human resources have also been developed and applied respectively. I understand how to attract competent workers and equip them with satisfactory resources so that they can deliver desirable goals. Business ethics has been developed as an attribute of management (Darojat, Nilson & Kaufman 2015). This area focuses on the best practices that add value to different stakeholders and community members.

My awareness of various theories of learning supported my goals as an MBA student. The first model is Kolb’s learning theory. The theory presents four stages that are critical throughout the learning process (Moon 2006). I managed to utilize the theory by focusing on my learning experience (stage 1), reviewing the process (stage 2), acquiring new concepts (stage 3), and applying them in my new role as a marketer (stage 4).

The community of practice model was also taken seriously as a learning theory. I joined different teams and virtual groups to pursue my aims as a learner. The members of the teams shared ideas, concepts, and materials to make the learning process successful. The theory was appropriate because most of the students were pursuing related professions. Gibb’s reflective cycle is a powerful model that supports different forms of learning. The theory follows six unique paths (Moon 2006). According to the model, my experiences and gains from the distance learning course were outlined. I focused on new dexterities that could be improved to make me a successful marketer and manager. With new concepts and abilities, I strongly believe that I can be in a position to achieve my professional goals.

The online content made it easier for me to develop adequate critical perspectives. Online interactions and discussions equipped me with adequate dexterities that made me creative. Critical thinking guides leaders to analyze issues, make informed decisions and offer meaningful models for delivering positive outcomes (Oyuang & Stanley 2014). I presently encourage my fellow marketers to think critically, question emerging situations, and identify creative approaches that can maximize sales in the real estate sector. The implementation of such perspectives will support my professional objectives.

Role of Reflection on Practice

This reflection has made it easier for me to identify the unique gains from the distance MBA learning program. The insights have directed me to pinpoint the advantages of the course and how they can support my goals as a marketing expert. Professionals working in different settings or organizations should engage in similar reflections to monitor their respective achievements (Moon 2006). This move will inform their future practices and strategies as leaders or entrepreneurs.

When it comes to the issue of practice, the observations made from the reflection can inform new philosophies that meet the needs of different stakeholders. Leaders can use the approach to identify new fields for improvement. This strategy will result in superior plans that can result in appropriate practices and eventually drive performance. Nolan (2013) acknowledges that reflection is a powerful practice that fosters lifelong learning. The practice can be done to identify unique dexterities, concepts, theories and models to be improved. In the practice setting, an individual will be in a position to mentor others and learn from every emerging issue.

Conclusion

I strongly believe that professionals who want to pursue their goals must engage in personal reflections. This is an evidence-based practice that can empower individuals to examine the issues associated with various activities, roles, or programs. Reflection, therefore, becomes a powerful practice that helps people develop superior plans for realizing their potential. In conclusion, I will continue to embrace the power of reflection throughout my career journey. This move will guide me to achieve my goals as a real estate marketer.

Reference List

Aydemir, M, Ozkenskin, E & Akkurt, AA 2015, ‘A theoretical framework on open and distance learning’, Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, vol. 174, no. 1, pp. 1750-1757.

Darden, DC 2014, ‘Relevance of the Knowles theory in distance learning’, Creative Education, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 809-812.

Darojat, O, Nilson, M & Kaufman, D 2015, ‘Quality assurance in Asian open and distance learning: policies and implementation’, Journal of Learning for Development, vol. 2, no. 2, p. 1-15.

Moon, JA 2006, Learning journal: handbook for reflective practice and professional development, 2nd edn, Taylor & Francis, Oxford, UK.

Nolan, RL 2013, ‘Management: theory and practice, and cases’, Harvard Business School Research Paper Series, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-21.

Northcote, M & Gosselin, KP 2017, Handbook of research on humanizing the distance learning experience, IGI Global, Hershey, PA.

Oyuang, JR & Stanley, N 2014, ‘Theories and research in educational technology and distance learning instruction through blackboard’, Universal Journal of Educational Research, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 161-172.

Introduction

A new online education platform competes with well-established companies and public projects, such as Coursera, edX, Udemy, and KhanAcademy. Despite the high competition, the popularity of massive open online courses (MOOC) and technology development suggest that there is a market for new niche online learning platforms. During the pandemic, the online education resources gained more traction and popularity. Moreover, Altmann et al. (2018) argue that the industry of higher education is disrupted by emerging technologies. This report will analyze the current target market, consumer profile, and present SWOT and PEST analysis.

Consumer Target Market: Demographics, Geographics, and Psychographics

The goal of online education is to enhance the knowledge of people who want to pursue a particular career for a fee that is lesser when compared to offline studies in Universities. An exclusion is a competing platform KhanAcademy (n.d.), which is targeted towards school students and is free to use, which requires the platform to request donations from learners and organizations. Hence, the demographics of online education that the new product will target are men and women aged 18 and above because platforms targeted at younger users may struggle to compete with a free of charge Khan Academy.

Since the learning platform provides professional training that one can apply to enhance their resume and build a career, the focus is on people with a degree or some professional education background—for example, some college education, associates, or bachelor’s studies. In terms of psychographics, the people who engage in such programs want to enhance existing skills or gain a new one to gain a new job, change an industry they work in, or have a promotion. Hence, they are motivated and have well-defined goals, and have an understanding of what interests them or what knowledge they need for professional development. The second category of MOOCs participants show little engagement with the studies and never finish them because these courses do not require a commitment or monetary input from the learner (Romero-Rodríguez et al., 2020). However, this category would not be interested in a learning platform with no free of charge content and would not contribute to profitability, hence it can be excluded from this analysis.

The competing products have the following demographics characteristics: edX (n.d.a) reports that the age range of their learners, based on self-reported data, is from 19 to 26 years, although there are older and younger learners as well. In terms of psychographics, 30% of people on edX (n.d.b) report having secondary education, and 29% have a Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, 65% of learners are male and come from the United States. Hence, the competing platform edX is used predominantly by people from the United States, 59% of who have some secondary education background.

The niche for the new learning platform would be to target the learners interested in a specific career. The competitors have a wide range of professional training opportunities they focus on, which can be explained by the number of courses in different fields that they offer. The differentiation point of this learning platform should be a specific field of study, for example, Computer Sciences. To be credible and work with people who have credentials in this field of studies, the platform should partner with an education institution, similar to Coursera and edX partnerships with Harvard or other universities. Moreover, the goal should be to give learners a degree that would make them compatible in the job market. Hence, one suggestion is to create a platform exclusively for online studies that will offer a degree. Additionally, to address some issues and consumer concerns, the platform should include mentorship support to compensate for the lack of face-to-face interactions that existing MOOCs have. These concerns and implications for learners will be reviewed in detail in the following sections with SWOT and PEST analysis.

Points of Difference and Positioning Strategy

Point of differentiation for this online learning platform from the competitors, such as Coursera, edX, Udemy, and others:

• Focus on a specific career or skill
• Compulsory homework that is reviewed by assistants
• Enhanced engagement between an educator and students
• Earning a degree
• Education credits
• Benefits of online learning, such as access and no time restrictions

The goal of this new platform would be to assist students in their learning and ensure that they progress in their studies. In comparison, platforms such as edX and Coursera offer primarily self-paced courses, where an individual sets a schedule for themselves and learns whenever they want (Romero-Rodríguez et al., 2020). Although this provides an excellent opportunity for people who work and learn at the same time, it also results in a low completion rate for these courses. Only about 10% of people who sign up for a MOOC finish it (Romero-Rodríguez et al., 2020). Hence, this platform should employ some strategies to increase the engagement of students. First and foremost, it will offer only degree studies that students can enroll in to learn through a set of courses. Additionally, there should be cooperation between students and educators, including homework and discussions similar to the traditional face to face studies. These factors, however, limit the ability for mass learning and create a more exclusive experience for students.

Positioning Strategy

This platform will aim to address the learning issues that people enrolled in MOOCs face: lack of engagement, no feedback from a tutor, self-paced environment, and low course completion rate. This strategy implies that this online platform will be structured similarly to a class in a college. When compared to traditional MOOCs, the students will receive more technical and professional support through mentorship that will guide them through their students. Additionally, this program will offer degree programs and not individual courses and will not have content that one can access without enrolling. These measures are required to enhance the engagement and motivation of students. Hence the basis of positioning is the combination of traditional learning attributes with the benefits of MOOCs. The students will be able to access their study materials from anywhere, but they will also communicate with tutors and support staff and will be held accountable through homework and discussions.

Relevant Category Trends

The primary trend of this category is gaining a full degree online from a trusted university with accreditation and credentials. Hence, platforms aim to gain more relevance and credibility by partnering with universities and offering programs that were developed by qualified educators. edX (n.d.c) uses a similar approach in partnership with WGU, ASU, Doanne University, Rice, and SHNU, where students can enroll in a MicroBachelors program for $400-$900. edX and Coursera now offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees that a person can receive by studying online full time. These programs are designed in partnership with universities, which means that students receive actual credit and diplomas. This is perhaps the most important trend in the industry because it shows that there is a demand for full-size degree programs and not only for individual courses. Also, this suggests that consumers want to receive more benefits from their online learning, such as credits or a degree that will verify their skills and knowledge. More consumer trends will be discussed in the next section.

Another trend is the mass shift towards online studies as campuses are closed on a lockdown. Students and educators who previously studied offline now have to use online learning tools. According to Chen et al. (2020), “during the COVID-19 pandemic, social education has shifted from face to face to online in order to avoid large gatherings and crowds for blocking the transmission of the virus” (p. 7329). Hence, a major category trend is more consumer attention towards online education and willingness to cooperate from the education facilities that were forced to switch to teaching online partially or fully.

Consumer Trends

Consumers face the issue of having a lot of information for free and pressure from being enrolled in a plethora of courses at once. Due to a surplus of courses available to them free of charge, a person may enroll in several and never finish them due to a lack of time or motivation (Romero-Rodríguez et al., 2020). This discredits the mass online learning and its ability to replace institutional education altogether in the eyes of a consumer.

Another issue is the perception of MOOCs and online learning by learners. Currently, the main concerns of consumers include “access speed, reliability, timely transmission technology of video information, course management, communication and interaction, and learning and technical support” (Chen et al., 2020, p. 7329). Thus, they are worried about the quality of experience they will have with online learning. This analysis of consumer trends suggests that consumers are concerned with the quality of the services they receive and the technological problems that may affect their learning. Additionally, the factors of interactions and management of the course are serious issues of MOOCs that contribute to low completion rates since students show a lack of engagement when they do not communicate with professors directly.

Another trend is affordability since, in countries such as the United States, where edX (n.d.a) reports having the largest number of users, the cost of education is extremely high. One expectation from online studies is that they will cost less with comparable benefits and job prospects since there are fewer administrative costs and no need to maintain large physical facilities for classrooms and libraries. Thus, core consumer trends are technological availability, cost, and ability to earn a degree from online-based studies.

SWOT and PEST

Table 1 represents a SWOT analysis of the online education industry. Currently, the environment is favorable, with multiple opportunities for growth due to coronavirus and people’s desire to improve their skills to compete in the job market. However, there are many unaddressed issues with online learning platforms, such as low completion rate, lack of accreditations, and technological complexity. However, the pandemic and Skylink launch will allow online learning platforms to receive more attention from potential learners due to expanded fast internet access and restriction for gatherings of people.

Table 1. Online learning SWOT (created by the author).

Table 2 is an assessment of industry factors in accordance with the PEST framework. Most importantly, online learning depends on technology,following and there have been some new and useful developments recently. For example, Devanesan (2021) states that Starlink is close to disrupting the telecommunications industry with its satellite internet. This will provide access to fast and affordable connections to people globally, which is essential for watching educational videos or having online meetings. Companies, such as Zoom have gained more attention as well, which means that the technology for online conversations will continue to improve due to investments and consumer interest. These technological developments mean that a new platform can leverage fast internet and new communication tools to create a better learning environment.

Table 2. PEST analysis (created by the author).

Conclusion

In summary, this report is an analysis of the market for a new online learning platform. The online learning industry is competitive, with many platforms in the market already. However, one opportunity for establishing a new company in a niche is to take advantage of the technological developments and address the issues with low completion rates and technological problems. The pandemic and attention towards online learning provide a multitude of opportunities for this since people turn towards online education.

References

Altmann, A., Ebersberger, B., Mössenlechner, C., & Wieser, D. (2018). The disruptive power of online education: Challenges, opportunities, responses. Emerald Publishing Ltd.

Chen, T., Peng, L., Jing, B., Wu, C., Yang, J., & Cong, G. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on user experience with online education platforms in china. Sustainability, 12(18), 7329. Web.

Devanesan, J. (2021). Elon Musk to disrupt telecommunications next with Starlink internet satellites.Tech Wire Asia. Web.

edX. (n.d.a). 4.3. Age demographics. Web.

edX. (n.d.b). 4.4. education demographics. Web.

edX. (n.d.c). MicroBachelors® programs for undergraduate education. Web.

Khan Academy (n.d.). About. Web.

Lee, S. & Chung, J. Y. (2019). Lessons learned from two years of K-MOOC experience. Educational Media International, 56(2), 134–148. Web.

Romero-Rodríguez, L.,M., Ramírez-Montoya, M. S., & Aguaded, I. (2020). Determining factors in MOOCs completion rates: Application test in energy sustainability courses. Sustainability, 12(7), 2893. Web.

Introduction

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing facility used for virtual meetings at home, school, and work in live chats and allows members to record the sessions for future reference. As Covid-19 persisted through 2020, companies recognized that online working could be a solution (Rohit, 2020). Yuan started thinking of video conferencing in his first year in college because he was tired of traveling for many hours to see his lover. The man joined Webex as a software engineer in 1997 after arriving in the USA, but finally left the job and founded zoom, where his former colleagues joined him. Yuan said the starting times of zoom were deeply intensive on product development. For the first four years, most of zoom’s staff comprised software concocts who was dedicated to increasing the video conferencing platform. Zoom is divided into individual and business users to facilitate communication and productivity.

The designers intentionally evaded the policy of reclaiming current, open-source software. Zoom chose the extensive and hard journey built from zero because the designers were ready to do it right. Yuan was intensely observant of customer desires and was known for responding to customer grumbles. Zoom conveyed 300 enhancements to the zoom policy and a Net Promoter Score of 71, compared to an average score of 59 for the technology segment (Gately, 2020). Zoom targeted organizations with over 12 employees despite being popular among individual consumers. Approximately half of the rich 501 corporations allegedly used zoom in 2019, and the number had grown by 228% in 2020 (Tillman, 2020). There are phrases used in Zooms such as zoom meeting and zoom room. During the pandemic, the zoom was and is still the most downloaded App in the USA and globally compared to others.

A zoom meeting is a video conferencing summit introduced using zoom and can be joined via a web camera or a phone. The convention can be between colleagues, learners, or health care providers. Zoom Room is a corporal hardware system that allows firms to program and unveil conferences from session housings. Zoom Rooms necessitate an extra payment on top of the normal pay and are an ultimate resolution for greater businesses. Zoom has features such as one-on-one meetings with free 40 minutes plan with up to 100 members (Pierce, 2020). The host can record meetings and events and share the screen with other members for viewing. As the pandemic continued, many employees worked at home using zoom, cutting costs and saving time. Zooming worked out for many users during a covid-19 pandemic because it is easy to use compared to other teleconferencing platforms, is cost friendly, readily available, and has high-security levels from intruders. Video conferencing has eased the way employers and employees communicate and work from home, students learn online and patients are attended by practitioners while at home.

Did Zoom have a Competitive Advantage in 2020, and what was the Source?

As the use of videoconferencing raised, zoom was chosen as a provider to numerous companies. While purchasing data showed that Zoom’s rates were habitually greater than that of opponents, client appraisals recommended a brink in product functionality and service eminence (Lev-Ram, 2020). During covid-19 pandemic in 2020, zoom had typical reasonable advantages such as fast to download and a few clicks for members to begin a conference from any place, whether at home or the workplace. Zoom had a streamlined interface for generating and attending webinars. The App was cheap and affordable to users, was highly reliable compared to others, and had high security. Zoom improved confidentiality and safety concerns, meaning no intruders could join the meeting.

All meeting members were releasing several related improvements to make the App effective. For example, zoom changes meant that all participants were retained in a vital waiting chamber by default and checked by the hosts before being allowed to join the summit (Gallagher, 2020). The company also acquired Keybase, an encoded messaging company, and started giving end-to-end encryption as a choice to consumers. Zoom also united with Crowd Strike, which provided system haven amenities. Special features and low pricing were offered to learning institutes and well-being providers. In March 2020, 40 minutes were given free to students in learning institutions worldwide (Gately, 2020). The firm merged with Clever, an extensively used, only sign-on portal in US faculties, to make zoom reachable to the 8,001 ingenious regions undergoing faculty shutting (Tillman, 2020). The enterprise removed assets from Khan Academy to supplement learning at home.

Zoom hardware companion in the US, known as Logitech International, delivered costless equipment packages for some American public institutes. Educating blogs were sponsored to create consciousness of zoom’s security features like Zoom Chilling Room. The learning segment valued zoom’s capability to accommodate many learners, make breakout rooms available, and work with inferior bandwidth requests. Separately from companies and other establishments, people used zoom for partying during the contagion. Different beings congregated on the App to celebrate birthdates, joyful times, and nuptials. The users relished free 40 minutes meetings for the above three individuals and the sound track to lengthier crowd conferences, social media gushing, and cloud sound tracking of the conferences at a trivial monthly sum.

Acquisition of higher-end features for users was made easy by zoom’s supplementary services, such as huge seminars and audio conferencing. US wellbeing info and concealment principles, such as the ones in the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in the wellbeing care sector, cherished zoom’s submission. By July 2020, zoom surpassed the most-recognized telemedicine skills as ranked by surgeons (Pierce, 2020). The leader of certain health care mentioned that zoom was compliant with HIPAA, easy to use, affordable, and could accommodate many patients for group therapy. Zoom expands communication, builds good relations between employers and employees, improves effectiveness and job productivity, and offers good quality products with aggressive ratings.

What Threats were Faced by Zoom in 2020?

In the early days of the pandemic attacks, safety and consistency were alleged as exposures for Zoom. In May 2020, Zoom was prosecuted for distribution its operator data with third parties without users’ permission (Lev-Ram, 2020). An additional menace was that unwanted people intruded on arranged conferences. As a result, numerous establishments, industries, and institutes rejected Zoom. Service outages were becoming an issue where the main instance happened in August 2020 and stopped all meetings in the United States and Europe. The number of users paying for the service only tripled while clients of free services had a huge increase.

For the whole of 2020, all videoconferencing products had great growth. Cisco was on top of selling internet-based telephones and had a 46% segment of conferencing equipment worldwide (Tillman, 2020). Cisco testified that Webex had 501 million conference attendants in May and recorded above 5.6 billion convention minutes in the first 12 days of April 2020 (Lev-Ram, 2020). Webex announced features like the skill to modify or distort backgrounds, live dictation, and locked caption. The acquisition of Babble labs eliminated clarity and productivity for Webex participants and background noise. The online education policy known as Webex Classrooms was tossed, which included breakout places and content allocation. Google Meet was another threat of zoom that hurled a derivative of a previous video conversing app known as Hangouts.

However, in May 2020, Google publicized that anybody possessing free Gmail account could pledge a meet call, with no summit time duration limitation that was later prolonged to March 2021. The sum of downloads of Google Meet increased to 50.1 million in May from 5 million in March (Tillman, 2020). The number of new users added daily was 2.1 million, with 101 million learning customers across 151 states (Gallagher, 2020). In October, Google stated that the third quarter of 236 million daily meeting members, compared to 601 million weekly (Gately, 2020). Google Meet announced features that gave more governance to hosts and were allowed to eliminate dumb contestants and oblige that participants ask for approval to get in. Breakout rooms, contextual distortion, and a grid view of up to 50 members were presented (Rohit, 2020). More than 101 features such as non-verbal responses and hand raises were also to be announced (Gallagher, 2020). Google came up with a video conferencing hardware bundle called Google Meet Series One, encompassed of a camera, sound bar with nine microphones, and a touchscreen remote, which assimilated with the Google Meet software.

Google Cubicle productivity suite, which assured full incorporation with Meet and Chat, was disclosed. Skype had developed to a universal user base of 664 million users who made 208 billion minutes of voice and video calls and funded $861 million in income (Rohit, 2020). Skype for corporate was being used by 101 million people per month and 40 million daily by March 2020 (Lev-Ram, 2020). Microsoft had mentioned new features such as the together approach whereby all group affiliates could be virtually transported to a place of everyone’s choice. Microsoft Teams had Microsoft 365 at a joint price of $6 per user per month (Tillman, 2020). Breakout rooms were introduced with summit outlines, webinar registering and reporting, touchless meeting experiences, streamlined calling experiences, and wellbeing and productivity understandings for managers. Microsoft combined with meeting room video conferencing hardware suppliers like Cisco and Logitech to document endless combination with Microsoft Teams.

Bluejeans were another threat to zoom and declared different structures, like constrained gatherings, waiting places, progressive encryption, joint display mechanism, securing a gathering to avert intruders, hand clapping and raising, and thumbs up or down. In June, BlueJeans had a 301 % rise over its pre-pandemic average and stated coalitions with Poly and Facebook (Pierce, 2020). In April 2020, Facebook was a challenge to zoom and had entered into video conferencing through messenger that had 50 people capacity with no time limitation (Lev-Ram, 2020). WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram had video conferencing features but were limited in functionality relative to the prominent providers. Zoom has been restructured with security modifications to comfort users. Such features include a requirement for a zoom meeting password to ensure that only invited people are allowed in the conference. The App encountered threats from its competitors, who introduced new features that attracted new users daily.

How Would a Person characterize Zoom’s Response to These Threats? Would Individuals Have Taken a Different Course of Action?

Zoom had many solutions to prevent defeat by competitors during the pandemic. By November, there were four main products in the company: Zoom Meetings, Video Webinar, Zoom Phone, and Rooms. Zoom Conventions was the most common invention in 2020 and is reflected equal to the App (Gately, 2020). Zoom Phone was an online telephony determination for adding conformist mobile calls to calls. Zoom Rooms was a hardware and software solution that allowed folks assembled in a corporal meeting room to participate in seminars. In 2020, Zoom presented several new features, counting the capability of clients to jot a film despite the speaker, toss attention on a video, touch up one’s online appearance, upsurge contextual light, diminish background clamor, and add video filters and responses.

The aptitude for conference contestants to choose and interchange between breakout rooms was also introduced, and the professional-grade sound was assured for art and music lessons. 5.0 format, introduced in May 2020, improved safety in the form of progressive, 257-bit encryption sustenance and prolonged skills for conference hosts to report and eradicate customers distorting the policy (Gately, 2020). Participant videos could be repositioned, keyboard shortcuts, and striped captioning improvements done in September. Zoom teamed with popular email software products such as Microsoft Outlook and IBM Notes to embed plugins for beginning or arranging a zoom meeting with one clack to expand contacts. Contracts were signed between zoom and message scheme companies such as Poly and Neat so that zoom could be used over such devices.

Partnership with a wireless presentation expertise producer called Aver information lead to the inauguration of a conferencing touch section, a video screen with touch monitor controls that permitted filming sovereign of a processor. After sometime in 2020, zoom was estimated to enlarge to numerous new devices such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google’s Nest Hub Max (Gallagher, 2020). Joining the App’s conference straight from the floppy corporate statement policy was made possible by the zoom-slack technologies partnership. The CEO of zoom during the pandemic would have taken the same and some additional measures to prevent threats. The leader would reduce the cost of bundle purchase and use more than the competitors and ensure that no intruders can be allowed to video conference with the team. The manager could also increase the 40 free minutes to 50 minutes for every group with more than three members to attract many new users.

What Should Zoom Do to Sustain its Performance?

Zoom should improvise some techniques to ensure customer satisfaction and efficiency. The methods include putting someone in charge where every conference should have a host, and huge summits should possibly have a few co-hosts (Gately, 2020). Meeting controls like the expel switch kick, someone, out or mute the mic if essential. This rule is easily disrupted when several individuals or groups distribute an account. If a user logs into Zoom, the person will be the host when the conference begins. If the operator is sent a link to intersect the meeting by an administrative assistant who sets it up using the boss’s identifications, and none will be in the meeting, probably, the convention will have nobody in governance.

Deciding how closed meetings need to be is another way of sustaining zoom performance. For the meeting to be secure, “join before host” should be turned on, and the account holder or somebody trusted with the password should be available to cheer the seminar (Rohit, 2020). Zoom should make meeting keywords previously used voluntarily compulsory for all conventions. Every attendant must have the code before joining the conference. A coded link that permits members to come to the meeting without input should be shared. If the password needs to be changed in the future, the coded link should be nullified. The “Mute all” button controls audio in zoom after clicking on the Members’ key at the center of a row of buttons that appears at the bottom of a Zoom screen for a list of all the accomplices. A video camera and microphone portraits will appear after all the names, and the host can mute other members exclusively.

Zoom should introduce ways to increase bandwidth to expand audio and video quality. When the user joins a summit, the client will carry out several checks, such as existing bandwidth and quality-of-service telemetry, to enable a steady, reliable link while listing audio and screen distribution over video. There are guidelines for enhancing a convention experience, even in low-bandwidth circumstances (Pierce, 2020). If a bandwidth bottleneck causes a poor presentation, the user can manually try to diminish the bandwidth required to run zoom seminars by disabling HD video and feed. To disable HD video, the user needs to clunk on settings, click on the audiovisual tab, and uncheck the package for HD film. Zoom should not limit the number of members in the meeting at a specific time to increase profits.

Despite the video being the main feature in zoom conference, the client can turn off film to reduce the bandwidth for clear audio. The client clicks on the video icon and ensures that the Start Video knob is traversed to turn off the videotape (Gallagher, 2020). Zoom should educate users on the importance of understanding the bandwidth usage for a conference, using the right direct firewall configuration, and enabling peer-to-peer networks. The company should improve the quantity or introduce new tools used by users to manage VPN and fragment tunneling. Zoom should continue giving free 40 minutes to the clients to improve daily usage by new clients. The App managers should ensure that few or no security issues would be reported in order to increase trust from customers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, during the covid-19 pandemic, zoom helped many institutions, such as schools and healthcare facilities, meet online at home or in the office. The firm was cost-effective and gave free 40 minutes to groups above three. Zoom faced threats such as introducing new videoconferencing providers that received many new users daily. Such suppliers included google meet, WhatsApp, Facebook, Microsoft 365, and Webex, among others. The firm solved some of these threats by introducing the zoom phone for adding conventional calls to zoom rooms where the members assembled ready for the summit. To sustain performance, zoom should ensure that every meeting has a host and passwords are used for logging in to prevent intruders. New tools to manage the tunnel should be introduced and ensure every member has a code for joining the meeting. Zoom dominates other videoconferencing apps in America and worldwide.

References

Gallagher, R. (2020). Zoom for online learning updates. Zoom Blog. Web.

Gately, E. (2020). Zoom now offers video conferencing hardware with Haas. Channel futures. Web.

Lev-Ram, M. (2020). Here’s why Zoom was zooming even before the coronavirus pandemic. Fortune.com. Web.

Pierce, D. (2020). Zoom conquered video chat — now it has even bigger plans. Protocol. Web.

Rohit, K. (2020). Zoom brings new value-added security features for virtual classes. Deccan Herald. Web.

Tillman, M. (2022). What is Zoom and how does it work? Plus tips and tricks. Pocket-lint. Web.