Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Learning
Key advantages of E-learning are flexibility, convenience and the ability to work at any place where an internet connection is available and at one’s own pace. E-classes are asynchronous which allows learners to participate and complete coursework in accordance with their daily commitments. This makes an E-learning education a viable option for those that have other commitments such as family or work or cannot participate easily e.g. depending on a disablility. There are also transportation cost (and time) benefits with not having to commute to and from campus.
The cost benefits of E-learning to large corporate organisations are difficult to ignore. When using E-learning to train users of corporate computer systems, normally achieved by way of simulation-based learning content, the learner finds himself in a software environment that is exactly like the real one but which does not carry the same error risk. Unlike classroom training, users may repeat the E-learning course without duplicating the cost. It is commonly accepted that the initial cost of an E-learning implementation is expensive (once-off development cost), but that the cost of training (per user) goes down exponentially as more learners use the E-learning course material. When using E-learning simulations to assess learning progress, the instructor is assessing the actual competence of the user to perform a transaction and not merely knowledge of the system.
Other advantages of E-learning are the ability to communicate with fellow classmates independent of metrical distance, a greater adaptability to learner's needs, more variety in learning experience with the use of multimedia and the non-verbal presentation of teaching material. Streamed video recorded lectures and MP3 files provides visual and audio learning that can be reviewed as often as needed. For organizations with distributed and constantly changing learners (e.g. restaurant staff), E-learning has considerable benefits when compared with organizing classroom training.
Disadvantages of E-learning include the lack of face-to-face interaction with a teacher. Critics of E-learning argue that the process is no longer "educational" in the highest philosophical sense (for example, as defined by RS Peters, a philosopher of education). Supporters of E-learning claim that this criticism is largely unfounded, as human interactions can readily be encouraged through audio or video-based web-conferencing programs, threaded discussion boards,of fact, many in K12 would support E-learning if it was not associated with the more extreme versions that attempt to cut out the directed teacher-student relationship.
The feeling of isolation experienced by distance learning students is also often cited, although discussion forums and other computer-based communication can in fact help ameliorate this and in particular can often encourage students to meet face-to-face, although meeting face-to-face is often not possible due to the disarray of student's physical locality. Discussion groups can also be formed on-line. Human interaction, faculty-to-student as well as student-to-student, should be encouraged in any form.
E-learning tends to work better for the student when the topic matter consists of self-learned items. When much group collaboration is required, E-learning can cause lag times in collaborative feedback if the students are not discipled. For example, some student's may only check their online agenda once a week, or even less, making it impossible to achieve goals. Web and software development can be expensive as can systems specifically geared for E-learning. The development of adaptive materials is also much more time-consuming than that of non-adaptive ones.
Ray Kent is 52, married for 32 years. He was responsible for ISO9002 implementation within a number of Blue-Chip Companies in the UK. Now relaxes in sunny Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.
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