On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the
other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online
education is the way of the future. Educational institutions,
corporations and government organizations alike already offer various
forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a
teacher and a blackboard?
How people learn
Each
individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some
individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however
most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational
institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must
recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a
large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits
the needs of the group as a whole.
People learn using multiple
senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a
course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other
students. Students learn from each other's mistakes and successes, not
just from what they are told by instructors.
Each individual
student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with
the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those
students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not
moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.
Online education
In
the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is
becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to
individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world.
Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online
facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However,
different methods of online education each have their own advantages and
disadvantages.
Online education is still a relatively new
concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such,
various problems arrive across different online education environments.
For example:
1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous
learning environments: While some online education environments such as
webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition
of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD
or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides
no immediate feedback from a live instructor.
2. More preparation
required on the part of the instructor: In an online education
environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard
and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be
prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may
accompany the teaching.
In many cases it would also be necessary
that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but
the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases
the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater
demand on educational institutions.
Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:
The Instructor - able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved
The Facilitator - to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely
Help
Desk - to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in
the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.
3.
Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no
longer only sought by the world's youth. With an increased trend towards
adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses
suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from
different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design
online education environments suitable for everyone.
4. Increased
potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education
environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system
that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from
operating. Software based teaching applications may require other
specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software
necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are
complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than
taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of
online education systems.