Personal Barriers to Online Learning

Personal Barriers to Online Learning

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Personal Barriers to Online Learning

Online learning or e-Learning refers to application of electronic technology for the delivery of instructional content or knowledge domains . Beamish et al (2002 , defines e-Learning as

. a wide set of applications and processes allied to training and learning that includes computer-based learning , online learning , virtual classrooms and digital collaboration . These services can be delivered by a variety of electronic media , including the intranet , internet interactive TV and

satellite

In spite of the great flexibility and varied range of tools that e-Learning can provide to imparting education , implementing any e-Learning system can be a complicated and complex endeavour and online learning can be a very frustrating experience for the student as well as the teacher . A number of personal barriers affect students and teachers alike in any online learning system

Personal Barriers of Students

The technology available with students determines the nature of the course content to a large extent . Students may simply not have the required bandwidth to access high-end multimedia content . The course designer has to tailor the contents to suit the technology availability of the students . This is especially true of e-Learning courses catering to international community scattered all over the world . In such cases severe constraints may have to be imposed on the utilization of technology resources available at the end of the imparting institution The design would then have to optimized for dial-up users with at the most 800x600 pixel monitor screen resolutions . In fact , many universities take special care to ensure prior to registration that their respective e-Learning course content is accessible to the students . Technical infrastructure deficiencies on the student side can impede course activities , especially in an online distance-learning environment (Arabasz , 2003 , pp .42

The proficiency level of the student in using ICT tools would enhance or undermine his e-Learning experience to a great extent . In the international context it would be unwise to expect uniform familiarity with ICT usage . A student , previously not exposed to ICT , will therefore not only have to handle the course requirements , but will also have to acquire the requisite skills in ICT to pursue the course effectively

From the learner perspective , literacy and IT skills and aptitude for self-direction , being confident and motivated to participate in online learning have also been identified as potential barriers to effective online learning (Australian Institute for Social Research , 2006 , pp 15

The factor that students have to study in isolation in an e-Learning system has triggered off many debates . Many perceive this isolation as a crippling obstacle to the development of e-Learning systems for higher education . Brouner and Flowers (1997 ) even suggested that the lack of human interactions in the incorporation of technology into higher education would have to be effectively made up by increased human contact . The e-Learning environment lacks the discipline and time regulations imposed on students in conventional education . This requires students to be more motivated , better time...