Some people are hostile towards the development of e-learning; their argument being that this method of teaching and learning prevents interaction between the lecturer and the student. However, this may not be the case. Indeed e-learning can actually increase interaction as it shifts the student from a passive learning role to an active learning role. It also provides both the participant and the lecturer with tools to log and maintain real-time information and respective corrective measures.
E-learning is also collaborative because students create a learning network with their peers through a virtual learning community and can also give access to mentors and educators. This helps students in problem solving and decision-making in a very efficient way.
Furthermore, e-learning is deemed to be cost effective due to an engaging and effective training process. With the focus on the participant, e-learning can ensure students fully manage the training content, ultimately leading to increased job performance and stronger results.
The whole concern here goes round the emerging concept of Blended Learning. The latter refers to the mixture of different learning environments and techniques. All of us should not try to focus on the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face learning vs. those of e-learning, but rather keep in mind that blended learning may have different meanings and uses depending upon the context in which it is used. This Blended Learning gives learners and teachers a potential environment to learn and teach more effectively.
ReplyDeleteA blended learning approach will therefore not separate face-to-face and e-learning, but combine these two. Blended learning consists of traditional teaching methods and computer-mediated teaching. The latter applies IT activities amongst others. Learners and Teachers must work together to improve the quality of learning and teaching. This will not occur with just one method of teaching. The ultimate aim of the story of teaching or learning must be to make learning independent, useful, sustainable and ever growing. This will be true only with blended learning, that is a mixture of face-to-face and e-learning.
Many persons are reluctant to changes. Many of us find it difficult to change the work practices, especially if we've been teaching using the same methods for a long time. But blended learning has always been part and parcel of teaching.
ReplyDeleteWe always had access to simple teaching tools such as whiteboards and markers. They facilitate the communication and explanation between us and students.
Then technology began entering our classrooms, slide projectors, video projectors, internet connection, etc.
So let's not be afraid of such changes and try to make use of them to the fullest potential.
Online learning is boosting up because of its flexibility. This enables a learner to learn according to his pace. He can browse through the topic until he fully understanding it, thus giving him the opportunity to develop ones skills in the subject concerned.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, only motivated students will do well on their own without constant guidance and supervision. Unmotivated students might not take the course seriously and most probably will end up either not doing any significant work or not finish the course.
Also, students following a course on-line require some computer knowledge, which although we sometimes take it for granted that everyone possesses this skill, this is not always the case, and it might cause some difficulties for the learner.
Therefore I do agree with my colleague that blended education is the way to go. In this way the strengths of both systems can be adopted. None of these systems can completely replace the other. E-learning cannot replace face-to-face teaching but it can complement it.
http://ezinearticles.com/?E-learning-Vs-Classroom-Learning
In my opinion it's not a matter of being afraid but it's a problem of blending it in our subjects and also in our students. I can't imagine myself teaching mathematics to foundation students using e-learning but i would strongly encourage its use at universities etc. Furthermore, for maths and probably even for other subjects, there are special scripts which could be used in e-learning, but these scripts require a certain level of education to be used.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion blended learning is a good idea because it includes face-to-face interaction in class and on-lin e learning. Even though e-learning has a number of advantages because all the students have to participate actively. There is a record of all the notes and comments and students could revise what has been said. If a student takes him longer to understand he could go back to the explanation, and this is an advantage for the slow learner and for the learner who is not slow because the latter could move on to the next step. On-line learning is very convenient becuase there is no need to travel and one could log in the course any time, so it is more flexible. Despite these advantages, I think that both students and teachers need to be trained, because it should not be taken for granted that everyone has access to technology or is able to use it.
ReplyDeleteOnline learning is beneficial to students in the fact that students have resources they can access to enable them to continue with their learning experience at other places than the school. Students can try things out at their own pace. Also online learning will enable the students to become more active in their learning role. Some students are not able to keep up during lessons and find concentrating difficult. Such students who have the option to continue their lessons at home through the Internet they will be able to retrieve any time lost during lesson time. Other students find that they understand material better in a more quiet environment when they are on their own. In this way such students will not be discriminated.
ReplyDeleteReading all the blogs above clearly shows that there is a general agreement that blended learning is much more effective than face-to-face classroom learning. It is generally acknowledged that a mixed form of learning benefits students to understand lessons better and also to assimilate them.
ReplyDeleteThe evolution of how Education has been delivered over the last 50 years or so has gone from a classroom based black-board and chalk environment (+ library and maybe labs) to classroom based (whiteboard + multimedia + smart boards + labs + workshop + library + Internet) and now eLearning + distant learning.
And this change will continue in the years to come. It is only natural and is positive and should be promoted. Blended learning is effective. I can personally vouch for this since I have seen students learn topics better and achieve higher grades since I introduced lab-work, demonstrations, presentations, videos etc in subjects that were usually taught in a classroom face-to-face manner.
And eLearning will help further in this: making us more effective as educators and the students more successful in their studies.
We must not be afraid to ride the crest of change.
As someone once said: “If you don’t change anything, nothing will change!”
The judgement of which method is most affective is very hard to make. I think that all depends on the motivation of the students who are following the course...
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, face-to-face learning allows the possibility for more control by the teacher/lecturer of his class DURING DELIVERY. When someone follows an online course he must be motivated enough and committed to carry out the required tasks without particular prompting. In a way this provides more freedom for the student to autonomously develop his potential, whereas in a classroom guidance is immediately and directly provided.
As for video-conferencing I find it quite hard to compare it with a face-to-face learning environment since the lag in connectivity at times makes it quite hard for flowing communication to be carried out. This factor may at times inhibit students from asking questions, and lecturers from prompting to ask whether the students have understood the concepts.
I do not totally agree with my friend and colleague John. Bandwidth and technology has improved to make e-learning viable. Dont take into consideration the jurassic set up we have at MCAST.
ReplyDeleteWhat I agree though is that there is an important human contact that is missing. Class mates and teachers alike should interact between each other and exchange ideas (and assignments :)) Without much interation I think that people will suffer psycologically. There is very little to encourage a student to log in and go to a virtual lesson. Campus life is a totally different thing though. It offers a richer experience.
I really agree with the blended learning methodology; from my last year’s experience it seems to work also for Maltese. Unfortunately, on the internet I barely find information in Maltese, and since most of the articles online have spelling mistakes, I had to upload my own notes and exercises, so I had to adapt various material to fit in with this methodology. The students, in general, found it very interesting, but most of them tend to leave their work for the last day since it was easy for them to find all the material they needed.
ReplyDeleteLack of human contact can be a problem, and I say this from experience. It is not easy to guide a student properly, particularly for subjects where there is no real right or wrong method. Body language of both the student and the educator play an important role when delivering and receiving information on a subject. Video conferencing helps but still has its limitations. There is also the sharing of ideas which is missing but can be overcome to some extent by using blogs and forums. Group work which I find is important as it helps prepare our students for the working world is also very difficult via e-learning.
ReplyDeleteTeaching and learning are not static but need to keep constantly evolving and I think that e-learning is one of these evolution steps that need to be looked at as a positive addition to traditional teaching. As Claire said I think that e-learning cannot replace face-to-face interaction but it can surely complement it and it is up to us as teachers to make the best use of it. I think the best approach is surely blended learning where a moderate mixture of both traditional learning and e-learning are used. In my opinion students are more interested when they do something different during a lecture that involves technology. For example this year we have introduced the use of data loggers in the lab where multiple sensors such as a pH probe, a temperature probe etc are all connected via a data-logger to a PC for in-situ measurement of data. The students were really eager to try them out. Students are also more interested when they have to use technology in order to communicate with the teacher or to do work. What is important is that we as teachers explain to the students how to use technology effectively. For instance lately I wanted my students to use the statistical package in Excel to do some simple statistics on some data they collected, so I spent as lot of time explaining, sometimes individually, how to use Excel to do simple statistics and how to interpret the results. The end result was that they managed to effectively use it during their assignment. Thus it is important that we as teacher embrace change positively and make the best use of it.
ReplyDeleteMildred
As my colleagues said, sometimes we are very reluctant to changes. We are afraid to change our methods of teaching. In other words we are a bit conservative especially as regards to our children’s education. We are used to teach in the old way; that is using whiteboards, distributing handouts and we try to give individual attention to our students as best as we can. In other words, students are continuously spoon fed with information, becoming passive students rather than active students.
ReplyDeleteBy implementing blended learning at our education institutes we would help the students to be more active in classrooms and throughout the study module. We need to keep in mind that there is always room for improvement. Although the old methods were effective and good results were obtained, it doesn’t mean that we need to stick with them forever. In other words there is always room for improvement. E-learning can help in this. E-learning assists educators in delivering their lessons much easier and better, using technology, for the benefit of the students.
Mariella
Face to Face vs. E-learning.
ReplyDeleteThe human being by nature is a social living creature, and is continuously in search of stability and integration in a community.
From the intrinsic sense of belonging to a society and to be part of a community, it follows that Face to Face learning is a dominant learning process. The communication and transfer of information is direct and face to face dialogue is interactive.
Expression, facial, posture and gesture transmit communication effectively. These giving ‘colour’ to expression by physical motion though non verbal communication. The combination with verbal communication, will emotionally stress the key points.
Using Face to face learning, one is aware of the speechless comprehension, sense of feel and emotion. The sensation through human feelings radiates love to a subject, topic and attracts the interest of the student, addictively. The students engage through intrinsic interest and motivation.
Face to face learning is a direct teaching learning process with human interaction, having the following benefits, prompt judgement of the situation, immediate reactivity in real time, and faster realignment in the direction of the learning objectives.
Face to face learning - its strengths are direct mentoring and prompt assistance, collectively and individual attention as necessary.
The learning set-up is restricted to one geographic location. The teacher and the student are physically standing next to each other.
E-learning is not restricted to one geographic location. When used in conjunction with face to face learning, it will enrich further the communication effectively. The student will visualize and understand using his own interpretations.
One may consider that e-learning provides an alternative self-teaching process through the technologic media
The following are the benefits of e-Learning as an alternative method to overcome the following barriers:
Time and place; access and use not limited to one location, more flexible time,
Remote places; Learning is accessible from remote places. E learning makes possibility to defuse education to everyone and caters for distant learners.
Impaired learners; Strategic designs and enhancements addressing individual needs.
Having read a number of the posts and skimmed through most, I would like to add one more comment. It seems that most are using the term e-learning in the narrow sense of distance learning. This should not be the case. Most are comparinging e-learning to face-to-face learning. I believe that there is no argument in the firstt place. e-learning can be perfectly incorporated into a face-to-face learning/teaching environment. Having students carrying an e-book reader rather than carrying their heavy hard copies, or using presentation software such as Power Point instead of using a white board or using an interactive white board can all be incorporated within the realm of e-learning while still retaining the classinc face-to-face class rooom set up.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the integration of face-to-face and online learning really does enhance the classroom experience.
ReplyDeleteI used this approach this year in Physics especially when I taught topics such as Energy Resources wherein students used the Internet for research. This methodology helped the students to engage themselves and learn through online activities and improve effectiveness and efficiencies by reducing lecture time.
I have found the comments above very interesting. However I feel when considering whether to switch to e-learning, use the traditional face-to-face system or use a combination of both, one has to take into consideration the age and maturity of the students following that particular subject.
ReplyDeleteE-learning is fine for the driven, motivated students who are disciplined in their timing and schedule and who have clear objectives and targets. On the other hand, I do not feel that it is really suitable for post secondary students, who have just finished their secondary education. In my opinion at this age they are not efficient or focused enough to follow an on-line course. I know from experience that following an on-line course often requires more self-control than going to a class where you will have to physically face your tutor. At this age I think that the human contact is more effective in getting the subject across. It is also much easier to show your enthusiasm for your subject matter if you have the student attending a traditional class.
I totally agree with Suzanne that the maturity of students plays a very important part whether to choose a traditional face-to-face system or a combination of both.
ReplyDeleteIn our case during lectures at the ICT institute, we regularly give students the opportunity to research topics being tackled in class on the Internet. Unfortunately, most students end up wasting time browsing their favourite websites, and it's not always easy to monitor them because of classroom layout. However, mature students make good use of this time and they find these e-Learning portions of the lessons rewarding to their class experience.
I believe that any lesson should be carried out face-to-face and that elearning is only used to enhance the flow of information to the students.
ReplyDeleteI have been teaching Maths at Foundation Level for 2 years and this year I decided to try and use powerpoint during my lessons.
In my case I found that it is more difficult to explain maths through elearning but I found it very useful for classwork. Instead of writing/dictating the question on the board I displayed it on screen, and I had more time for one-to-one feedback with the students.
I do agree with most of the points above which imply that a balance of face to face learning and e learning would be the best way to go about this subject. I think it is important for students to use online resources for research, be able to use power point presentations as opposed to using the white board for presentations, and even having e-books in order to avoid carrying around heavy bags etc. However I think the human element in teaching / learning is very important. I teach in a workshop most of the time, and I could not possibly imagine teaching a student how to sew a bag, or make a pattern through power point presentation..or telling them to go look it up online. I would suggest it as an extra, and definitely suggest it during the research / concept development part of a project, but I feel it is much more important to demonstrate the techniques face to face. Students will make a lot of different mistakes and ask a million questions till they get things right, and they will need one to one attention, which in this particular case would not be possible or available online.
ReplyDeleteI think that through e-Learning there are some experiences that are lost but the benefits out weight them. Again an e-Learning participant requires a certain level of maturity and self-discipline and dedication. As previously mentioned in an online course its the student who is creating the experience by being very participant. The benefits are that the students can pace the course at his/her own desire and is at the comfort of his/her home. This increases the educational opportunities to many persons who might have been limited to such an experience for some reason or another.
ReplyDeleteFor this reason I am of the opinion that e-Learning as the only source of education should be limited to tertiary education or else limited to adult learners.
In my opinion, e-learning does not only imply online learning. The use of computers and other electronic tools are all good means of educating our students in an e-learning context. In the field of Mathematics, my field, it is not impossible to teach Foundation students using electronic tools. Maybe Kenny was a bit pessimistic about the subject since e-learning does not only shed online learning! Nowadays, other than online applications, many mathematical electronic tools have been developed, which tools can be used in class. The question is about how willing the institutions are to invest in these modern tools and in staff’s training to engage in such an environment. I feel that we need to do so urgently because as time goes by, we are widening the gap between the student and his teacher due to a different line of thought which exists between the two. Maybe that most of the low level grades that we meet today are the result of ineffective communication which exists between all players in education; including the student. We are in an urgent need to calibrate ourselves vis-a-vis our students through e-learning. I know, this requires persistence and investment to change.
ReplyDeleteCrisby
I agree that the gap between low achieving students and teachers needs to be narrowed down - and that sometimes the lack of communication between the teacher and students is too blame.
ReplyDeleteE-learning is often a good way of narrowing this gap, since our students are totally immersed in technology, and therefore something that involves technology would be more interesting for them.
In fact I have found that with the foundation students they pay more attention to the lesson when power point presentations / videos etc. are used in the lesson. Also, when grammar examples are taken from e-mail / MSN correspondences the students enjoying using these more, as these are means of communication which they use more often than for example letter writing.
Advantages of E-Learning
ReplyDeletePiccoli et al (2001) asserted that virtual learning environments improve student achievement and attitudes towards learning. The reasons suggested for this are:
1. The virtual learning environment is self-paced and thus the pace of work is determined by each individual.
2. Students are able to stop, reflect and repeat any of the learning activities to aid retention.
3. Learning is student-centred.
4. Opportunities for teacher/student interactions are increased.
5. Geographical, material and time barriers that exist in traditional classrooms are eliminated.
Reference:
Piccoli, G., Ahmad, R. & Ives, B. (2001). Web-based Virtual Leanring Environments: A Reasearch Framework and a preliminary assessment of effectiveness in basic skills IT training. MIS Quarterly, 24 (4), 410 – 426.
I agree with the above comments that elearning improves students’ performance.
ReplyDeleteResearch indicates that eLearning is most effective in a 1:1 eLearning environment where:
• Technology tools and connectivity are deeply integrated into the classroom and used across the curriculum.
• Teachers are skilled and comfortable using digital resources to enhance teaching and learning. To achieve this integration and skill, governments and educators must invest in professional development and curriculum resources as well as in PCs and networks.
A survey of 11 international eLearning deployments found that teachers are more likely to integrate technology into their pedagogy when they have technology in the classroom. The average implementation rate for teachers who had lab access only was 71.7 percent, increasing to 87.2 percent when teachers had one PC in their classrooms and reaching 94.8 percent when teachers had access to two to six classroom computers. (Martin, et al, Global)
Taken from: http://download.intel.com/pressroom/archive/reference/Positive_Benefits_of_eLearning_whitepaper.pdf
We are discussing face-to-face learning versus e-learning.
ReplyDeleteSomeone has mentioned blended learning meaning combining the two learning styles together. This is good when the topic being delivered includes IT as the two styles will blend in smoothly. Furthermore IT students learning will be supported by their IT background. This might not be the same for other students who are not so technology conversant. We have to be careful because various students struggle to get to grips with the topic they are learning and so life might become even more difficult for such students. In my opinion e-learning should support face-to-face learning and not blend in too much.
Rightly so someone mentioned that certain teachers are reluctant to change. This is true, but it should not be so. We should see e-learning as an add on to our teaching methods. The principles of our teaching will remain, but they will be enhanced by e-learning.
Some might see e-learning as motivating students. This might be true but personally only the few might trigger some motivation if any. We must admit that the students in our classrooms sometimes do not even have the patience to read properly a prompt on the computer, let alone reading whole texts. Many of them struggle to understand with face-to-face teaching, so one might wonder how much will these students gain with e-learning.
I am listing down a list of on line course participants views in respect to comparison with face to face delively.
ReplyDelete1. more relaxed, time to structure ideas properly
2. slower in time but more efficient
3. there is an archive to look back on picture
4. allows for easier relaxing framing and reframing ideas
5. calmer, perhaps less confrontational
6. not as personal, however, the action of posting on line helps fix ideas and concepts in your mind
7. a differential learning culture which is focused on being a learner and constructing knowledge
8. the action of posting ideas on line assists in clarifying ones ideas and concepts
9. a richer learning environment in that it covers a wide range of higher ideas and skills than the traditional body of knowledge transfer type of learning.
See more on: http://www.reflectingeducation.net/index.php?journal=reflecting&page=article&op=viewFile&path[]=14&path[]=20
Classroom and distance learning classes can both offer quality instruction depending upon your instructor, the system and the school. Now there are some people, employers, and even schools who don't feel distance learning is equal to classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis is especially true when it comes to pursuing an online degree, even if it's from a highly reputable institution. The reason is because there's no real way for an instructor to tell you actually did the work yourself and effective learning has taken place.
In a classroom setting, I as your instructor can personally see the quality of your work. And I can say with total confidence that YOU have done the work. But in an distance e-learning mode, I'm not there with you and watching you do the work. So all I can really say is that the work has been done and somebody participated in things. But can I really say you did the work and not somebody else? No, that's not saying you would be lying, but unless I see it for myself, I cannot say with total confidence you were the one doing it.
Now this does not mean that distance learning is a waste of time and not helpful. As I said before, you can get quality instruction from both and learn a great deal. All I'm doing is pointing-out the fact that some view classroom learning as being above distance.
I prefer face-to-face lecturing because I get allot of feedback from the student body language.
ReplyDelete