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The
problems
students
face
while
e-learning
There are
some difficulties, which occur while the students choose working with
e-materials. According to the experiments, conducted by Nicole
Steinberg, Eckhard von Keutz, Jürgen Weiss, Gerhard Heldmaier and Cornelia
Exner from the university of Heidelberg it was concluded that although the e-learning module was
universally accepted as a means to get introduced to practical aspects of the
course work and as a source for additional information, about 70% of the
students would not consider it as a substitute for ex-cathedra teaching (data
not shown). Further, the majority of the students (97%) were the opinion, that
lecture and e-learning (including online demonstrations) could not supersede
the practical part [Tokyo, Japan, E-Learning,
August 21-25, 2007].
Unfortunately,
a few significant difficulties are still experienced by the e-learners while
putting forth to work with e-materials provided in the various internet sites
[http://elearningindustry.com]. Formerly, the overwhelming percentage of the
surveyed e-learners mentioned that they had experienced an adaptability struggle in
cases when the more significant percentage of the work is transferred to
doing in the Internet individually and independently without control of the
instructor. Switching from traditional classroom and face to face
instructor training to computer-based training in a virtual classroom makes the
learning experience entirely different for students. Their resistance to change
doesn’t allow them to adapt to the online learning environment, where they have
to work with data filtration on their own. Furthermore, it takes time for them
to get accustomed to Course Management Systems (CMS) and the methods of
computer-based education. While passive listening, notes taking, and
unquestionable acquisition of the provided information are expected in a
traditional classroom, looking for and finding the necessary information,
selecting appropriate materials for a class preparation, online discussions or
creating a web page demand springing into action. Students with a “traditional”
mindset find it difficult to adapt.
Secondly,
many students complained that they had serious technical issues
while working on computer [http://elearningindustry.com]. The majority
of them are not provided with the high bandwidth or the strong
internet connection that
working online requires, and thus fail to catch up with their virtual
classmates: Their weak monitors make it hard to follow the Course Management
System and their learning experience becomes problematic. Moreover, most of
them don’t even own computers and seek help in Learning Resource Centers for
technical assistance. Consequently, the difficulty with the equipment,
necessary for using internet material appears to be difficult to overcome and
the learners get demotivated.
The next
hardship, which turns out to be an obstacle on the way of successful internet
materials use is computer literacy. Although many students seem to be tech
savvy, and thus able to manage computers well, deficiency of computer literacy
is a major issue among students today. Many of them cannot operate basic
programs such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and therefore are not able to
handle their files. Furthermore, many students find fixing basic computer
problems troublesome, as they have no knowledge in this area. However,
technological proficiency is a must-have for following the courses, requesting
the use of internet resources, as it enables students to manage their
assignments and courseware in an organized manner without struggling. Basic
courses in computer literacy boost students’ knowledge in the field; having
rudimentary knowledge of computer hardware would help them surf the internet
resources, subscribe and follow online courses without interruptions and
hindrances.
Time management, thirdly, is a challenge,
creating no less concern among students.
[http://elearningindustry.com]. It is a difficult task for e-learners, as
looking for, filtrating, and selecting an appropriate piece of information
require a lot of time and intensive work. Furthermore, whereas it is mostly
adults who prefer web-based learning programs for their place and time
flexibility, they rarely have the time to take the courses or study
independently, implementing online materials due to their various everyday
commitments.
The last
difficulty approved by the majority of e-learners is the low level of self-motivation.
Self-motivation is an eLearning essential requirement; however, many online
learners lack it or lose it in a very short period of time, much to their
surprise. After enrolling in distance learning courses or several bitter
failures while searching for a material on an exact topic/subject, many
learners fall behind and nurture the idea of giving up, as difficulties in
handling a technological medium also seem insurmountable.
After
having analyzed the backwards of e-resources, it is to be concluded that online
language learning and teaching resources may have positive influence both on
teachers and the students, equally. The teachers, primarily, will gain a
significant access to a great deal of resources and information. In addition,
they will also have a chance to exchange their experience outcomes with other
teachers and get a piece of advice. Meanwhile the students will attain a chance
to utilize an enormous amount of learning resources and get possibilities to
practice their skills. Moreover, they will be able to have their works checked
and get an objective feedback from different teachers and learners. E-learning
is good news, but at its initial stage it poses certain threats to students. In
a nutshell, it should also be noted that despite it seems rather facile to use
online materials and resources for a language learning procedure, there are
still several difficulties which occur while selecting an internet material for
learning, and they are to be overcome and tackled.
Literature:
1.
Tokyo,
Japan, E-Learning, August 21-25, 2007
2.
http://elearningindustry.com