Business Research Report

ON
“Positive and Negative Impact of E-learning”

Submitted as Partial Fulfillment for Degree of

Master of business Administration
To
Medi-caps University, Indore

May, 2021

GUIDED BY- SUBMITTED BY –

Prof.

DECLARATION BY THE
 STUDENTS

This is to certify that the project entitled “POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF E-
LEARNING” is a benified work done by us Ayushi Parandekar, Ambikesh Kumar
Dwivedi, Anand Lachheta, Arpan Wilson, Avinash Rajawat

Under the supervision of Prof. Nikita Jain is partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of
Business Administration by Medi-caps University, Indore.

Place:
Date:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am grateful to my guide Prof. Nikita Jain mam of Medi-caps University. Department of

Management, Indore for her precious guidance throughout our research project, she has
devoted her valuable time and motivated us at every step towards completing this project,
The study would not have been possible without her generous guidance.
I am deeply indebted to Prof. Harish Bapat sir, Dean Management, Medi-caps University,
Indore for his continuous support and blessings. His support has rendered me great help
towards this project.
I also express my sincere gratitude to my family members, friends and respondents for
extended support throughout the project.
 Table of Contents

ABSTRACT
The concept of e-learning is a technology-mediated learning approach of great potential from
the educational perspective and it has been one of the main research lines of Educational
Technology in the last decades. The aim of the present systematic literature review (SLR)
was to identify (a) the research topics; (b) the most relevant theories; (c) the most researched
modalities; and (d) the research methodologies used. To this end, the PRISMA protocol was
followed, and different tools were used for the bibliographic management and text-mining.
The analysis of the texts identified three main nodes: (a) online students; (b) online teachers;
and (c) curriculum-interactive learning environments. It was revealed that MOOC was the
most researched e-learning modality. The community of inquiry and the technological
acceptance model, were the most used theories in the analyzed studies. The most frequent
methodology was case study.

INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, E-learning has become an increasingly popular approach to learning in higher
education institutions due to the rapid growth of Internet technology. As we can see, more
higher education institutions using e-learning to improve the education of students and
enhance their technology skills. E-learning can give us a lot of positive effects, especially
students; however, the technological content was twice the decline and needs. Computer
technology, especially the development of network technology includes both great
conveniences to human activity, life, education and negative influences. So far, if e-learning
is considered as the main way of learning, it will generally have the following negative and
positive influences. Negative effects will make fall the young generation and the positive
effects will grow this young generation. In our institution today, we are more time using
internet. That’s why it is our privilege for having e-learning. In that case we are aware of
what we will do in the internet.
E-learning has come to save the time of many teachers in that they do not have to be in class
to be able to teach a class, hand assignments and have assignments handed back to them. The
students can easily send them via email to the teacher, who will then post the grades online
where students can access them from anywhere in the world. E-learning is the unifying term
to describe the fields of online learning, web-based training, and technology-delivered
instruction. It makes use of different platforms like Pedagogue, which provides interactive
content.
In as much as teachers would want that one-on-one contact with their students, it is
occasionally impossible due to the teacher and the students being miles apart. They,
therefore, have to use e-learning for their lessons, if the teachers does not have enough time
to teach, sharing their notes, videos, and audios online and electronically saves time since the
students can study at their own pleasure. The teacher can use the time they have saved to do
something else or teach another.
Today, Internet seems limitless. The way, it has been occupying an indestructible space in
every field, is indefinable. E-learning is one essential boon of internet among many others. It
refers to a learning system, which provides education and training through an online mode. In
general, it constitutes classes in schools along with a teacher, training programs, or fulltime
distance education. Popularity and affordability of smart phones, computers, laptops, tablets
and accessibility of internet has raised the discussion regarding e-learning inclusion in
conventional teaching methods. This new learning system comprises huge scope in several
streams but few limitations affect its mass utilization of class.
The digital transformation of education systems in all levels has allowed incorporating a new
teaching- learning ecosystems called e-learning. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the closing
of classrooms all over the world and forced 1.5 billion students and 63 million educators to
suddenly modify their face-to-face academic practices, wherever possible. This situation
showed the strengths and weakness of education systems facing the challenge of
digitalization. The digital breach is still a reality. According to data provided by World Bank
in the year 2018, 84% of the citizens of member states of the European Union had access to
the internet, compared to 66% in Latin America and 18% in the least developed countries
(LDC). This failure cannot be attributed to e-learning itself, but to the fact that the potential
of this teaching method has been underestimated and excluded from the digital education
projects of educational organisations. The future of e-learning must be built on principles of
openness and equally with an education in digital competence. From an economic point of
view, the industry of e-learning has developed considerably in the last decade. According to
Statista, the market of e-learning all over the world will be over 243 billion dollars in 2022.
The sustainable development is defined as development that needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is a
long term, perceptual development process with three interconnected dimensions; Economic,
environmental, and social. Discourse around sustainability in education has developed in two
directions (a) Education for sustainability that focuses on environmental sustainability
through educational practices; and (b) sustainability of education that focuses on the
implementation of sustainable forms of successful practice through educational development,
leadership, and innovation. In this second meaning, the sustainability is the property of e-
learning practice that evidently addresses current educational needs and accommodates
continuous adaptation to change, without outrunning its resource base or receding in
effectiveness. the three pillars of sustainable e-learning are (a) Resource Management (cost of
e-learning), (b) Educational Attainment (measures of student achievement, retention rates,
skill acquisition, and personal development), and (c) Professional development and
innovation (strategies for adapting to change). Diverse studies have identified three principles
and nine framework elements for sustainable e-learning design: (a) Stakeholders-
centeredness: (1) a labour market- driven programming agenda; (2) a continuous
improvement quality assurance system; and (3) international program standards; (b) cost-
effectiveness: (4) A costing model; (5) course rationalization; and (6) a learning object
repository, and lastly, (c) high operational efficiency: (7) Template-based document
preparation; (8) project management; and (9) an electronic project work-space.
E-learning has several big drawbacks, which are mostly removed in on-line
forums. Social isolation may result from E-learning. E-learning demands high self
-motivation and skills in time management. Lacking of online student communication skills.
The introduction of e-learning has become full-fledged post-pandemic. Due to social
distancing and shut down of schools, e- learning is the only option left for the
students. In the initial days of lockdown, a significant amount of time was invested in
the establishment of the technology at the schools which created a gap in syllabus. Also,
since the majority of the students are at their places due to lockdown, they had enough
time throughout the day to invest in online learning. However, it has been found out that e-
learning has negatively impacted many sections of people, which is alarming for the
parents and the teachers. Education is a must for every child as it helps to shape the future
of the students. All the schools have stressed e-learning despite the initial
challenges in terms of infrastructure installation.

What is E-learning?
A learning system based on formalised teaching but with the help of electronic resources is
known as E-learning. While teaching can be based in or out of the classrooms, the use of
computers and the Internet forms the major component of E-learning. E-learning can also be
termed as a network enabled transfer of skills and knowledge, and the delivery of education is
made to a large number of recipients at the same or different times. Earlier, it was not
accepted wholeheartedly as it was assumed that this system lacked the human element
required in learning.
However, with the rapid progress in technology and the advancement in learning systems, it
is now embraced by the masses. The introduction of computers was the basis of this
revolution and with the passage of time, as we get hooked to smartphones, tablets, etc, these
devices now have an importance place in the classrooms for learning. Books are gradually
getting replaced by electronic educational materials like optical discs or pen drives.
Knowledge can also be shared via the Internet, which is accessible 24/7, anywhere, anytime.

E-learning has proved to be the best means in the corporate sector, especially when training
programs are conducted by MNCs for professionals across the globe and employees are able
to acquire important skills while sitting in a board room, or by having seminars, which are
conducted for employees of the same or the different organizations under one roof. The
schools which use E-learning technologies are a step ahead of those which still have the
traditional approach towards learning.

No doubt, it is equally important to take forward the concept of non-electronic teaching with
the help of books and lectures, but the importance and effectiveness of technology-based
learning cannot be taken lightly or ignored completely. It is believed that the human brain can
easily remember and relate to what is seen and heard via moving pictures or videos. It has
also been found that visuals, apart from holding the attention of the student, are also retained
by the brain for longer periods. Various sectors, including agriculture, medicine, education,
services, business, and government setups are adapting to the concept of E-learning which
helps in the progress of a nation. Now that affordable e-learning solutions exist for both
computers and internet, it only takes a good e-learning tool for education to be facilitated
from virtually anywhere. Technology has advanced so much that the geographical gap is
bridged with the use of tools that make you feel as if you are inside the classroom.
E-learning offers the ability to share material in all kinds of formats such as videos,
slideshows, word documents, and PDFs. Conducting webinars (live online classes) and
communicating with professors via chat and message forums is also an option available to
users. E-learning is an affordable (and often free) solution which provides the learners with
the ability to fit learning around their lifestyles, effectively allowing even the busiest person
to further a career and gain new qualifications.
E-learning is a structured course or learning experience delivered electronically; it can also
include performance support content. There are also many different elements that can make
up an e-learning program, such as live or pre-recorded lecture content, video, quizzes,
simulations, games, activities, and other interactive elements.

Keep in mind that you may also see the term e-learning more broadly as a catchall for any
learning content delivered electronically. While ATD style uses a hyphen in the spelling, you
may also see it spelled e-learning or eLearning. E-learning courses are typically managed and
administered via a learning management system (LMS). As author, Steven D Foreman notes
in his book, The LMS Guidebook, a learning management system is “a multiuser software
application, usually accessed through a web browser. It helps organizations manage training
events, self-paced courses, and blended learning programs. eLearning, or electronic learning,
is the delivery of learning and training through digital resources. Although eLearning is based
on formalized learning, it is provided through electronic devices such as computers, tablets
and even cellular phones that are connected to the internet. This makes it easy for users to
learn anytime, anywhere, with few, if any, restrictions.

Basically, eLearning is training, learning, or education delivered online through a computer

or any other digital device.

Definitions of E-learning:
Sarah Guri-Rosenbilt from the Open University of Israel explored the exact definition of e-
learning in great detail in her 2005 research paper “’Distance Education’ and ‘E-Learning’:
Not the Same Thing”. She defined e-learning as electronic media used for various learning
purposes ranging from conventional classroom add-on functions to online substitution
for face-to-face meetings with online encounters.
Clark and Mayer defined E-learning as instructions delivered through digital devices with
the intent of supporting learning in their 2016 research paper “E-learning and the science
of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning.
Arkorful and Abaidoo defined e-learning as using information and communication
technologies to for enabling access to online teaching and learning resources in their
2015 research paper “The role of e-learning, advantages and disadvantages of its adoption in
higher education.”
Ruiz, Mintzer and Leipzig defined e-learning as using Internet technologies for enhancing
performance and knowledge in their 2006 research paper “The Impact of E-Learning in
Medical Education.”

History of E-learning
Elliott Maisie coined the term “eLearning” in 1999, marking the first time the phrase was
used professionally. In the years since, eLearning’s reputation has gone from strength to
strength. But what factors have facilitated eLearning in becoming the most popular way to
deliver training today?

Some of these factors include:

 The Internet -  Prior to the rise of the internet, many relied on printed manuals, CD-
ROMS and other restrictive methods for learning and training. The rise of the internet
 allowed organizations to abandon one-dimensional practices and utilize the flexibility
of eLearning.
 Development of Multimedia - As eLearning progressed, the ability to integrate
elements such as images, videos, audio and graphics proved to be a more reliable way
of keeping learners engaged compared to traditional learning.
 Affordable Digital Devices  - Considering the first IBM computer cost the equivalent
of almost $5000 today, it’s understandable that eLearning popularity rose as digital
devices became more affordable. Mobile learning also hugely facilitated the growth of
eLearning.
 Well-Built Learning Management Systems - LMS’s have become more
sophisticated, moving from locally installed to cloud-based systems, with
organizations increasingly applying them to execute many forms of training. There
are many things to consider when choosing an LMS; at a minimum ensure it has the
functionality and support you need to meet your objectives and those of your learners.

TYPES OF E-LEARNING –

1. Fixed eLearning

Fixed eLearning is one of the older versions of online learning. It refers to a learning process
that uses a traditional structure of passing down information to students. All learners receive
the same type of information as determined by the instructors. Since the learning materials
rely on the instructors, fixed eLearning is rigid and does not adapt to the students’
preferences. Such a type is best suited to environments where learners have similar schedules
and skills. Traditional grade school classes in need of eLearning can, for instance, adapt this
type of structure.

Pros

 Fixed eLearning works well when the learning depends on a time-sensitive

completion schedule involving fixed curriculums.

 It may be easier and more time sensitive for trainers to implement a one-sized-fits-all
strategy, with less variation.
Cons

 Due to its rigidity, it would be hard to adapt to the current diverse eLearning needs.

 Its traditional training approach also lacks real-world elements.

  It is a generalized form of learning that fails to consider each student’s individual
learning abilities.

2. Adaptive eLearning

Adaptive eLearning is another type of online learning. Unlike the first outlet, adaptive
eLearning has the learner’s flexibility as its focal point. Here, all learning materials are
designed to fit your learning preferences. This pays attention to aspects such as skills,
abilities, and individual performance. Using such factors to tailor your learning needs means
that you can switch things up whenever you feel like you are lagging behind, or change based
on your course completion goals. Adaptive eLearning works well where learners prefer to
study at their own pace. You, however, need to be highly disciplined to stick to your pace in
adaptive eLearning.
Pros

 Adaptive learning is flexible, allowing you to take courses based on your individual
needs.
Cons

 Since adaptive eLearning is tailor-made for each student, instructors planning it face
setbacks trying to meet the enormous number of eLearning schedules on a wide-scale
level.

3. Asynchronous eLearning

In asynchronous eLearning, students study independently from different locations. Here,

learners can study on their own time, depending on their schedule. If done in an engaging
way, this could include user generated content. For example, instead of multiple choice
exams, learners could submit video of themselves proving their newly-learned skills.
Pros

 This type of eLearning takes into account the need for flexible individual schedules,
allowing personalized and individualized learning time frames.

 Learners at different geographical areas also benefit from the same learning tools
available to their peers.
Cons

 Asynchronous eLearning can lead to isolation, creating a ripple effect in complacency

while studying. Some learners require constant evaluation and interaction with their
peers to keep pace, which lacks here.
4. Interactive eLearning

In interactive eLearning, both teachers and students can communicate freely, allowing both
parties to make changes to the learning materials as they see fit. An open line of
communication also allows for better interaction, resulting in a better learning process should
any queries arise. Interactive eLearning works well in a limited and close-knit group
environment that allows for flexibility.
Pros

 The open form of communication gives rise to a seamless process of learning, for
both learners and teachers.

 Open communication also strengthens independence in learning for students, since

you have a say in the learning process.
Cons

 Not suited for large numbers of online learners, as it leads to confusion (mainly for
the instructors).

5. Individual eLearning

Individual eLearning is all about students learning on their own without any peer
communication.
Pros

 Individual eLearning helps students learn based on personal attributes such as goal
achievements rather than relying on their teachers’ and peers’ standards.
Cons

 It restricts all forms of communication, resulting in isolation. Here, you are required
to learn solely on your own and complete your goals by yourself. Due to the lack of
follow-up, individual eLearning can only work in highly specialized situations where
learners are highly motivated and skilled.

6. Collaborative eLearning

Collaborative eLearning focuses on teamwork, allowing students to work together. Learning

materials and goals rely on combined effort from all students for completion of the course. If
you prefer this type of learning, you have to factor in your strengths and weaknesses, as well
as that of your peers.
Pros
  Promotes communication and teamwork among the students, an aspect that is often
lacking in online learning.

 It also develops critical thinking that is needed to accommodate different students’

views during the learning process. Due to its collaborative design, it can work well
with learners from different backgrounds and cultures. It is an effective learning
process that helps to build awareness and harmony among people from diverse
groups.
Cons

 Collaborative eLearning can give rise to over-dependence by some students. Due to

reliance on combined effort, some learners can opt to take a back seat and let others
do the work for them. This can seem unfair to some learners, dependent on the work
load of each student. Each eLearning process is suited to different environments and
personal preferences. Before settling for any option, understand what works well for
you and your goals.

Elements of E-Learning
When creating an online course, there are a number of criterions to be met. Setting a list of
criterion ensures that students benefit fully from the course they signed up for.
Some common elements of e-Learning are as follows:

1. The role played by the teacher/instructor is vital. He/she is necessary to offer

necessary feedback to students. He/she is also sometimes responsible for keeping
students’ progress or scores.

2. A well-organized Learning Management System is necessary. It should be easily

navigable by both the student and the instructor.

3. The learning material is the key feature in e-learning. Usually, course material is
formatted in a way that is simple and easily accessible for students.

4. Communication is important for learning. To be able to access online coursework

from the instructor, students have to use one or more of the many modes of
communication or delivery methods.

There is a myriad of devices today that allow teachers and learners to share knowledge. The
trainer connects to viewers or listeners interactively, using multimedia, voice
communications, videos (live or prerecorded), presentations, product demonstrations and text
chats, mostly over the internet.

TYPES OF E-LEARNING TRAINING

People use e-learning for a variety of reasons . whether its to develop new skills or learn
remotely, the convenience and accessibility elearning offers is huge.
Employee Training

Employee training is the most frequent type of e-learning organizations use an LMS far,
organizations utilize employee training for numerous reasons, such as onboarding new hires
and improving employee performance. Training employees using an LMS formalizes training
delivery and makes it more efficient.

Compared to traditional training, e-learning more effectively encourages professional

development by promoting knowledge and an e-learning culture. Furthermore your LMS
should allow you to create exams, run reports and gather feedback so that you can
continuously assess and improve training performance.

Compilance Training

Compliance training is a necessity for most organizatons , it informs your employees on the
laws or regulations applicable to their role and industry compliance training is mandatory and
tackles topics such as health, safety and dignity in the workplace. Some examples of
compliance training include:

 Diversity Training
 HR Law
 Anti- Harassment Training

Running a smooth compliance training program helps to minimize the risk of non-
compliance and maintains your reputation your employees will also benefits from a safer,
more productive workplace furthermore, keeping up to- date with changing legislation
and amending your training material is made easier with e learning via a relia

Why Is E-Learning Valuable?

E-learning offers many benefits that more traditional training options, such as facilitated
sessions or lectures, don’t provide. For example, e-learning ...

 Can be either an asynchronous or synchronous activity:

 Traditionally, e-learning has been asynchronous, which means there is no predetermined

time for the learning to take place. Everyone can go at their own pace, and take their time
to learn what they need to know, when they need to know it. However, more synchronous
 e-learning is now being offered through web conferencing and chat options. The great
thing about e-learning is it gives you the option to do either or both.

 Has a global reach: 

E-learning can simply be placed online and easily accessed by people around the world.
There is no need for expensive travel or meetings across multiple time zones.

 Spans multiple devices/mobile: 

Online courses can work on computers as well as on mobile devices such as smartphones
and tablets. This means e-learning courses can literally be in the hands of the people who
need them at all times.

 Is just-in-time/needs-based:

 E-learning authoring software is so easy to use that anyone can create, publish, and share
a course within a few hours, allowing you to provide people with resources and training
they can access right when they need it.

 Is more efficient: 

With e-learning, you can develop a course that can be distributed electronically to
thousands instead of having to organize in-person training sessions whenever people need
to be brought up to speed.

 Reduces costs: 

All of the abovementioned factors result in a cost savings for organizations that use e-
learning courses to replace some of their traditional instructor-led training.

 Allows for consistent quality and content: 

When you develop an e-learning course, you can deliver the same message to all learners
consistently. In classroom training, the message, equipment, and other conditions can
vary widely from one session to the next, which can affect the outcome of the course.

How Do You Create E-Learning Courses?

In the early days, e-learning courses were typically custom creations, coded by programmers
and developers using highly specialized apps. In those days, it could easily require an entire
team to create a simple, linear e-learning course.
E-learning design is now much more accessible. Today’s course development apps, also
called authoring tools or authoring apps, are so advanced that anyone can create e-learning
courses—without any programming or coding knowledge.

There are many different types of authoring apps out there today, each with their own set of
capabilities. Some apps, like Rise 360, have been specifically engineered to create e-learning
courses that dynamically adapt to any screen size (also known as responsive e-learning
courses). Other apps, like Storyline 360, are designed to create highly interactive slide-based
courses. And ofcourse there are also PowerPoint add-ons like Studio 360, which make
turning PowerPoint presentations into e-learning courses a snap.

Each app has a unique feature set, making it particularly well suited for a specific type of
project. When you’re trying to decide which authoring app to use, always start by looking at
your project requirements and objectives.

How Is E-Learning Shared?

Once you’ve created an e-learning course, you need to distribute it to learners. There are
many ways to do this, and—like everything else related to e-learning—those ways are
constantly evolving and improving. Here, I’d like to look at two ways to share content:
informal distribution and formal distribution.

Informal Distribution

Informal distribution of e-learning content typically means users are trusted to view the e-
learning course, and their participation isn’t tracked or scored. One way to informally share
an e-learning course is to put it on a web server, then send participants the link and have them
view the course. You don’t really have a systematic way of knowing whether learners have
completed the course, but sometimes that’s not necessary.

Formal Distribution

Sharing an e-learning course formally means there’s a need to track and record learner
results. Most organizations that have a need for formal distribution of e-learning have specific
systems and standards in place for this.

Tracking is usually done in what is called a Learning Management System (LMS). An LMS
allows you to administer, track, report, and document the delivery of your e-learning
courses. Get up to speed on LMSs here.

Certain standards are in place to report the information to the LMS,

including AICC, SCORM, and, more recently, Tin Can. For a short overview of these norms,
hop on over to this article.Starting to feel overwhelmed by all the acronyms? Make sure to
bookmark the E-Learning ABCs so you can refer back to the definitions of the most
commonly used e-learning terms at any time.
What Makes an E-Learning Project Successful?

Many factors contribute to a successful e-learning program, but the top two are:

1. A production process that uses the right apps

2. Solid instructional design
Let’s take a closer look at these two essential elements.

Apps

Powerful apps let you create the functionality and interactivity that you want for your
learners. They help you make e-learning that looks and works great, which goes a long way
toward a successful e-learning course.

The more user-friendly the app, the less time you’ll spend on technical issues. This frees you
up to commit to the instructional design to craft a great learning experience.

Instructional Design

One way organizations measure the success of an e-learning project is by how much the
learner’s knowledge and skills have improved after they’ve taken the course. To provide your
learners with the best odds, you should have content that is designed in an instructionally
sound manner. Instructional design is all about creating educational experiences that
maximize learning and present content in the most effective way.

If you’re new to instructional design, I recommend reading up on the basics to help you
create instructionally sound courses with solid learning objectives. You can have the most
fabulous-looking course in the world, but if the content quality isn’t top-notch, it won’t have
the impact you desire.

The Bottom Line

E-learning course development is constantly evolving. Authoring apps will continue to

improve; however, your focus should remain on using those apps to create the best e-learning
possible.

Why e-learning is effective

E-learning is hot. And for good reason. If done right, it can produce great results by
decreasing costs and improving performance. Also, unlike a one time classroom session, the
elearning course is available for others.  This includes the static elearning course as well as
any ongoing conversations in networked communities.

E-learning Supports the Organization’s Goals

 Improved training costs. 

 Producing learning content is time consuming whether it’s online or not.  With
elearning, each time the course is accessed your return on investment improves because
you are dividing the fixed production costs by number of uses.  You also have savings
through decreased travel, reduced material, and hopefully improved (and more efficient)
performance.

 Decreased material costs -  

Let’s say you have to train how to arrange equipment in a sterile environment like an
operating room.  If you had to use the real environment, it would be costly.  Even setting up a
fake environment has material costs and labour.  By creating the environment online and
letting the learner practice, you never have to worry about the costs associated with set up,
use, and clean up.

 Increased productivity -
Because e-learning is not bound by geography or time, you can control training’s impact
on production by training people during down times.  In addition, with the current
economy, you’re asking people to do more with less. So e-learning is a great way to
give them the tools and skills needed to enhance their performance.

 Standardization -
You may have a great facilitator, but that’s no guarantee that the courses are presented
the same across sessions.  E-learning allows you to create a standardized process and
consistency in the delivery of content.  It also compresses delivery time.  I’ve combined
e-learning courses with facilitated sessions.  E-learning delivered consistent content. 
Live sessions were interactive case studies that applied the information.

 E-learning Supports the Learner’s Development Real time access.  

Live learning events require that those who participate align their schedules to the
training calendar.  Elearning eliminates this because the course can be accessed anytime,
anywhere.  This can also happen without Internet access.  I saw a Red Cross demo where
the learners accessed the content on a PC out in the field and uploaded their results when
they were back online.

 Freedom to fail. 
Let’s face it, real learning requires some failure.  But no one likes to fail in a classroom
full of other people.  Elearning lets you fail without fear.  This encourages exploration
and testing of ideas.  With the right feedback you create a great learning environment. 
Worst case, you can always start over.  Something you can’t always do in class.

 Improved retention. 
 The combination of multimedia and instructional design can produce a very rich
learning experience that is repeatable.  Throw in some good practice activities with
feedback and you have a learning environment that’s going to help your learners retain
the course content which will produce results.

 Personalized learning. 
Look out the window at your parking lot.  My guess is that you’ll see a dozen or more
different cars.  They all do the same thing, yet we have personal opinions about what we
want to drive.  The same for learning.  Learners want control.  Elearning allows you to
offer control to the learners in a way that classroom learning doesn’t.

E-learning Nurtures a Learning Organization & Community

 Ongoing access to resources. 

If you take a class in the real world and need a refresher, you better hope that you took
good notes.  Otherwise, you’re out of luck.  That’s not the case with elearning.  Ideally,
you continue to have access to the online content and resources to brush up on what you
learned. 

 Knowledge management. 
Many people see elearning as only the authored courses.  But elearning includes all sort
of online technologies.  If you incorporate some of the tools that allow collaboration and
conversation, you can capture organizational knowledge that is available for future
learners.

 Encourage sharing. 
The foundation of a learning community is built on sharing what you know with others. 
This is where incorporating a forum or wiki really adds value to your elearning. 
Depending on how the course is structured, you can encourage sharing of resources and
insight gained from the course. 

 Employer of choice. 
People want opportunities to grow.  A cafeteria with high fat foods is one way.  Another
is a catalog with all sorts of elearning courses.  This allows them to explore other
opportunities in the organization.  During downtime, it would be great to spend fifteen
 minutes learning to better manage meetings or improve working with peers.  Offering
these opportunities to learn makes you a place people want to stay.
  

 Elearning is good for the environment.  Britain’s Open University’s “study found that
producing and providing distance learning courses consumes an average of 90%
less energy and produces 85% fewer CO2 emissions per student than conventional
face-to-face courses.”   

How e-learning helps students

E-Learning has been an invaluable support for learners around the world. Earlier the access to
knowledge was not accessible to all. Students with economic constraints, geographical
boundaries or physical disabilities had scarce opportunities in the academic province. The
same now hold access to consistent education.

The modern learning method fetches you a refreshed version of knowledge accessible at
convenience and shared with millions of people from different boroughs. It’s an ecstatic
learning period for scholars far and wide. eLearning also offer greater collaboration and
global opportunities to the learners.

Wrapping Up

The method compliments the requisites of the current era where in everyone is racing against
time to fetch their share of affluence.

Due to the all-inclusive set of advantages, it offers to the learners, eLearning has matured into
popular and apprehended way amongst scholars all around the world.

The process undoubtedly has its limitations. For those with hard economic background and
lack of accessibility to technology it is definitely a long shot to exploit its luxury to the
fullest. The unprivileged population of developing countries are saddled with this phase of
digital divide.
But with an attempt to make internet more affordable and far reaching, it is possible to bridge
the gap between low income community and tech access to dissipate the plight of economic
divide.

E-learning with its burgeoning influence in the educational galaxy will open portals to
unexplored  pathways giving rise to new opportunities.

POSITIVE IMPACT OF E-LEARNING

The positive impact of E-learning has revolutionised learning in the workplace for a number
of years, improving efficiencies, workflow and collaboration. The flexibility offered by e-
learning in terms of place of learning and time of learning means that whole education
programmes can be rolled out across teams all over the world.Within the education sector, e-
learning has been used within classrooms, from primary to university education, to deliver
impactful courses that are fun and engaging. The results of incorporating e-learning into the
education sector have helped to increase IT skills in teaching staff which can be translated
into skills for the pupils.

A variety of studies have evaluated the impact of elearning and concluded that supported by
holistic approaches that include appropriate policies, infrastructure, professional
development, and curricula- e-learning can help produce positive outcomes. However,
despite a large body of research evidence, there are no longitudinal, randomized trials
conclusively. linking elearning with positive learner outcomes.

With the majority of businesses now operating as digital workplaces, e-learning is becoming
an increasing norm in effectively and efficiently delivering education. Below we’ve
highlighted some of the key ways that e-learning has positively impacted the education
sector.

Flexibility –

As everyone working within the UK education sector knows, time pressures for teachers and
educators are becoming ever more pressing, between the time spent teaching in the classroom
and the time employees have to develop their own skills.

E-learning gives total flexibility to the school and teachers as their e-learning can be accessed
online, at a time to suit the individual. It’s a well-known fact amongst educators that different
people learn best in different environments, e-learning gives you the flexibility to approach
your training in a place that suits the learner, whether that’s a coffee shop, your desk or at
home on your sofa.
If there are a refresher online course, or new online training programmes which need to be
completed outside of term time, this is also made possible by e-learning courses that can be
accessed at anytime and from anywhere.

Development Tools-

E-learning is also helping to positively impact individual development plans within the
education sector, to motivate and support employees to achieve their short and longer-term
career goals. Within an e-learning portal, training paths can be developed that give clear
insight into the required learning that has to be undertaken before the progression can happen.

This helps the individual, teacher or educator see clearly the expectations and requirements of
them to continue their progression. It also helps the manager of the individual to track
progress and make recommendations based on learning still required for the person to take
the next step in their career.

The learning paths can be agreed at the beginning of a term, year or contract to ensure that all
parties involved work together to achieve the end goal.

Improved Communication-

E-learning requires the learner to adapt their learning style into a technology based system,
often called a learning management system (LMS), which has an added benefit of improving
the individual’s IT skills.

This adaptability will inspire the employee to create new ways of engaging their pupils,
taking into consideration the different learning styles and requirements of their class.

For pupils who struggle to read, e-learning can provide new, fun ways of displaying letters
and words which make the process of developing language a lot more successful. If the pupil
isn’t particularly engaged with maths, e-learning can help to inspire gamification techniques
which could make the pupil’s experience of maths far more rewarding than pen and paper
based work.

E-learning can encourage the educator to adapt their own teaching style and use more
creative ways of communicating in the classroom, with a consideration of learning needs
taken into account.

Management-
Within the education sector, e-learning can also be used as an effective management tool, to
give an insight into the development and progression of staff, highlighting potential skills
gaps that need to be addressed.

Once these gaps are recognised a choice can be made as to whether to up-skill current staff,
or to open opportunities to bring new staff in to fulfil the requirements required by the school
or education centre. Both the ‘learning’ employee and senior management can access and
download training programmes and courses designed to improve the overall offering of the
teaching.

E-learning platforms give you the opportunity to download reports about the level and detail
of the learning undertaken, and a record of when the learning is valid until. This will help to
ensure training and learning records are up to date and that events and courses can be
scheduled ahead of time to provide regular learning that will lead to consistently high
teaching.

If you work within education and want to understand more about how learning impacts
employee engagement and how e-learning software can benefit your school or education
centre, contact Claromentis today.

We specialise in providing responsible e-learning software that is user-friendly and effective

in delivering the learning you need for your team. Our software allows you to record and
track progress, giving access to information about upcoming training courses and events,
keeping an efficient record of the employee’s learning to date.

Today, Internet seems limitless. The way, it has been occupying an indestructible space in
every field, is indefinable. E-learning is one essential boon of internet among many others. It
refers to a learning system, which provides education and training through an online mode. In
general, it constitutes classes in schools along with a teacher, training programs, or full time
distance education. Popularity and affordability of smart phones, computers, laptops, tablets
and accessibility of internet has raised the discussion regarding e-learning inclusion in
conventional teaching methods. This new learning system comprises huge scope in several
streams but few limitations affect its mass utilization.

In the exploration of a reliable education system, e-learning has emerged as a perfect tool for
the same.

No barriers

Like traditional education system, e-learning doesn’t confine its students inside a four walls,
but provide knowledge through an e-learning tool, that can operate under an open sky or
wherever an individual feels comfortable. Location or geographical gap isn’t a problem, as
one can endure a classroom environment at home with e-learning tool.

High learning ability

As per psychology, a human brain can easily learn videos or audios. And e-learning shares all
the format kinds including videos, slideshows, word documents, and PDFs. It offers various
other options to the users such as webinars i.e. live online classes and interaction with the
professors through chat forum. This way, a student can clear doubts concerning the topics
taught in the real time, as in physical classroom.

Infinite courses

Today, every course is available online. One can undertake any desired course, while
working or the like. Individuals can gain new qualification and upgrade their skills, while
paying bills. Along with virtual classes, it provides the option of tests on various topics,
which helps in improving the skills of an individual. Learners taking same courses can share
these tests and question each other. This way, e-learning provides a sense of community.

On-the-job training

Due to rapid technology advancement, the businesses require up-to-dated workers. This

demands regular training through an effectual means. E-learning is a reliable and cost-
effective tool and it needs a minutes of updation (adding new technology data) and can train
hundreds of workers.

Advanced knowledge

With the change in policy or technology, books can’t change itself at the same time. Neither
an institution asks their students to read new books, as that would mean and require complete
renewal of the syllabus. For example, In India, the new indirect tax policy of GST hasn’t led
to the upgraded syllabus in business and management courses. Such situation doesn’t arises
with e-learning. Internet stays updated every second and keeps e-learning courses provider
aware of any reform.

Welfare activities

Many NGOs employ e-learning courses in the remote areas, which lack educational
institutions and infrastructure. In India, such activities help in making schemes, such as Digit
al India and Skill India, a success

Advantages of E-Learning

The impact of the rapidly evolving technological world on ways which learning is delivered
is immense. Today, many institutions of higher learning are offering off-premise schooling
since it has many advantages over on-campus learning. One of the major reasons for this is
space. Through e-learning, schools can accommodate as many students as they wish for
courses offered, since factors like accommodation space and classroom space are no longer
limiting factors. 

Flexibility

E-learning is very flexible as learners can access material at any time they want. Students
who reside at places that are distant to the physical classrooms or those who do not have the
time to be with the instructor, have the luxury of choosing a time of their convenience, to go
through school coursework.

Wider variety of fields to choose from

There are thousands of school course-works, online degrees and certifications being offered
online, today. E-Learning does not limit students’ access to fields of study that traditional
face-to-face mode of learning did. It is now possible for a student in Africa to access and
complete course work that is not offered in their school, but in a school that is located in a
different continent. That is the power of E-learning.

Cost effectiveness

E-learning alleviates the need for students and instructors to be located in a central place for
learning to take place. This saves money that could be spent on travelling, accommodation
and other uses that school-based learners cannot escape from. Time that would be spent
commuting to class could be used for other duties too.

Better participation and individual instruction

Students are freer to interact with online tutors as opposed to a physical classroom meeting.
This helps students to understand concepts they are getting trained on better. The instructor
can offer complete attention, for a longer time, to a single student online, which is quite
difficult in a conventional classroom.

Consistency in course delivered

Teaching in a classroom is different every day. Unlike online tutoring, teachers in a physical
classroom present information to students in varied ways, every day. This results in
differences in the input that the learner receives – it may be qualitative on some occasions
and not so effective at other times. However, e-learning like a previously taped performance
is delivered without varying every time and this provides a constant consistency in
coursework.

Flexible timetables

In a school-based learning system, timetables are rigid. In a two-hour-class for example,

students have to sit through the whole class. In e-learning, the students have the luxury of
pausing halfway through the tutorial, and resume at a later time, or date.

Although e-learning is most widely used for school, it has found a variety of uses in the
corporate world as well. Firms are increasingly turning to e-learning, to train their staff in
skills that they may lack. This not only helps firms to educate their staff while cutting costs,
but also helps save on time.

In a fast-pacing, technology-oriented world of today, people are adopting technology and

finding new ways to integrate it in support of education. E-learning is leading the way,
redefining ways in which knowledge is acquired.
Byju’s is the most used e-learning app during the lockdown

Concerned about their child’s education, most families have adapted to virtual learning
and have subscribed to education apps to support learning during the pandemic

The Coronavirus has delayed the academic calendar by months and replaced school spaces by
virtual classrooms. As states gear up to reopen schools amidst the pandemic, YouGov’s latest
survey reveals half of the parents (49%) are either not very or not at all comfortable with
sending their children back to school.

A quarter are ‘somewhat comfortable’ while another quarter, (26%) are extremely or very
comfortable with the return.

Parents in East India are especially concerned about their child’s return and more than two-
thirds (68%) stated their hesitation in sending them back to school (not very + not at all
comfortable).

At present, seven in ten (72%) parents confirmed their child’s reliance on online classes
conducted by schools or colleges in order to educate themselves during the lockdown.
Among these, some are dependent solely on these classes (44%), while others are taking them
along with home schooling (28%). The rest of the children are being home schooled without
any online classes (17%) or not engaging in any form of learning due to lack of resources
(11%).

It seems like the majority are confident about virtual learning, with 24% parents admitting to
their child adapting very well to this form of education with no difficulties and 52% claiming
their child has adjusted to it now after some initial difficulties. Furthermore, close to half
(48%) are confident (extremely or very) about their child’s ability to independently learn
from an online platform.

Although the use of learning apps is not new to many families, the lockdown has triggered
the use of these platforms. More than half of the parents (55%) claimed their child has now
subscribed to some online education app during the lockdown, although before the pandemic
only 40% were subscribed to these apps, highlighting the increase in subscriptions during the
period of the lockdown.

Among the digital platforms used before or during Covid-19 for the purpose of education,
Byju’s stands as a prominent name, with 65% parents claiming to be using this app for their
child’s education. The platform is more popular among tier I students (75%) as compared to
the ones in tier II (64%) or tier III (57%) cities.
Unacademy (30%), Vedantu (29%), Udemy (25%) are some of the other apps being currently
used to support learning.

Although online learning has gained momentum during the lockdown, the shift to the online
medium has raised many concerns among the parents. Around half (48%) are worried about
their child developing some health issues related to the increased screen time. Slightly lesser
have concerns about technical issues (low internet speed, etc.) and reduced or lesser face time
with teachers (43%).

Many people are anxious about their children’s mental wellness getting affected due to the
absence of classmates or friends. More than a third have other concerns such as lack of
discipline due to absence of a teacher, lesser or no co-curricular activities or having a hard
time in keeping the kids motivated to attend online classes (35% each).

When it comes to the future of their child’s education, parents are concerned and a majority
(61%) agree that the Covid-19 pandemic will end up hampering their overall education to a
‘very great’ or ‘great extent’.

Talking about the e-learning space, Deepa Bhatia, General Manager, YouGov

India, said, “The current situation has increased the popularity of e-learning platforms and
has opened up a great opportunity for those in online education business. In the days to come,
e-learning will assume greater relevance and hence it is imperative to review the changing
needs of students as well as their parents, and address their concerns in the most effective
way.”

Data collected online by YouGov Omnibus among 1015 parents in the country between 16 th and
22nd June 2020 using YouGov’s panel of over 6 million people worldwide. Data is representative of
the adult online population in the country.

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF E-LEARNING

We already analyzed the numerous benefits of E-Learning in our previous article. Now, it’s
time to cover the opposite side of the coin. There are some major drawbacks to E-Learning,
and these problems often get pushed aside in online discussions. After all, who would want to
put the brakes on educational innovation?
Looking at the industry as a whole also reveals plenty of enthusiasm, with the statistics of the
E-Learning industry in 2020 showing massive growth. However, educators worldwide still
recognize some major issues plaguing the industry. Let’s have a closer look at these
problems. 
These are the disadvantages of E-Learning:

Online student feedback is limited

In traditional classrooms, teachers can give students immediate face-to-face feedback.

Students who are experiencing problems in the curriculum can resolve them quickly and

directly either during the lecture or during the dedicated office hours. Personalized feedback

has a positive impact on students, as it makes learning processes easier, richer, and more

significant, all the while raising the motivation levels of the students.

E-Learning, on the other hand, still tends to struggle with student feedback. Students

completing regular assessments become dissatisfied when they experience a lack of

personalized feedback. The traditional methods of providing student feedback don’t always

work in an E-Learning environment, and because of this, online education providers are

forced to look towards alternative methods for providing feedback. Providing student
feedback in an online setting is still a relatively unresearched topic area, and it might take a

while for any specific strategies to become fully research-based and proven to be effective.

E-Learning can cause social Isolation

The E-Learning methods currently practiced in education tend to make participating students

undergo contemplation, remoteness and a lack of interaction. As a result, many of the

students and teachers who inevitably spend much of their time online can start experiencing

signs of social isolation, due to the lack of human communication in their lives. Social

isolation coupled with a lack of communication often leads to several mental health issues

such as heightened stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts.

E-Learning requires strong self-motivation and time management skills

Lack of self-motivation among students continues to be one of the primary reasons why

students fail to complete online courses. In traditional classrooms, there are numerous factors

which constantly push students towards their learning goals. Face-to-face communication

with professors, peer-to-peer activities, and strict schedules all work in unison to keep the

students from falling off track during their studies.

In the setting of an online learning environment, however, there are fewer external factors

which push the students to perform well. In many cases, the students are left to fend for

themselves during their learning activities, without anyone constantly urging them on towards

their learning goals. Students taking E-Learning courses will find that they are often required

to learn difficult materials in a comfortable home setting without any of the added pressure

normally associated with traditional colleges. As a result, keeping up with regular deadlines

during online studies can become difficult for those students who lack strong self-motivation

and time management skills.

Lack of communicational skill development in online students

E-Learning methods are proven to be highly effective at improving the academic knowledge

of the students. However, developing the communicational skills of the students is an area

often neglected during online lessons. Due to the lack of face-to-face communication

between peers, students and teachers in an online setting, the students might find that they are

unable to work effectively in a team setting. Neglecting the communicational skills of the

students will inevitably lead to many graduates who excel in theoretical knowledge, but who

fail to pass their knowledge on to others.

Cheating prevention during online assessments is complicated

Unfortunately, one of the biggest disadvantages of E-Learning continues to

be cheating through various methods. Compared to on-campus students, online students can

cheat on assessments more easily as they take assessments in their own environment and

while using their personal computer. The students cannot be directly observed during

assessments without a video feed, making cheat detection during online assessments more

complicated than for traditional testing procedures. Additionally, without a proper identity

verification system in place, students taking online assessments might be able to let a third

party take the assessment instead of themselves, resulting in a wholly fraudulent test result.

Online instructors tend to focus on theory rather than practice

Although this drawback of E-Learning is starting to be addressed and fixed by some of the

more innovative online learning platforms, the problem has yet to disappear completely. The

problem is that a large portion of E-Learning training providers choose to focus largely (in

many cases entirely) on developing theoretical knowledge, rather than practical skills. The

reason for this is evident – theoretical lectures are considerably easier to implement in an

online learning environment than practical lectures. After all, without face-to-face

communication and physical classrooms to use as a workshop, implementing practical

projects in an online course requires significantly more prior planning than theoretical

training.

E-Learning lacks face-to-face communication

The lack of face-to-face communication ties together with many of the previously mentioned

disadvantages of online learning. A lack of any kind of face-to-face communication with the

instructor inhibits student feedback, causes social isolation, and could cause students to feel a

lack of pressure. A lack of pressure is a disadvantage in the sense that it causes students to

abandon their studies more easily. Constant nudging by professors may be undesirable for

many, but it’s an effective method for improving student retention.

E-Learning is limited to certain disciplines

All educational disciplines are not created equal, and not all study fields can be effectively

used in e-learning. For now, at least. E-Learning tends to be more suitable for social science

and humanities, rather than scientific fields such as medical science and engineering which

require a certain degree of hands-on practical experience. No amounts of online lectures can

substitute an autopsy for medical students or real-life industrial training for a budding

engineer. While this could change in the future, we are currently not yet a point where we can

fully teach all professions solely through E-Learning.  

Online learning is inaccessible to the computer illiterate population

96% of Americans own mobile devices, and around 73% of Americans own a personal

computer. Therefore, it would be easy to argue that online education is easily accessible to

most people. However, these statistics don’t paint the whole picture. Despite the booming

growth in technological capabilities, the rates of computer literacy are still far from perfect.

The OECD average percentage of computer illiterate people hovers around 25%, meaning

that a quarter of the population will have major trouble in accessing E-Learning as an

educational method. And, these are OECD countries we are talking about, which are

considered developed countries with a high-income economy.

in other parts of the world, the situation is often direr. In India, for example, despite the

country being one of the major players in the world of E-Learning, there is still a large gap in

computer literacy in the population. Until such gaps in society exist, online education will not

be able to reach all citizens. Therefore, it’s highly important that we look at online learning as

an addition, rather than as a replacement to traditional education.

Lack of accreditation & quality assurance in online education

If E-Learning is to be considered as effective and authentic as traditional learning, it must be

ensured that all online schools are qualified and accredited. Unfortunately, at the current
point in time, there are still a vast number of online learning platforms which are

unaccredited and where all the materials are quality checked by no one besides the instructors

themselves. As such, poor quality assurance and a lack of accredited online learning

providers continue to weaken the legitimacy of online education

Although online courses offer flexibility for the learner, negative effects can hinder the

learning process. To ensure a positive learning experience--essential to success--

prospective students must consider the downsides of online learning before making the
decision to learn in a virtual classroom .

Poor Communication

The inability to have a face-to-face chat with your tutor is just one negative aspect of online
learning. Difficulties seem to arise when students can't ask questions, receive verbal
instructions or obtain immediate feedback from their tutors. Research conducted by the
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning suggests that online courses
can create student/professor misunderstandings, which lead to misinterpretation of tasks.
Doug Valentine of the University of Oklahoma says distance-learning tutors sometimes
become demoralized from feeling isolated and professionally deprived, having a negative
impact on their students' online learning experience.

Feeling Isolated

A research paper by Tim S. Roberts and Joanne M. McInnerney, faculty of Business and
Informatics at Central Queensland University in Australia, stresses the importance of
interacting with fellow learners, citing learners' feelings of isolation as a definite drawback of
online courses. They cite a study of online courses in 2001, which found that feelings of
isolation were a huge stress factor and often prompted students to drop out. Jill M. Galusha of
the University of Southern Mississippi says research shows that feeling isolated as a student
may lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity, and a lack of confidence in the student's
own abilities.

Demands on Students

Online learning requires increased time-management skills and focus, and less dependence
from learners, according to a 1997 study cited by Valentine. Galusha says that 1980s research
found that people over age 50 appeared to have more discipline and motivation to complete
courses, which suggests that online learning could be a negative experience for some younger
students.
E-LEARNING DURING THE AGE OF COVID-19

While countries are at different points in their COVID-19 infection rates, worldwide there are
currently more than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries affected by school closures due to
the pandemic. In Denmark, children up to the age of 11 are returning to nurseries and
schools after initially closing on 12 March, but in South Korea students are responding to roll
calls from their teachers online.

With this sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the globe, some are
wondering whether the adoption of online learning will continue to persist post-pandemic,
and how such a shift would impact the worldwide education market.

Even before COVID-19, there was already high growth and adoption in education
technology, with global ed tech investments reaching US$18.66 billion in 2019 and the
overall market for online education projected to reach $350 Billion by 2025. Whether it
is language apps, virtual tutoring, video conferencing tools, or online learning software, there
has been a significant surge in usage since COVID-19.

How is the education sector responding to COVID-19?

In response to significant demand, many online learning platforms are offering free access to
their services, including platforms like BYJU’S, a Bangalore-based educational technology
and online tutoring firm founded in 2011, which is now the world’s most highly valued
edtech company. Since announcing free live classes on its Think and Learn app, BYJU’s has
seen a 200% increase in the number of new students using its product, according to Mrinal
Mohit, the company's Chief Operating Officer.

Tencent classroom, meanwhile, has been used extensively since mid-February after the
Chinese government instructed a quarter of a billion full-time students to resume their studies
through online platforms. This resulted in the largest “online movement” in the history of
education with approximately 730,000, or 81% of K-12 students, attending classes via the
Tencent K-12 Online School in Wuhan.

Other companies are bolstering capabilities to provide a one-stop shop for teachers and
students. For example, Lark, a Singapore-based collaboration suite initially developed
by ByteDance as an internal tool to meet its own exponential growth, began offering teachers
and students unlimited video conferencing time, auto-translation capabilities, real-time co-
editing of project work, and smart calendar scheduling, amongst other features. To do so
quickly and in a time of crisis, Lark ramped up its global server infrastructure and
engineering capabilities to ensure reliable connectivity.
Alibaba’s distance learning solution, DingTalk, had to prepare for a similar influx: “To
support large-scale remote work, the platform tapped Alibaba Cloud to deploy more than
100,000 new cloud servers in just two hours last month – setting a new record for rapid
capacity expansion,” according to DingTalk CEO, Chen Hang.

Some school districts are forming unique partnerships, like the one between The Los Angeles
Unified School District and PBS SoCal/KCET to offer local educational broadcasts, with
separate channels focused on different ages, and a range of digital options. Media
organizations such as the BBC are also powering virtual learning; Bitesize Daily, launched on
20 April, is offering 14 weeks of curriculum-based learning for kids across the UK with
celebrities like Manchester City footballer Sergio Aguero teaching some of the content.

What does this mean for the future of learning?

While some believe that the unplanned and rapid move to online learning – with no training,
insufficient bandwidth, and little preparation – will result in a poor user experience that is
unconducive to sustained growth, others believe that a new hybrid model of education will
emerge, with significant benefits. “I believe that the integration of information technology in
education will be further accelerated and that online education will eventually become an
integral component of school education,“ says Wang Tao, Vice President of Tencent Cloud
and Vice President of Tencent Education.
There have already been successful transitions amongst many universities. For
example, Zhejiang University managed to get more than 5,000 courses online just two weeks
into the transition using “DingTalk ZJU”. The Imperial College London started offering a
course on the science of coronavirus, which is now the most enrolled class launched in 2020
on Coursera.

Many are already touting the benefits: Dr Amjad, a Professor at The University of Jordan
who has been using Lark to teach his students says, “It has changed the way of teaching. It
enables me to reach out to my students more efficiently and effectively through chat groups,
video meetings, voting and also document sharing, especially during this pandemic. My
students also find it is easier to communicate on Lark. I will stick to Lark even after
coronavirus, I believe traditional offline learning and e-learning can go hand by hand."

The challenges of online learning

There are, however, challenges to overcome. Some students without reliable internet access
and/or technology struggle to participate in digital learning; this gap is seen across countries
and between income brackets within countries. For example, whilst 95% of students in
Switzerland, Norway, and Austria have a computer to use for their schoolwork, only 34% in
Indonesia do, according to OECD data.

In the US, there is a significant gap between those from privileged and disadvantaged
backgrounds: whilst virtually all 15-year-olds from a privileged background said they had a
computer to work on, nearly 25% of those from disadvantaged backgrounds did not. While
some schools and governments have been providing digital equipment to students in need,
such as in New South Wales, Australia, many are still concerned that the pandemic will
widen the digital divide.

Is learning online as effective?

For those who do have access to the right technology, there is evidence that learning online
can be more effective in a number of ways. Some research shows that on average,
students retain 25-60% more material when learning online compared to only 8-10% in a
classroom. This is mostly due to the students being able to learn faster online; e-learning
requires 40-60% less time to learn than in a traditional classroom setting because students can
learn at their own pace, going back and re-reading, skipping, or accelerating through concepts
as they choose.

Nevertheless, the effectiveness of online learning varies amongst age groups. The general
consensus on children, especially younger ones, is that a structured environment is required,
because kids are more easily distracted. To get the full benefit of online learning, there needs
to be a concerted effort to provide this structure and go beyond replicating a physical
class/lecture through video capabilities, instead, using a range of collaboration tools and
engagement methods that promote “inclusion, personalization and intelligence”, according to
Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and President of its Cloud and
Smart Industries Group.

Since studies have shown that children extensively use their senses to learn, making learning
fun and effective through use of technology is crucial, according to BYJU's Mrinal Mohit.
“Over a period, we have observed that clever integration of games has demonstrated higher
engagement and increased motivation towards learning especially among younger students,
making them truly fall in love with learning”, he says.

A changing education imperative

It is clear that this pandemic has utterly disrupted an education system that many assert was
already losing its relevance. In his book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, scholar Yuval
Noah Harari outlines how schools continue to focus on traditional academic skills and rote
learning, rather than on skills such as critical thinking and adaptability, which will be more
important for success in the future. Could the move to online learning be the catalyst to create
a new, more effective method of educating students? While some worry that the hasty nature
of the transition online may have hindered this goal, others plan to make e-learning part of
their ‘new normal’ after experiencing the benefits first-hand.

A lot of schools and colleges thought at the time of closure, that this was only temporary. No
one imagines a whole year would pass just like that with COVID-19 lurking in our school
and college corridors.

While the educational institutions were shut down, the colleges struggled with online
education and resources, internet connection, etc. The following things happened in our
educational sector around the world when the institutions shut down:

75% of the school all over the world are operating fully or partially online. This
means holding online classes on zoom and Google Classroom.
Students were promoted to the next class in the year 2020, without any exams. Given
that April, March, and May were the months of final examinations. And with the
uncertainty going around due to COVID-19, the government decided to promote
the kids anyway.
Student loans, fees, and tuition fees were suspended. Several colleges gave covid
relief to the students in terms of financial aid.
There were negative impacts of the pandemic as well, where parents took their kids
out of school and colleges. Since studies were becoming challenging.
Enrollment in school and colleges dropped significantly.
Special education of religious subjects, such as nazra Quran and bible study faced
challenges as well. A lot of mosques and churches were also shut down across the
world. After a while, they also switched to online education though.
Studying online is not easy. There are a lot of distractions. A lot of students reported
that online education was not doing them any good and they struggled with
focusing their attention on the online classes.
Low-income groups, who do not have access to internet connection or
smartphone/tablets were not able to take part in online education classes or use
multiple resources.
When the schools and educational institutions opened, a lot of students were bothered
by the social distancing protocol of wearing a mask and maintaining distances. This
 resulted in a lot of chaos in campuses where students were violating the SOPs left
and right, endangering the spread of the coronavirus.
 

Impact of Covid on Education

Reopening of Educational Institutions with Safety Guidelines

A lot of schools, colleges, and institutions were opened as per government guidelines.
However, the challenges they faced were equally hard. Enforcing the kids with social
distancing protocols and making them wear a mask at all times has been the biggest
challenge.

A lot of institutions set up a hard limit on the number of positive covid patients and once that
limit was hit, the institute would have to shut down. These institutions became the hub of
virus transformation.

Not only was the student a  cause of concern for spreading the virus, but faculty members and
staff of the institution were more likely to catch on to the virus which made it fairly
dangerous as it would result in a domino effect.

Internet Access became a major concern for students and faculty members

Since education was given online for the majority part of the years, it became difficult for
students to have access to digital technology in terms of laptops and smartphones and having
a stable wifi connection.

Houses that had 4 to 5 kids in the houses, struggled with who should take the laptop? It
became expensive for low-income groups to have access to online education and a large part
of the world suffered a lot in terms of education.

A lot of students who use to rely on the resources of institutions for education were the ones
who suffered. Because even though they wanted to learn they didn’t have the resources at
home to accomplish that. And the government couldn’t provide a resource to every student
who couldn’t access the education.

Online Education During the Pandemic

Despite the lack of resources and struggles being faced by the students and teachers, online
education has been the only way that enabled education during lockdowns. Online education
worked well with college students and for employee training etc.

So much so that we saw that a lot of courses were offered online during this year, with online
certifications being given, etc. A lot of individuals made good use of this pandemic lockdown
and enrolled themselves in online courses learning about codings, animations, digital
marketing courses, Quran nazra courses, video making, etc. The number of enrollment in
online classes increased significantly.
A lot of companies like google, apple, Unilever, Procter and gamble all introduced online
certification courses for students and employees to keep them engaged. While normal office
meetings were also being held online, training sessions were also given on online platforms.

Psychological effects of e-learning during lockdown

Families across the UK and around the world are having to change and adapt their daily lives
in order to overcome the challenges imposed by the pandemic. With the virus SARS-Cov-2
causing the disease COVID-19 to spread far and wide the importance of keeping children
occupied and safe is being keenly felt by parents and guardians everywhere.

What does this mean for students?

Lockdown means that many schools are closed to all but key workers and the task of
delivering a curriculum is more difficult now than ever before. The majority of students will
have to learn from the safety of their homes. With differing abilities, multiple locations and
varying year groups, how we educate our children is changing and adapting to this unique
situation. Trying to keep students busy while making sure they feel safe on top of attempting
to keep up with schoolwork in a timely manner is a challenge that the UK’s education system
is rising to.
Reassuring children that following the appropriate guidelines will keep them safe and that
this situation will gradually improve and eventually get better may seem like an endless task.
It is vitally important we remind children, and ourselves, that this isolation is only temporary.
This is key to ensuring minimal psychological effects throughout this challenging period.

What does this mean for lessons?

Distance learning has often been unfairly pigeonholed as a poor alternative to face to face
learning. However, with the sudden need for social distancing and self-isolation during
lockdown, this otherwise resisted educational approach is being whole heartedly embraced.
Video conferencing platforms are being used for teaching to ensure that content is delivered
appropriately and importantly, that there is some human interaction and feedback.
With the advent of digital sharing and video conferencing products being available for free,
many lessons can be carried out through these media. Many of the individuals responsible for
delivering educational content will not have had extensive training of these platforms or the
technology to provide this service effectively. It is up to schools and educators to make
decisions on what platforms work best for them and their students.
Using social sharing apps and even social platforms such as Facebook can provide places to
add content whilst providing a sharing of feedback and can also engage the larger social
groups of the learner. Most social media platforms will have age limits for users and
educators will need to be careful to adapt their privacy settings on profiles to not disclose
more information to students than they would in a real classroom. For the most part we have
seen our education experts have to become experts across multiple digital platforms.

What does this mean for educators?

Having this opportunity to work from home seems like a good thing at first, but even the
most resilient of us struggle without the interactions we need in daily life to sustain social and
mental wellbeing. Teachers should make use of social platforms to keep in touch with one
another and share best practice from their digital classrooms. Teachers, please try to remind
yourself that while you have a huge impact on your students’ wellbeing, you are not solely
responsible for their mental health.
It is important for parents and guardians to realise that many children will respond to the
current situation in much the same manner as those around them. It is important that we
portray a controlled and calm approach to education at home with a keen focus on time
management, regular breaks and stimulating activities. This takes the onus off teachers and
school leaders to stay calm as well as to educate students.
With a united learning approach, we have an opportunity to change the way we share learning
and it will help us to address the feeling of being disconnected from one another. One school
that I have spoken to has set up homework groups on the messaging freeware WhatsApp.
They share ideas and notes and then this chat is monitored by a parent to ensure it stays on
topic. This provides a clear structure to learning and keeps the learning process formalised.
Together educators, parents and guardians can ensure education at home is as a calm and
even enjoyable experience. Ensuring that there is time to socialise online with friends and
classmates within and beyond the learning arena is also hugely beneficial.

Students still faced Challenges during online education

Online education was our only survival, while it worked well for a few, it didn’t work quite
so well with families who had multiple young kids relying on one laptop for their online
class, With clashes of class timings among siblings, also in some houses where adults had to
work at home, that was another challenge.
For low-income groups online education has not worked well, For those who struggled with
focusing their attention on class, online resources didn’t do any good. Those who didn’t have
all the resources were and are deprived in this era of online education.

What is E-learning used for in Education?

E-learning has a vast amount of uses across all sectors of society and the available examples
of e-learning being used effectively are plentiful.

Adult E-learning

For adults, online learning often managers to solve the numerous challenges adult learners
face during studies. Online learning allows them to progress at their own pace, to submit
assignments and take assessments at times best suited for them. This kind of flexibility is
especially beneficial for adult learners because often they are forced to balance employment,
family duties and online learning altogether.

Corporative E-Learning

Companies, on the other hand use e-learning to boost the knowledge, skills, and overall
productivity of their employees while cutting down on the costs normally associated with
employee training. successful companies who have utilised e-learning in the past include
Toyota, Shell, Paypal among others.

On the other hand for career

What is E-learning going to look like in the Future?

The future of e-learning will continue to see expomnential growth. As more educational
institutions, corporations, and online learners worldwide start to recognize the importance of
online learning, its role in education will only continue to rise. Online learning already has
numerous uses in education, and its future roles in education are going to be immense. The
agendas of the mostr successful educational institutions in the world have already recognized
that e-learning can transform people, knowledge, skills, and performance and other
educational institutions will likely follow suit sooner rather than later.

However we must not get ahead of ourselves. while the world of online education is
undoubtedly an exciting world to be in, many students who are uncomfortable with e-learning
still prefer the traditional live in person teaching methods which they are used to. All students
have unique learning styles and e-learning will likely never be a one-sized fits all type of
solution to education.With that being said, there’s no doubt in the fact that we are in the
beginning phase of new era in education.