c3L02 - E-learning - access to education for all?
The perspective makes the difference
E-learning is synonymous with all learning offerings that provide learning content online as well as multimedia and can be considered an extension of traditional forms of learning.
This exercise deals with the topic of e-learning and compares the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning. Furthermore, advantages and disadvantages should not be taken as given, but should be considered from different perspectives.
Preparation
In preparation, the copy template with the cards that deal with those aspects that speak for or against e-learning formats and examples of them is duplicated.
Method / Process description
The teacher briefly introduces the topic of the lesson "Positive and negative aspects of e-learning" and starts with an activation exercise.
Exercise 1
The teacher places cards with aspects that speak for or against e-learning formats as well as examples of these and asks the participants to find the correct pairs. These are then compiled on a flipchart in the form of a mind map. One flipchart for the negative aspects and one flipchart for the positive aspects of e-learning.
Positive aspects
| Location independence | Given an Internet connection, the e-learning material can be accessed and learned from any location. |
| Independence of time | No matter if 6 o'clock in the morning or 23:00 o'clock in the evening, learning is possible around the clock. Excluded from this are online presence events, which on the one hand require personal participation and no archiving is given (e.g.: virtual classroom). |
| Adaptation of learning pace to individual needs | By providing different learning offers (video, texts, audio examples, etc.) different learning types can be addressed and evoke a better learning result. |
| Offers for different types of learners | Learners can choose their own learning pace and do not have to adapt to the pace of the group, as in a classroom setting. Texts can be read several times, breaks can be determined individually. |
| Self-directed learning | Access to knowledge is becoming increasingly easy. This has a positive impact on learning behavior and, above all, on motivation. However, learners need skills to deal with this flood of information in order to decode and evaluate it. |
| Optimization of teaching materials | Provided materials can be better prepared for learners in terms of content and design and a wide variety of media can be used. Existing materials can be improved and reused. |
| Collaborative learning is possible | Learners can exchange ideas in group forums, MS teams, wikis, etc. This learning constellation is referred to as cooperative learning environments. |
| Archived courses and documents | Learners can access documents permanently - even after the end of the course. Instructors can better evaluate course processes, their outcomes, and ensure course improvement. |
| Optimization of course administration | Announcements can be made and other tools offered (course calendar, grade, test tool, etc.) on learning platforms such as Moodle, MOOCs, or messenger services with advanced features such as MS Teams. |
| Easy course registration | Registration from home |
| Ongoing updates | Up-to-date content can be provided at any time. |
| In some cases, a major cost savings for learners | Courses that take place far away from one's own place of residence and would result in one or more overnight stays can be saved through e-learning offerings.e-learning offerings are also made available free of charge (MOOCs, OER). |
| Cost savings for instructors/providers of e-learning courses | Learning content can be produced and offered at a low financial cost. |
| Self-monitoring | In e-learning, questions and short tasks can be incorporated after each chapter, which assess the solution. In this way, it can be ensured that previous content has been understood and that it can be applied correctly. |
| Anonymous participation | Learners can learn anonymously and do not have to face the pressure of a group. |
Negative aspects
| Internet access must be available | Not all people have Internet access. (E.G.: In Austria, only about 70% of all households have Internet access). |
| No good internet connection | Especially in rural areas, a permanently good Internet connection is not always available. In most cases, there is a lack of speed and it does not always depend on one's own technical equipment. |
| Additional work for teachers | Teaching materials have to be expanded and adapted. |
| Knowledge exchange between learners and teachers more difficult | Some questions sometimes remain unanswered, can only be asked or answered later. |
| Loss of human relations | Secondary topics are usually not addressed and / or worked on. Personal contact between teachers and learners decreases. Moods of the participants can be difficult to capture on the part of the trainer. |
| High self-motivation required | Motivation due to group dynamics or comparisons with other learners are missing. |
| Change of learning experiences and/or learning habits | Learning content must be acquired through self-study. Questions to the trainer can only be asked at certain times and are answered either immediately or delayed. |
| Negative health effects of online learning | Faster eye fatigue, posture problems, digital stress, etc. |
| Lack of IT skills | Teachers and learners do not always have the necessary skills. |
| Copyright issues | Learning materials such as audio examples, learning videos, etc. are subject to copyright. But even created learning materials and lectures by teachers may not be shared on the Internet. |
| Not always less expensive than traditional training | Additional costs for technical equipment |
| Learning disruptors | In contrast to the classroom, disruptive factors such as telephones, etc. are more frequent. |
| Inexperienced trainers | Teachers come from the presence area and do not always have the right methods in the area of online teaching. |
| Often lack of good content | Only linear available, lack of networking |
| Practical parts practically impossible | Especially courses that require very hands-on instruction, such as cooking courses, chemistry courses, etc., cannot take place exclusively via distance learning. |
Afterwards, small groups should be formed and discuss whether these assignments also apply to one personally.
Exercise 2
In order to work out that advantages and disadvantages do not apply equally to everyone, the teacher could put a ribbon on the floor, one end stands for "applies 100%" to me and the other end stands for "does not apply at all". Now the teacher reads out all aspects of e-learning and the participants take their position.
In this way, other perspectives should also be perceived.
Exercise 3
In order to better perceive other perspectives, the teacher could assign roles to the learners. These could be as follows:
| Sandra is 17 years old, student in a private school in Austria, internet access always given, any technical equipment available; | Kevin is 23 years old, unemployed, lives in a village in Germany, limited internet access, only has the mobile data of the phone of 3 GB per month |
| Samira is 19 years old, lives in a village in Turkey, parents do not allow school attendance, cell phone is constantly checked | Mario, shift worker in Vienna, earns well, has enough technical equipment needed for e-learning, has some difficulty in learning, has internet access |
| Maria is 60 years old, surfs the Internet only from time to time, can write e-mails and uses Facebook, but has no idea about Microsoft Office and has not attended any further training for 20 years. | Eugen is 33 years old, knows a lot of software programs well, works with laptop all the time and uses many communication services, works remotely with many international business partners. |
| David is 50 years old, lives in the countryside and often has problems with the Internet, it is much slower than in urban areas, it takes 40 minutes to get to the nearest further education institute; | Amira is 35 years old and has 4 children, she has little time for further education, she has good internet access and is technically up to date; |
Participants should empathize with the role and discuss advantages and disadvantages arising from their situation with regard to e-learning. Questions which can be discussed in this context:
- What does the use of e-learning depend on?
- How do personal circumstances affect the use of e-learning offers?
- Can advantages/disadvantages for one learner also be advantages/disadvantages for another?
The participants should first draw their own conclusions from their observations, from the discussion and the exercises.
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References
Short facts
| Target group | Adults & young people |
|---|---|
| Setting | Individual or group work and plenum |
| Time | 4 units à 45 min. |
| Material |
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