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| Subject: Final Version | |
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Author: Luciano Valadares |
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Date Posted: 19:21:19 09/08/10 Wed Online Education: Opportunities and Challenges The need for new methodologies on the educational field is due to empowerment of high technologies, but is society totally ready to receive technological education? The demand for online-courses has been increasing, this process is undeniable and unstoppable. Yet, people will need to acquire new technological skills if they intend to succeed in this virtual world. The so called Online Education, that follows these transformations, gives rise to many controversial issues and, like many other transitions, brings approval from some and disapproval from others. Although well-established institutions are eager for reviewing their way of teaching, the majority of the educational systems is facing great challenges. According to WISE (2010) “… the education sector has been slow to evolve and adapt to the new global economy.” They also state that “… education sector is like a massive mainframe computer trying to fit itself into a smartphone world. The entrenched practices, governance structures, and low expectations are just not compatible with today’s world.” It is true that the internet can offer great educational opportunities, and for this reason it is becoming increasingly popular among people around the world. However, “…a point presented by some critics is that, except when the studying is made with visual contact through some specific media like webcams, the teacher has no efficient way to be sure about who is really doing the tasks. For that reason, the online education suffers a lot of prejudice from big companies, that claims that it is not reliable, once the students could have paid somebody to do the tasks for them.” (http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall53/valentine53.html) On-line education is positively beneficial to all age groups searching for a way to engage in a formal qualification, and it also promises to attend to a broader public rather than a traditional one. For instance, a disabled person or a housewife could easily study from home at their own pace, instead of following a fixed timetable. On the other hand, “some virtual students find that the online environment might limit their ability to learn in a way that matches their learning style. For example, visual and auditory learners need the presence of the written and spoken word.” ( http://www.virtualstudent.com/html/challenges.html) Another positive argument is that online education decreases the costs of the study compared to classical campuses, since people can access the courses from home or even work. However, at some schools, online education is even more expensive than campus-based courses. For reasons of their own, “many schools use their non-traditional and distance learning programs to subsidize their campus operations.” (http://www.virtualstudent.com/html/challenges.html) References: WISE, Bob; with assistance from Robert Rothman- The Online Learning Imperative: A solution to Three Looming Crises in Education - Issue Brief - Alliance for Excellent Education, Junho/2010 http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall53/valentine53.html http://www.virtualstudent.com/html/challenges.html [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |