E-Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

One of the first forms of e-learning included a video/audio system that transferred course material from one place (a provider classroom) to several others. Even though students were enrolled in the same class, they attended class in different designated places, thus learning synchronously—at the same time—with others. Most schools moved away from this method as technology improved though this style of learning was popular during distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common form of e-learning is online classes—those that use a course management system and the Internet to connect teachers and students. Students in online courses learn asynchronously—at different times. Some e-courses use both traditional (in-classroom) learning as well as online course management systems. Students attend classes on a regular basis and also log on to the Internet to complete assignments or for supplemental course information. The advantages and disadvantages of online learning are discussed below, as are student and faculty perceptions of the format.

Overview

Learning electronically, or online learning, is an option for many college students. Ben Baker is a thirty-two-year-old father with two children. Baker attends college part-time and works three days per week. When the time comes for Baker to register for classes, he looks for sections that are offered online. "It just makes things easier. I can log on and do my class work when it's best for me, which is usually after my kids go to bed" (Personal communication, November 3, 2009). A 2010 Sloan Survey reported that 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in the fall of 2009 (Sloan Consortium, 2010). Baker is one of over 5.5 million. By 2012, the number of online learners had increased to 6.7 million (Allen & Seaman, 2013, p. 4). The number of students taking at least one distance education course grew once more from 2013 to 2014 at a rate of 3.9 percent. At that point, 28 percent of students were taking at least some of their courses at a distance, with the majority of them studying through a public institution (Babson Survey Research Group, 2016). By Fall 2020, 75 percent of all undergraduate college students in the US, 11.8 million people, were enrolled in at least one online course. Forty-four percent, or 7 million undergraduate students, were enrolled exclusively in online courses. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to increase these numbers from just the previous year in 2019. The number of students enrolled in at least one course grew by 97 percent, and the number of students studying exclusively online grew by 186 percent in just a year (NCES, 2022). Getting an education electronically is an option for students who appreciate convenient, flexible, and independent learning. E-learning does not provide an environment that is beneficial to all students. However, for those students who are interested in the concept, there is a course or program not far away that will fill their needs. This trend of an increase in online education is expected to continue for many reasons.

Advances in technology have resulted in online courses becoming a normal part of college life, especially for community colleges that have suffered financially due to past recessions (Bradley, 2008). According to the Sloan Consortium, in 2006, "there were 1.9 million community college students enrolled in at least one online course;" that figure represents more than half of all the online enrollments of that year (Bradley, 2008, p. 9). In contrast, private, 4-year baccalaureate schools "enroll less than 5 percent of the online student population and have the lowest rates of growth in online enrollments" (Bradley, 2008, p. 9). Community colleges cater to students at a distance and offer Associates degree programs, professional certifications, and the majority of liberal arts classes required for baccalaureate programs, with the option of online courses.

A 2013 study found, however, that while 97 percent of community colleges offer online courses, only 3 percent of students attending those institutions are enrolled in entirely online degree programs (Fain, 2013). For the most part, students felt they learned better in face-to-face instructional settings, especially in science and foreign language classes. However, by 2022, 38 percent of all community college students attended school entirely online (Thai, 2023).

Types of E-Learning

Synchronous. There are differences in the delivery of e-learning options, depending on the college and its resources. The first incarnation of electronic learning was most popular in the 1970s and 1980s, and some colleges still utilize the form. Distance learning includes video and audio simulcasts that originate in one place (generally a classroom) and are televised to one or several other places, usually classrooms in other schools. This type of e-learning is called synchronous, meaning that the students and instructor need to be present at the same time to participate in the class. Sometimes teleconferencing is included in this model so that instructors can "meet" with individual students without the rest of the class listening in. While this technology is effective, it is not the most efficient.

Asynchronous. Online learning is the most popular type of e-learning. Courses taught online use the Internet and a course management system (e.g., Blackboard) to present course materials that are created by a teacher to students who attend class from a location of their choice, usually home. Students are required to purchase and read textbooks and complete assignments just like in a traditional classroom. However, course material is posted within the course management system, where students submit assignments, take tests, and participate in discussions with fellow students. Online classes are asynchronous in nature because learning takes place at different times for students, generally when it is most convenient for them, which could be any time of the day or night. According to the Babson Survey Research Group and the Online Learning Consortium, which has been tracking the trends of online learning for many years, in the fall of 2014, about 5.8 million college students were taking at least some online courses (Babson Survey Research Group, 2016). By 2020, that number had risen to over 11 million (NCES, 2022).

Blended/Hybrid. A third type of e-learning combines traditional classroom teaching with a course management system, even though students still attend regular classes. For blended or hybrid learning situations, teachers may require that discussions, group work, research, or homework assignments be completed and submitted through the course management system, even though the class meets on a regular basis. Teachers can also post course requirements, like a syllabus or assignment specifications, on the course management system so that paper copies are not necessary, which is especially helpful in large classes. As Jackson and Helms explain,

For these types of classes, students know where they stand academically because once grades are posted, they can be viewed at any time. In addition, faculty can keep attendance and any other class records within the management system, so everything is in one place and accessible with access to the Internet. Again, for large classes, these features are helpful.

Advantages of Online Learning. The biggest advantage of learning online is that students can do it on their own time and at their own pace. Assignments have due dates, but students can complete them in advance if they like or during lunch breaks, or even while having their morning coffee in pajamas. Convenience and flexibility are important factors when it comes to students choosing online courses (Rowh, 2007). For some students, speaking up in class is similar to torture. In an online environment, participating in discussion forums from a keyboard is a relief for students who fear public speaking. Another advantage is that online learning is not limited to full-time students, nor is it limited to college students. According to the Sloan Consortium, in 2007–2008, 1,030,000 K–12 students were enrolled in an online course, which is a 47 percent increase from the 2007–2008 school year (Picciano & Seaman, 2009, chart p. 1). By 2023, 4.5 million K-12 students in the US were enrolled in an online course (Online Schools, 2023). High school students can earn college credit without having to travel to a college campus. In that same vein, students attending one college can sometimes cross-register to take an online course offered at a different institution. Students with special needs may also find online learning advantageous. Students who care for a family member or those who have an illness can again work at their own pace and not have to travel to or be present in traditional classes to gain a college education.

Disadvantages of Online Learning. Taking a class online requires discipline. Students have to prioritize their schedules so that logging into their online classes—and completing the required work—is a daily activity, just like preparing for and attending a traditional class. Students who procrastinate completing assignments when they see a teacher on a regular basis will not change their ways—and are likely to increase them—when they feel they are accountable to their computers rather than a teacher. Also, it is easy to be distracted by social media notifications, a child crying, or the sun shining, and that may make completing online assignments difficult for some students, whereas once in a classroom, distractions can be limited. A great deal of discussion has centered around whether older students using online programs to change careers or further their current careers need even greater support that may not be available through the format. Debates have ensued over whether older students have enough independent motivation when returning to and having to adjust to the academic environment to succeed in an online platform (Rotar, 2017). Another disadvantage relates to technical issues. Students taking online courses not only need a reliable computer and Internet access, but they also need to be able to contact someone when something does not work. Some course management systems have "help" features that can talk a patient student through problem-solving. However, if something goes wrong in the middle of an online exam, even the most patient student may feel frustrated and give up.

Further Insights

The Online Learner. Students who take online courses have the same "income, race, and ethnicity" as their peers in traditional courses. However, more students who take online courses are older than students who take traditional classes, and 60 percent of students who take online courses are women (Groux, 2012). In 2011, "about 40 percent of cyber students are under the age of thirty, while about 20 percent are younger than twenty-five" (Groux, 2012, Venable, 2021). Sixty percent of online students are White, about 20 percent are Black, and approximately 8 percent identify themselves as Hispanic (Kolowich, 2012). Sixty percent are employed full-time, and the majority live within 100 miles of the college in which they enroll in an online course (Kolowich, 2012). While these statistics changed in the early twentieth century, online students continued to be older and less likely to identify as a minority. Online learners continued to be likely to work full-time.

A 2009 study found that students who take online classes do not do so exclusively from traditional classes. While many colleges offer entire degree programs online, the study found that only about 30 percent of online learners substitute the online format for the traditional classroom. The more common scenario is that online and traditional classes are combined for the majority of online learners (Doyle, 2009, p. 57). This may be because in many colleges, liberal arts (general education) courses are offered by many different instructors, some who teach online and others who teach in traditional formats; students can choose an online class out of the list of many. However, small academic departments (like forensic science, for example) tend to house fewer faculty (and thus fewer sections of each course), which may mean that online versions of some classes are not offered. Thus, about two-thirds of e-learners combine traditional classes with those offered online. However, with the expansion of online learning and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students taking classes entirely online rose to 46 percent in 2022 (Stewart, 2022).

Concerns about Online Learning

A Teacher-Less System. While e-learning offers students many advantages and can result in less time and money spent traveling to school, there are concerns in the education community regarding learning from a distance. The first is the idea that teachers and colleges, in general, will become obsolete or unnecessary in the near future (Desai, Hart, & Richards, 2008, p. 327). Some researchers believe that,

Bradley (2008) notes that one of the reasons baccalaureate institutions have not incorporated more online learning opportunities into their degree programs is that faculty feel that losing one-on-one interactions with students reduces the quality of education, perhaps pushing higher education toward a teacher-less system (Bradley, 2008). Another practical concern for instructors in higher education is understandably one of job security.

Social Implications. In addition, students who choose online learning may have some social difficulties that do not manifest in traditional classrooms. For example, if students need to work on a group project, they must communicate online to determine a time to meet or to synchronize their schedules to work together. In a traditional classroom, students would identify group members by sight and arrange for a meeting in person. Furthermore, if a student has a question while completing his homework at 1:00 AM, he will not receive a response either from another student or from the instructor until those people log in and read the question. For students who rarely go to campus, it may be difficult to find peers with whom to discuss homework, grades, or stress. Such conversations happen before or after class or between classes, as these represent typical experiences for on-campus college students. It would be helpful if online learning could address the lack of social interaction for students. With the use of telecommunications, chat boards, messaging apps, and connecting through social media, these concerns have been increasingly addressed.

Instructor Time. From an instructor's perspective, teaching an online course can be much more time-consuming than teaching a traditional class. Depending on the course management system being used, teachers need training to learn the basic operating features, including how to log into the system and how to download a list of students enrolled in the course. From there, instructors need to create the course material that will be posted within the system: class lectures, notes, specific assignments, links to outside resources, tests, a grading list (i.e., essay 1 equals how much of the total grade), etc. This work takes a great deal of time and planning. There is not always someone available to assist with technical issues once an initial training session has occurred, which can make it difficult for faculty to diagnose and correct technical problems quickly.

Rowley, Lujan, & Delonce (1998) noted that "these [online] systems were designed to support collaborative learning, knowledge building, and multiple representations of ideas and knowledge structure" (Desai, Hart, & Richards, 2008, p. 330):

As long as students and teachers are supported (both technically and socially) when involved in online learning, most concerns can be overcome.

The Bottom Line. While most students take online courses for the convenience and flexibility, colleges and universities offer them for a reason: to make money. While most colleges offer online courses in addition to traditional classes, schools like the University of Phoenix offer only online classes. It is now being proposed that public colleges and universities also take more advantage of online learning.

An example is Purdue Global which was created in 2018 as part of the Purdue University system. Purdue purchased the private, for-profit university Kaplan University and rebranded it as a public, non-profit online university called Purdue Global.

Viewpoints

Student Perspectives. Online classes will not work for every student, but sometimes a hybrid will. Jackson & Helms (2008) conducted a study to determine if students were satisfied with the senior-level hybrid course they took at a small public college in the southeast. A total of fifty-eight students were surveyed; twenty-three were under the age of 25, while thirty-five were older, worked full-time, and were married or had children (p. 9). Students were asked to identify the courses' strengths and weaknesses. The authors note that, "Students appear to perceive this pedagogy in a positive and negative light" (p. 11). Interestingly, the students in the study noted "delivery flexibility and time utilization" as the biggest strengths and "lack of faculty interaction and technology challenges" as the biggest weaknesses (p. 11).

In a different study conducted by Walker & Kelly (2007), 304 surveys were collected from undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an online course at the College of Liberal Studies of the University of Oklahoma (p. 311). The authors noted that while student responses "indicated an extremely high level of satisfaction with the online experience," including a third of the respondents stating they had no pet peeves, there were several issues identified. For example, students had complaints about the following:

• The teacher or an assignment
• The inability to interact with the teacher or other students
• The amount of course material covered/required
• The "quality and timeliness of feedback," and
• The technology: "computer programs, Internet sites, broken links, and similar problems" (Walker & Kelly, 2007, p. 317–318).

Except for the technical problems and the lack of interaction with peers and teachers, these issues are not exclusive to online learning. However, they must be taken into account by anyone considering taking an online course. It is also important to note that these studies were conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic when first distance learning and then hybrid learning became a necessity for the continuation of educational programs. Should these surveys be conducted in the 2020s, some answers may be the same, but others will have changed simply due to the normalization of online learning.

A Faculty Perspective. Elayne Clift is an award-winning author who teaches a variety of liberal arts classes in New England as an adjunct professor. She offered that online teaching was too much work for not enough pay and offered too little interaction between faculty and students (2009). Clift was not happy that communication between teacher and student (and student and students) was not immediate. This was especially so in the case of her offering feedback to students and wondering whether that "feedback might be misinterpreted and thus hurtful or confusing" (2009). In addition to the communication issue, Clift believed that the quality of her teaching—and her students' learning—was less valuable online than in a traditional classroom. She wrote,

Another complaint Clift expressed was that compared to the work it takes to get an online course developed and maintained, traditional course prep is a breeze. "I devoted at least three times as many hours and triple the energy to online teaching than was necessary for traditional courses. But I received no additional compensation for that effort" (2009). Finally, Clift says she felt like she was never off the clock when she taught online because students can submit assignments or ask questions 24/7. It would be interesting to speak to Clift, still teaching as an adjunct professor in the 2020s, to ask if her opinion remained the same, especially given the changes in education and society in the years since she was interviewed.

There are advantages and disadvantages to learning electronically. As long as students have a choice between traditional classrooms and virtual education, it seems likely that they will continue to make what they feel is the best choice for them, as will instructors like Clift. In the 2020s, educational options have increased, technology has improved, and virtual education has become the norm for an increasing number of students. It is unlikely, however, that the cost of tuition will ever be as flexible as online learning; it is equally unlikely that wearing pajamas to a traditional class will ever be acceptable.

Terms & Concepts

Asynchronous Learning: Learning that occurs at different times, such as in online classes when students can log on 24/7.

Blended Learning: Learning that combines online opportunities with traditional classroom instruction.

E-learning: Education whose instructor/student contact includes the use of technology.

Hybrid: A course that combines traditional teaching methods with e-learning techniques.

Online Learning: Education received through a course management system accessible by all via the Internet.

The Sloan Consortium: An organization that tracks and promotes the efficacy of online learning.

Synchronous Learning: Learning that takes place at the same time, as in traditional classes or in remote broadcast learning which learners in multiple locations receive the same information at the same time.

Web-based Instruction: Teaching that is primarily offered through the Internet.

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