Collegedegree 9 | - Freelance Writer
Apr 18, 2018 | #1
Background
In their review of eLearning and ICT infrastructure in developing countries, which is a case study of Iran, Omidinia, Masrom and Selamat relate a great deal of background information regarding the application of eLearning in developing nations. They believe that eLearning is an important tool for education justice in the developing nations. However, as the authors relate, there are a number of issues and challenges when endeavoring to utilize eLearning as a transformative tool in developing nations. With adaptations, eLearning can be developing into a tool to transform the developing nation (in this case, Iran) into a knowledge society.
eLearning is one of the tools that will help transform Iran into a more dynamic nation that will be able to achieve its growth targets. In endeavoring to explain why eLearning is so importatnt to the progress of developing nations the authors begin first with a definition of eLearning that will guide the article and the authors' perspectives. They define eLearning as "the use of Information and Communications technology to enhance and/or support learning....including e-mail, internet, video streaming and virtual classrooms" (Omidinia et al., 120). For the application in the article, Omidinia et al. focus on eLerning as a process of connecting to a network and being able to access course material, collaborate with other students and the teacher, and the ability to get questions answered. As they point out, this cannot be done without course management systems or software, virtual classrooms, and video streaming. Individual students, however, can select which tools to use and what activities he or she wish to accomplish, within the umbrella of his or her degree plan. Ironically, as the authors point out, what people believe to be eLearning successes are not necessarily successes; the success may only be perceived. The goal should be to have real success; correctly done, Omidinia et al. believe, eLeanring can be "successful, scalable and sustainable in developing countries" (120).
There is little doubt that technology as used to help teach students and facilitate learning is considered to be valuable in educational systems, whether at the lowest elementary levels or in higher education. However, one of the larges issues of utilizing eLearning in developing nations is that the infrastructure has to be present in order to get the eLearning materials to the students. Taking this a step further, Omidinia et al. point out that there can be a great many factors that impact the ability of a developing nation to successfully harness eLearning. According to Omidinia et al. there are four conditions that can impact the success of eLearning. The first is the expectation the subjects have of the performance of the eLearning system. The second is the expectation the subjects have of the level of effort that will be required to make the eLearning system work. The third is the social influences that surround the implementing, and the final determinant is the "facilitating conditions" (120). In a developing nation, the facilitiating conditions would include the attitudes of the governmental agencies towards infrastructure, technology, and eLearning, because without the government's support, little will be accomplished.
The four conditions are part of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) originally defined by Venkatesh, Morris and Davis in 2003. According to Venkatesh et al., "the degree to which an individual believes that using the system will help him or her to attain gains in job performance" (447). Venkatesh et al.'s original defintiion of effort expectancy is "the degree of ease associated with the use of this system" (450). Social influences are "the degree to which an individual perceives that important others believe he or she should use the new system" (451). Facilitiating conditions were defined as "the degree to which an individual believes that an organizational and technical infrastructure exists to support use of the system" (453).
In developing UTAUT, Venkatesh et al. conducted an empirical comparison of eight models that were already in existence. They used the results to develop UTAUT. Of the eight initial constructions, four were selected for inclusion in the model that has since become the basis for many of the studies relating to adaptation of new technologies, specifically in the context of eLearning.
In the next step of their analysis, Omidinia et al. suggest that educational institutions have to depend on the government for funding, so the programs that they support can have an immense impact on achieving funding. Within the process, however, globalization of education is becoming the norm. Around the globe, students of all age are seeking knowledge. One of the challenges of having high numbers of education seekers is that scholars can make the process more conducive to learning, through technology. Instead of being a preachers or telling stories or lecturing, the instructor can develop interesting study materials that can be presented at the student's leisure.
Developing nations are being forced to compete in a globalized world. The search for knowledge leads students worldwide, including in the developing nations, to consider their educational needs. It is estimated that eLearning will reduce the burden faced by students who currently seek education outside of their home nation. With some analysts suggesting that by 2025, 8 million students will be attending university in nations other than their home state, any impact to reduce this figure would represent a significant improvement over the status quo, with a reduction in cost and inconvenience.
One of the reasons that eLearning is becoming more popular relates to advances in technology. The combination of the development of the web and improved and expanded open source software give a great many opportunities that might otherwise not have been available. Students can find inexpensive learning materials both easily and convenient. As nations become more aware of the conveniences that are available to them, they also become more aware of how technology can be utilized to hep the development process.
Many nations that are in the development phase now understand that information technology can be leveraged to provide them with solutions to issues that they might otherwise not be able to afford. Some of the more obvious advantages are to deliver better services, to reduce overhead, and to end employee redundancy. When implementation fails, however, the nation can fail to realize the advantages it expected to have. When this occurs, the nation can fall behind in achieving goals that may have been dependent on achieving fluency in information technology.
There can be a number of problems associated with adapting eLearning as a paradigm, and they do not necessarily include issues of infrastructure. For example, NNawaz and Khan pointed out that as soon as one begins to think in terms of globalization, conditions associated with globalization must be also be explored. Regional governments have declared that with the advances in ICT, countries that are developing should be able to "handle the challenges of digital age" (46). This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the nation to not only adapt ICT technologies, but to make them work. Omidinia et al. and NNawaz and Khan differ significantly on one important point, however. Omidinia et al. assert that ICT adaptation has given the government more control over academic decision making (120), but NNawaz and Khan state that ICT is bringing about the end of national education policy and placing more emphasis on the concept of world government and mobility of capital, commodity, and international labor (46). This is an important point when one considers the policy implications.
NNawaz and Khan also point out that ICT is not considered a neutral technology. Instead, people have strong feelings about it. People relate the use of ICT to globalization, to the concept of an information society, and even to the possibility that ICT would mean the end of national policies. Still, when one considers that knowledge combined with economic globalization has caused countries to focus on knowledge-based activities that earn more benefits for the country and the residents, the conclusion can be reached that it is time to embrace ICT.
Omidinia et al. related that when schools switch to online content, rather than a traditional curriculum system, they are far more dependent on technology. As a result, technical issues play a large role in the development of the content. There must be some way to interface with the technology and use it to develop a system to distribute it to students. In this way, the users/instructors can create and distribute better course materials, and even materials for evaluation. Omidinia et al. also assert that the use of technology is a double-edged sword: it can greatly increase the numbers of individuals who can become students, especially in rural areas, but since developing countries can lack infrastructure and supportive personnel, it may still be difficult for them to get an education. Omidinia et al. cite a number of concerns: there are not enough qualified personnel, there is little financial support, the culture in many developing nations is to be the recipient of teaching, rather than to direct one's own learning. There may not be computers and electric at any given time. Further, even if there are computers and electric in an area, there may be no one, or a very limited number of persons, to teach students how to use them. The technology teachers that exist are overworked.
Nawaz and Khan place learning in a more global context. Rather than concentrating on individual issues they place issues of learning in context of an overall conceptualization of the global world, in the perview of socialization and culture. Like Omidinia et al., Nawaz and Khan emphasizes that it takes a major paradigm shift for students to understand that they will be responsible for their own learning once an eLearning system is implemented.
While Nawaz and Khan focus on challenges related to culture, particularly to culture of inactive, teacher directed learning, Omidinia et al. concentrate on an overall view of learning issues. They suggest that there are four general areas in which conversion to eLearning is challenged: the courses, the individuals, the technology, and the context. Although all of these categories are valid for both developing and developed nations, Omidinia et al. suggest that in developing nations, the process focuses on getting access to the technology, while in more developed nations, the process focuses on the individual. Omidinia et al. suggest that individual students can have difficulty motivating; they have conflicting priorities and the economy may not be conducive to returning to school in any form, including an eLearning venue. Students can lack academic and technical confidence, and may not be getting any support from their family or employees in terms of wishing to continue and education. The society may place gender and age pressures on them as well.
Teachers or instructors may also lack technological confidence, motivation, and commitment. Even if they have these qualities, they may not have the correct teaching qualifications or be competent to teach. Finally, time may be a concern when converting to eLearning. Courses can lack curriculum, the pedagogical model may be outdated, subject content may not be up to date, and teachers may find it difficult to help students make the switch from teaching, to learning.
It is easier for both teachers and instructors if services are localized and flexibility in implementation is available. Not only do students need support from faculty, but faculty members may need mentored and supported. The organization itself will be entering a knowledge management phase that they have never experienced, and thus their approach to funding and the economics involved will have to be different. Teachers and staff will need to take different types of training to be able to convert to the new system.
As Nawaz and Khan had pointed out, technology access may be an issue. There will be new costs associated with the new methods, as well as for equipment. Software will need to be purchased or licensed, and interface designs will have to be developed. Depending on the level of information and education at the local level, class content may need adapted.
One of the biggest challenges, however, relates to the social and cultural impacts. Roles of teacher and student will change significantly. Education will be student-driven rather than teacher driven. Attitudes relating to eLearning and information technology may have to be adjusted, and changed. Rules and regulations for using the system will need to be developed, but at the same time. Nawaz and Khan, however, suggest that these are not mere challenges, they are changes that will require an entire shift of educational and cultural paradigm. The first challenge from a cultural perspective is to help residents understand the idea that they are no longer part of a small village; when they hook into the internet and begin to education themselves, they become part of a global village. Anyone in the world can now talk to anyone else, and as different ways of living become apparent, making changes to adopt a lifestyle that meets desires is easier to achieve. Thus, "These issues are bringing a change in the way people used to live, organizations used to do their business and governments used to administer and serve the masses" (46).
Nawaz and Khan also point out that schools may tend to think of eLearning as adding an additional form of education (the 'box' or laptop that is the computer). They may fail to realize that they will now need the internet, access to library databases, office tools, websites, online games and modeling, statistical tools, and other digital tools. They also need to understand and utilize social software. Both education and socialization have changed as a result of eLearning.
Summary
While the Omidinia et al. study emphasized the conditions in Iran and Nawaz and Khan emphasized Pakistan, the differences in the articles related more to the researchers' emphasis on changes in technology versus sociology (Nawaz and Khan). Considered together, these two articles provide a great deal of valuable information on the adoption of eLearning in developing nations.
WORKS CITED
Nawaz, A. and M. Khan. "Implications of the Shifting Paradigms in eLearning and eStudying for Developing Countries like Pakistan." Global Journal of Management and business Research 12.6 (2012): 45-54. electronic.
Omidinia, S., M. Masrom and H. Selamat. "Review of e-Learning and ICT Infrastructure in Developing Countries (Case Study of Iran)." American Journal of Economics and Business Administration 3.1 (2011): 120-125.
Venkatesh, V., et al. "User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View." MIS Quarterly 27.3 (2000): 425-478.
In their review of eLearning and ICT infrastructure in developing countries, which is a case study of Iran, Omidinia, Masrom and Selamat relate a great deal of background information regarding the application of eLearning in developing nations. They believe that eLearning is an important tool for education justice in the developing nations. However, as the authors relate, there are a number of issues and challenges when endeavoring to utilize eLearning as a transformative tool in developing nations. With adaptations, eLearning can be developing into a tool to transform the developing nation (in this case, Iran) into a knowledge society.
eLearning is one of the tools that will help transform Iran into a more dynamic nation that will be able to achieve its growth targets. In endeavoring to explain why eLearning is so importatnt to the progress of developing nations the authors begin first with a definition of eLearning that will guide the article and the authors' perspectives. They define eLearning as "the use of Information and Communications technology to enhance and/or support learning....including e-mail, internet, video streaming and virtual classrooms" (Omidinia et al., 120). For the application in the article, Omidinia et al. focus on eLerning as a process of connecting to a network and being able to access course material, collaborate with other students and the teacher, and the ability to get questions answered. As they point out, this cannot be done without course management systems or software, virtual classrooms, and video streaming. Individual students, however, can select which tools to use and what activities he or she wish to accomplish, within the umbrella of his or her degree plan. Ironically, as the authors point out, what people believe to be eLearning successes are not necessarily successes; the success may only be perceived. The goal should be to have real success; correctly done, Omidinia et al. believe, eLeanring can be "successful, scalable and sustainable in developing countries" (120).Determinants of eLearning
There is little doubt that technology as used to help teach students and facilitate learning is considered to be valuable in educational systems, whether at the lowest elementary levels or in higher education. However, one of the larges issues of utilizing eLearning in developing nations is that the infrastructure has to be present in order to get the eLearning materials to the students. Taking this a step further, Omidinia et al. point out that there can be a great many factors that impact the ability of a developing nation to successfully harness eLearning. According to Omidinia et al. there are four conditions that can impact the success of eLearning. The first is the expectation the subjects have of the performance of the eLearning system. The second is the expectation the subjects have of the level of effort that will be required to make the eLearning system work. The third is the social influences that surround the implementing, and the final determinant is the "facilitating conditions" (120). In a developing nation, the facilitiating conditions would include the attitudes of the governmental agencies towards infrastructure, technology, and eLearning, because without the government's support, little will be accomplished.
The four conditions are part of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) originally defined by Venkatesh, Morris and Davis in 2003. According to Venkatesh et al., "the degree to which an individual believes that using the system will help him or her to attain gains in job performance" (447). Venkatesh et al.'s original defintiion of effort expectancy is "the degree of ease associated with the use of this system" (450). Social influences are "the degree to which an individual perceives that important others believe he or she should use the new system" (451). Facilitiating conditions were defined as "the degree to which an individual believes that an organizational and technical infrastructure exists to support use of the system" (453).
In developing UTAUT, Venkatesh et al. conducted an empirical comparison of eight models that were already in existence. They used the results to develop UTAUT. Of the eight initial constructions, four were selected for inclusion in the model that has since become the basis for many of the studies relating to adaptation of new technologies, specifically in the context of eLearning.
Why eLearning?
In the next step of their analysis, Omidinia et al. suggest that educational institutions have to depend on the government for funding, so the programs that they support can have an immense impact on achieving funding. Within the process, however, globalization of education is becoming the norm. Around the globe, students of all age are seeking knowledge. One of the challenges of having high numbers of education seekers is that scholars can make the process more conducive to learning, through technology. Instead of being a preachers or telling stories or lecturing, the instructor can develop interesting study materials that can be presented at the student's leisure.
Developing nations are being forced to compete in a globalized world. The search for knowledge leads students worldwide, including in the developing nations, to consider their educational needs. It is estimated that eLearning will reduce the burden faced by students who currently seek education outside of their home nation. With some analysts suggesting that by 2025, 8 million students will be attending university in nations other than their home state, any impact to reduce this figure would represent a significant improvement over the status quo, with a reduction in cost and inconvenience.
One of the reasons that eLearning is becoming more popular relates to advances in technology. The combination of the development of the web and improved and expanded open source software give a great many opportunities that might otherwise not have been available. Students can find inexpensive learning materials both easily and convenient. As nations become more aware of the conveniences that are available to them, they also become more aware of how technology can be utilized to hep the development process.
Many nations that are in the development phase now understand that information technology can be leveraged to provide them with solutions to issues that they might otherwise not be able to afford. Some of the more obvious advantages are to deliver better services, to reduce overhead, and to end employee redundancy. When implementation fails, however, the nation can fail to realize the advantages it expected to have. When this occurs, the nation can fall behind in achieving goals that may have been dependent on achieving fluency in information technology.
Difficulties in eLearning Adaptation and Assimilation
There can be a number of problems associated with adapting eLearning as a paradigm, and they do not necessarily include issues of infrastructure. For example, NNawaz and Khan pointed out that as soon as one begins to think in terms of globalization, conditions associated with globalization must be also be explored. Regional governments have declared that with the advances in ICT, countries that are developing should be able to "handle the challenges of digital age" (46). This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the nation to not only adapt ICT technologies, but to make them work. Omidinia et al. and NNawaz and Khan differ significantly on one important point, however. Omidinia et al. assert that ICT adaptation has given the government more control over academic decision making (120), but NNawaz and Khan state that ICT is bringing about the end of national education policy and placing more emphasis on the concept of world government and mobility of capital, commodity, and international labor (46). This is an important point when one considers the policy implications.
Technology is Not Neutral
NNawaz and Khan also point out that ICT is not considered a neutral technology. Instead, people have strong feelings about it. People relate the use of ICT to globalization, to the concept of an information society, and even to the possibility that ICT would mean the end of national policies. Still, when one considers that knowledge combined with economic globalization has caused countries to focus on knowledge-based activities that earn more benefits for the country and the residents, the conclusion can be reached that it is time to embrace ICT.
Omidinia et al. related that when schools switch to online content, rather than a traditional curriculum system, they are far more dependent on technology. As a result, technical issues play a large role in the development of the content. There must be some way to interface with the technology and use it to develop a system to distribute it to students. In this way, the users/instructors can create and distribute better course materials, and even materials for evaluation. Omidinia et al. also assert that the use of technology is a double-edged sword: it can greatly increase the numbers of individuals who can become students, especially in rural areas, but since developing countries can lack infrastructure and supportive personnel, it may still be difficult for them to get an education. Omidinia et al. cite a number of concerns: there are not enough qualified personnel, there is little financial support, the culture in many developing nations is to be the recipient of teaching, rather than to direct one's own learning. There may not be computers and electric at any given time. Further, even if there are computers and electric in an area, there may be no one, or a very limited number of persons, to teach students how to use them. The technology teachers that exist are overworked.
Nawaz and Khan place learning in a more global context. Rather than concentrating on individual issues they place issues of learning in context of an overall conceptualization of the global world, in the perview of socialization and culture. Like Omidinia et al., Nawaz and Khan emphasizes that it takes a major paradigm shift for students to understand that they will be responsible for their own learning once an eLearning system is implemented.
Facing the Challenges
While Nawaz and Khan focus on challenges related to culture, particularly to culture of inactive, teacher directed learning, Omidinia et al. concentrate on an overall view of learning issues. They suggest that there are four general areas in which conversion to eLearning is challenged: the courses, the individuals, the technology, and the context. Although all of these categories are valid for both developing and developed nations, Omidinia et al. suggest that in developing nations, the process focuses on getting access to the technology, while in more developed nations, the process focuses on the individual. Omidinia et al. suggest that individual students can have difficulty motivating; they have conflicting priorities and the economy may not be conducive to returning to school in any form, including an eLearning venue. Students can lack academic and technical confidence, and may not be getting any support from their family or employees in terms of wishing to continue and education. The society may place gender and age pressures on them as well.
Teachers or instructors may also lack technological confidence, motivation, and commitment. Even if they have these qualities, they may not have the correct teaching qualifications or be competent to teach. Finally, time may be a concern when converting to eLearning. Courses can lack curriculum, the pedagogical model may be outdated, subject content may not be up to date, and teachers may find it difficult to help students make the switch from teaching, to learning.
It is easier for both teachers and instructors if services are localized and flexibility in implementation is available. Not only do students need support from faculty, but faculty members may need mentored and supported. The organization itself will be entering a knowledge management phase that they have never experienced, and thus their approach to funding and the economics involved will have to be different. Teachers and staff will need to take different types of training to be able to convert to the new system.
As Nawaz and Khan had pointed out, technology access may be an issue. There will be new costs associated with the new methods, as well as for equipment. Software will need to be purchased or licensed, and interface designs will have to be developed. Depending on the level of information and education at the local level, class content may need adapted.
One of the biggest challenges, however, relates to the social and cultural impacts. Roles of teacher and student will change significantly. Education will be student-driven rather than teacher driven. Attitudes relating to eLearning and information technology may have to be adjusted, and changed. Rules and regulations for using the system will need to be developed, but at the same time. Nawaz and Khan, however, suggest that these are not mere challenges, they are changes that will require an entire shift of educational and cultural paradigm. The first challenge from a cultural perspective is to help residents understand the idea that they are no longer part of a small village; when they hook into the internet and begin to education themselves, they become part of a global village. Anyone in the world can now talk to anyone else, and as different ways of living become apparent, making changes to adopt a lifestyle that meets desires is easier to achieve. Thus, "These issues are bringing a change in the way people used to live, organizations used to do their business and governments used to administer and serve the masses" (46).
Nawaz and Khan also point out that schools may tend to think of eLearning as adding an additional form of education (the 'box' or laptop that is the computer). They may fail to realize that they will now need the internet, access to library databases, office tools, websites, online games and modeling, statistical tools, and other digital tools. They also need to understand and utilize social software. Both education and socialization have changed as a result of eLearning.
Summary
While the Omidinia et al. study emphasized the conditions in Iran and Nawaz and Khan emphasized Pakistan, the differences in the articles related more to the researchers' emphasis on changes in technology versus sociology (Nawaz and Khan). Considered together, these two articles provide a great deal of valuable information on the adoption of eLearning in developing nations.
WORKS CITED
Nawaz, A. and M. Khan. "Implications of the Shifting Paradigms in eLearning and eStudying for Developing Countries like Pakistan." Global Journal of Management and business Research 12.6 (2012): 45-54. electronic.
Omidinia, S., M. Masrom and H. Selamat. "Review of e-Learning and ICT Infrastructure in Developing Countries (Case Study of Iran)." American Journal of Economics and Business Administration 3.1 (2011): 120-125.
Venkatesh, V., et al. "User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View." MIS Quarterly 27.3 (2000): 425-478.