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Part - IV

Issues and Concerns:

Low Acceptance
Although the benefits of e-learning are manifold it is found that teachers were often not willing to move from a face to face model of imparting learning to the technologically advanced system of e learning. One for the main reasons for this rather ironic situation seems to be because e-learning is viewed more as a supplement tool rather than as a complete substitute for the traditional method of imparting education. Secondly, although most instructors (traditional) are familiar with computers most of them may not possess the technical know-how to conduct a successful e learning program. In many cases, the students have been found to be more familiar with the use of various packages. Therefore the integration of computer technology into learning programs has been a little slow in gaining acceptance amongst the educational community although corporate organizations have realized more quickly the importance of integrating the new technology and have begun taking steps in the right direction.

Student Initiative and Completion of Courses
The success of any e-learning program depends much more on personal initiative of the participants than in a traditional learning system. The learner has more responsibility not only in choosing when and to what extent to participate, but in maintaining and organizing course materials, which are accessed electronically and may or may not be selected by the learner for later reading and reflection. Experts suggest that poor instructional design increases the likelihood of learners dropping out. One recommendation for managers and e-learning stakeholders to improve the quality of their e-learning courses is to conduct an initial front-end need analysis of employees' learning gaps so that right learning objectives and content can be created. Interaction, curiosity-driven content, user-friendly graphics and interfaces, familiar examples and cases, and application exercises are all design elements that should be considered, where appropriate, in order to create engaging online courses.

The Future
Forces that are aligning to shape the future for e-learning may be categorized as technical, teaching and development practices or organizational initiatives. Dramatic changes in hardware and software and the continued mainstreaming of technologies into our lives through e-commerce and entertainment are providing a powerful and unstoppable force for the growth of e-learning. A new generation of learners is growing up with technology and will increasingly expect it to be deployed in undertaking training. Organizations, including corporate houses, are developing better IT infrastructure and systems for efficient business and will be seeking to leverage off those efficiencies for the delivery of training. Businesses are seeking more skilled and flexible workers who can 'hit the ground running' and already possess some of those attributes thought once only achieved through experience.

The only certainty is change, and the only way to effectively accommodate change is through having sound processes. These are processes for identifying the needs of the learner, for designing experiences that efficiently meet learning objectives, for choosing appropriate technologies and creating motivating learning designs, and for measuring learning outcomes.

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Rakesh Balachandran is a Post Graduate Programme student of IIM, Ahmedabad. Sandeep Krishnan is a Fellow Programme in Management student in the personnel and industrial relations area of the IIM, Ahmedabad. They can be contacted at 3rakesh@iimahd.ernet.in and sandeepk@iimahd.ernet.in.