The Challenges and Impacts of E Learning in Developing Countries

In most Northern countries, distance education has long planted its seeds, and e learning(https://thesiliconjournal.com/education/why-is-offering-professional-education-services-online-a-good-business-idea) has emerged for more than a decade now. While e-learning projects were initially less common in developing countries, notable accomplishments in distance education occurred in countries like China and India. 

Educators soon recognized the potential to reach learners through various media, including the Internet. Although Internet access was limited and web browsing seemed unfamiliar to some learners, their exposure to global knowledge drew learners even from the most remote African villages. As people’s interest in the Internet continued to grow over the decades, the new model of access to knowledge gradually became popular for its interactive multimedia content and expanding communication possibilities.

Defining E-Learning

The term ‘e-learning’ embeds two key ideas: one is the development of Information Communication Technology(ICT), and the second is its role in transforming learning experiences. ICT is not merely a tool that transfers knowledge from an individual who possesses it to those who wish to learn it. In a broader scope, e-learning resonates a message, which means the impact of any communicative effort combines the message content and the medium that carries it. 

The learning behavior of individuals is guided by the features of the tools they use. For example, a student learning through a technological system that exploits the internet will not only learn differently, but will also have to develop other skills to acquire the desired knowledge. E-learning represents not only this primary shift in the learning paradigm, but also indicates the use of electronic media in learning and overall education. 

During and Post-COVID Scenario: A Paradigm Shift in Education

The COVID-19 pandemic forced educational institutions to rapidly adopt e-learning as a means to ensure continuity and safety. While initially perceived as challenging with uncertain benefits for students, the adoption of ICT in universities—especially in developing countries—enabled multi-faceted learning methods and generated valuable data for knowledge extraction.

However, many developing countries struggled to adapt to this change in education due to a lack of infrastructure for remote learning. Regions such as Latin America, South Asia, and the Caribbean experienced the highest levels of delays in embracing remote learning.

Teachers had a different teaching experience during the COVID-19 era in higher education. This rapid transition created fear of new things and technophobia among teachers as they were expected to know not only the technology but also strong management skills to teach in an online environment. Most teachers undertook online courses(https://thesiliconjournal.com/education/why-is-offering-professional-education-services-online-a-good-business-idea) to explore e-learning platforms effectively while teaching online. During the pandemic, university faculties faced the challenge of a lack of in-person interaction with the online teaching method in India. This compelled teachers to pursue courses on how to use the e-learning platforms to ensure student satisfaction and ease of online teaching.

In the post-pandemic era, online education is substantially contributing to the existing educational system, transforming its picture radically into an advanced one. It involves the use of various kinds of ICT and electronic devices in teaching. Today, it has become a widely accepted teaching and learning method for the multiple benefits it provides despite the associated challenges.

Positive Impacts of E-Learning on Developing Countries

The COVID pandemic exposed significant gaps in global education, particularly in countries without a robust online learning infrastructure. As the necessity for effective e-learning grew, many developing countries struggled with inadequate economic and technological resources, making it difficult to deliver education to vulnerable youth and causing delays in curriculum implementation. 

The adoption of e-learning platforms can be advantageous for developing nations to address the education gap and ensure improved accessibility to quality education, reducing the existing educational barriers. These platforms are becoming increasingly crucial for students and teachers to acquire knowledge and skills in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven education world. It is estimated that about 4.5 million students are taking at least one online course in developing regions, and this number may soon exceed 18 million. Below are the advantages provided by online education in developing countries.

1. Can be Accessed from Anywhere Around the World

The first and foremost advantage of online learning is its accessibility. Any region with an internet connection can access e-learning platforms. Platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Akello, Zoom, Coursera, BYJU’s, and others are used for teaching and learning in developing countries like India, China, and others.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

The cost-effectiveness of these online learning platforms is another compelling reason for their widespread adoption in developing countries. Compared to the cost of constructing and maintaining traditional schools, these digital learning platforms can be established at a minimal expense. This encourages governments and educational organizations to expand access to education in developing nations.

3. Addressing Human-Capital Development Needs in Developing Countries

At a broader scale, the integration of e-learning into conventional educational institutions contributes to fulfilling the human capital development needs of developing countries. By extension, it also helps these countries propel toward their socio-economic development. Through this innovative strategy, an all-inclusive education goal can be achieved for its potential to expand access to educational services, and barriers like disabilities, finance, and distance can be overcome. 

4. Improvement in the Quality of Education

With the implementation of an e-learning system, the quality of education can be improved. Open learning multimedia instructional delivery modalities potentially have countless benefits for the learning process of students. It plays a crucial role in crafting reaping new crop of teachers and up-skilling the existing ones to meet the 21st-century pedagogical requirements. These platforms can be leveraged as tools to improve teaching and learning quality.  

5. Learning Empowerment

This new learning method empowers learners to study at their own pace, enabling cooperative and collaborative learning activities among students. It enhances students’ critical thinking skills and helps them retain knowledge. Learning through online learning platforms(https://thesiliconjournal.com/education/why-is-offering-professional-education-services-online-a-good-business-idea) often leads to better academic performance or learning outcomes. A study conducted to measure the adoption and satisfaction of university students with e-learning platforms in China has shown that 75% of university students have a greater intention of adopting online learning, and 85% of the students are highly satisfied with this learning procedure.

Challenges of Embedding E-Learning in Developing Countries

The challenges for e-learning vary in developing countries compared to pre-existing regions, such as North America and Western Europe. Learning using mobile is still a growing phenomenon in developing countries, giving birth to a range of challenges in implementing digital learning platforms-

1. Challenges of Designing Courses

E-learning developers face the challenges of designing courses according to the needs of diverse learners in developing regions. Mobile learning paves the way for connecting with millions of new learners, and designing and modifying courses that suit smaller mobile devices is still challenging for developers working in developing countries. 

2. Poor Infrastructure

Some countries are down in infrastructure. For example, in Africa, e-learning still has the potential to reach learners across the continent. However, issues like internet connectivity, absence of content in the local language, and others are impeding its growth. A report suggests, Internet penetration in sub-Saharan countries is less than 2% of the entire population of the countries. With growth in foreign investments in these areas, the African government can provide more robust internet connectivity across all regions.

3. Non-availability of Locally Developed Content

In order to ensure inclusive education for all, it is crucial to have learning content and curriculum in local languages across developing regions. In a country of diverse cultures like India, the need for learning materials, course content, and curriculum in local languages on e-learning platforms could help students from any societal background to access quality education.

4. Lack of Training and Professional Development facilities

With less investment from the government, government educational institutions often fail to offer the required training and professional development for educators to teach in an online environment in these countries. More foreign investment can also resolve this issue.

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