Question 2
Can Online Learning make a significant impact in improving literacy, language and numeracy levels with marginalized, remote or rural communities?
Online learning would work well for marginalized, remote or rural communities due to some of the constraints being faced by them. Constraints such as transportation, being far from universities, family issues becomes a barrier and stops them form learning. According to Carliner (1999, “online learning is an educational material that is presented on a computer” (p.4). Khan (1997) defines online learning as an innovative approach for delivery instruction to a remote audience.
Online
learning is useful and relevant for most adults with literacy learning needs as
long as the learning programme is designed properly to fit learners needs and
lifestyle, their proficiency with computer-related technologies and their
reading literacy (Fletcher, Nicholas & Davis, ). Online learning brings the
benefit of opening up greater interaction between adults’ study, work, home and
community environments, simply because learning environment can be extended
into those places.
According to Nash & Kallenbach (2009),
“e-learning is particularly accommodating of learners who cannot easily access
face to face tuition, such as those in rural communities. Activities related to
everyday life challenges and family can support online learning by providing
strong motivational contexts.
Moreover, online learning can be used to motivate,
recruit and retain adults with literacy deficits.
Even children in India are also benefiting from e-learning. The you tube video clip below shows how e-learning is transforming in India and enhancing children educational quality.
Even children in India are also benefiting from e-learning. The you tube video clip below shows how e-learning is transforming in India and enhancing children educational quality.
Computer programmes are embedded in lessons and attendance has gone up according to the teachers and this has led to children have high confidence level.
Furthermore, adults with disabilities in
remote or rural communities that adversely affect their ability to have access
to learning find digital technologies and e-learning that fit their needs
highly useful.
In general, online learning reaches to most parts of
the communities where learning is impossible or difficult for people. Having
the flexibility of having online learning gives learners a chance to still
fulfill their dreams and reach their goals.
References
Ally, M. (2004). Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning. In T. Anderson, & F. Elloumi, Theory and Practice for Online Learning (pp. 3-31). Athabasca: Athabasca University.
Carliner, S. (1999). Overview of online learning. Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press.
Fletcher, J., Nicholas, K., & Davis, N. (2011). Supporting adults to address their literacy needs using e-learning. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 15(1), 17–29.
Khan, B. (1997). Web-based instruction: What is it and why is it? In B. H. Khan (Ed), Web-based instruction (pp. 5-18). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications
Nash, A., & Kallenbach, S. (2009). Making it worth the stay: Findings from the New England Adult Learner Persistence Project. Boston, MA: New England Literacy Resource Center.
How e-Learning is Transforming Rural India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHkhPkuvzCg
How e-Learning is Transforming Rural India
Carliner, S. (1999). Overview of online learning. Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press.
Fletcher, J., Nicholas, K., & Davis, N. (2011). Supporting adults to address their literacy needs using e-learning. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 15(1), 17–29.
Khan, B. (1997). Web-based instruction: What is it and why is it? In B. H. Khan (Ed), Web-based instruction (pp. 5-18). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications
Nash, A., & Kallenbach, S. (2009). Making it worth the stay: Findings from the New England Adult Learner Persistence Project. Boston, MA: New England Literacy Resource Center.
How e-Learning is Transforming Rural India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHkhPkuvzCg
Hi, really good choice of utube and embedding of it. Check how to cite utubes in the Library site APA6th.
ReplyDeleteThank you Helen, I will check on the APA 6th Referencing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Helen, I will check on the APA 6th Referencing.
ReplyDeleteHi Muni thank you for your answer. You have provided a very concise and to the point arguments that justify the use of technology in teaching literacy to marginalised and rural areas.The beauty of technology is that it does not recognize any time and space zones so it can reach anybody anywhere. I would just like to add that the people in those areas need to possess really good IT skills in order to be able to learn online. They probably need much more support in their studying then the rest of us who are constantly surrounded by technology. This puts extra pressure on tutors who teach such courses because they need to come up with very good strategies in order pass knowledge so that learners can understand.
ReplyDeleteHi Muni thank you for your answer. You have provided a very concise and to the point arguments that justify the use of technology in teaching literacy to marginalised and rural areas.The beauty of technology is that it does not recognize any time and space zones so it can reach anybody anywhere. I would just like to add that the people in those areas need to possess really good IT skills in order to be able to learn online. They probably need much more support in their studying then the rest of us who are constantly surrounded by technology. This puts extra pressure on tutors who teach such courses because they need to come up with very good strategies in order pass knowledge so that learners can understand.
ReplyDeleteHi Muni - I really enjoyed reading your blog. Your focus on rural communities highlights the extent to which elearning can be a valuable tool for those that are living in rural and marginalised areas. Like Natasha, I do wonder about the technical support required for those that are required to be online.
ReplyDeleteHi Muni, I really enjoyed reading your blog, but even more watching the video clip. That was very inspiring. It is for those sorts of reasons that I am interested in this course. I am blown away when reading the statistics about the impact that literacy can make in communities like this. Basic and essential things such as infant mortality rates decrease when maternal literacy improves. The potential for changing lives is just huge. I think the key is being holistic. As the gentleman mentioned, sometimes you just need to feed people before you work on literacy. It’s fabulous that the course can be run without internet access. Thanks again for sharing this.
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