Issues and Challenges in Virtual Learning-A Case study on rural colleges affiliated to Davanagere University
Prof. Ramesh L,
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce,
Government First Grade College Holalkere,
Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India
Dr. Chethan,
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce,
Government First Grade College Holalkere,
Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India
Abstract
The Majority of the Indians lives in rural areas and their major occupation is agriculture. When it comes to education system under these areas, lack of interested in education and financial constraints are reduced enrolment to school and colleges. Hence, The Government initiated many programs to achieve more literacy rate with the concept “Education to all”. During pandemic of COVID 19. Even though unlocking 4.0 guidelines by the Government, they are not in position to reopen schools and colleges. Obviously, it affected student’s community in India. Hence, to give somehow justice to student’s community they came up with e-learning program to provide education to all. However, in urban schools and colleges effectively implemented such program for academic year 2020-2021 but not in rural areas. Hence, this study mainly focusses on issues and challenges in virtual learning in rural colleges affiliated to Davanagere university. The Convenience sampling method used and mainly depend on structured questionnaire to collect the primary data. The result analysed with the help of MS- Excel and SPSS.
Keywords: Virtual learning, convenience sampling, COVID 19, agriculture, e-learning
Introduction
The paradigm shifts in the information & communication technology, it brought lot of changes in e-learning. However, the traditional education system no longer fulfils the modern day complex needs where everything is dynamic and evolving at a very fast pace. In the early 1980, computer education came back to existence with the use of word processors. Later learning opportunities bring huge changes in accessing huge access to large amount of information. Then, The internet has revolutionized the computer and also communication nothing like before. This brings huge learning opportunities by having access to large amount of data. The modern educational technology facilitates design, delivery and management of educational activities for learners. It facilitates distance learning by accessing learning material any time at any place. The figure shows approaches to e-learning.
(Source:Marwa A.Abdelaziz, Alaa El Din M.Riad and M.Badr Senousy (August 2014), “ Challenges and Issues in Building Virtual Reality –Based e-learningsystem”, International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-learning, Vol.4., Issue. 4., pp 320-328. )
Virtual Learning:
Development towards e-learning in advanced countries took place in 2000, even in India, it existed long back but majority of schools and colleges implemented such practices during pandemic situation like COVID 19. The Government of India took national wide lockdown of school and colleges to stop spreading of COVID 19. Obviously, it affected student’s community in India. Later, the government came up with e-learning program to provide education to all. However, in urban schools and colleges effectively implemented online program for academic year 2020-2021. On line learning provides various benefits to students, these are discussed in detailed.
Despite the fact that the online teacher may never meet their students (face to face), there are many ways which teacher can connect students to provide tutoring and instructions about the classes. They use certain online tools like., video, chat and their Web 2.O. Teachers have a wide assortment of strategies available to them towards creating rewarding, engaging and interactive online learning experiences that can be equivalent to face-to-face learning.
The following are the examplesof instructional strategies.
Different format of virtual leaning:
Computer Based: - Under this learning, company software is designed according to requirement of students learning, these installed computer software provides appropriate guidance rather than teacher or guider.
Remote teacher online: - Techer is interacting with students not physically present but, they interact with the support of internet, through online video, online forums, e-mail and instant messaging.
Blended Learning: it is combination of both traditional (face to face) instruction along with computer, internet, remote teacher online learning method. Under this, students will get instruction through any one of the forms.
Facilitated Virtual learning: the is combination of computer based, internet based and remote teacher online and guidance is given by a human ‘facilitator’. Under this, facilitator does not give direct instruction, but they only assist the students in learning process through supervision or tutoring.
Challenges Faced by e-Learning in India:
Majority of population in India stay in rural areas, and creating awareness about e-learning becomes big challenge.
Is there is hardly any quality training imparted on a regular basis to teachers involved in ICT education. Unfavorable organizational culture and poor attitude and belief; the education institution fail to receive seriousness and importance of role of ICT in education enhancement. They are unaware and rigid and not willing to adapt to the change.
Shortage of time: Teachers are multitasking oriented job other than teaching, they have to teach all subjects along with ICT. They do not have time to design, develop and collaborate with other teacher.
Issues of maintenance and upgrading of equipment. - Rural schools and colleges face lack of financial resources to upgrade and maintenance of equipment’s. Most of the rural belongs to economically weaker section, these students unable to fund the maintenance and computing technologies.
Insufficient funds: in rural, technology implementation into education system is a difficult task as it requires magnum funds, infrastructure and support facilities. Due to this, rural students leaving a huge lacuna in the process of enabling ICT skills and imparting ICT education.
Challenge of language and content: Most of the software found in English, English proficiency is not high, especially in rural areas,
Shortage of equipment’s: There is none availability of computer pheriperial like printer, projector and scanner etc.
Lack of technical support: Absence of ICT service centers, shortage of technical trained personnel, schools will incur more cost at the time of technical breakdowns.
Issues with related to internet: Lack of internet and schools or colleges cannot afford to pay high fees charged on the internet.
Rural e-Education in India.
As per the census, during 2011, 72.2% of population lives in rural India. The Government concern towards “Right to Education” and article 45 of Indian constitution aim is to provide education to all up to the children age is 14. The basic aim is to increase enrollment ration and increase literacy in rural areas. However, in India, more than 40% of population in India cannot read and write. Many students skip school due to financial problems and lack of interest in education. Thus, The GOI take many initiatives to set up school in rural areas and condition also improved by providing good infrastructure, good trained teachers, provide fee concessions, provide ICT enabled classrooms, midday meals, free uniform, scholarship etc.even though implementing so many schemes, rural education is still poo because students to travel long distance to reach school and many schools do not provide computer education. Even computer based teaching is not implemented due to non-availability of required computers, lack of trained teachers, With the concern towards improving education, few developments undertaken by government, but all rural areas not implemented uniformly, in order to upliftment of rural community they need ICT education. In this background, the GOI came with vision called “Integrated Development for Education and Economic Empowerment for Rural Students”. It helps to provide education opportunities both formal as well as non-formal. To scattered and rural population, groups excluded from education such has cultural or social reason like ethnic minorities, girls and women, person with disabilities, and the elderly and also because of cost and income constraints are failed to enroll on campus.The figure shows the E-learning service for local community (Figure: 2)
Figure:2- E-learning service for local community
(source: E-learning Services for Rural Communities, page no4)
Literature review
William Phiri & Alfred Mbobola (May 2018), conducted a study prioritising rural school based on experimental groups (includes 58 participants) and control group (42) from grade 6. They identified, E learning is not effective in rural school because of lack of IT infrastructure and non-availability of learning tools (example: tablet).Hence, The Government must release special fund for these ICTs implementation further institution also set up separate budget for ICT, in other hand, universities and college must adopt ICT innovations for rural areas. The Government must make policy on education and make ICT and E learning compulsory in all schools. They Suggest that; to improve effectiveness of e-learning tools in rural school, supply of educational tablets by mobilising local fund.
Deepshikha Aggarwal (n.d.,), they identified that, e learning concept in India is new, there is required proper motivation towards adopting such practices moreover it is very necessary in India, because, it helps to improve education, literacy and economic development. Identified that, in India, due to lack of course content especially in the areas of IT education, English-language content, and tutorial like courses and it helps to make connections to the other students.
Zahoor Ahmad Lone (July- 2017), identify that, there is paradigm shift in the education system in India, it need to grow tremendous amount of changes to keep pace with the education system. these make a foray in education. A lot of school and colleges in tier 1 and tier 2 cities have much advanced in using technology to learning more effective and fun, he suggests that, edtech should be expanding base to Tier II and tier III cities as well.
Sharadha H. Budheldo (January 2016), The government make initiative to develop effective ICT in collaboration with software developers and teachers about preparing quality content to support the curriculum and language diversities. They also instruct students about the importance of ICT.
Shikha Dua, Seema Wadhawan and Sweety Gupta (May 2016), They have talked about the various issues, patterns and difficulties of advanced training in India and proposed the engaging innovative class room, video based learning, and game based learning, etc, they have brought up various difficulties of computerized instruction and recommended measures to defeat these difficulties. Hence, they suggest that, there is need of constant reforms in school and teacher for the development of digital education in India.
Rampravesh Gond and Rashi Gupta (March 2017), they conducted a study to give glimpse of digital education, components, benefits, future scope and possible challenges of digital education. They also suggest, there is need of educational infrastructure investment, democratic governance, English speaking tech-educated talent and a strong legal and intellectual property protection framework required and also required to government should release educational grants for research scholar and establish IIT’s and IIMs in new location.
Vijayakumar L (November 2019), conducted a study about e-learning system in cuddlone region. E learning helps education with the tools like CD, DVD, Mixed media and different devises. Due to following constraints e-Learning is not effectives such has, organise issues, inconvenience capacity, absence of specialised information and also few impacting elements such has, convenience, ease of utilization, time saver, wide accessibility.
Need of the Study:
Development of Education, economy, physical and social infrastructure plays important role in development of rural community. Education has an attractive controlling impact over advancement of the provincial individual, family, network, and society.it helps to leading to reduced poverty, income equity, and controlled unemployment. Education has a key role in supply, production, marketing, personnel maintenance, education, healthcare and governance. It also brings changes in social change, improving individual social position, and standard of living, activating participation in rural and cultural development, increasing critical abilities of rural people to diagnose their needs, assert their rights, etc. Hence, The GOI took many initiatives to develop rural education in India. It did not succeed due to certain constraints. Therefore, the undertake here to know issues and challenges relates to online classes in rural people.
Objectives of the study
H2: “There is a significant differences in the perception of students on opportunities of virtual learning”
Research Methodology
The study is carried out to know the issues and challenges in virtual learning in rural colleges. The primary data used for this study. Primary data collected through survey with the e-questionnaire. The data collected from sample of 100, 81 rural students from Davanagere University. In the present study a structured present questionnaire was used a tool to collect data from the selected rural people. Questionnaire sent to students with Google forms. Secondary data was collected from journal, books etc., snow ball sampling method was used to select the sample size form the population. To analyse the data t-test was applied in SPSS 20.0.
Analysis and Interpretation
Table No: 1.Frequency of electronic gadgets used for virtual learning
|
Which one of the following do you have? |
||||||||||
|
|
Computer |
Laptop |
Smart Phone |
None of the above |
Total |
|||||
|
|
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
|
Which one of the following do you have? |
1 |
1.2 |
9 |
11.1 |
69 |
85.2 |
2 |
2.5 |
81 |
100 |
|
Frequency* |
||||||||||
(Source: Authors compiled)
Chart No: 1.Frequency of electronic gadgets used for virtual learning
Source: Authors compiled
From the above table and Chart, it clears that, the majority of students group used smart phone (69: 85.2%) for virtual learning, and nine students (11.1%) used laptop and only very less percentage of respondents uses computer (1.2%) and other gadgets. The below table shows the issues and challenges of virtual learning (Table no :2)
Table No: 2.Issues and Challenges of Virtual Learning
|
Issues and Challenges of Virtual Learning |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
Total |
|
|||||
|
|
|
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
|
|
1 |
No direct contact with the teacher |
1 |
1.2 |
23 |
28.4 |
41 |
51 |
16 |
19.8 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
2 |
Freedom to dynamics |
2 |
2.5 |
10 |
12.3 |
60 |
74 |
9 |
11.1 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
3 |
Learning at home |
3 |
3.7 |
12 |
14.8 |
51 |
63 |
15 |
18.5 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
4 |
No Direct communication with teacher |
6 |
7.4 |
22 |
27.2 |
37 |
46 |
16 |
19.8 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
5 |
Loneliness |
2 |
2.5 |
27 |
33.3 |
41 |
51 |
11 |
13.6 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
6 |
Working long hours on the computer can be harmful |
3 |
3.7 |
17 |
21 |
47 |
58 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
7 |
Loss of tradition |
3 |
3.7 |
14 |
17.3 |
50 |
62 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
8 |
Special Ideas |
0 |
0 |
10 |
12.3 |
54 |
67 |
17 |
21 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
9 |
Network Problem at home |
2 |
2.5 |
7 |
8.6 |
45 |
56 |
27 |
33.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
|
Frequency* |
|
|||||||||||
Source: Authors compiled
It is obvious from the above table that 51% of student respondents agreed and 19.8% of respondents strongly agreed with the statement that, students they have direct contact with the teacher. in the second statement “Freedom to dynamics”, total 69 students out of 81 agreed and strongly agreed to the statement. The very less percentage of students are not comfortable to study at home, it constitutes 15 students (3: 3.7% and 12: 14.8%) strongly disagree and disagree to the statement. 46 % strongly agreed and 19.8% of agreed by the students on the statement no direct communication with teacher. 52 respondents out of 81 students felt that Loneliness is the issues with the virtual learning. In other hand, many of respondents felt that Working long hours on the computer can be harmful, hence, it was strongly agreed and agreed by 47 and 14 respondents. More than 90% of students felt and agreed and strongly agreed that virtual classes will not be effective due to network Problem at home. In the below mentioned table: -3, Opportunities of Virtual Learning.
Table No: 3.Opportunities of Virtual Learning
|
Opportunities of Virtual Learning |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
Total |
|||||
|
|
|
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
|
1 |
Learning from own home |
2 |
2.5 |
11 |
13.6 |
51 |
63 |
17 |
21 |
81 |
100 |
|
2 |
Everything in the same place |
1 |
1.2 |
10 |
12.3 |
56 |
69.1 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
3 |
Easy access to information |
2 |
2.5 |
19 |
23.5 |
48 |
59.3 |
12 |
14.8 |
81 |
100 |
|
4 |
No fixed terms of learning |
2 |
2.5 |
27 |
33.3 |
38 |
46.9 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
5 |
Freedom in choosing teaching materials |
3 |
3.7 |
14 |
17.3 |
45 |
55.6 |
19 |
23.5 |
81 |
100 |
|
6 |
Possibility of repetition if necessary |
1 |
1.2 |
18 |
22.2 |
48 |
59.3 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
7 |
Lower cost of studying |
2 |
2.5 |
11 |
13.6 |
58 |
71.6 |
10 |
12.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
8 |
Mobility |
2 |
2.5 |
15 |
18.5 |
50 |
61.7 |
14 |
17.3 |
81 |
100 |
|
9 |
Special Ideas |
1 |
1.2 |
13 |
16 |
45 |
55.6 |
22 |
27.2 |
81 |
100 |
|
Frequency* |
|||||||||||
It is obvious from the above table: 3 that 84% of student respondents agreed and strongly agreed that virtual learning provide opportunities to learning from own home. The majority of the students felt that (Agreed: 56:69.18% & Strongly agreed: 14:17.3%) virtual learning helps students can learn everything in one same place. 60 (agreed and strongly agreed) respondents felt that virtual learning helps to easy access to information. More than 60 % of respondents felt that, virtual learning helps that there are no fixed terms of learning. In other hand, 80% of respondents (strongly agreed: 55.6% and 32.5%) felt that virtual learning provides freedom in choosing teaching materials. Morethan 70% of respondents felt that it provides opportunities for Possibility of repetition if necessary and Lower cost of studying, mobility and special ideas.
Chart No: 2.Opportunities for virtual learning
(Author compiled)
The survey conducted to know the preferable platform for e-learning. The details are provided in table no:4,
Table No: 4.Your preferred platform for e-learning
|
|
Google Meet |
Google classroom |
Zoom |
Cisco Webex |
Total |
|||||
|
|
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
|
Your preferred platform for e-learning |
30 |
37 |
31 |
38.3 |
17 |
21 |
3 |
3.7 |
81 |
100 |
(Authors compiled)
From the table it is clear that, most preferred platform for e-learning is google meet (30:37%), google classroom (31:38.3%) and Zoom (17: 21%).and very less percentage of respondents felt CISCO Webex (3:3.7%).
(Author compiled)
Further, survey conducted to know whether students are ready to attend e-learning classes in future. In this background, opinion collected and presented in below table:5.
Table No: 5.Would you like to attend e-learning classes in future
|
|
Yes |
No |
Maybe |
Total |
||||
|
|
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
F* |
% |
|
Would you like to attend e-learning classes in future |
45 |
55.6 |
10 |
12.3 |
26 |
32.1 |
81 |
100 |
(Authors compiled)
The above table (no:5) shows that, nearly 45 students (55.6%) are willing to attend e-learning classes in future and nearly 26 students are doubtful in attending such programs and remaining 10 students they are not willing to attend any such programs in future.
Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis has been testing using One-Sample test,
Table:6. Mention your agreement on the Issues and Challenges of e-learning
|
One-Sample Test |
||||
|
|
t |
df |
Sig. |
Mean Difference |
|
No compulsion for learning |
||||
|
No direct contact with the teacher |
-0.533 |
80 |
0.595 |
-0.067 |
|
Freedom to dynamics |
1.315 |
80 |
0.192 |
0.13 |
|
Choosing the time for learning |
4.968 |
80 |
0 |
0.389 |
|
Learning at home |
1.022 |
80 |
0.31 |
0.118 |
|
No Direct communication with teacher |
-1.598 |
80 |
0.114 |
-0.228 |
|
No direct communication among students |
-1.056 |
80 |
0.294 |
-0.141 |
|
No interaction |
-1.03 |
80 |
0.306 |
-0.141 |
|
Loneliness |
-2.058 |
80 |
0.043 |
-0.265 |
|
Depression |
-2.583 |
80 |
0.012 |
-0.339 |
|
Working long hours on the computer can be harmful |
-0.146 |
80 |
0.884 |
-0.018 |
|
Loss of tradition |
0.474 |
80 |
0.637 |
0.056 |
|
Special Ideas |
3.233 |
80 |
0.002 |
0.303 |
|
Network Problem at home |
4.034 |
80 |
0 |
0.426 |
|
Learning from own home |
1.867 |
80 |
0.046 |
0.204 |
Source: Primary Data
In the above analysis it was observed that issues and challenges of virtual learning it is calculated with the help of ‘t’ test at 95% significance level and degrees of freedom 80. ‘t value of two variables (Choosing the time for learning, Network Problem at home, Depression, learning from own home) are less than 0.05, on other hand, the remaining variables ae No direct contact with the teacher, Freedom to dynamics, learning at home, No Direct communication with teacher, No direct communication among students, No interaction, Loneliness, Working long hours on the computer can be harmful, Loss of tradition are above the significance level. Out of 14, 10 variables value above 0.05, hence, it concluded that, null hypotheses are accepted and alternative hypotheses rejected that, there is no significant difference in the perception of students on issues and challenges of virtual learning.
Hypothesis 2:
H0 : “There is no significant differences in the perception of students on opportunities of virtual learning”
Table no: 7 Opportunities of Virtual Learning
|
One-Sample Test |
||||
|
|
Test Value = 3.66 |
|||
|
t |
df |
Sig. (2-tailed) |
Mean Difference |
|
|
Everything in the same place |
2.34 |
80 |
0.022 |
0.229 |
|
Easy access to information |
-0.459 |
80 |
0.648 |
-0.055 |
|
No fixed terms of learning |
-1.719 |
80 |
0.089 |
-0.228 |
|
Freedom in choosing teaching materials |
0.958 |
80 |
0.341 |
0.118 |
|
Possibility of repetition if necessary |
0.27 |
80 |
0.788 |
0.031 |
|
Lower cost of studying |
1.15 |
80 |
0.254 |
0.118 |
|
Favourable for people with restricted |
-0.474 |
80 |
0.637 |
-0.055 |
|
Mobility |
0.594 |
80 |
0.554 |
0.068 |
|
Special Ideas |
2.249 |
80 |
0.027 |
0.254 |
Source: Author calculated
In the above analysis it was observed that opportunities of virtual learning variables. The test is calculated with the help of ‘t’ test, except variable ‘Everything in the same place values’, all remain variables significance level exceed 0.05 (P>0.05). Hence, it concludes that, the null hypothesis is accepted and alternative hypothesis is rejected. It is inference that there is no significant differences in the perception of students on opportunities of virtual learning”
Suggestions
There are wide variety of technology available to e-learning today. There are mainly two technologies in the globe approaching towards e-learning in rural education are the Next generation and natural language interfaces. It found these technologies in beginning stage in India. However, E-learning is becoming highly emerging knowledge tool today. In other hand,
There are many constraints which limits the scope to e-learning lack of infrastructure, poor internet connectivity, discomfort ability, lack of technical knowledge, lack of communication, lack of interest. And it provides many advantages like cost and time saves, ease of use, wide availability of resources. Hence, The Government should take initiative to make e-learning more effective way.
Reference