1.0 Introduction
Higher education is widely expected to undergo a radical transformation as a result of globalization trends and technological advancements. In terms of higher education, globalization can offer significant and potentially sweeping changes, but there is no one-size-fits-all impact on nation-states or institutions. Local, national, and regional factors affect all aspects of globalization. The business of higher education has grown enormously. More than 15,000 public universities and an increasing number of private institutions around the world are home to hundreds of millions of students (Kaur,2020, pg.1). The system, central institutional, faculty and department, and program level administration and management of higher education institutions have evolved into a profession unto itself.
The reduction in actual financing per student over the last two decades has caused an urgent need for an assessment of the contributions and limitations of technology in supporting and improving lectures at a reasonable cost. Higher education makes use of a wide range of technological tools. Increasingly, higher education institutions are embracing new ways of using technology to expand their students’ horizons. Teachers are able to use technology to increase their skills and knowledge by generating new, efficient methods of learning as well as assisting all elements of higher education. Literature assumes that technology is used to inspire learners and help them realize their full potential, not only to save money.
There are, however, only few opportunities for higher education leaders and managers to prepare and train themselves for the governance and management side of their job, especially in light of the threats and challenges of the global dimensions of higher education. Education has been a focus of global campaigns advocating greater corporate social responsibility, with specific attention to the education and training of employees as a concern. Education is essential to achieving long-term well-being, and as such, it is widely regarded as a fundamental human right. All of a company’s stakeholders – employees, customers, suppliers, and shareholders – have a stake in the company’s educational involvement.
Students from all over the world are flocking to ‘virtual universities’ because of the benefits result of an international student body, greater access to courses, and the flexibility to overcome traditional university limitations on what comprises an academic year, where credits can be earned, and how programs can be modularized (Kaur,2020, pg.2). Visionaries and online education marketers, on the other hand, tend to gloss over key issues, such as technology and literacy limitations as well as cultural, language, and learning style differences. Even less thought has been given to the consequences of global inequity. The enormous educational benefits that can be gained via the use of modern communications technology should be fully appreciated, but there are also good reasons to pause and ponder the rapid expansion of globalized education on the internet.
There were instant lockdowns on all parts of life, including schooling, because of the abrupt 2019 new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (Al-Karaki et al.,2021, pg.2). In most nations, social segregation, face masks, and even lockdowns were used to keep COVID-19 from spreading. Because of this, a number of governments were forced to close schools as a precautionary step to prevent the spread of disease. Among the affected institutions is Temple Bar University (TBU), a higher institution based in Dublin, Ireland.
TBU embraces globalization in higher education. It has collaborations with universities in China, the United States, and Europe. With its TBUOnline initiative, TBU aims to build on its global reputation and enter the online learning market by expanding its reach. Accredited degrees that are relevant to employers will be offered to students from previously underserved groups. Students in Central Africa, Latin America, and Australia are all included in this category. This year, TBU and the Dublin-based Wuinness Family Foundation will give full scholarships to the most deserving students through their long-standing philanthropic cooperation. It also intends to capitalize on the instability in the global economy by presenting an attractive offer to students who are often drawn to established European providers. In general, online learning has traditionally been viewed as a supplement or alternative to traditional education. Even still, schools and institutions cannot function well without this type of instruction. As a consultant, this report is aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of E-Learning among TBU students. The first section discusses the benefits and opportunities, the second section discusses the risks and finally, the last section discusses the barriers and challenges.
2.0 Benefits and Opportunities
Several studies have found that online learning has a number of advantages. The opportunities of global e-learning discussed in this report include opening new markets, providing economic benefits, multinational alliances and shorter time to the market, educational advantages, growth in the student learning curve, anonymity, and increased student interaction.
2.1 New markets
Between the years 2022 and 2028, the e-learning market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 20% to reach a value of $315 billion (Wadhwani & Gankar, 2022, https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/elearning-market-size). The industry’s expansion will be fueled by the increasing use of the internet around the world. The growing telecom and broadband sector has made it easier for consumers to get affordable internet subscriptions. Nearly 4.9 billion people throughout the world are expected to be online in 2023, up from 4.1 billion in 2019, according to the International Telecommunication Union (Wadhwani & Gankar, 2022, https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/elearning-market-size). As the population of individuals using the internet grows, more and more people will be able to take courses or acquire degrees via online platforms.
To reach markets both domestic and worldwide, online learning has the potential to be more effective than most traditional methods of program delivery. For instance, Temple Bar University will be able to readily access student marketplaces throughout all Europe and the surrounding world with the launch of the TBUOnline initiative. By doing this, TBU will be able to reach a considerably wider market than it could with a face-to-face course and a much larger market than most of its print-based distance learning courses.
Online courses can save employers a lot of money on training, especially if they have remote locations. There is also less time away from the workplace, lower management costs, and higher productivity as a result of reduced training expenditures. Many institutes’ staff development programs employ this strategy. Using the internet, employees are constantly enhancing their knowledge. This is a terrific way to stay up to date on the latest developments in one’s area while still working. On-campus programs that have struggled to attract enough students could benefit from online learning. Individuals are also constrained financially and unable to dedicate several years of their lives to full-time study at a university of their choice. Many universities and colleges now offer graduate degrees online, allowing individuals to continue their education while also working in their current fields.
2.2 Economic Benefits
When it comes to tenured faculty, the cost is a multi-pronged weapon. TBU must take into account a wide range of costs when considering online learning methods. By creating matrices for the costs of online learning, (Bartley & Golek,2004, pg. 168) explored the cost components. The study analyzed capital and long-term expenses, and all the costs for instance fixed, production, variable, and delivery costs. A recurring cost is a cost that occurs on a regular basis, such as the cost of computer maintenance or upgrades. The costs of creating a course or program are known as “production costs,” and the costs of “delivering” the course contents are known as “delivery costs.” Online learning has many advantages, according to (Bartley & Golek,2004, pg. 167-175), who analyzed the advantages and downsides of online learning and determined that the pros outweigh the drawbacks.
2.3 Student Interaction and satisfaction
Students’ performance, grades, and overall satisfaction with their courses are all influenced by the quality of the courses they take, according to research on distance learning. A study by (Roblyer, & Ekhaml,2001, pg.2925-2930) found that due to the ease and responsiveness offered in online courses, students perform better. In addition, they added that a course that is expressly intended to support learner-centered instructional practices and the instructor’s role as a facilitator and coach has been shown to improve student satisfaction. An additional resource for online students is the ever-growing number of online materials, such as online journals and pertinent websites. Distant groups can work together online, even if they are thousands of miles apart, and establish a sense of community.
Remote instructors can easily be integrated into a course using online learning. Rather than relying just on an expert’s writings, a lecture can be given by an expert from any location and students can ask questions in real-time, giving a more engaging learning experience. Centra Symposium collaboration software can be used to teach and study remotely via online courses. It is possible to conduct training, give presentations, and hold meetings in Centra Symposium’s real-time, web-based environment (Megahed et al., 2021, pg.23). A symposium is a great tool for virtual classrooms, in-person training, and other types of group cooperation. Using this technology, students can engage in tasks that are otherwise impossible or impractical to complete using asynchronous tools alone.
Additionally, in many cases, students can benefit from receiving supplementary resources, such as outlines, articles, assignments, and so forth, via e-mail or online forums between classes. The rapidity of online contact between professors and students contributes to the educational process. If you’re a student, you don’t have to be in front of your computer, your phone, or your classroom at all times to learn.
2.4 International Partnerships
Opportunities for international cooperation abound as a result of the potential for global markets. It is because of the international discussion groups and collaborative assignments that students are exposed to a wide range of cultures. The pedagogical benefits of international partnerships also include the opportunity to learn from experts from around the world.
3.0 Risks
An increasing number of people are turning to online schooling in the wake of the Corona Virus crisis. Online education’s ability to consistently deliver high-quality online education to large numbers of students remains in question, especially for programs that are entirely online rather than combining online and face-to-face instruction, as well as programs for students who are both academically and financially disadvantaged. Student debt and a lack of employment prospects could result from students squandering time and money on online education if the quality of online education is lower than the quality of in-person education.
Consider the risks of extensive online education. Student dropouts are one such instance. Approximately 50-70 percent of trainees complete their course, according to research by Ilynykh,2021, pg. 289-293). Leaving a large online course for any number of reasons is possible. Online courses may lose interest in their substance while retaining their appeal as a novelty. It’s not uncommon for professors and students from other institutions to be intrigued about the use of digital technology in education. The structure of training appears to be intriguing and appealing, but not the subject itself. In addition, other risks associated with online learning in institutions include inadequate internet connection and an inconducive learning environment.
4.0 Barriers and Challenges
Online learning has several potential drawbacks for students, instructors, and tenured faculty alike.
4.1 Costs
Distance education faculties may consider the cost of updating systems and programs to be prohibitive. Examples of the cost factors include capital, delivery, variable and recurrent costs. While the ability of interactive training may be a benefit in the field of synchronous learning, the high initial and ongoing costs are the main concerns. In contrast to all this, while asynchronous learning may have certain advantages for learners in terms of location and time flexibility, the biggest downside is the cost of creating the content. If costs are deemed prohibitive, programs may be put on hold.
4.2 Ability to Access Course Materials
Course design by tenured faculty must be flexible enough to accommodate all students, taking into consideration their access to software and technology. If students reside in remote or small towns, they may not be able to buy or have access to the latest computer technology. Many students, regardless of grade level, aren’t getting enough hands-on time with technology in the classroom. There are computers in almost every classroom environment, but there are simply not enough of them. Many learners, regardless of age, do not have access to computers at home or in their local communities. Those who do not have access to computers and other technological devices beyond the schoolroom, face an unfair advantage over those who do have access to more advanced technology in a variety of settings.
4.3 Technical Support
With synchronous classrooms, time zone differences are a concern, as they are with any real-time event. The more diverse the student population, the more difficult the issue becomes. Videoconferencing and virtual meetings, in particular, can be fraught with technical difficulties. Network traffic, incorrect setup, and other technical parameters can affect the quality of sound and video. Disparities in local hardware and internet connection speeds among participants may also come into play. It is also not always possible to update everything. It can take a lot of effort and money to re-engineer the audio and video plug-ins that are already in use.
4.4 Assessment
Instructors that rely too heavily on multiple-choice/true/false/or other “click the answer” replies may be unable to gauge students’ depth of knowledge and ability to respond in length. When grading e-learners, instructors must keep Bloom’s taxonomy in mind. There are six areas of competencies that students need to display in order to show that they’ve actually learned something online: knowledge (comprehension), application, analysis (synthesis), and evaluation. There can be no one-way traffic when it comes to education. If all scoring and grading is done by a computer system, some students may perceive the assessment process to be overly impersonal. It is critical that the instructor go through each student’s scores and give them personalized feedback.
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations
There needs to be a paradigm shift in how online learning solutions are implemented and adopted, according to the findings of this paper. Educators’ thoughts on improving online learning delivery call for the following proposals in particular. To begin, educators face significant difficulty in ensuring the validity and reliability of the exam papers given by pupils. Exams and assessment activities cannot be held to a high standard of integrity using the technology tools now in use. As a result, we still need an assessment paradigm that is more appropriate for online learning. Student engagement strategies now used are not sufficient to inspire students to participate and engage. As a result, new and creative approaches to engaging pupils are still required.
When employing new teachers, institutions should look for teachers who have experience with online learning and technology. Existing academics should be rewarded for their work and given enough training in online learning tools and instructional design approaches. A university task force is urgently needed to help create, execute, and evaluate online learning courses and activities. It is widely accepted that online courses tend to be larger and more time-consuming for instructors. This has an impact on the quality of courses and programs, which is a problem for faculty members’ interests. The only way to guarantee high-quality instruction in large classrooms is to give faculty members incentives such as a reduction in their teaching workload.
Reference
Al-Karaki, J. N., Ababneh, N., Hamid, Y., & Gawanmeh, A. (2021). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Distance Learning in Higher Education during COVID-19 Global Crisis: UAE Educators’ Perspectives. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(3). https://www.cedtech.net/download/evaluating-the-effectiveness-of-distance-learning-in-higher-education-during-covid-19-global-crisis-10945.pdf
Bartley, S. J., & Golek, J. H. (2004). Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of online and face-to-face instruction. Educational Technology and Society, 7(4), 167-175. Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Online and Face-to-Face Instruction (jstor.org)
Ilynykh, S. (2021, March). Online Education: Trends and Risks of Digital Technologies. In VIII International Scientific and Practical Conference’Current problems of social and labour relations'(ISPC-CPSLR 2020) (pp. 289-293). Atlantis Press. Online Education: Trends and Risks of Digital Technologies | Atlantis Press (atlantis-press.com)
kaur, P. (2020). Impact of Globalization on Higher Education. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343163463_Impact_of_Globalization_on_Higher_Educationhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/343163463_Impact_of_Globalization_on_Higher_Education
Megahed, N., Yakout, S., Darwish, T., & Wahba, K. (2021). LEARNING TRENDS, STRATEGIES AND CONSIDERATIONS: AN EVALUATION OF THE HYPRID E-LEARNING PRACTICE AT THE REGIONAL IT INSTITUTE USING DEMAND-DRIVEN LEARNING MODEL. International Journal of Internet Education, 20(1), 10-41. LEARNING TRENDS, STRATEGIES AND CONSIDERATIONS: AN EVALUATION OF THE HYPRID E-LEARNING PRACTICE AT THE REGIONAL IT INSTITUTE USING DEMAND-DRIVEN LEARNING MODEL (ekb.eg)
Roblyer, M., & Ekhaml, L. (2001, March). A rubric for assessing the interactive qualities of distance learning courses: Results from faculty and student feedback. In C. Crawford, D.A.Willis, R. Carlsen, I. Gibson, K. McFerrin, Jerry Price, et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference 2001 (pp. 2925-2930), Orlando, FL. Chesapeake, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. A Rubric for Assessing the Interactive Qualities of Distance Learning Courses: Results from Faculty and Student Feedback – Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib)
Wadhwani, P., & Gankar, S. (2022). E-Learning Market Trends 2022-2028, Global Forecast Report. Retrieved 10 July 2022, from https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/elearning-market-size https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/elearning-market-size
write