Task 4: The Pros and Cons of e-learning in general and specifically related to the courses we are developing
E-pedagogy course 2009
Alexander Noyon, Mark Gerth van Wijk, Wim Wouters
1. Introduction
In this paper we want to describe from our viewpoint the most important features of e-learning in general and specifically applied to our courses. In chapter 2 we focus on e-learning from a general perspective and point out the pros and cons of e-teaching and e-learning, before we focus on our specific courses and their features in relation to e-learning in chapter 3. A short conclusion summarizes the most important arguments and relates them to the field of Social Work in general.
2. E-Learning - General Characterization
Before we go in to e-learning, we should say something about our vision on learning in general.
Learning is a process, improving or expanding competencies. Competencies must be seen as a an indivisible whole of skills, knowledge and attitudes.
Anna Sfard (1998) mentions two different metaphors for learning: acquisition and participation.
Acquisition stands for the view on learning where 'gaining knowledge' is the central idea. Participation is almost synonymous with 'taking part' and 'being a part' and both of these expressions signalize that learning should be viewed as a process of becoming a part of a greater whole. (Sfard, 1998). In her opinion both are important. We can ask ourselves whether this would be different for e-learning. But then we have to give a definition of e-learning first.
E-learning is a way of learning, using the Internet and electronic communication as a main tool. (McConnell 2006). Using this tools, changes a lot in our way of teaching. There is no physical contact and as we all know, a lot of the messages we send are non-verbal, up to 80% of our communication. However, as we look at the two metaphors mentioned above, both are important for e-learning. By giving access to several sources, we provide students good theoretical grounds. But web 2.0 technology is outstanding to build a community and opportunities for learning by doing like put up discussions or forums, chat, blogging and co-writing.
2.1. The Pros of E-Learning in General
We all live in a globalized world. This means that intercultural competencies become very important. Virtual classrooms make it possible to collaborate frequently and on a longer period.
The paradigm of network collaborative e-learning shifts the emphasis from geographical separation of learners to the ways in which we wan 'network' learners together whether they happen to be physically co-located or geographically dispersed, in the same country or situated anywhere in the world. (McConnell, 2006). On line learning is readily available, and does not require participants to travel to a certain place (Salmon 2004).
This brings us to a second advantage. About 15 years ago, 'networking' was an unknown concept. Nowadays it seems one of the most important competencies in Social Work and in everyday life. It is almost impossible to handle the complex problems and questions on your own.
As McConnell (2006) mentions, learning that involves the analysis of complex problems and issues and more complex higher-order learning generally is not amenable to a form of packaged e-learning. What McConnell says about learning is also adjustable on to-days social work. Collaborative e-learning can sharpen and expand the 'network' competency of future social workers. This networking will also be more virtual in social work practice.
Another advantage of e-learning is the fact that you can take some time to react on messages, issues or ideas in a discussion. Many users find that time lags involved between logging on and taking part, encourages them to consider and think about the messages they are receiving before replying, rather more than they would do in a class situation. (Salmon 2004)
Our society is now characterized as an information society. The information we have to coop with is huge and changes fast. Never before the access to information was so easy. But also never before we felt so unknowing. Access to 'just-in-time' knowledge is an increasing important feature of our society today (McConnell, 2006).
It seems that online learning also offers participants opportunities to explore information rather than asking them to accept what the teacher determines should be learnt (Salmon 2004).
It is commonly suggested (Sklar and Pollack, 2000 in McConnell, 2006) that there has been a general paradigm shift in Internet usage, from a vast regular source or virtual encyclopedia to a set of virtual communities. In other words, communication between people has become the dominant mode of use. (McConell, 2006). E-learning gives us the opportunity to create a widespread network to exchange ideas, opinions, reflections etc.
As a result of the exchanging of ideas and reflections it could be possible that authority and control of the conferences may shift, at least temporally, from teachers to students, trainer to trainee, the more frequently as the students become more and more confident online. Existing hierarchies and relationships can change and even fade. ( Salmon 2004).
2.2. The Cons of E-Learning in General
The resources of e-learning doubtlessly expand the teaching methods. But the specific conditions of this new learning and teaching environment also creates specific disadvantages. We want to describe some of the most important drawbacks and restrictions.
Skill requirements. As Hoem (2005) points out technical fluency is needed in order to be able to participate in an e-learning-environment. Therefore students with lower skills in using computers and attached devices are handicapped in their participation.
Technological dependence. Related to this last point is the fact that e-teaching and e-learning depend on the proper function of all the used technology. A server breakdown or a slow internet connection can be very frustrating for teachers and students alike.
Social isolation. Learning is not only about the absorption of data and information. An unspecific but nevertheless very important part of most learning processes pertains social learning, i.e. the development of social habits and skills (Ormrod, 1999). This can be best achieved in a rich social environment with direct contact between different people; in an e-learning-environment therefore we have to accept strong limitations regarding the development of social behaviour. But not only facilitates the computer to withdraw from social interaction, furthermore this can lead to emotional problems; to name only one possible risk: social isolation is known to be a major risk factor in the development of depressive disorders (Dobson & Dozois, 2008).
Limitations in hands-on-learning. Not every learning item can be reduced to information transfer. A great deal of teaching especially in the helping professions like social work is linked to necessary skills, for example counselling methods. Some of those cannot be teached without a model; often role plays are utilized in order to shape those skills, but those methods need direct interaction between the teacher and the student. Especially they need all channels of information processing. Virtual reality and e-learning-environments do not fulfil everything that is needed here. There is no chance to talk about – or react to – body language. It is well known that in face to face contact the biggest part of the communication processes consists of nonverbal communication (Jones & LeBaron, 2002). So it might be difficult for people to express themselves and understand the others without experiencing each other in reality.
Those and other limitations (like discipline and motivational problems) mustn’t be neglected in the construction of e-learning-courses.
3. E-Learning Related to our Special Courses
So far we outlined our perspective on e-learning in general, especially the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning compared to classical learning. In the following chapters we want to apply our thoughts to the courses we are going to develop in our own e-pedagogy-course.
3.1. Cons and Pros of E-Learning Related to the Course of Signaling in Social Work
Signaling in social work means that a social worker notes injustices, needs and structural problems and influences policymakers in organisations and governments to do something about it. To do this he creates a network of people that can support him to reach his goals. In this way he can improve the living conditions and participation of people. In our globalised world, it’s almost impossible to do this only on a local level. Social problems we are facing, often have a link with what is happening in the rest of the world. Social workers will have to be aware of this, taking into account the culture and social system of the own country. But in the approach of problems as well as in the possible solutions, there will be certain similarities. E-learning makes it possible to exchange knowledge, ideas, opinions and methods.
McConnell (2006) makes a difference between a community of learning and social networks, especially about the stronger ties in a community of learning. When you want to work structural in social work, it is very important to build up relations with different kind of people involved. Using Internet will be more and more common to work together, because of the efficiency. E-learning is a possibility for students to improve their competencies in this. They can learn how to express themselves by writing, how to make documents together, have meetings on line etcetera. Finally I believe that also the people we work with will use Internet more and more. So there will be a need to develop also actions on line by using forums, blog, on line petitions, triggers...
Looking to the cons I think there are two things one must keep in mind. First there is the fact that some people will think that e-learning or e-communication is very efficient. But then they forget to consider whether it is also the most effective one. Like nowadays we get so many emails, because it is so easy to send one, without questioning that in this particular case, it is the best way to communicate.
The second is related to the previous one. Sometimes you need physical contact. To learn some skills about structural work, you also need the real practise and someone near you to give some direct coaching and support. When you can talk life to people, see the non-verbal language, you will have more power to convince them and create enthusiasm.
3.2. Cons and Pros of E-Learning Related to the Course; Unemployment as a social problem; what is the(surplus) value of (Social) Participation in projects to solve this problem?
As a result of the credit crisis all over Europe unemployment increases quite fast. At all levels of society people getting without a job. Getting without a job can develop to a main problem for individuals as well for society. Individuals can become insecure about their skills on a job. Larger groups of unemployment people will lose economic value for society. Social workers have for several reasons to get in touch with this group and the way to get people reintegrate in society.. Social workers have to examine who belongs to this group. What are the problems people have (mental disorders for example) and which possibilities have individuals to participate in society.
The profit is not only to investigate and to learn about several methods an projects. It’s also about the way individuals (students for example) look at people without a job. For example people in the underclass. Students have to look at their own prepossession and discuss about it. What's the effect of your own view to make contact? Is it a fault of an individual or is it an conjunction of circumstances? The profit will also be that students at this subject get to know about the way of thinking in other countries and their cultural background.
Working on this project gives you the chance that students can create a part of the lessons by cooperate with each other and do propositions to investigate about clients, exclusion, probably how to use inclusion, different methods. Investigating, exchanging and comparing (social) participation will also result in an introduction to several different projects. That maybe will be inspiring and leads probable to new ideas to develop methods to reintegrate in their own countries. The way of solving this problem tells something about the cultural "habit".
The difficulty of this course will be the question what can students can do with this information in their country. Is it usable for organisation's in their countries and is it realistic that the new methods are usable. And following to this question will be are social workers able to use these methods in their own organisation.
Using methods of social work has always have to do with practising communication tools ans skills. Its difficult to practise on the internet.
3.3. Cons and Pros of E-Learning Related to the Course of Mental Disorders
Mental disorders are an important field for social workers, because in this profession it is almost impossible to avoid the contact with clients with psychological problems. A lot of what has to be learned in this area is fact knowledge. Students have to study different disorders especially in terms of symptoms, diagnostic criteria, differentiating features, treatment options and so on. These facts can be presented in different ways, some of which are totally applicable in e-learning: literature study, comparison of case descriptions, and working on trigger movies, to name only three possibilities.
Most or all of this is also possible in classic teaching. The special issue of e-learning is the possibility to lift the discussion to a cross-cultural or cross-national level. Mental disorders are relevant all over the world, and especially if the ICD-10 (WHO, 1992) is used the guidelines are almost the same for all countries. But nevertheless there are big differences between different nations, for example concerning the question of treatment resources and methods for persons with mental disorders. These differences can be of great importance in cross-cultural discussions, which in turn are only possible (or at least are facilitated) in e-learning. What is working in one country might be interesting for other countries, too; in e-learning students have the possibility to get insight into procedures and methods already established somewhere in the world, and thereby they might develop interesting ideas for system enhancements in their respective countries.
Many students of social work are interested especially in psychotherapy as one of the treatments addressed to mental disorders. A lot about these psychotherapeutic procedures can be explained and transferred by literature, movies (though it has to be admitted that there are only a few really suitable video demonstrations of psychotherapeutic skills) or online discussions or lectures. But it must be conceded that this is achievable in a better way in classic teaching sessions with demonstrations by the teacher and undisturbed and unrestrained observation by the students. This is one of the disadvantages of e-teaching, and if the students are really interested in further knowledge about techniques and communication skills in relation to the treatment of mental disorders they have to join additional campus sessions.
But all in all the advantages of e-teaching surely outnumber the drawbacks, and therefore “mental disorders” can be viewed as a very appropriate field to apply the methods of e-learning and e-teaching.
4. Conclusions
In this paper we outlined the cons and pros of e-learning in general and specifically related to our planned course programs. Especially the chapters 3.1. to 3.3. show that the pros and cons vary strongly depending on the goals of the programs and the methods established.
As we described e-learning-tools are very useful in the development of teaching programs. They are far from replacing traditional teaching methods, but if taken seriously they are capable to improve and enrich the spectrum of methods and means of almost every teacher, to the advantage of teachers and students alike.
So, like with most things, it is very important to line out carefully the goals you want to reach and then set out the actions and means you are going to use.
An important characteristic of social work is that it intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. This environment will be more and more globalised, like the problems and issues the social worker has to deal with. This means that social workers need competencies in using Internet to exchange ideas, opinions, strategies etc. E-learning gives a lot of possibilities to get experience with this and so improve and expand those competencies.
Social Work will always be “face to face work”. Nevertheless there have been several changes in Social work. Social work has developed from charity work on a small scale to an “industry” where problems were placed in a larger context. This context has increased to a an international context. As a result of this increasing environment social workers ought to have more knowledge, skills and tools related to an international society. E-learning is a tool to enlarge knowledge, to compare with others and to explore students owns skills related to a a subject.
References
Dobson, K.S. & Dozois, D.J.A. (2008). Risk Factors in Depression. New York: Academic Press (Elsevier).
Hoem, J. (2005). Facilitating online learning in personal publishing environments. http://infodesign.no/artikler/EDEN_2005_Hoem.pdf (06.05.2009).
Jones, S.E. & LeBaron, C.D. (2002). Research on the Relationship Between Verbal and Nonverbal Communication: Emerging Integrations. Journal of Communication, 52(3), 499-521. Ormrod, J.E. (1999). Human learning (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
McConnell D. (2006). E-learning groups and communities, Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education.
Sfard A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and the dange of choosing just one. Educational researcher, Vol. 27, No.2, pp.4-13.
World Health Organization (1992). (Ed.). The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders: Clinical Descirptions and Diagnostic Guidelines. Geneva: WHO.
The readinglist on it's learning doesn't mention at title of a book.
Only mentioning; Salmon, Gilly chapter 1,2,3
