Factors Affecting Student's Perception of Online Learning: an Empirical Analysis.
| Author | Dani, Shweta |
Introduction
The development of online education in India is extraordinary and the bazaar for the same is deliberately accessible. India is the third major country after US and China having considerable online market. The professor-student communication, necessary learning element of the customary learning scheme, focuses on classroom instruction setting with a professor offering lecture and students writing notes. Nevertheless, progress in information technology has challenged this example. Ramanna (2003) highlighted that Internet has made it simple to access information about course from anyplace at any time in the globe. In adding to customary lectures a number of innovative ways of conversing with the students is currently available. Mentor and students can converse to each other through email, video conferencing, chat sessions and discussion group. Lecture notes, assignments, video presentations, cases, power point presentations, and examinations can be made accessible through the Internet, videos and CDs. Even evaluation can be done through the Internet.
The demands of fresh requisite skills of the latest competitors are inspiring the students to accept the new educational delivery system. Online education can be defined as "formally and systematically organized teaching and learning activities, in which the instructor and the learner(s) are geographically separated, using ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to facilitate their interaction and collaboration". Open University, UK, was the revolutionary institute in this ground (Pathak, 2003). University of Pennsylvania was the former to begin online program in the area of management. Several other universities in Europe and USA have subsequently followed suit (Education Times Report: July 25, 2005). Beyond the extent of customary education, the community can study through online learning using Internet, without messing up their professional duties and responsibilities. Age and physical diversity is not a restriction for the community to enlarge the educational understanding through online learning. They can just access it at whatever time they feel like, from residence or from workplace. All the time on- class, begins when you want.
Online learning makes available access to training for learners when and where they require it. 24 * 7 accesses for learners similar, from any place on every PC, smart phone or handheld machine via a usual Web browser (www.acseduonline.com/training courses.aspx). Online learning is a secure and reliable system for recording and confining what a person knows and is capable to do. Lee and Witta (2001) emphasized that connecting in an online-learning process need a definite level of ease with web technologies and computer. During the 2000-2001 academic year, 56% of all 2-year and 4-year degree yielding institutions presented online courses, while supplementary 12% were planning on presenting online courses within the following 3 years; this built-in 127,400 online courses drawing an enrollment of over 3 million (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2003).
Literature Review
Heller (2015) affirmed that while providing the online courses it is very vital to find out student's perceptions regarding online learning. This is for the reason that online course accomplishment rates are low, mainly, those of Massive Open Online Course, which are "generally in the single digits. Moreover, given that those who complete Massive Open Online Courses are "disproportionally well-educated men with office jobs". Toyama (2015) highlighted that with the growing population of institution student in the U.S., it is also meaningful to identify whether the divergence in students' backgrounds (e.g., age, gender, and traditions) creates any difference in their opinion about online learning. Farraj et al (2011) certified learning technique to the development of constructive perceptions of online learning. Sahin and Shelly (2008) emphasized that taking into consideration student's requirements and perceptions prior to designing and delivering online courses is very much essential. Levin and Wadmany (2006) and White (2005) stated that the text emphasized how research is significant for humanizing online learning courses.
Dennis et al (2007) explored that finishing an online course need high rank of motivation but collectively students' perceptions of learning in an online surroundings also influence their choice to complete the course, and upon completion, acquire additional ones. Vonderwell and Turner (2005) concluded that the union of developments in technology training and pedagogy has encouraged a new pattern for education and learning. Roberts et al (2005) concluded that student satisfaction with online courses emerges to be a multidimensional concept, which contains learner-instructor interaction, learner-content interaction, learner-learner interaction, course organization, facilitator, support services/administrative issues, method and technical support. Once more, online instruction has the latent to provide chances to support reflective idea and profound learning through practically integrating and applying ideologies learned.
Online instruction, such as a simulation, force learners into a learning experience, growing engagement and offering activities that vigorously engage learners to analyze, produce, and evaluate information while constructing knowledge (Driscoll & Carliner, 2005). Blended learning is mixture instructional approaches that join fundamentals of e-learning with the customary classroom environment (Rubenstein, 2003; Ward & LaBranche, 2003). The use of real-world circumstances has the potential to encourage profound learning through the growth of critical thinking skills. Critical thinking involves the dynamic and skillful examination, synthesis, and submission of information to exclusive situations (Scriven & Paul, 2004). Researchers have investigated the superiority of online versus face-to-face teaching. Bernard et al (2004) focused on student accomplishment, feelings, and retention. Student motivational temperament and perceived value of distance education and uses of educational skill are areas which required further investigation. "Online" may be defined as coaching delivered by electronic means via the Internet, Intranets, or multimedia podium such as CD-ROM or DVD (Coffield et. al., 2004).
Several studies have confirmed that a student's lively involvement in the learning procedure enhances learning, a procedure often referred to as active learning (Benek-Rivera& Matthews, 2004; Sarason & Banbury, 2004). The study by Song et al (2004) also recognized the strong point and weak point of the online learning, both elasticity and convenience are recognized as strengths and the postponement of responses, lack of society, difficulty understanding instructional goals, and technology problems are recognized as weaknesses. Stokes (2003) found an important relation between the two variables; students who experienced more easiness using the Internet were more expected to be satisfied with their online-learning experiences than those students who did not experience comfortable using the Internet. It emerges that in a few cases, ease with online learning may be linked to satisfaction. Student characteristics such as age, perception of computer skills, awareness of electronic communication technology, number of web...
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