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Teaching and Learning in Higher Institutions: How Far Should We Go Online? By Mukhtar Bello
Recently, there has been a debate within the academic community on the role of the information technologies on teaching and learning in higher institutions. It is known that higher education provides students with the general ability to think critically and independently, and the specialist competences of their fields. Nowadays, higher education is facing increasing pressures to produce 'knowledge workers’, who can respond to perceived competition dynamics, and to maintain and improve quality standards.
Generally, the purpose of teaching is to promote learning. There is a view that the method of teaching in higher education by the lecture system should be replaced by a combination of discussion methods, independent study, and a greater freedom and responsibility for the individual student. That is, a fundamental change is taking place in the teaching and learning, moving from a paradigm based on the transfer of knowledge from the teacher/trainer to the students, to one based on learner acquisition and construction of knowledge through active dialogue with other learners, content and the teacher.
Straight lecturing has been observed not to be an effective way to improve student learning. Students tend to remember only 10 to 50% from "passive" involvement in the learning process but they can remember up to 70 to 90% if they are "actively" involved1. Some teachers feel that it is easier to tell their students what to do than to involve them in directing their own learning. Likewise, many students feel that it is easier to do what they are told to do than to question and explore on their own. Unfortunately, chances are good that many students from do-as-I-tell-you settings will not acquire the skills of independent learning that can help them become good innovators. In the labour market, these passive qualities will make it easy for them to find little challenge on the job, to wait to be told what to do, and to need constant supervision2. But the student-centered teachers emphasize the personal development of the whole student, organizing class sessions around the desire to help students develop as individuals along all dimensions. The goal is not only to teach courses but also to train young minds3. Another on-going debate is how to properly engage the information technologies (IT) in the service of teaching and learning.
The advent of the Internet and associated learning technologies has produced a climate in which online learning is seen as a means towards improving higher education teaching and learning4. These technologies are used as teaching and learning medium. That is, a domain for teachers to provide information and for learners to access the information and for communication between learners and teachers. The evolution of Internet-based education began with the development of distance education at the end of the 19th century. A very important aspect of this evolution is the introduction of computer and communication technologies into educational institutions. Today, Open Universities are spread all over the world, which serve, and unite more than ten million students as well as numerous experts and professional organizations from many countries5.
These days there are countless advertisements from many Universities and Colleges around the world for online Diploma, Bachelor Degree, and Masters Degree. The promoters of online learning see the traditional teacher-centred face-to-face teaching method (conventional method) as suitable for the society of the 19th and 20th centuries while e-learning as suitable for the 21st century. They argue that it will increasingly become a very natural way of learning, just like the way "teleshoping" and "telebanking" have now been adopted. In complete online learning, the learning takes place in virtual spaces where students do not physically meet other students, and where teachers do not physically meet their students6. However, students and teachers do "meet” in virtual learning environments (VLEs) through the use of computers linked together through networks such as the Internet. The students and teachers can be in different countries, and from different cultures.
It’s being argued that online learning could increase the accessibility, affordability, flexibility, reduced cost and that it supports new opportunities for life-long learning7. The online learning is particularly attractive to those already in the work force because of its open and flexible nature. Learning is a lifelong affair and most careers require continued training to keep up with the growing body of relevant knowledge. Adult learners desire flexibility and convenience to overcome time and distance challenges and the 'anytime and anywhere' aspects of online learning can provide an avenue for a flexible and convenient learning environment. That is, learning and training can be brought to the persons’ desktops.
However, among the aims of higher education is to promote changes in the values and characters of students. Those who argue that the Internet and associated learning technologies should only be used as a complement, point to the fact that the physical interaction among students is a significant aspect of their meaningful, and planned development. It is presumed that when students interact with each other, and available resources, they change. Such changes may occur in their abilities, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and understanding. Encounter with contemporaries from different backgrounds, values and specialties can, lead to challenge, self-questioning and informal learning which promotes the moral and intellectual development of students8. It is certainly the case that most students learn in the company of fellow students or the peer group. The peer group also has an important supportive role. Students in a class can support each other in coping with the pressures of the workload and an escaping from it. Those in senior years constitute a reference group which may encourage the individual to persevere, and from which a student derives social support. Peer tutoring is another advantage of the conventional teaching and learning method that is yet to be seen in the e-learning. Students of equal status may 'teach' each other through discussions or where students alternate the roles of teacher and taught which forces the students to 'learn how to learn' and to consolidate the person grasp of the subject. This also serves as an informal training for the future teachers. Some courses also require students to make presentations in the class, answering questions and responding to criticism during the presentation, which enhances their presentation skills and will benefit them in their future task especially as leaders. Higher institutions are seen as an academic marketplace for ideas where students have access to competing ideas, free to choose those, which survive critical analysis. The more prominent politicians, marketers, human rights activists, and lawyers are largely self-trained via the informal curriculum of debates in school unions.
The debate on how to appropriately engage students online continues. As students, we also voice our concerns; we see the social interaction in school as helping in enhancing our grasp of the subjects, in getting some knowledge on other disciplines and understanding how other people think. Some of us are of the opinion that complete online learning may be suitable only for on-the job training and post-graduate courses in some fields. A lot of us remember things better when we physically attend classes, establish strong friendship among ourselves and when confused about any subject matter we can easily discuss that with colleagues especially the time between classes. In addition, some students will find it difficult to set aside time for their learning if it is just online.
In conclusion, it can be said that the advocates of complete online teaching and learning see benefits such as, increase in accessibility, flexibility, reduced cost and support for life-long learning. However, many educationalists argue that online learning should only be a complement rather than a replacement. They are worried that the gains of learning together may be lost and that it will be a bad day for knowledge, for feelings, and for the joys of gatherings and groups. Nevertheless, there seems to be agreement that higher institutions should incorporate the information technologies in the service of teaching and learning in order to enhance the quality of education. No doubt, the Internet and associated learning technologies are making significant contributions to education.
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