EFFECTIVENESS OF E-LEARNING

Anna Gnitecka Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań Institute of Methodology of Education [email protected] Distance education is very popular now. Will it replace traditional education? Abstract: Supposedly no, but it can support it by correspondence or e-learning which is training by electronic tools. The e-learning name comes from the terms: Computer Based Training, Computer Aided Training and Web Based Training. Effectiveness of e-learning will be studied. The research project indicates subject of research, cognitive, theoretical and practical aims, main, detailed, relevant and correlative research problems, hypothesis, dependent and independent variables, ratio for dependent and independent variables, methods, techniques, tools and organization of research process.

Key words:

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distance learning, effectiveness, e-learning

INTRODUCTION

It is still a growing need for knowledge. Hence, it is a boom for different kinds of methods of information transition. Interactive education is well known and widely used. Interactivity is ability to interaction and according to new technologies’ language it is a bilateral transfer of information between computer and its user or among different people using their computers. Interactive education is run in traditional way (direct contact), correspondence way (distance learning) and nowadays’ way (education by Internet, Extranet, Intranet, CD-ROM, DVD, TV, mobile phones). The third way can be called e-learning – education by electronic tools. E-learning comes from such terms as: CBT (Computer Based Training),

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CAD (Computer Aided Training) and WBT (Web Based Training) (Khan, Schar, 2003, p. 439). There are three types of learning: web-intensive (all support online), web focused (teaching supported by ICT) and web enhanced (e-mail communication). The student-tutor face-to-face interaction is essential when discussion is needed whereas information can be send only by e-mail (Gilmartin K., 2003, p. 49-50). The numbers of contacts between students and teachers is greater than in conventional education. E-learning is more and more popular now. According to IDC prognoses it will form part in 65% of all professional courses at the end of 2004. Three years ago the ratio amounted 23%. Free design of online course by instructional support technicians, programs directors and authors should lead to their communication and planning together. On the one hand, course needs to be established and developed. On the other hand, access to the course has to be provided. Information-delivery model and interactivelearning model are distinguished and there are ‘differences between the industrial age and information age that affect education’ (O’Rourke, 2003, p. 126-128). Teacher-centered, student-centered and especially subjectcentered classrooms are known (Bureu, Collinge, Tabin, 2003, p.10-12).

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EFFECTIVENESS DEFINITION

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E-LEARNING

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Effectiveness of e–learning is the measure of positive changes in student according to his knowledge, abilities, interests, behavior. The success is then, when it is also cost effective education (Macdonald J., Bennett L., 2003, p. 81). ‘The nature, extent and form of interactivity’ used in distance teaching indicate the success of student learning (Cooper, Hemmings, 2003, p. 16). All the time reading, additional exercises, cooperation and interaction are extremely crucial in the learning process. Plans, systematization, proper style of learning for each individual with different culture background are important matters (Dzakiria, Walker, 2003, p. 29-36). Self-starter, selfreliant and task-orientated students are mature and feel at ease with tutors and fellow students. They are not ashamed to call their teacher by his or her name. They are able to plan and organize their time and materials. Students print pages from a course, takes notes on papers when visiting websites and reading conferences messages. Younger students need more interactions than adults (Manning, 2003, p. 90-94). All of them develop.

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Personal Development Planning (PDP) includes ‘a Progress File, Learning Log, Development Profile and Personal Portfolio’ and it is extremely important for students at schools and employed adult, not only to prove their progress, but also to show their individual characteristics (Kelly P., Noelker F., 2003, p. 65). There should be strong relationship between students’ experiences and qualification and their progress and between the character of course and students’ achievements. Students concentrate more on individual subjects than on course programs. Hence, they should ‘develop a sense of belonging’, interaction abilities, gain experiences, have consistent attitude towards learning the subject (Gibbs, 2003, p. 38-40). Usability of e-learning is defined by effectiveness (goal-achievement), efficiency (easiness of use) and enjoyment of the website (interesting site). There are 10 tips for e-learning usability: ‘1. make the role of the website clear, 2. be pedagogically driven, 3. integrate learning resources, 4. meet learner needs and expectation, 5. comply with current legislation, 6. make navigation simple, 7. ensure editorial quality, 8. provide a printer-friendly version with clear navigation instructions and online help, 9. update the website regularly, 10. offer technical help and FAQs via the Website’ (Kukulska-Hulme, 2003, p. 1-11).

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EFFECTIVENESS OF RESEARCH PROJECT

E-LEARNING

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My research project includes aims, research problems, hypothesis, variables, ratio, methods, techniques, tools and ending with organization of research process. My subject of research is e-learning and aim of it is effectiveness of elearning . There are different kinds of targets including: Cognitive aims: • Study of students achievements thanks to e-learning in comparison with traditional way: knowledge as a hobby, satisfaction, knowledge as having qualification and job, studying to have certificate/diploma • Stating a type of interaction: student-teacher-student: direct and indirect contacts in synchronous way (teleconferences, chat) and asynchronous way (e-mail, forum) (number, frequency, questions) Theoretical aims: • Scientific description of e-learning models in different countries

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• Comparative analysis of theoretical background of e-learning in different countries Practical aim: • Pedagogical instructions: what to do to achieve the best effects in interactive education? My research problems are divided into two groups: main and detailed subjects. Main problem: a. What are theoretical and practical functions of e-learning in different countries? b. How is effectiveness of e-learning evaluated in its theoretical stages and as an actual result? c. What is effectiveness of student changes thanks to e-learning in the social, geographical, political and organizational context when he is influenced by main factors and side effects are controlled? Detailed problems for main problem a: • What are similarities and differences in the theoretical stages in elearning in different countries (predominant countries, super league, 1st league, 2nd league)? • What are programmed and methodical assumptions of e-learning in different countries? • What are institutional and non-institutional forms of e-learning in different countries (place, study conditions, cooperation between centers)? • What kind of practical instructions are formed on the basis of analysis of e-learning effectiveness (project of “ideal” e-learning centre)? Detailed problems for main problem b: • What are founded and made real functions of e-learning? • What is background of e-learning (programmed and methodical basic rules)? • Which factors have an influence on e-learning (the way of recruitment, aims and needs of individuals, methods and styles of learning/teaching, cooperation with other centers)? Detailed problems for main problem c: • To what extent are changes in student caused by interactive influence of main factors or controlled side factors? • What kind of integrated tasks are the most effective in e-learning (they explain student changes in the best way)? • Are there any differentiated changes in student when other forms of interactive education are used?

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Which forms of interactive education are the most effective (they explain student changes in the best way)? • What kinds of instructions for practice are founded on the basis of analysis of changes in student when he takes part in e-learning? There are also relevant and correlative research problems. The relevant problem is: • Which forms of information transition in e-learning are the most successful for students and teachers (e-mail, CD-ROM, audio-video, chat, teleconference etc.)? The correlative problem is: • What correlation is between form of transferring information and cooperation in comparison with actual results? Hypotheses are supposed answers to the research problems. They are below. • Individual aims and needs influence on success achievements in elearning in the essential way. • Promotion, cost and way of recruitment have an influence on the number of students interested in e-learning in the essential way. • Place, conditions, methods and styles of learning/teaching stimulate a desire to learn in the essential way. • Competences, style of teachers’ work influence on individualization of teaching process in the essential way. • Multimedia information transition activates the process of interactive education (material transferred from the traditional model of teaching to online education, computer programs used properly, characteristics of students such as thinking, creativity, motivation, interests). The next step is to define variables, which are either dependent or independent. • Dependent variable: effectiveness of e-learning researched by Internet use index, satisfaction from achievements, finding a job after course and number of certificates/diplomas. • Independent variable: aims and needs of individuals, their characteristics: thinking, imagination, motivation and interests of students, styles and methods of learning/teaching (competences and style of work, teachers’ time spent on each student, students’ time spent on learning, streams of transferred knowledge used by both), place and technical conditions of online education. Ratios are inseparably connected with variables. They are following: For dependant variable: • The level of theoretical knowledge studied by the percentage ratio known from the positive answers given in the tests at the beginning and at the end of research.

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Frequency of gradual changes and complications of teaching materials (up-to-date, change of tasks). • Percentage of having job due to qualifications supported by online education certificates/diplomas. • Percentage of rise in the number of e-learning centers and students in comparison with traditional study. For independent variable: • Sex • Age • Origin • IQ (low, average, high) • Education (primary, medium, high) • Competences of teachers • Equipment of centers • Computer and Internet use (place, frequency) • Participation (chat, e-mail, teleconference etc.) • Percentage of recruitment due to information on the main web sites and promotion using other means • Percentage of using the definite forms of knowledge transfer in the educational way in comparison with non-educational activities (CDROM, multimedia educational programs, audio-video materials, chats, e-mails, teleconferences, sessions) • Percentage of used multimedia materials and books, magazines, newspapers etc. • Percentage of used programs (number of using web sites tests/24 hours) • Time spent on learning the educational materials by student and teacher’s time spent on preparation this materials • Ability to use computer and time spent on learning it and thanks to this tool • An average teacher’s time spent on each student • Frequency of computer use/Internet use/per 24 hours • Number of distance learning centers and number of teachers, administers, online specialists, students in them also indicating the researched centers in comparison to traditional studies Methods, techniques, tools are indicated below. • Quantitative research, normative methods, and techniques: comparison research, tools: document analysis, questionnaire, test, close interview, direct and indirect observation, and mathematical formulas. Is e-learning more competitive than conventional study? How about comparative cost structure of distance and conventional

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education. On the whole total costs of e-learning can be accounted using one of the formulas (European Commission, 1995, p. 27- 28). Cost models in empirical studies 1. Tc = Fc +Vc(S) Tc – total costs Fc – fixed (institutional) costs Vc – variable costs per students (multiplied by student enrolment) S – student numbers 2. Tc = Fc +Vc(S) +Kc(D) Tc – total cost Fc – fixed (institutional) costs Vc – variable costs per students (multiplied by student enrolment) S – student numbers Kc-the costs of course development D-the number of courses 3. Tc = a1x1+a2x2+by+c a1 - course development costs per course x1 – number of courses being developed a2 – course revision/maintenance/replacement cost per course x2 – number of existing courses (in delivery) b – delivery costs per weighted course enrolment y – weighted course enrolments c – institutional costs (overheads) Cost prediction 4. Tc = a1x1 + a2x2 + b1y1 + b2y2 + dz Tc – total costs a1 - course development costs per course x1 – number of courses being developed a2 – course revision/maintenance/replacement cost per course x2 – number of existing courses (in delivery) b1 – cost of teaching for each formal course enrolment y1 – student enrolments on formal courses b2 - cost of teaching for each non-formal course enrolment y2 - student enrolments on non-formal courses d – cost of running electronic series z – number of electronic series

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On the ground of the above four formulas I created one, which I will use in my quantitative research. Tc(N,S) = Fc+NcCc(C)+Nc(D)Cc(D)+SVc(S) Where: Tc (N,S) – total cost Fc – fixed (institutional) cost Cc (C) – cost of creation a course Nc – numbers of courses in delivery Nc(D)- numbers of courses in development Cc(D)– cost of developing a course S –student numbers Vc(S)-variable costs per student •

Qualitative research, interpretative methods, technique: case study, tools: direct observation, open interview The last stage is rather practical use of theory while organization of research process. • Having contact with research centers and e-learning employees in different countries and their agreement on cooperation. • Document analysis • Comparison research o Cooperation with e-learning employees and student (diagnostic and explanatory research, projected and verified research) o Finding an experimental group o Conducting the quantitative and qualitative research among teachers and students o Analysis of quantitative and qualitative research o Comparison of research results

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References 1. Bureau M.L., Collinge J., Tabin Y., A multi-level analyses of impact of technology on organizational structures, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 2. Cooper T., Hemmings S., The changing identity of ‘tutor’ and ‘student’ in the Open University, UK and its consequences for learning and teaching, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 3. Dzakiria H., Walker R., The culturally diverse Malysian Distance Learners. Are Chinese distance learners different from their Malay counterpart?, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 4. Gibbs G., The future of student retention in Open and distance learning, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 5. Gilmartin K., AL World – A new way of delivering support for UK Open University tutors, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 6. Kelly P., Noelker F., Personal Development Planning; pulling student support together, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 7. Khan Z., Schar S. G., Learning Objects: the question of „to be or not to be?”, Human Computer Interaction INRERACT’03, ed. Rauterberg M., Menozzi M., Wesson J., Amsterdam 2003. 8. Kukulska-Hulme A., Usability of e-learning websites in distance education, workshop materials, Hypertext’03 conference, Nottingham 2003. 9. Macdonald J., Benett L., Supporting Open Learning in a changing environment: the SOLACE project, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 10. Manning E., The appropriateness of distance learning at higher education level for students aged 16-17, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003. 11. O’Rourke J., The Procrustean paradigm” a fable of conflicting values in Online Learning and Distance Education, The Future of Open and Distance Learning, ed. Gaskel A., Tait A., Cambridge 2003.

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12. The potential cost-effectiveness of tertiary open and distance learning, European Commission 1995.