Advantages and disadvantages of using e-Learning and online instruction with students

E-learning is a form of online training where individualized tutoring can be offered. E-learning caters for different learning needs and styles. It must attract students’ attention through interactivity, attractive resources and feedback given by teachers.

In my opinion, students will easy get familiar with such new learning system since today’s young people use technology continuously in their personal lives for entertainment and even for education. Marc Prensky labeled these young technological people as digital natives. In the near future, I am sure we will use e-learning or any type of online instruction in our teaching career. Incorporating this new learning system will sure have a large impact in our teaching and students’ learning. There will be negative and positive impacts:

Advantages of e-learning:

· Students can follow and complete topics assigned at any time;

· Students with different learning styles can fully benefit from this system since they can learn at their own pace and use appropriate resources available that meet their learning needs;

· Various resources, activities and tasks will be available in e-learning which will facilitate students learning, being auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner.

· Using such system, students will have to use online communication services such as chat, e-mail, etc as an educational tool. Thus they may develop positive attitudes towards e-learning;

· Students will acquire more ICT skills;

· Some students will become more independent in their own learning;

Disadvantages of e-learning:

· Class interaction and face-to-face communication are important elements in teaching;

· Some students may learn better in a physical environment rather on a virtual one;

· Not all students may have ICT skills or technological resources to learn online;

· Some students may express themselves better in a face-to-face communication;

Personally, the greatest challenge that I can see related to the adoption of e-learning systems in Maltese schools is that of engaging other teachers in this new system. This new change in teaching and learning may not be positively accepted by all teachers. Thus negative attitude may be developed towards e-learning which will lead to less collaboration between teachers. Other stakeholders such as parents and school administration may not be in favor of implementing this new learning system and therefore teachers do not find any support and help if needed. Workload issues also arise; designing and implementing e-learning content may need a lot of time, thus being time-consuming for us teachers.