With the advancement of technology and the pandemic which has crippled a lot of systems all over the world in the past year, E-learning has become a necessity for many individuals who are willing to get upskilled or reskilled.
One major characteristic of E-learning is that there must be a device like a computer, tablet, or even a cellular phone that is connected to the web, thus the web is the connecting factor.
Nevertheless, despite the advantages that learning online comes with, there are a whole lot of drawbacks associated with it as highlighted below
Connectivity
There is no e-learning without an internet connection and the same internet connection which is the connecting factor can also be an obstacle. Many factors can affect internet connection like weather and poor network reception thus posing a big challenge to e-learning. It is also of excellent interest to notice that many people around the world are experiencing technical difficulties due to the high usage rate of online learning systems, video streaming software, & other digital tools.
The platforms are overloaded: poor quality video and audio, and internet problems. Internet connection is either unstable or this data plan is not enough to cover the progressive e-learning needs. Students in both urban and rural areas are battling the “homework gap.” Teachers are trying to manage the bad internet connection during the online lessons, this and more is a serious challenge to E-learning.
Digital Literacy
At the time of writing this, about 25% of the American population are computer illiterates, it will therefore take a long period of drilling to get such people up to speed with to maneuver an E-learning program and achieve their objectives.
Lack of Motivation
In physical classes, the teachers tend to see the expression on the students’ face and their reactions and would know if they are following or not, meaning there is instant feedback. This allows the teachers to know when or how to motivate the student for easy assimilation. However, this might not be the case with online learning. Students’ motivation solely depends on how engaging their online courses are. If a course is boring, they are likely to be unmotivated.
Staying up to date with modern tech
New tech tools, gadgets, and software that you can use to improve e-learning delivery methods spring up with the dawn of every day. Also, existing platforms are constantly being updated. This can be a huge challenge especially when the transition from one form of User Interface to another is confusing and conflicting. Whatever the challenges might be, staying true to your learning goals and remaining resilient is always important in any quest for knowledge.