A discussion on E-learning offered in Malaysian universities: Pros and Cons from the students perspective

Today e-learning has been gaining more and more power and it is learning or education program that provided by electronic. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide educational or learning material. (Derek Stockley 2003)

E-learning offered in Malaysian universities such as University of Malaya, University Teknologic Malaysia, University Teknologi PETRONAS and so on. However, there are still many questions about pros and cons of getting higher education online, the details as below:

Pros of e-learning

Flexibility and convenience

Learners can study wherever they have access to a computer and Internet. They can access instruction at their convenience, no matter where they live or travel because e-learning courses are primarily independent of time and place. Furthermore, they are flexibility to join discussions in the bulletin board threaded discussion areas at any hour, or visit with classmates and instructors remotely in chat rooms. Learner’s class work can be scheduled around work and family also one of the factors that convince learners who is working as full-timer.

Cost and time reduction

E-learning has been becoming more and more popular among learners living in developing and undeveloped countries. They can afford getting higher education degrees at respectable universities by saving extra expenses for traveling, accommodations, food and high fees for tutors. Furthermore, learners can reduce cost of buying paper or photostat if learners can get online resources, send a query and write term paper at any time they can get access to the Internet.

Reduce conflict among classmates

As we know that different people has different learning style and behavior. This situation can create conflict among classmates with different age, level of experience, gender, race or background who study in a class if our lack of communication skill in face to face communication. Therefore the learners can avoid this happen in their learning life if implement e-learning. Beside that, the learners can refer back to previous lectures without affecting the learning pace of other students.

Cons of e-learning

Lack of face to face communication

Lack of face to face communication allows learners to reduce conflict among classmates. However, this was indirectly to eliminate opportunity of learner to face to face communication with tutors or lecturers when learners need help in education. While lecturers cannot easily feel a student's demands, interests and motivations, a student can simply be lazy being non-motivated enough and bad study habits may fall behind. Next, online classes, conferences and discussions are limited in time and totally exclude emotional interactivity, lack of gesture and so on.

Computer literacy

For the learners who are beginner-level computer skills, managing computer files and online learning software can sometimes seem complex. Therefore, it can become one of the factors that affect process of learning. Furthermore, slow internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials frustrating will affect the learners who have financial problem and unable to buy a new computer.

References:

http://derekstockley.com.au/elearning-definition.html

http://elearning.perdana.um.edu.my/login.php

http://elearning.utp.edu.my/

http://elearning.utm.my/

http://www.ecsd.net/online_courses/pros_cons.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_Pros_and_cons_of_e_learning

http://www.articlesbase.com/e-learning-articles/pros-and-cons-of-elearning-685765.html

http://www.dso.iastate.edu/asc/academic/elearner/advantage.html

http://writingandsnacks.blogspot.com/2006/08/pros-and-cons-of-e-learning.html