Professional Online Industry Training
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Introduction
Since time memorial, professional training industry has been subjected to education system changes with an aim of coping up with rapid changes in professional requirement. Investing in institutions’ infrastructures was a traditional way of promoting education system. some Institutions-universities and colleges- with financial powers have been purchasing lands and build more classes, offices and other institutional facilities to be able to accommodate increasing number of students. Others have gone further opening up branches in new regions a move which have been seen as a way of making sure that more people can access education facilities without having to travel for long distance in search of a college or university. Other universities have gone to extend of opening branches in neighboring countries expanding their network regionally. Land has become scarce and no more enough space because competition for available space has become too stiff from other sectors of development like industries, businesses, residential and domestic animals that need grazing area.
Despite the scarcity and scramble for more space and infrastructure, some institutions are utilizing IT infrastructure already in place to expand virtually and accommodate more students through E-learning. They have set up online Training platforms where students are admitted, enrol for various professional courses, learn, take their exams and participate in other academic activities. According to (web-based training, 2014). E-learning is a schooling system where instructions [from tutor to student] are given through the internet in multimedia components.
This research focus on how institutions are using electronic media and Information and communication Technology to promote online industry training. The advantages over traditional school based learning and challenges that come along with distance learning.
Overview of Distance learning
Online training is considered the education system, which is undertaken on a computer with student and instructor connected through internet. According to (Jeffeel, 2014). In distance learning, student and teacher are located at different geographical location, and a student gets learning material through electronic means. It is considered for the students with various reasons are unable to attend college or university. First, a student must have basic concepts on how to use a computer specially the internet, (Sullivan, 2014). In addition, learners need to determine if they can work well with online learning. How students organize, their time is also important factor for a learner to consider. Lastly, student need to devote to courses enrolled because as mentioned earlier time management is the key point. Each time lost is hardly recovered unlike in traditional Classroom scenario where a learner can opt to get what he missed from the classmates, or even consult the teacher. Once a student has enrolled for a course his records are kept in collages database and a student is given an admission number, which identifies him as a student in a particular collages.
Online learning community
Online community is very important for distant learning students. This research discussed several components which combine generally make up online training community. (Sullivan, J, 2014), in Definition of an online learning community stated that “online learning community is defined by a point where learner of the same institution work collectively together by sharing information, collaborate on projects, blogging, share photos, and other learning materials.
Document sharing is one of major activities, which promote distribution of learning resources from one geographical location to another among online learners and instructors. There are several websites on the internet setup for sharing documents. Some websites are paid for while others are sponsored. Any member of the community needs to have an account with such sites and anytime he or she requires to access any information will log in the online storage location and access learning materials uploaded by their instructor or fellow student. A good example of such site is Google spreadsheet. Google sheet is designed for a specific group who must have a Gmail account. To be a member each individual must be added by an administrator who have full privileges to edit any information, including adding and removing members and editing their privileges. Once a member logs in all materials are always displayed on the home page. Google sheet is widely used in many online scenarios. Other functions of online spaces include calendar reviews. Learning schedule is simply uploaded on these sites since students only need to plan for their time arrangements basing on schools schedule. Exam timetable is just uploaded on the site and thousands of learners access the program from their own geographical locations. Collaborative document sharing is also facilitated with the use of Email. Through email communication, instructors are able to sent learning materials to multiple recipients at the same time and in this case them being students. Gmail, Yahoo, AOL are some of the email accounts in use. Learners are also able to forward to fellow learners or rely to their instructors. Microsoft has its email application-Microsoft outlook. Microsoft Outlook is nowadays collaborated with an instant messaging application known as synch. Trough this learners can send messages, make voice and video calls. Further Ms Outlook has function for synchronous meetings where learners and instructors can see each other. In this scenario, Instructors can schedule an online class where students attend as if they are in the same room. Students contribute in class just like any other physical class and share relevant computer files at the same time. This type of online community reduces many costs that instructors, learners and college as a whole could have encored. Class arrangements costs, transport costs and document duplication costs and in general, costs of learning are reduced.
Cloud computing as communicating application has really supported document sharing and storage. Some papers described it as an online store platform, which acts as a store for information, and users can access such information at anywhere (IEE, 2008). In cloud computing an institution, need to have an account with already available online stores. Credentials to log in the online store are given to learners so that they can log in to access learning materials uploaded by instructor. Some of common cloud computing platforms include, Skydrive, Dropbox and Google drive. Instructors always compile and upload any material and instructions across the platform and students login to access such information. This technique is very important it facilities transfer of large files. Other online communicating platforms like email can only accommodate small sized files leaving cloud computing as the most preferred option.
Blogging facilitates online learning industry by providing students with an opportunity for them to share ideas across online articles known as Blog. Some students with good writing skills –bloggers-write articles concerning particular subjects. It could be business oriented or information in line with the profession or something concerning students as a community. Other students on the other hand respond on the online article by sharing their own opinions. This way students share information across this platform. Sometimes blogs acts as appoint of reference or research for most of online students. Contributions posted are always available anytime anywhere. Although blogging has not been utilized as such, it is a resourceful platform for discussion for people who are necessarily not in the same geographical location. Blogging has even become a profession for some people. They earn a living by writing articles about different topics.
Social media is another major platform supporting online community. Through social websites, E learning students are able to create pages, groups and events where they can converse on different relevant topics.
Video conferencing and teleconferencing as communication tool helps a lot link people who are only connected online. Meetings can be scheduled cutesy on videoconferencing and tele conferencing. Provided the link for the meeting is provided the teacher will initiate the call, and have all the students available and real time conversation takes place.
Benefits of Online Training
According to the research, the future of higher learning lies in online training system. The numbers of Scalars who are currently enrolling for online schooling programs keep on increasing. The major contributor to this situation is due to rise in costs of living and family demands, which equally demands for their time. Many students prefer e-learning while working at the same time and this has given most of them opportunity to attend to family needs while busy attending their classes. Another factor facilitating the growth as stated by (Snyder, T 2013) in The benefits of Online learning, “Due to increased number of students enrolling for different courses, academic facilities in different institutions are overstretched. Accommodating all students has become difficult. As a result, distance learning has become the preferred option to many who wish to further their studies.
Another benefit of taking online course is that for students who live in rural areas where education facilities are limited, various schools and courses are still available to them. Others whose campuses located near their residential places do not offer some their courses of interest take. Thanks to distance learning becomes variety of courses are now available. The location is not an issue anymore. Learners only need to have a computer and internet connection and everything is in place.
Distance learning always comes with an added benefit of flexibility. Physical classroom is eliminated and learners not need to have specific location in order to attend classes. As long as students have computer and internet connection, they only need to schedule their time. Flexibility factor has also contributed to people who already have full time jobs and other business to earn their degrees at ease.
Online learning class materials are always available to students all times of the day. This is a great benefit for many students who always need to refer to the previous lectures, discussions and other relevant materials. Large percentage of the students does not absorb much of what is being taught in classroom. This could be because of several distractions during class time or sometime because of severe weather and climatic conditions, which lowers their concentration rate. They prefer reading later on their own convenient time. In this way distance, learning has become friendly to such students. Students could also read ahead of their instructors since materials are available. Early preparation enhances better understanding for a student. This in turn has improved the quality of education.
Online learning resources and tools are available through internet and computer. Students are able to share resources, communicate to each other through internet .This practice exposes students to the current and future information technology. Students are exposed early since in the current workforce information technology skills are a mandatory. In addition, students tend to create an online society and through this, they interact and socialize through discussions. This helps students to create a bond and professional network among them which is important in cooperate world.
In distance, learning instructors resides across the world, in different continents teaching student of diverse backgrounds. Thought their interactions and class discussions online students get opportunity to know how other people from other regions handle issues in different aspects of life. This practice has promoted international relation; students get to expand their network globally, which in return is a great asset to global business development. Some students have even gone to extend of visiting their colleagues in their countries.
For instructors online learning program has promoted multitasking. They are able to teach more than one institutions since they do not have to move physically to different campuses. Since distance learning accommodated students from different parts of the world, difference in time does not affect learning progress. (Online Education, 2014). Instructors does not need to wait for official working hours to continue with classes but achieve this by utilizing available online communication platforms like newsgroup discussions , Instant messaging [Microsoft lync] and email.
For students who live in areas with poor weather conditions, like in deserts and snow prone regions, online studying is the only way to go. During extreme weather conditions –snowstorms and heavy rainfall- collages may opt to cancel classes. In long run this on and off habit may cause a course to take longer time for completion. In some instances classrooms might be destroyed, this would mean no classes until they are refurbishes. For the students whose schedule is fixed this might be unbearable causing many frustrations to such student. Online students are far much away from such worries since learning resources is always available.
Challenges facing Online Industry Training
As universities and colleges nowadays enrolls more students on distance learning program, (Salisbury, M 2011). Reminds us in her book exploring the landscapes of learning, one voice at a time “considering limitations of online platform is very important for a student before taking initiative to enroll for an online course”.
Not all students are computer savvy, the fist requirement for students before they enroll for any online program, they must be able to access the online learning environment. Due to economical or logistic reason, some students did not get access to electronic communication facilities before. This poses a great challenge to such students because they cannot communicate with their instructors and fellow students effectively. Mostly students from rural and areas are ones disadvantaged in this manner. Putting more weight in this point, some articles stressed (Illinois online network, 2010). If a student is not able to use the technological infrastructure setup in a college, they are more likely to perform poor. In some instances internet access has coasted distance learning in the sense that some students are limited by amount, they have to pay for the access of the internet. This implies that students who are facing economical challenges in their lives do not get adequate internet access. The report suggests that governments of respective countries should introduce computer education in lower education levels. This will ensure that students are acquainted with the current technological trends.
Technological failure is also another crucial limitation of online learning. Electronic communication equipments are hardly hundred percent reliable. Occasionally equipments fail to function because of either hardware of software problem. When this happens in the middle of a class session, it can be so embarrassing more so if it is online exam. For example, a host server crushes, all program being hosted there becomes inaccessible. Sometimes internet connection error could also mean denial of services to students. The report suggests that institutions should invest in backup system. This could save a lot of time wasting because of infrastructure failure.
Being an online instructor does not guarantee that a teacher is qualified. There is no mechanism to verify qualities of instructors in online learning. Unlike traditional classroom scenario where teachers are literally trained and supervised it is not easy to supervise online instructor. In the case where online instructors are not fully trained on good online teaching and delivery methods, chances of producing successful results become slim and students will not get quality education. In addition, facilitators always come from very different background from that of students. This could bring up the point of effective communication especially if two parties communicate in different accents.
An online instructor must be able to compensate for lack of physical presence by creating a supportive environment in the Virtual Classroom where all students feel comfortable participating and especially where students know that their instructor is accessible. Failure to do this can alienate the class both from each other and from the instructor. However, even if a virtual professor is competent enough to create a comfortable virtual environment in which the class can operate, still the lack of physical presence at an institution can be a limitation for an online program. For the faculty as well as the participants, such things as being left out of meetings and other events that require on-site interaction could present a limiting factor in an online program.
Some researchers have urged that not all students can cope up with online learning program. In any education system, there are always those who are fast learners and slow learners. Quick learners would feel okay to read ahead of teachers, schedule their own reading schemes. Slow learners on the other side need physical attention of their instructors and they stand to face rough time in this case. They are disadvantaged in the sense that they will need instructors who understand their weaknesses for them to be assisted. This is not the case here, students and learners only interact online. Other students learn by persistently asking questions all the time, which is nearly impossible with distance learning. Some classes, which require laboratory, are mostly physical lessons requiring hands-on experience. Learners need to choose wisely when enrolling for an online studying program as this might land them into a problem.
Another limitation of online-based training is social point of view. Once a students get so much involved in online learning. They miss out social interaction with other people in the society especially the peers. This is not a healthy habit and for growing young people, personal interaction with the peer plays a vital role in character development.
Online training is a program that majorly lies on self-discipline and self-motivations. For a student to have successful career through online schooling, one has to be ready to sacrifice much of the free time for studies. This is because it is upon a student to plan for the timetable, classes, and private studies and not forgetting that others have families to take care of. People vary in personalities however; this should not be taken as an excuse for failure in schooling progress. In the case where student is not disciplined enough to stick on the schooling program, online schooling might not work out well with such kind of student. Researchers suggested that this education program is not suitable for teenagers who are too playful. In addition, home based interruptions should be kept at bay. Noisy environment where children are shouting, phones ringing, loud music is not a nice place to carry out studies.
Traditional school curriculum is always prepared and revised early. Most online school programs are prepared in haste because in most cases institution are rushing to enroll more students. Provided the curriculum be developed on time and verified by different stakeholders that the quality of online education will be incomparable.
Administrators in charge of some institutions have failed to impress online training. It is most common feeing in old aged administrators who never see e- learning as bright option. They are still working on old system and have this believe that education can only be achieved by physically sitting in class. Such leaders have completely not accommodated any idea about distance learning making it quite difficult for an idea to see the light in such institutions. There are such minded managers heading different companies. They value less any online qualifications making it quite difficult for students who bear such qualifications difficult for them to penetrate professional market.
Conclusion
As far as online learning industry is facing some crucial challenges, handling these challenges depends on individual student. They have to be conscious with small problems that are coming along with e-learning. Otherwise, the report highly recommends the growth of internet-based training as the benefits fit well in the current lifestyle. Many people who have enrolled for online education have been able to complete their programs successfully so no one should give excuses about online education programs. Another point to note is that while other people still find challenges in online education programs, it is the only academic program, which takes shortest time possible for one to complete education. This have made it possible for some people from remote regions to complete education which would have been difficult if traditional class based education system would have been applied. Provided the curriculums of online training is prepared adequately, the future of better quality education lies in the hands of online training industry.