E-learning: the good and the bad

Students looking forward to going back to their routine of classroom-based learning after the coronavirus pandemic are somewhat disappointed. This is so because students have to adapt to e-learning, which is amongst some relevant changes made in the Ghanaian Educational System. This is indisputably uncomfortable just like the wearing of a nose mask, which is also part of our new normal(s).

E-learning can also be referred to as online learning or web-based learning. The concept of e-learning is to enable students or learners to advance their knowledge anytime, anywhere, allowing flexibility and consistency. It is true that E-learning to some is not emerging but has been established, but to many e-learning is yet an emerging face of education.

A lot of students are now learning and adjusting to this novice sort of tutoring.

There are a lot of benefits of e-learning to students: E-learning saves time and money, learners can access content anywhere, anytime and also leads to better retention. Students are occupied with assignments, quizzes and others and the academic calendar is not disrupted thanks to e-learning. E-learning like everything else has ugly side: There is no face-to-face interaction which makes most students without supervision and directions from lecturers lag. Others may have a problem joining the class due to internet problems.

Most Ghanaian students do not have laptops and will have to depend on their smartphones to access e-learning platforms which have a lot of distractions.

Notwithstanding that many students have a lazy attitude of joining an online class as they deem it time-wasting especially when there are handouts, notebooks and textbooks for them to read.

With the aforementioned disadvantages, it is obvious that e-learning has in its capacity to change students behaviour towards academics. Many agree that e-learning has done more good than harm and a considerable number of people would also protest against this. I’m of the view that E-learning is doing students or student-workers a lot of benefits by helping the academic calendar accelerate but it is not completely the best learning alternative.