This paper is part of the Readers in e-learning series, by Graham Attwell.

Issues in e-learning

It is extraordinarily difficult to assess the impact of Information and Communication Technologies on education and training in Europe. The critical role of new learning technologies is undisputed. The rapid pace of change, the shift from a training philosophy of "just-in-case" to "just-in-time", and the changing nature of the workforce itself, underpin this development. Information and communication technologies drive innovation and bring about changes in the workplace and in production and business processes. These processes are leading to new job descriptions and qualification profiles to which education and training systems must respond. E-learning raises expectations about the contribution of sophisticated multimedia technologies to meeting training needs. This, in turn, is posing new challenges in developing pedagogy and is leading to new roles for teachers and trainers. The European Commission, in their Barcelona declaration of March 2002, declared: In order to raise the niveau of learning in Europe, the integration of ICT in the educational process is seen as an opportunity to advance the change process and to increase both quality of and accessibility to learning processes. The European Commission, Barcelona declaration, March 2002

However, other commentators are not so optimistic. In an assessment of the status and growth for e-learning technology in various market sectors, Hasebrook, Herrmann and Rudolph (Cedefop, 2003) bluntly said of the K12 (Vocational Education and Training) sector: "Disillusionment in the US. Europe never really gets started". In a report for Cedefop on e-learning in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) (Cedefop, 2003b), I commented that despite all the hopes the reality of e-learning has been less than convincing. The development of e-learning has been dominated by the metaphors of the virtual classroom and the virtual university, an over obsession with technologies and a focus on distance applications of existing learning opportunities, rather than the diffusion of learning in wider societal activities and forms. The term e-learning has become devalued to the extent where it might be more properly seen as a marketing word, rather than a description of pedagogic and learning practices. There has been very limited attention to vocational and occupational learning and the development of e-learning environments in less formal learning contexts. In an unusually candid assessment, the European Commission themselves have said: After an initial period of enthusiasm, often described as 'hype', there are growing doubts about the real demand for educational e-content, and about its relevance for improving learning. (European Commission, 2002)

What sense can we make of these very different assessments of both the practice and promise of the use of ICT in vocational education and training in Europe? I believe it is possible to support both viewpoints depending on different perspectives of the development process and on different assessments of future scenarios.

Diversity of practice

Education and training practice in Europe is extraordinarily diverse. The impact of ICT on learning varies greatly in different settings. That diversity includes:

• Countries,
• Sectors or branches,
• Subjects,
• Institutions and education and training providers,
• Geography and culture and
• Learners.

For example, ICT may well be having a considerable impact on the training of managers, on training in CAD-CAM applications or in language learning. On the other hand the impact may be far less in the traditional (but still important) handicraft trades. There is evidence to suggest that innovation in use of ICT for distance learning is most advanced in those countries with more difficult geographies and climates and less important in those countries with dense networks of vocational education and training institutions. There is considerable evidence to suggest that different groups of learners, depending on age, previous learning experience, motivation etc., have different attitudes towards the use of ICT for learning.

If the diversity of the education and training sector is one explanation of the different assessments of the impact and potential of ICT for education and training in Europe, the second is the changing criteria we are using to judge that impact.

Information and communication technologies and learning processes

Early development of the use of ICT for learning focused on technology and on the use of technology to essentially replicate traditional learning environments (Downes, 2004). More recently there has been a refocus in the discussions on e-learning. Rather than the emphasis on technology, the focus of new thinking on e-learning is increasingly on the learner and on competence (Attwell et al, 2003). This is seen as more important for the quality of e-learning provision and the success of ICT-supported learning processes. In her keynote speech to the Leonardo da Vinci Conference in Dipoli entitled 'Dropping the e and keeping on learning',ng moves Anne Nevgri (2002) made clear that in spite of the rapid advance of technology we have to solve very traditional problems if we want to make learning processes more successful. This includes helping people to change the way they see, experience, understand and conceptualise the real world (Ramsden, 1988). E-learnithe learning experience from the traditional classroom into the learner's world, providing access to learning anytime and anywhere without geographical or time barriers and the internet provides access to learning materials and interaction with experts and fellow learners (University of Calgary). This leads to the recognition that e-learning is a useful tool to help develop learning processes but that the pedagogical design of the whole learning process (possibly supported by e-learning) will be decisive for the learners' success.

E-learning is being judged less on its technological application than on its success in developing new learning processes and its successful pedagogic application. Despite policy pronouncements to the contrary, we are still in the early phase of exploring and developing e-learning. There remain many issues to be resolved if e-learning is to fulfil its potential. The remaining part of this paper will provide an introduction to these issues, many of which are explored in more detail in other papers in the series of readers in e-learning

Problems and issues in e-learning

This list is of issues is by no means comprehensive but is intended as a scoping exercise.

Pedagogy and e-learning

Repeated studies have pointed to the issue of pedagogy as critical to e-learning. E-learning does not merely replace or replicate traditional classroom (or work based) learning but poses new challenges for how learning can be effectively facilitated and how activities can be sequenced and managed. There is an on-going debate as to what constitutes effective practice and how pedagogies approaches can cater for the needs of particular subjects, different learners and varying contexts or situations for learning.

The production of compelling e-learning materials

Despite the importance placed of multi media most e-learning materials remain predominantly text based. As such they do not provide a compelling learning environment and are often dull and inappropriate for learners. The production of compelling learning materials is both a technical and pedagogic issue. The cost of producing high quality content is an ongoing problem. One answer is to re-use materials but that poses further technical and pedagogic questions.

Access to hardware and networks

Despite the very considerable investment in hardware and networks for learning, infrastructure remains a major issue for many schools and education providers. Studies reveal large variations in the numbers of computers per student in different countries, different educational sectors and different subject areas. For many institutions, technical support is also a major issue.

Interoperability and redundancy

Whilst investment has been considerable in platforms and software, and often great effort expended in producing learning materials, the rapid rate of change has rendered much of the expense and effort redundant. This has focused attention on how to ensure interoperability between different learning systems and platforms and how to ensure migration of applications and learning materials between systems. The development and implementation of standards is a major challenge.

The cost of e-learning

There are different ways to cost the development and implementation of e-learning. Within enterprises, Rate of Return On Investment studies have been common. Although there is some debate over how accurate these are and if they are even an appropriate measure for enterprise based learning, ROI studies are an inadequate way of measuring the costs and benefits of e-learning within public education bodies. Given the finite resources available to publicly funded education organisations, there is a major issue as to how much should be invested in e-learning.

Teacher and trainers skills

The attitude of teachers and trainers is often seen as a barrier to the implementation of e-learning. Teachers and trainers are seen as lacking the skills to apply e-learning and as being hostile to the use of ICT for learning. Other commentators have pointed to the centrality of teachers and trainers to implementing effective learning and pedagogies, especially since blended learning concepts have emerged. There are major issues as to what the role of teachers and trainers should be in e-learning and as to how they should be supported in these new roles.

New models of teaching and learning

That e-learning offers great potential for extending access to learning is not generally challenged. But, as to how this potential can be best harvested within public education and training systems and within Small and Medium Enterprises is far more problematic. Evidence suggests the need for new institutional roles and models for the delivery of e-learning including partnerships and networks. These challenge traditional forms of educational and institutional organisation.

Managing change

Change management processes are always difficult. If e-learning is to fulfil its hoped for potential it will involve very widespread and on-going processes of change at every level of the education and training systems and at institutional level. The management of these change processes requires a policy and strategic approach to e-learning. Many institutions may at present lack the knowledge an expertise to develop such a strategic approach.

The speed of change in e-learning is often breathtaking with short cycles between research, development and deployment. Despite this, there is still a wide gap between developmental projects and wider practice.

Writing in the Life Long Learning journal, Lline, in 1998, Matti Sinko said: if we expect implementing ICT to bring about profound pedagogic change, then we are still struggling in the wide chasm between early adopters and an early majority, a chasm which is always the most difficult of the discontinuities on the innovation adoption curve to overcome. (Sinko, 1998) We are still struggling with those discontinuities today. Profound pedagogic change will be dependent of resolving or at least addressing the issues raised in this paper.

References

• Attwell, Dirckinck-Homfeld L, Fabian P, Karpati A and Littig P, (2003) E-learning in Europe – Results and Recommendations, BIBB, Bonn
• Cedefop, (2003), Perspectives for European e-learning businesses, markets, technologies and strategies, Hasebrook J, Herrmann W and Rudolph D, Luxmbourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
• Cedefop, (2003b), The challenge of e-learning in small enterprises: Issues of policy and practice in Europe Attwell G, Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
• Downes S, 2004, From Classrooms to Learning Environments: A Midrange Projection of E-Learning Technologies, http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=Article&key=1086898598&format=full, accessed July 25, 2004
• European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture, 2002, Open invitation to tender No DG EAC 21/02 for the provision of services concerning the carrying out of studies in the context of the e-learning initiative
• European Commission, eEurope 2005: An information society for all, European Journal of Vocational Training, No 27 September - December 2002/III
• Nevgri A (2002), Dropping the e and keeping on learning, Keynote speech, Leonardo da Vinci Confernce, Dipoli 8-10 Septemeber 2002, www.leonardodavinci.fi/elearning/summary/nevgi.pd, accessed July 25, 2004
• Ramsden P, (1988), Improving Learning: New Perspectives, London
• Sinko M, (1998) ICT in Finnish higher education: impact on lifelong learning, LLine
• University of Calgary, What is e-learning, www.ucalgray.ca/cted/elearn, accessed July 25, 2004

Further reading

• Blinco K., Mason J., McLean N., Wilson S. (2004), Trends and issues in e-learning infrastructure development, A White Paper for alt-i-lab 2004 Prepared on behalf of DEST (Australia) and JISC-CETIS (UK), http://itpapers.techrepublic.com/abstract.aspx?docid=96653&promo=400111&tag=wpr.1894,1897, accessed 10 October, 2004

Provides a readable introduction to key issues in technical infrastructure development and looks to likely future trends.

• Dubois J (2002) Commissioned paper on the role of distance Learning in vocation education, Synergy Plus, http://www.itcnetwork.org/DuboisVocEdFeb2002.pdf, accessed 25 July 2004

Excellent summary of trends and issues in use of e-learning or vocational education and training in the United States.

• Eklund J., Kay M., Lynch H. (2003), e-learning: emerging issues and key trends, http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/research/2003/elearning250903final.pdf, accessed 10 October 2004.

Based on developments in Australia, this paper once more provides a readable introduction to trends and issues in e-learning in vocational education and training.

Issues for discussion