E-Learning in Rural Bangladesh Measuring

e-Learning in Rural Bangladesh

Measuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging e-Learning in IT Knowledge Management

E-learning is a well-established method for curriculum delivery in developed nations. Learning online has infiltrated all levels of the educational process from preschool to colleges and universities. It has proven an effective and efficient means to deliver a unified curriculum to both urban and remote areas of these nations. However, such is not the case in developing nations where face-to-face instruction remains the primary means for educational delivery. This study will focus on the delivery of basic education through the use of information technology (IT) in Bangladesh. The study will examine the problems and solutions in the development and delivery of an e-learning system to reach all areas of the country, including the most remote areas.

Background of the Problem

Until recently, Bangladesh focused its efforts to connect to global network in urban areas. This left non-urban area untouched and out of the technology loop. The most damaging effect of this strategy is that a majority of the country is rural, with the smaller percentage of its citizens located in urban areas. This meant that the efforts were focused on a small minority of the citizens, leaving a majority of the nation and its population unable to gain access to education or to technology. This was viewed as a key hindrance to the ability of Bangladesh to rise above the status of a developing nation.

Governmental attempts to resolve these issues were largely unsuccessful. However, many infrastructure improvements to rural areas have occurred through foreign direct investment (FDI). Cellular and Wimax networks have led the infrastructure improvement efforts. Now, a network of Internet Kiosks exists which are called Community Information Centers (CIC). It is hoped that this program can be expanded, but more inputs in the way of human resources will be needed to accomplish this task.

Currently, educational facilities on all levels of the educational system continue to use face-to-face communications as the key mode of communication between students and teachers. The problem with this system is that it does not have the ability to extend much beyond the urban areas. A gap exists between the need to deliver educational services using IT and a lack of teachers trained in IT located in the areas that need them the most. This research proposes that e-learning is the key solving the technology deficit that currently exists in the rural areas of Bangladesh. The proposed solution to the problem involves combining e-learning with face-to-face teaching in order to bridge the technological and educational gap that currently exists.

Hypothesis

The purpose of this research is to explore the tangible impact of blended learning and its ability to provide basic IT training to student in rural and semi-urban area of Bangladesh. The first task will be to identify the various stakeholder groups. Then the study will have to define the tangible effects on each of these stakeholder groups. The primary hypothesis of this study states, "The implementation of an e-curriculum in rural and semi-urban schools in Bangladesh will produce tangible differences in survey results between classrooms that utilize conventional face-to-face teaching methods and those that already have an integrated IT curriculum."

Research Questions

The hypothesis in this study only touches the most basic of information that will be needed to address the academic concerns in Bangladesh. In order to gain a perspective on the effects of the implementation of IT on the learning environment the following research questions will be addressed via the survey instrument.

1. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected overall academic achievement of the students?

2. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the role of the teacher?

3. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the ability of the teacher to effectively deliver the classroom material?

4. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the attitudes of the students?

5. Has the introduction of IT into the classroom had an overall positive or negative affect on classrooms in Bangladesh?

Literature Review

E-learning is just beginning to envelope all parts of Bangladesh. Until the technology is available to all students, it will be difficult to establish a national curriculum, such as that which exists in industrialized nations. A wealth of academic information exists in industrialized nations regarding the successes and failures of e-learning in various environments. The following examines current research from studies of e-learning from industrialized nations. The articles chosen reflect state of the art and attitudes towards e-learning.

In a recent study that examines the learning experience of MBA students using e-learning to compliment face-to-face classroom learning, the reaction was a positive one. Students found that the material presented via e-learning enhanced their classroom experience. They felt that the material presented was in alignment with what was being taught via face-to-face methods (Bentley, Shegunhi, & Scannell, 2010).

When the concept of e-learning first came into existence, it was thought that it would eventually replace face-to-face learning. However, even in countries where the concept of e-learning is advanced, there is no indication that this is the case. A blended approach that uses technology to enhance classroom instruction is the most common form that this new concept has taken. As e-learning became embedded in the educational culture, several affects were reported by students. They felt that they gained more practice than with the standard classroom. They also enjoyed the ability to work at any time of the day or night, and the ability to take their work with them via laptops (Jeffries & Hyde, 2010). Blending e-learning into the classroom affords more opportunity for the presentation of material using a multimedia approach (George-Pallonis & Filak, 2009).

A number of studies regarding recent applications of networked computers have inconsistent results, ranging from complete successes to absolute failures (Fetaji & Fetaji, 2009). One of the key deficits found by these authors was a lack of systematic planning, development and evaluation of the e-learning environment. These factors will play an important role in the development of the e-learning environment in Bangladesh. This study highlights the importance of planning and consistency in policy development. Choy (2006) found that benchmarking was an excellent tool to ensure consistent results in the introduction of e-learning in Australia.

The literature review indicates that e-learning can be successfully blended with traditional classroom teaching. It also indicates that e-learning can be an excellent way to introduce multimedia learning environment into the classroom, but only if a strong framework based in policy is in place. One of the key setbacks found in e-learning environments is a lack of consistent policies and protocols. The establishment of clear, consistent policies is the most important factor in the success of the blended e-learning/traditional classroom experience. This literature will address this issue as it pertains to the establishment of a blended e-learning/traditional classroom system in the rural areas of Bangladesh.

Methodology

This study will use a quantitative survey methodology to examine the hypothesis and research questions. The research will be carried out with the assistance of BRAC, an organization that is currently operating 3,000 primary schools in Bangladesh. Stakeholders from this organization will comprise the sample population of the study. BRAC will help to identify target rural schools where the standard content could be substituted with e-learning content.

Once the schools have been identified, the schools will be divided into those that will receive e-content and those that will learn the material using a face-to-face learning environment, such as that which is currently in place. Course modules to be introduced will be taken form CISCO's Networking Academy Program, which has an element called "IT Essentials." This course couples highly effective e-content with classroom teaching. This will be the "condition" applied to one of the classroom groups.

Classroom teachers will be asked to carefully track scores throughout the study duration. At the end of the course, 50 stakeholders will be given a survey, which will assess their opinion on the success of the program. Twenty-five stakeholders from each group will be used. These surveys will be analyzed first using descriptive statistical techniques to gain an understanding of both of these types of learning environments. Next, these the survey results will be analyzed using comparative statistical techniques to gain an understanding of their similarities, differences and rate of success.