Common E-learning Issues and Challenges

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way people approached e-learning drastically. For the longest time, technology became the only medium to stay connected with our close ones, and at the same time, some of us graduated, found jobs, and made careers using it. But tech can make or break your learning process. Sometimes it is a friend, but that does not eliminate the fact that it can also be a foe. Remote training for employers or online education for students proves to be an effective way of life. But we will focus on the challenges it carries and if there are any solutions. Because when you understand the problem, it becomes easier to navigate the solution.

E-learning has a lot of advantages when an organisation is training a remote workforce. It is scalable and cost-effective. The geographical location of an employee does not matter because anybody from anywhere can learn this way. It opens up work opportunities for many and creates a space for new talent and a chance to explore a different culture from the comfort of your preferred location. And online setups allow for faster ways of spreading the word about new changes in the company, if any.

9 Common E-learning Issues and Challenges

Not everybody is well-versed in technology. And indeed, not everybody can afford the maintenance that it demands. There are several factors that make it hard for people to engage in e-learning, making the virtual environment inaccessible. So, let us learn about the 9 most common e-learning issues students and employees encounter.

1. Some might not be able to adapt to the fast-paced online scenario.

The two important things required for online learning are a high-speed Internet connection and compatible devices like laptops and smartphones. It is a privilege to have access to these things, and you require a particular skill set to operate them. You might feel stressed trying to work with new or complicated technology, and adjusting might take a while. Another reason you might have difficulty adapting to the online learning system is that it lacks the personal touch of another student or a team learning alongside you.

One way to solve this problem is to use YouTube to its fullest potential. There are endless how-to videos on the platform that can teach you anything and everything about the devices surrounding you. 

Apart from this, in a company setting, someone should be accessible enough to solve the simple questions of those lacking digital literacy. It also improves interaction among individuals and instils personal touch. 

2. Many people can find the e-learning environment isolating.

Another reason you might find e-learning challenging is that you generally take classes or training sessions from your home. Something that others might enjoy can be an aspect you would like to avoid. Working from one place daily and adapting to that routine can lead to monotony and slowly translate into an isolating experience due to a lack of interaction. This can affect your work performance and might lead to overthinking or disliking what you do because it is essential to expose yourself to all facets of your environment.

Hence, while it might seem enjoyable to stay inside and learn from the comfort of your home, it is also vital to go out and interact. Minimal social interaction can lead to stagnant growth, which is never the goal.

Engaging in peer review sessions over work meetings or making regular plans with colleagues or friends is one way to break the monotony. Apart from that, there are a lot of study spaces in different cities that you can rent and study from when you are tired of learning from home. 

3. The feeling of isolation due to e-learning can leave people thinking there is no growth. 

When you feel alone, and all you have is a screen to yourself, it is customary to rethink your choices. Minimal interaction with the people you study with can make it feel like you are the only one feeling this. While the truth is that almost everyone is going through the same emotion. 

A few friendly chats and competitions with your fellow batchmates or colleagues can help you see your strong and weak points. It is also a great way to engage with people and customise your learning based on what you find out to be the parts you want to work on. 

4. E-learning works on online resources and can be interrupted due to technical issues. 

It is one of the most common issues, as well as an excuse when it comes to e-learning. The internet is unpredictable; sometimes, it goes away when you need it the most. Students often lose out on online classes due to poor connectivity.

Often the Internet suffers because the electricity goes out. One way to solve this is by connecting your Wi-Fi connection with your inverter so that it functions all the time. You can also try not to put much weight on your internet connection. For example: If you are in a class that can be attended with the camera off, it will result in better sound quality and a well-functioning internet connection. 

5. There are plenty of distractions at home to disrupt one’s concentration. 

It is normal to give up on online training or classes if you face technical issues, feel isolated, or find it challenging to adapt. Sometimes you might zone out or close the task altogether due to a lack of interest. When you have no one to work with or keep track of your performance, you are your own boss, and it requires a lot of willpower to complete the work and not be distracted by social media or anything else.

You can find a solution to this by talking to someone about it and making a study group that balances working and relaxing. Suppose a particular task is difficult for you to carry out, making it challenging to keep your concentration together. In that case, you can simplify it by using YouTube videos or asking a senior. Communicating with peers and teachers is the key solution to many distractions you might face with e-learning. 

6. Not everyone is always motivated enough to commit 100% to e-learning.

Be it an online distraction or anything else, not everyone can be wholly committed to the learning process. A large chunk of demotivation stems from the issue that what someone is learning is not interesting enough. We live in a time when people’s attention span is already deficient. It is easy for them to lose focus. And if they want to access information, the abundance of options confuses them. Hence, they fail to engage with one thing actively and might start many without finishing any. 

To counteract this, one must ensure that the e-learning process is specific to their interest and is dynamic enough to sustain their attention till its end. If what you learn aligns with your goal, you end up putting in the effort it demands. Therefore, there should be value in what you engage with for you to participate actively. 

7. It isn’t easy to keep up with modern technology. 

Every year, there is a rise in new gadgets, software updates, and tech tools that promises to improve the e-learning experience. However, the evolution of tech products has reached a point where they exist in abundance, making it difficult for someone to pick the right one. It becomes challenging to determine where to invest. 

But if used effectively, blogs, articles, and reviews on the Internet can tell us much about what to use and what not to use. And being in touch with technical content will keep you updated with what is evolving in the technological world. It effectively addresses your queries and helps you find answers to what modern specialised tools can solve your problems.

8. Longer e-learning sessions can be demotivating. 

E-learning sessions aim at imparting knowledge. Longer sessions can be demotivating because it contains a lot of information. It can become overwhelming and make it hard for people to retain everything, especially the critical bits.

Breaking the sessions into small, recurring meetings can lead to newer ideas and conversations. It will be less monotonous, and everybody will get a break from screens and have the zeal to return to work. People tend to show up more when they know the class will be quick and to the point. Nobody enjoys beating around the bush, especially not those attention e-learning sessions.

9. It is easy to lack balance and blend into the comfort of e-learning. 

Constantly sitting in front of screens often ruins our body postures. It requires you to continually sit in one place and stare at the screen, using the keyboard or earphones. It can weaken your eyesight and cause anxiety, weight gain, or health diseases. 

To prevent this from happening, you should take regular breaks. A sedentary lifestyle requires a balance of an active one. Take time out for exercising, and get up after every half an hour or so from your chair to move around and get your feet moving.

Conclusion

Many people perceive e-learning systems to be a cure-all. But while it made education more accessible, convenient and cost-friendly, there is no doubt that it brought many challenges with it as well. Human beings are social creatures, and they sometimes crave in-person interactions. The sedentary lifestyle that e-learning subjects you to may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to these common e-learning issues and challenges to come up with effective solutions much sooner than later.

Team EMB

Our team of expert writers is committed to bringing insights on topics ranging in the fields of technology, marketing, and business. With a wide-reaching range of services on our platform, we help businesses achieve digital transformation end-to-end.