psycholigical impacts of online learning

8/14/2019 Psycholigical Impacts of Online Learning

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PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF ONLINE LEARNING

Dr. S. Arulsamy,

Assistant Professor,

Department of Education,

Bharathiar University

Coimbatore- 641 046.

E-mail:[email protected]

Abstract

Online learning is the new version of computer-mediated cultural patterns. Information

and Communication Technology enlarges the network of information sharing and adds different

set of processing dimensions at individual and social level both in socially and psychologically.

In this article, the authors highlight the various psychological impact of Online Learning under

different aspects.

Introduction

Online learning makes human life more comfortable. The access to big treasure of

information is available at the click of a mouse on the Internet. Testing and data collection have

become easier. But, on the other hand this new technology encourages new types of behavioural

disorder as IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder) and net related crime. This is unending process.

Life in online is not the same as life in the face-to-face world. Our very identity becomes

something uncertain and ambiguous. Teaching and learning online can be, in Mezirows (2001)

terms, the ultimate disorienting dilemma. Technology will facilitate learning for some, but will

probably inhibit learning for others. Martinezs (2001) research has identified some of the

emotions experienced by learners studying online. A study by Schaller and colleagues (2002)

found that learners experienced bewilderment and confusion as they attempted to navigate their

way through the required learning site. Wegerif (1998) reported that learners are inhibited by

feelings of fear and alienation as they experienced the exposure and the isolation that learning

online can entail. Ng (2001) discovered that some learners studying online reported considerable

anxiety at communicating electronically. A study by Hara and Kling (2000) says that learners

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distress associated with studying a web based course. Considerable frustration experienced by

learners with the technical aspects of learning online, with interpreting and following instructions

and with managing the enormous amounts of email they are required to deal with. Thus man

creates new technology and consequently gets affected by it.

Online Addiction

Many people are addicted to Internet and some people are extremely attached with On-

line browsing. Some people are definitely hurting themselves by their addition to Internet. One

can easily identify an online addicted person by the following symptoms;

An Online addicted person

i. spends more time on the net

ii. gives less importance to physical activity.

iii. disregards for his own health as a result of Internet activity.

iv. avoids important life activities in order to spend time on the net.

v. changes his sleep pattern in order to spend time on the net.

vi. gives more preference for online chat rather than face-to-face chat with friends.

vii. depends on Internet as the primary source of knowledge.

viii. decreases socializing time with family.

ix. neglects job and personal obligation and

x. gets disoriented and foxed when there is any problem in net connection.

Frustration and Online Learning

Frustration is the most pervasive emotion associated with online learning. Many learners

experienced frustration of one kind or another with one aspect or another of online learning.

Much of frustration is associated with the technology. Many time learners cannot log on. Some

time links can be frustrating because the links do not work. Some time the learner connects with

his user name, but still he could not get any access.

For some the frustration is associated with a lack of clear instructions for locating the

required site. Some use the net all the time, but they could not navigate. Some could not get in.

The learner is apprised that the information would be available online, on the web page, but, it is

really difficult to find the page. It takes many days to find out the resource. Some times, for one

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question the learner has to spend even many hours to track down responses from online and he

could not find them. There is also frustration with material being out of date. Learners felt

frustration at the rambling or superficial nature of unmoderated online discussion. Frustration

may be associated with the administrative processes, with instructions that are unclear and

obscure. It is also related with the design, structure and relevance of the web site content and

with the learning processes, especially discussion groups.

Fear, anxiety, apprehension and Online Learning

Computer anxiety is a fear of interacting with computers that is disproportionate to the

actual danger of the situation. Computer anxiety leaves the user in an uncomfortable mental state

in which one experiences debilitating physical and/or emotional symptoms. Many learners

experienced the fear, anxiety, and apprehension cluster of emotions associated with their online

learning. There is anxiety involved with delays in the system. Some learners feel that the

lecturers do not answer their questions and they even do not mail them back until after the due

date has passed.It causes stress and anxiety. There is anxiety for some with trusting the systemto deliver assignments electronically. Some times it is doubtful whether the emails got through.

The learners have another doubt that whether their assignments are being read. If it is so, who is

reading their work?

The peculiar nature of the electronic environment is a source of anxiety for most of the

participants. For some it is anxiety associated with a lack of control over the processes of the

system. Work or ideas are submitted and then dealt with (or not) in some mysterious and

invisible way over which the learner could have no influence. The public and relatively

permanent nature of online communication is also a source of fear and anxiety as is the

impersonal and largely anonymous nature of that communication.

Ramanna (2000) noted four areas of Internet anxiety, which are as follows;

i. Internet Terminology anxiety

ii. Internet Search anxiety

iii. Internet Time delay anxiety and

iv. General fear of Internet failure.

i. Internet Terminology Anxiety

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The Internet Terminology Anxiety is a major problem for the beginners in the online

learning class. The terms like WWW (World Wide Web), URL (Uniform Resource Location),

SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) etc., are the some of Internet terminology, which are to be

learned by the learners at the beginning. Many learners have the feeling of anxiety when they are

reading the new vocabulary, word and acronyms.

ii. Internet Search Anxiety

There are many technical blocks to finding the intended location. Even after finding the

desired site the learner are often confused by the way of construction of the site. The server

problem may cause frustration. Some times the learner has to search hours together to get the

intended site. The search engine list out few thousands of related sites, the leaner unable to locate

the most suitable one from the list. Failure of backtracking may also cause anxiety.

iii. Internet Time delay Anxiety

The Internet is often clogged when many learners who want to go online. Due to this

technical problem many learners wait for a long time during busy hours, which leads to

frustration among them. They are unable to submit their home works and assignment in time.

However these problems are minimized with the help of broadband facilities.

iv. General Fear of Internet Failure

The technology has its own drawbacks. The Internet failure is one of the drawbacks,which triggers anger and frustration among the learners. They are in hurry to submit their

assignments and homework and they are unable to learn the content of a course due to the fear of

Internet failure.

The following are the instructional approaches that can reduce the on-line anxiety to

some extent but they do not overcome the problem completely.

i. Teaching the learners about the fundamentals of On-line learning with special

reference to hardware and software components of the system before entering into the on-line

learning.

ii. Providing instant assistance whenever necessary.

iii. Making the first attempt of the learner as a successful one.

iv. Encouraging the learner to help one another.

v. Encouraging the learner to share their problems and doubts.

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Enthusiasm, excitement and Online Learning

There are other aspects of learning online that also engendered enthusiasm and

excitement. The excitement plays an important part in learning. This dimension has been

seriously lacking in learning online. Learnersfeel that the way they learn is a lot more, if they are

in a big group in a tutorial having a discussion. And that gets them excited. It gets them into the

subject. It has not ever been felt like that with online learning. But, at the same time the learners

are getting lots of good information from some commercial and government sites and they make

them excite There is the excitement associated with learning in a new way, using new

technologies. Some excite with what could be gained from learning online, both in terms of

course content and of the connections made possible with other sites and with other people.

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Loneliness and Online Learning

People who use the Internet more subsequently are adversely affected by loneliness.

Isolation caused by online learning has sparked a rigorous debate amongst researchers. The lack

of interaction associated with E-Learning is of prime concern to Cooper (1999) who remarks,

electronic contact cannot currently sustain the qualities and multi-dimensionality of the kind of

tutor-learner relationship that real learning seems to require. This opinion is further supported

by Bourner and Flowers (1997) who suggest that if technological developments are to be

incorporated into higher education; this should be accompanied by increased human contact.

When people have more social contact, they are happier and healthier, both physically and

mentally (S. Cohen & Wills, 1985; Gove & Geerken, 1977). The learners have greater contact

with online learning are associated with declines in their communication with family members in

the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and

loneliness. Online learning is causing people to become socially isolated and cut off from

genuine social relationships, as they hunker alone over their terminals or communicate with

anonymous strangers through a socially impoverished medium (Stoll, 1995; Turkle, 1996).

However, when people use these technologies intensively for learning new software, playing

computer games, or retrieving electronic information, they consume time and may spend more

time alone (Vitalari, Venkatesh, & Gronhaug, 1985). The overindulgence in this environment is

having negative impact on the social disengagement, loneliness and weakening of the real life

strong ties (Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukhopahyay and Scherhis, 1998). Generally,

strong personal ties are supported by physical proximity. Online learning potentially reduces the

importance of physical proximity in creating and maintaining networks of strong social ties.

Stress, Depression and Online Learning

Greater use of the Internet is also associated with increases in depression. There have

even been reports of Internet related deaths, such as cardiac arrests resulting from sleep

deprivation and lack of personal maintenance or suicides due to Net related stress (Elmer-

Dewitt, 1993; Young and Rogers, 1997). Person who has Net related stress has the following

symptoms;

i. spends more time in online than the required time.

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ii. finds hard to stay away from the 'Net for several days at a time.

iii. decreases personal relationships as a result of spending too much time on the 'Net.

iv. unable to control to purchase items, products, or services on the 'Net.

v. feels much of pleasure and satisfaction while on the 'Net continuously.

Pride and Online Learning

A sense of pride in learners accomplishments is expressed by a number of learners,

including pride at succeeding in the online environment. When the learners know they have done

a good piece of work and they put that on the net and they get positive feedback. It makes them

feel quite proud. Pride is identified by Ingleton and ORegan (1998) as a critical emotion innurturing learning and in engendering a positive disposition to learn. In the online environment,

with its characteristics of publicness and permanence, the potential for pride is very great.

Conclusion

Though online learning has many advantages, it is also responsible for the development

of various behavioural problems. Young (1998) remarks that the prolonged online learning

develops addictive patterns among the learners. Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is not only a

psychologically important phenomenon but its social implications are of great significance.

Continuous online learning develops shyness, social phobia and perceived lack of social status.

Online learning is associated with behaviour and impulse problems like over involvement in

online relationships (Cyber-relationship Addiction) and compulsive web surfing or database

searches (Information Overload). Thus man creates new technology and consequently gets

affected by it.

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5. Hara, N. & Kling, R., (2000) Students distress with a Web-based distance education

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psycholigical impacts of online learning

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