Best of both worlds

Very sophisticated and more publicity for the online education in developing countries, have been written about the unlimited potential. I especially with the expansion of higher education opportunities demonstrate the benefits of online delivery functions and seminars in such countries have been involved in facilitating the first-hand.

The campus in online delivery of family responsibilities or medical conditions in remote areas, students who are engaged in full-time jobs, higher education can provide an opportunity to engage in sophisticated, no doubt, but this is not necessarily a panacea for all students.

I was teaching students in online learning, teaching resources and in terms of the quality of primary and secondary school levels in many cases you do get a lot of sub-standard in developing countries, presented some of the important issues that will be.

These students are less likely to be prepared and online learning is an independent, self-directed learner, have the resources to succeed.

In addition, it provides significant value to the relations between the community and the cultural context of the students, online learning journey from beginning to end, yet maintaining a separate learners, as well as students and teachers are separated. This is a big problem, and that such a highly valued collectively these cultures around the contrary.

That's where the technology and the technology available to them exceptional and reliable - even if a great many developing countries, 'if' - they are run independently of the many other aspects of a student's education.

After the initial period of the decoding work to do to celebrate subjects, including how to contact the appropriate faculty, academic skills development and training, where to get help on how best to set the text to use, how to submit assignments, access to library resources, just to name a few ... sit exams web, how to find resources.

Students to read online, but it is inevitable given the chance to debate such issues and make sure that the class was not a substitute for, all this information is available. In most cases, these students do not have the relevant experience to guide them to higher education initiative 'family first (or village) there.

The lack of social connection

Online mode provides the training materials, a comprehensive, clear, well-structured and high quality are presented and let's assume that.

Along the way to allow students more insight into the content in a variety of patterns, complemented by modern scientific research, information and access to official estimates, making sure that provide learning activities that are catered to different learning styles has gone into ensuring that let a chance to gauge the progress of their learning. (Again, it's great to have assumptions!)

material, the lack of social connection is still a big problem for developing countries, such as the students present. Student-to-student online to discuss the online forums, audio lectures available and has teleconferences between teachers and students, although this may occur.

Online education is a key factor in the geographical isolation of these students leave university with so many choices and intensified during the break to travel a great distance to attend school is not possible. The ability to create complementary learning community - but they come together to make contact with other students that have a physical location.

And the distance - - acknowledged this need for social connections online training programs are some of your favorite examples. University offers programs in local schools to set up training centers around the country where the good work that taps into existing local educational institutions to witness one such example.

Ideally, live lectures via video-conference training centers flow, but in fact, even the lack of electricity in some areas and poor communication are the hampers.

Face-to-face sessions with a teacher during the period Limited and is very well attended, but it's not, you may be few and far between.

What is, however, a sense of community is important, role in the creation of these centers. Students' knowledge, experience and stories to share unofficially become a place to come together.

The family, the community and the cultures are very fundamental in developing countries consistent with a strong sense of cooperation.

Students visit the center, and they are studying the same course, not even connect with others who share similar problems they feel secure. For some, this would be lost without in-person contact and motivation levels to continue to focus on their studies.

An example given is not unique - there are examples of several such operations in the world. What is often missing in developing countries to overcome the problems associated with the ongoing operation of the centers and the inevitable dependence on international public finance for the maintenance of consistent, long-term commitment?

Nor is it true that sometimes is missing and culturally compatible with the approaches that will ensure the success of the investment decision-making process by all those involved in the issue.

They fail to take into account the realities of the environment and cultural principles and approaches are doomed to be destroyed, because what is the point of spending big bucks?

Nita Temmerman (PhD) is a former pro vice-chancellor (academic quality) and Southern Queensland, Australia executive dean of the Faculty of Education at the University. He is also a visiting professor at the National University of the Solomon Islands College's academic board, chaired by Emmanuel International, and the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications a specialist.