It is effective since I am yielding the very same results if not better for my working part time students. Limitations: Connectivity.

Network issues....... If we got great network issues..... we may feel like face to face classroom communication.. i hope......... Md Habibur Rahman Adita Maharaj

Less percentage of understanding of subject matter

Adita Maharaj , G. Stephen and M.K. Tripathi Thank you for sharing.

Lack of experience

online learning can cause social Isolation if not properly used.

1.Problems of quality and equalty(equal accesss to network?);

2.It is more reliable on students' self discipline;

3.Knowledge is fragmented, loose structured;

...

GM

Education should be the same for all

In my opinion, not all people and family has resources TIC

Ingrid García

Poor internet and internet disconnection are the main obstructing factors.

Dear Mr. Rahman!

You pointed to a crucial issue, now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please let me argue that this question is largely a field and context dependent one:

1) Chatziralli, I., Ventura, C.V., Touhami, S. et al. Transforming ophthalmic education into virtual learning during COVID-19 pandemic: a global perspective. Eye (2020). Open Access Available at:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41433-020-1080-0

2) Daniel C. Barton (2020). Impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on field instruction and remote teaching alternatives: Results from a survey of instructors, Ecology and Evolution, ACADEMIC PRACTICE IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION Open Access Available at:

Article Impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on field instruction and re...

3) Amer Mahmoud Sindiani et al. (2020). Distance education during the COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sectional study among medical students in North of Jordan, Annals of Medicine and Surgery Volume 59, November 2020 Open Access, Available at:

Article Distance education during the COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sec...

4) Aboobacker Mohammed Rafi et al. (2020). The Pedagogical Shift During COVID 19 Pandemic: Online Medical Education, Barriers and Perceptions in Central Kerala, Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development Volume 7: 1–4 Open Access Available at:

Article The Pedagogical Shift During COVID 19 Pandemic: Online Medic...

Yours sincerely, Bulcsu Szekely

It is difficult to show some of the presentation skills online when compared to face -to face lecturing.

الطلبة المثابرين. هم انفسهم الذين يتواصلون بنفس المواضبة في التعليم التقليدي ، لكن الطلبة الذين كانت لديهم ضروف في الدوام ، باتوا افضل ، بفضل اتاحة المحاضرات لهم عبر التعليم الالكتروني ، الاجابة عن استفساراتهم. بشكل مستمر ، نشر واجباتهم بلا عذر ، التدريب العملي كان افضل بكثير .

Bulcsu Szekely , Thank you Sir for your informative reply.

Ahmed Hasan, Farid Minaei, Carrie Chen, Ingrid Del Valle García Carreño, Isam Alkhalifawi, Sanaa N Al- Haj Ali and Raya Qahtan Ahmed Thank you very much for your sharing.

اول عائق هو المستوى التعليمي للاسرة وثانيا الامكانية المادية فأغلب العواءل ليس لديها جهاز كمبيوتر لكي تتواصل به والسبب الاخر هو شبكة الإنترنت التي تؤثر على سرعة وصول المعلومات للطلاب لذلك سوف يحصل هدر بالوقت

Hi everybody, from my humble opinion the main problem is in the subject of activity, I mean, the human being. There have been argued that materials problems are the main obstacle for delivering a quality education, and it is true, but when actors of the educational process are well motivated, they can find solutions, alternatives for overcoming dificulties . I remember I worked at a University around the beginning of 2000s, and there were not Internet connection for all, and even it was slow. Then we applied then known ACCMAIL (Access by e-Mail) to access Internet, including searching and downloading resources, using only e-mail servers, and communicated each other by means of discussion lists . Later I worked in other place, where there were plenty of ICT resources, but professors and students mostly preferred face-to-face modality and Internet resources were used mainly as sources of information.

There exist some kind of social "inertia", which makes people preventing any changes. But as we know, things around us have changed (they were changing even before pandemic); the past state of affairs willl never return, and people shoud have to learn as fast as posible, if they want to survive in this new environment.

The major barriers are teachers/parents' inability to withstand the cost of data and other internet facilities.

The use of e-learning in the workplace has become widespread and with the continuing emergence of new technologies, growth in popularity can be expected to continue and this is true in every part of our globe where we intend to carry-out Online learning strategy and approach. I must admit that typical challenges could be consistent across various education systems, tertiary institutions or private course providers everywhere. All that I have mentioned above were hardly debated publicly because tertiary providers kept their systems in check and focused on the betterment of their systems especially in this 21st-century educational world. At times we have forgotten that in terms of education, we are really in a flat world where our challenges are all similar (Hammond, 2010). Now with the presence of a pandemic such as COVID 19, designers of online learning ought to strengthen their individual online learning systems so that customer satisfaction and ease of usage can be guaranteed. What is important for us all to understand that the many potential benefits of e-learning have long been extolled by researchers and practitioners alike, however, there is far from widespread consensus on the benefits of e-learning and whether it is more effective than traditional forms of training and development in every situation (Derouin, Fritzsche, and Salas, 2005).

Beamish, Armistead, Watkinson, and Armfield (2002) claim cost-effectiveness, access, and flexibility amongst the benefits of adopting e-learning and similar claims have been raised by many others (Brown, Murphy, and Wade, 2006; Hill and Wouters, 2010; Welsh, Wanberg, Brown, and Simmering, 2003). However, at the same time, some research has reported finding no significant difference between learning outcomes of e-learning and those of more traditional modes of delivery. Indeed, in a review of previous studies Derouin et al. (2005:929) concluded that “overall, it is difficult to conclude that e-learning is more, less, or equally effective at the learning level than traditional classroom-based training”.

Interestingly, in many situations, it may be the case that individual or organizational contexts will determine whether e-learning is the most effective means of providing learning opportunities for employees in the workplace. In my recent COVID 19 experience at our University, online learning provision has taken off on a high note and we need to folk out the best support systems to keep our students well supported throughout the semesters. For Fiji, one of the greatest challenges to online learning provisions is the poor internet connectivity and if we can address that adequately with our local internet providers then we would be on our way to providing a new and exciting experience for our students now and in the future.

Poor connectivity is number one problem

but apart from that Difficult to keep students engaged in learning material, they might drift into world of their own after logging in to a session ( in a face to face class you can notice that and bring them back )

This is the major issue being faced by everyone.... students have become very smart in the present era....they log in to the sessions and then are no where to be seen....it is very difficult to keep them engaged and engrossed during the entire session...many students still don't have a laptop with them and even if they have high speed internet facility which is a must for all video sessions to be conducted is not accessed by all.

Access to resources, guidance of online and self study habits, institutional guidance and cohesion, loneliness... I am writing a paper about this exact topic. The Covid online learners vary from those who have been taking online courses in that it is not a choice, so a different approach is needed rather than just utilizing accepted online formats.

Another challenge is the poor discipline among students to remain for the full duration of the session. Students join in/log in late or they leave early. I also identify poor concentration as students don't or reluctant to answer questions. The overall performance from online assessments are also found to be poor.

I totally agree with you, Hafaza. The discipline in zoom classes is virtually non-existent. One of my students set his away picture to a picture of him looking at his book and just left. So, I started deducting points if I call on a student and they aren't there. It has a lot to do with the distractions available. They can open a new window or play with something off-screen.

La principal barrera es la falta de contacto real entre el profesor y los estudiantes. Este es esencial sobre todo en primaria y bachillerato.

There is a labour issue here. They moved teachers to their private homes at their expense. Online is magical but the magic requires many additional hours to make happen, to design and pilot activities, to gamify learning, to do all the wonderful things that are engaging and elicit learning. Universities are workplaces that must discuss how much more they should be paying sessionals and the like, all those who live paycheque to paycheque in the Gulag of "teaching" positions.

Technology, software and internet cost and curriculum availability are, indeed, constraints to online learning adoption. BUT, it is also very evident that parents, although "teachers" utilizing informal learning to inform their children about social norms, safety, and hygiene are not comfortable or experienced to convey structured, consistent, and replicable formal learning in academic areas. Just like parents can attend to injuries from a child falling down, they are not giving the same care as a doctor would if it was a complex fall. The COVID virus has "taught" parents that "teaching" is not just "talking." I suggest that those in teacher education should get a copy of the book "Telling Ain't Training" by Harold Stolovtich, et. al. It addresses this topic in a clear and comprehensive manner. It's on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and td.org

The process of learning basically starts from home and the rest is history.....

Accessibility and the readiness to learning online. Blended learning should be promoted as an ideal approach.

One of the gravest limitations of online learning is the lack of, say, a human, let alone humane presence. More to the point, the language of online learning is in lack of empathy, sympathy, compassion and the like. Online learning is more a solitary than a social activity.

Orlando M Lourenco thank you for that comment. My view is also the same - as a dance pedagogue, I've found that what I use as tools greatly in teaching is my presence, empathy and co-regulation. To support the participants in practical ways, such as participating in the action myself, giving ques of different senses etc, but also to understand myself what is going on in different situations and for different people.

To be able to use only words and a limited vision picture as tools, I am losing most of my teaching tools in relation to the participants as human beings. I cannot understand if they are feeling hot and sweaty, for example, which is a simple thing, let alone reach out to them if I feel that someone is in a fragile state, without pointing them out to the whole group.

I think in online learning, it is important for the teacher and also other participants to reach out to the ones who are without their camera on or are staying quiet, in an open, not pointing-out manner, to at least give opportunity to take that "hand" that is reaching out for them. One can feel disconnected and not part of the community, having difficulty to join in. Reaching out to them, giving different opportunities, will make it easier for them to connect without them having to summon strength to become more visible. It can be a huge gap to cross if one is feeling alone, out of reach and disconnected. We as teachers need to acknowledge this, to try to see the things that are not obviously visible.

Dear Pauliina Laukkanen.

Thanks for your agreement with my post. I also agree with what you say. Online teaching/learning can be necessary in pandemic times. But this only temporary, Online teaching/leaning without the presence of both students and teachers is, say, a bit blind because it teaches all students in the same way. To be effective, the process of teaching/learning should be individualized and personalized. This, however, can on be only done with the presence of both teachers and students in classes.

Dear Rahman

In my Opinion, Instructional design of online course should adapted to much online learning specifies. Most of teachers put their didactic content directly in a Learning management System without adaptation. Online learning should be granulated and encourage participation between Student and his teacher and other pairs. So, teachers should shift their teaching paradigm to the online instructional design. for example the ADDIE model is very beneficial to build an online course. Interactivity in the course is the key to improve students' motivation and engagement. Teachers play thereby the role of accompaniment by providing regular feedback and assessment.

frente a la pandemia que vive nuestro planeta, los profesores quedamos en un punto "ciego" que nos puso en evidencia la no preparación del sistema para afrontar situaciones nuevas como esta. Tanto estudiantes como docentes mediante las clases remotas por zoom o cualquier otra plataforma, que no estamos acostumbrados a la educación virtual-remota hemos visto una leve caída en la calidad de la educación que los jóvenes reciben. Son multiples factores que están presentes para que esto se de. Entre ellos: problemas de conectividad, ancho de banda no suficiente, distracción de los estudiantes, dificultad para concentrarse, poca retención de los temas trabajados, sobrecarga laboral de los profesores que deben planear, realizar y desarrollar actividades con nuevas metodologías para captar la atención e interés de los estudiantes. creo esta a sido una oportunidad para que nosotros los investigadores miremos con lupa esta nueva realidad académica que nos ha tocado vivir y busquemos nuevas estrategias tanto didáctica como metodológicas que no dejen caer la calidad de la educación que nuestros jóvenes reciben, y que los profesores no sientan la fatiga que los acosa actualmente.

It's like Blake's immortal poem 'The Rose'...as on-line learning is the 'invisible worm' which has the potential to eat away at the root (or 'heart and soul') of human interaction which comes from face-to-face learning, teaching, planning, researching and creating. Of course, there is a place for on-line learning but it should (and must) always take the 'back seat' in any student-to-student-to-teacher relationship. May I suggest reading Ray Bradbury's short story, 'The Fun They Had' and E.M. Forster's longer story 'The Machine Stops'...they are both old works of 'dystopian future' fiction where communication through 'technological means' dominates society.

Dear Andrew Smith, Thank you for your insightful reply.

The major barriers in online learning is nonavailability, nonaccessibility and non affordability of smart phone and laptop. Network issue is another barrier. Voice breaking during the discussion causes a serous problem which stops the flow of discussion halfway. The attention span of students becomes less due to absence of face to face interaction.

In an ideal world, online learning would be supported by parent encouragement, instructors adapting to how the student learns, educational boards and organizations fully funding learning, up to date technology and access to technology, tutors, instructors and other engaging learning tools for everyone in the United States. Alas, we spend more money on other non-educational entities. During the pandemic, mental anguish, food insecurity, employment insecurity felt by parents, teachers, administrators, healthcare providers, tutors and students make learning online incredible complex. The solution is to change behavior towards each other and finding leaders to provide feasible solutions the ordinary citizen can accept. In the meantime, we should focus on helping the student learn in a very chaotic environment, understand how K-12 students cope with all kinds of changes and what college age students need in order to cope in their new world.

Respected all, thank you for your insightful reply.

For the time being, at least in my country, students are having lessons at their schools with the presence of their colleagues and respective teachers. It we ask students to indicate what they prefer, online learning or learning at classes with the presence of both colleagues and teachers, all of them choose the second alternative. Once again, online teaching/learning is delivered in a way where there is little if any room to issues of the heart, such as empathy, sympathy, compassion, and the life.

For students who enjoy interacting with classmates more in face-to-face classes, face-to-face instruction is more appropriate. In online education, students do not have a precise focus on the lesson, and teachers have less control over students.

Given the different learning methods and the fact that each person chooses a method for better learning and this is not possible in e-learning, it seems that this method can not achieve the desired result, such as attending class. But in this situation is a pandemic. It is the best choice so that education does not get coronary and quarantine.

According to me the barriers to online learning are competing responsibilities of learners, power blackouts, poor network coverage, lack of learner orientation to online during this covid-19 era, lack of management support in implementing, the resistance of staff to move from traditional face to face, among others. but all these can be mitigated.

The number one problem that both teachers and students encountered in this online modality are the problems of connectivity, particularly in the Philippines.

In bhutan, the main barriers is conection of net and the equipments such as mobile phone, tablets and computer

Poor electricity

Lack of/inadequate data

Lack of connectivity

Hello! thanks for the replies. I notice the words "control and "management" come up. It seems to me that online might seem to be the perfect mechanism to control. However, I there there are "emancipatory" aspects in the Paulo Freire sense. collaborating in making content, delivering it with students, for example. Usually students are more skilled at important skills such as audiovisual editing (while we insist on being logocentric, reading and writing, learners are doing something else entirely).

I agree that once a person is able to get through the technical barriers (connectivity, skills and privacy), we could support them in doing things we didn't imagine in the in-person class. Many learners never made it to the expensive and hierarchical in-person university. It seems to me that many more learners can use their smart phones, free Wi-Fi, etc. with restrictions and all to get much more out of educational institutions now. and they will continue to demand it.

Finally, in relation to my original question about "engagement", I see more difficulties among well-seasoned faculty who are used to, and expect to, teaching in the same manner for decades.

COVID19 only put in relief the problems of our existing teaching philosophies. I hear from faculty that students who can attend do not open their webcams, they might be multitasking or even worse, attending to family or private matters. The horror. I remember daydreaming aggressively in classrooms with profs I did not care about and I could not relate. I did not have any social media, no computers, etc. I managed to disengage all on my own, effectively.

Dear Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco , thanks for sharing your mind.

I believe and speak from may own experience, that the biggest limitations online is realizing if students are capturing the desired information and self-disciplined and truly motivated.

It is easy to distort what is presented by images at a distance.

Hope this help.

Best greetings

It is easy to distort anything we deliver to others including learning in-person (e.g., politicians). Online is just a different environment. Motivation ebbs and flows, often is higher if the online will get credits, or funding, etc. this is maybe why it is feasible to have small credit incentives, or coffee cards for $5 for the winner of an online synchronous or asynchronous contest. I as unmotivated in many classes in-person because the teacher was teaching for others, or for themselves, and not me.

Personally i feel these barriers and limitations have great inclination to the environment and context. What do I mean? Different continents, countries, ... are hit differently.

But we can talk about;

Physical resources within your environment considering teacher and student environment. These may include power, internet connectivity and speed, Gadgets, etc

Human resource competencies: training, experience, skills ,etc

Financial resources government or state authority commit to e- learning

But above all the audience will, competence, experience, skills and endowments matter in the success

for university students, online learning seems no difficulty, except the internet connection

but in lower grade of students (kindergarten, elementary s, junior & senior high school), the main limitation is their ability to do an independent learning

I definitely agree with Miss Laifa's idea that for the tertiary level, independent learning is not a problem. The only problem for the tertiary level students which is always beyond one's control is the internet connection. On the other hand, an online learning system for both elementary and high school levels has its main barrier which is the degree of preparedness of the learners/students towards independent learning, and the lack of monitoring styles by the teachers.@laifarahmawati

Internet connection is one of the most common barriers especially in the tertiary level and not so much with the independent learning. Being adaptive in this pandemic time is surely inevitable.

The major limitation is that most universities around the world do not acknowledge any diplomas of online learning. There are many great opportunities to pursue postgraduate studies online, however, students get reluctant about them because of the fear of wasting time and not receiving any recognition.

A mi juicio, la principal barrera es la falta de interacción entre los participantes, lo que afecta más el componente educativo que el aprendizaje.

How can I delete my answer here? Since it wasn't recommended!

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345737698_Survey_on_general_awareness_mental_state_and_academic_difficulties_among_students_due_to_COVID-19_outbreak_in_the_western_regions_of_Uganda

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345737698_Survey_on_general_awareness_mental_state_and_academic_difficulties_among_students_due_to_COVID-19_outbreak_in_the_western_regions_of_Uganda

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345737698_Survey_on_general_awareness_mental_state_and_academic_difficulties_among_students_due_to_COVID-19_outbreak_in_the_western_regions_of_Uganda