A Critical Analysis of Push, Pull, Bottleneck, and Road Ahead of E-Learning in India

Introduction

The establishment of harmony in each person - both internally and with other living/non - living things in the world - is education's primary goal. A person can expand his or her understanding with education and proper learning. It serves as a candle in the ignorance and poverty - stricken world. Numerous social, economic, and political issues currently plague our society. These sins damage society and impede the nation's overall development. Only relevant learning and education will be able to address these problems and can act like panacea. Education encourages those attitudes with which one can combat various social and economic evils in addition to fostering political consciousness. India has shown resilience economically due to growth of service sector or knowledge economy. India can become superpower economically, politically and socially if citizens of this country become human capital and it is only possible when imparted right knowledge, skill, aptitude, attitude and habits.

Learning focuses on implementing a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of experience. Direct experience, action, and indirect observation are all options of teaching learning process. In contrast to traditional campus settings, information and communication technology (ICT) enabled pedagogy is what is known as online/ web based/e - learning primarily relies on a virtual campus where face - to - face interaction does not occur frequently. Digital technology, primarily uses internet and computing devices as primary teaching tool in online learning ecosystem. Self - motivation, communication, efficiency, and technology are all used in online learning as a method of education. Learner needs to maintain their motivation because there isn't much social interaction. India is a nation where there is very big divide in digital literacy. One section of society is digitally rich and developing software creating digital content for e - learning and other section digitally illiterate or sometime illiterate as well. Being a multilingual country with numerous regional languages, many e - learning platforms primarily provided content in English, which may not be the first language of a large portion of the population. The lack of content in regional languages hampers non - English speaker’s access to and effectiveness of e - learning. These are examples of few challenges and there could be more challenges to policy makers, government, education institutions and other stakeholders in promoting and making it accessible to needy section of society.

E - Learning, short for “electronic learning,” is a broad term that refers to the use of digital technologies and the internet to facilitate education and training. It encompasses a wide range of educational activities, courses, or programs delivered electronically, often through computers, tablets, smartphones, or other digital devices. It is a type of learning environment that makes use of information and communication technology (ICTs) as a platform for teaching and learning. It has been defined as technology - enabled pedagogy using web - based technology to impart education and training to participant in 24*7 in any time any place flexible mode where distance is not a constrain. With the advent of new web technologies, educators and trainers quickly recognised the opportunities to advance learning. With the passage of time, an increasing number of instructors/institutions are incorporating e - learning components into the practice of instruction in higher education as a means to facilitating learning.

Education have been commercialised over the past decade, and with advent of service sector knowledge - based economy has grown significantly. Learning technology and organisations have undergone through significant changes as a result of the innovative and new methods of delivering education. The traditional classroom's days are still very much alive but online learning is a significant addition to it. Online learning content can be accessed from appropriately configured computer terminals with web enabled technology. Online learning is typically flexible, self - paced, and available around - the - clock and is not expected from learners to be specific with date, day and time can choose when and where to attend classes. Anyone with access to web - based technology can learn from any instructors of the highest calibre and exchange ideas with them. If properly carried out, it may be essential in bringing education to those in need in society.

Khalkhali, and Reayatkoonandeh (2010), say that higher education students from tertiary academic institutions who have demonstrated exceptional use of e - learning outperform their peers who rely heavily on face - to - face communications and physical interactions with their instructors.