Web-Based Learning for Adolescents: Innovation and Challenges

Background

Web-based learning refers to the replacement of face to face teaching and learning between student and teacher by using the utmost form of online education via a web browser to promote interactive learning that leads to more productive learning (Bower & Torrington, 2020; Chiemeke & Mike Imafidor, 2020; Means et al., 2009; Tsai & Machado, 2002). Web-based learning also entails various educational interventions that use the Internet (Cook, 2020; Mahalakshmi & Radha, 2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as people between 10 and 19 years of age. The digital changes the education systems experienced globally have allowed the incorporation of new teaching and learning methods.

Web-based learning is an ideal solution to satisfy the demands of modern teaching and learning. It proffers a professional, flexible, sustainable, and economical approach to teaching and learning. Integration of formal curricula with just-in-time knowledge benefits the education ecosystem (Marzano & Ochoa-Siguencia, 2017). The research only focused on low-qualified adults and did not consider adolescents. This research study focuses on the challenges faced by adolescents during web-based learning.

Exposure to technological gadgets like smartphones, computers, and tablets ushered in a digital generation of young children (Ali, 2018). In his findings, Doctor. Ali revealed that university students who grew up in the digital era (those born between 1982 and 1991) embraced the power of digital connectedness at a faster rate. However, this particular study did not focus on adolescents. Young people use technological gadgets from very tender ages. Vrasidas (2015) reiterates that the availability of ICT resources is not enough since other supportive factors like teacher readiness are crucial for implementation. Adolescents use technical gadgets for social media communication like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.

Ms and Toro (2016) discussed the characteristics, disadvantages, and advantages of the current web-based learning environments and the factors that influence the acceptance of these technologies in higher education in general. This study is distinct as it aims at narrowing down the examination of web-based learning to adolescents. The factors that impact the effectiveness of web-based learning in an educational context, the excellence of the teacher, and the educational purpose (Hatcher et al., 2013). For web-based learning to be successful, the teacher must also play a pivotal role.