Chapter 2 Literature review

Online education (evolve, merits and demerits, policies)

The Internet has become an indispensable part of our life. It has become officious to avail education
using the internet. Efforts are made by institutions and government bodies to recuperate the quality
of education and make better rapport between teachers and their learners. With the advancement
in the field of technology and the easy availability of the internet, online education is availed. Online
education is when the maximum content of the distance education course is delivered online using
the internet and computers. Online education is also known as “e-learning”, “computer-based
learning”, “Tele-education,” “online learning,” “blended learning,” “web-based learning,”
“distributed learning,” “virtual learning,” “Internet-based learning, etc. It has evolved; during the
1980s, companies used computers to educate new employees and made use of a computer-based
program to train them (Rudestam, K. E., & Schoenholtz-Read, J. (2002). Overview: The coming of age
of adult online education. In K. Rudestam& J. Schoenholtz-Read (Eds.), Handbook of online learning:
Innovations in higher education and corporate training (pp. 3–28). London, UK: Sage Publications.).
In 1989, the University of Phoenix started using online services known as CompuServe, and this is
how online educational programs have come into view and it is the first university that

In India, online education is a new normal and has become a requirement at present moment. India
has throughout been using traditional learning and has upheld it. The rise of online education which
has raised education standards compelled India to transfigure the education system. In India, Online
education is sprouting making a sturdy position (Gaikwad, A. &Randhir, V.S., (2016). E-Learning in
India: Wheel of Change. International Journal of eEducation, e-Business, e-Management and
[Link]: 10.17706/ijeeee.2016.6.1.40-45). India has witnessed a significant increase in the
population of internet users. As per the reports of (Statista, 1), currently, India had nearly 700 million
internet users across the country, and it will grow to over 974 million users by 2025. It has been a
driving force for online education. As per the KPMG reports, in 2016 the online education market is
247 million USD. It is expanding at an exponential rate, and the reason for its growth is MOOCs
(Massive Open online courses). MOOCs are online courses that offer open access and unlimited
participation that are premeditated through the web. MOOCs have gained a lot of popularity since
the time of their development in 2008. Over 800 universities around the world have launched at
least one MOOC to date. Both non-profit and commercial institutions along with MOOC providers
offer open online courses. Due to the potential to improve education quality and reach, Online
education is supported and aided by the government through the Digital India initiative because of
it, SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active –Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) program has been launched
by the government in a sorority with Ministry of HRD to accomplish the three fundamental
objectives of Education Policy i.e., equity, quality, and access. Courses offered by SWAYAM are to
provide quality teaching-learning resources to all and courses offered are free to all. SWAYAM offers
nearly 2000 online courses approximately 150 million students across the globe are enrolled in
different courses (SWAYAM. [Link], 2022). New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has been released
by the Ministry of Education where the emphasis is paid on the Online Education System ( Kannan,
2021). India is progressing and is planning initiatives and programs for digital education.

Traditional Learning Vs Online Learning

An alternative to conventional educational settings is virtual education. Since virtual schools provide
a new approach to courses, growth in them can be seen worldwide. Schools of all sizes and profiles
are attentive to fast-rising online courses that are gaining more and more ground. A multimedia class
is part of the distance learning network, which typically includes outside of the classroom
experience, course content, themes, assessments, evaluations, and other resources. Computer
learning may be as efficient. The elearning platforms' technical facilities satisfy the desires of the
students and seek to fulfil their training needs

Merits and Demerits of Online Education

Offline or face to face learning has been criticized on the grounds of being passive learning, and not
understanding learner, and not paying attention to higher-order thinking and critical thinking (Khan,
H., & Iqbal, J. Evolution of Online Education: Transformation of Education in India.).

Online education has devoured the needs of learners. Advancement in Internet-based technology
has resulted in opportunities and so has transported challenges with itself in the field of education
and training via online Instruction. Online Instruction is using the Internet to deliver education. A
breakthrough has been witnessed in teaching and learning as online instruction has smoothened the
progress of the exchange of expertise and information and providing opportunities to learn from far
off locations.

Marc, J. R. (2002). Book review: e-learning strategies for delivering knowledge in the digital age.
Internet and Higher Education, 5, 185-188.

Nichols, M. (2003). A Theory for E-Learning. Educational Technology and Society, Vol. 6, No.2, 1-10.

Multiple situations have benefited from the use of e-learning in education. Numerous benefits of
integrating e-learning technology into university instruction have been highlighted in prior research
(Raspopovic et al., 2017). E-learning has been described as having the capacity to concentrate on the
needs of specific learners. For instance, concentrating on the requirements of individual students
rather than the needs of educational institutions or teachers can efficiently transmit knowledge in
the digital age (Huang and Chiu, 2015). E-learning allows for the quickest and easiest completion of
objectives. Equal access to the information is observed when managing the e-learning environment,
independent of the users' locations, their racial origins, their races, and their ages. The setting for
online learning also encourages students or learners to depend on themselves so that teachers are
no longer the only source of information but rather act as mentors and advisors (Joshua et al., 2016).
According to the findings of students or learners, several research have demonstrated the benefits
of e-learning (Gautam and Tiwari, 2016; Martnez-Caro, Cegarra-Navarro, and Cepeda-Carrión, 2015;
Chang, 2016). For instance, e-learning enables the observation of far more adaptable learning
methods to attend classes with significantly less need for travel. Through classroom activities that
utilise interactive video technology, students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the material
(Gautam and Tiwari, 2016; Martnez-Caro, Cegarra-Navarro, and Cepeda-Carrión, 2015). This enables
students to react quickly to the exercises. Learning requires a variety of information and
communication technology (ICT) abilities, so it is crucial for teachers to adopt cutting-edge
technology throughout the educational process (Aithal and Aithal, 2016). Additionally, it has been
found that e-learning platforms facilitate improved collaboration between teachers and students.
People who are travelling or moving have a readily available resource for experience and learning
because part-time and full-time students can take the chosen online degree courses from any
location (Radu, Radu and Croitoru, 2015). People with disabilities now have the chance to further
their education from any location thanks to the integration and utilisation of e-learning.

The Learning Content Management System (LCMS), Learning Support System (LSS), Learning Design
System (LDS), and Learning Management System (LMS) are the four most prevalent e-learning
system kinds (Adzharuddin and Ling, 2013). Even though each system has a similar name, they all
serve different purposes. LMS has been heavily utilised by several educational institutions for e-
learning. It is additionally seen as a platform for controlling how users interact with e-learning
materials. LMS often carry out three main tasks, which include presenting and organising training
materials, creating assignments to test and reinforce knowledge, and assessing progress (Rietsema,
2016). Additionally, self-placed online courses are published, planned, delivered, and put using the
LMS software. In their study, Muruthy & Yamin (2017) looked at the use of LMS in the learning
process as well as how beneficial they are for students enrolled in higher education institutions. In
this study, a variety of benefits were listed. Flexibility should come first, as enhanced collaboration
between staff and students was a result of the adoption of LMS.
Additionally, it works well to improve institutional procedures that involve student participation. The
promotion of centralised learning, simple updates, a streamlined learning process, minimal costs,
centralised learning, etc. is equally successful with LMS (Muruthy & Yamin, 2017). Al-Handhali, Al-
Rasbi, and Sherimon (2020) identified several significant advantages of LMS, including how user-
friendly it is, how effective it is at managing time, how simple it is to administer courses, teachers,
facilities, and how easily reports can be generated. Additionally, it gives users frequent reminders for
things like delivery dates, question and answer deadlines, test dates, etc. In this study, Aydin &
Tirkes (2010) examined the value of LMS and Moodle. The study's conclusions showed that Moodle
is unquestionably one of the most useful LMS tools. Some of the advantages noted include its
adaptability to the modules used and assistance with teaching in any format or venue. Compared to
its rivals and with a modular design and user interface, Moodle has a higher usability rating. Moodle
has, nevertheless, been acknowledged as being user-friendly when it comes to the learning
environment due to the diversity of options accessible. Additionally, Moodle's expanded user
authentication choices, simple installation procedure, and upkeep are all factors that promote
utilisation (Aydin & Tirkes, 2010)

To control the spread of COVID-19, various countries have agreed to temporarily close educational
institutions around the world. Studying has not stopped, but it now takes place entirely online,
thanks to distance learning programs offered by schools and colleges. Over the last decade, online
learning has risen at an exponential rate. The coronavirus outbreak (COVID19) caused educational
institutions to recognize online instruction as a result of the collapse and closure of the classroom.
As a result, learners were increasingly optimistic about the value of online teaching and learning
during the pandemic. In the face of disasters like the COVID-19 epidemic, online learning is
discovered to be a blessing

Overall- India- Rajasthan (effectiveness and acceptability in context of India)

Online education in crisis (survey findings)

Diksha and Swayam portal (Website, Courses, MOSPI, NCERT, NSSO)