Research Proposal on "Measuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging E-Learning in IT Knowledge Management"
Research Proposal 6 pages (1777 words) Sources: 5
[EXCERPT] . . . .
e-Learning in Rural BangladeshMeasuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging e-Learning in IT Knowledge Management
E-learning is a well-established method for curriculum delivery in developed nations. Learning online has infiltrated all levels of the educational process from preschool to colleges and universities. It has proven an effective and efficient means to deliver a unified curriculum to both urban and remote areas of these nations. However, such is not the case in developing nations where face-to-face instruction remains the primary means for educational delivery. This study will focus on the delivery of basic education through the use of information technology (IT) in Bangladesh. The study will examine the problems and solutions in the development and delivery of an e-learning system to reach all areas of the country, including the most remote areas.
Background of the Problem
Until recently, Bangladesh focused its efforts to connect to global network in urban areas. This left non-urban area untouched and out of the technology loop. The most damaging effect of this strategy is that a majority of the country is rural, with the smaller percentage of its citizens located in urban areas. This meant that the efforts were focused on a small minority of the citizens, leaving a majority of the nation and its population unable to gain access to education or to technology. This was viewed as a key hindrance to the ability of Bangladesh to rise above the status of a developing nation.
Governmental attempts to resolve these issues were largely unsuccessful. However, many infrastructure improvements to rural areas ha
download full paper ⤓
Currently, educational facilities on all levels of the educational system continue to use face-to-face communications as the key mode of communication between students and teachers. The problem with this system is that it does not have the ability to extend much beyond the urban areas. A gap exists between the need to deliver educational services using IT and a lack of teachers trained in IT located in the areas that need them the most. This research proposes that e-learning is the key solving the technology deficit that currently exists in the rural areas of Bangladesh. The proposed solution to the problem involves combining e-learning with face-to-face teaching in order to bridge the technological and educational gap that currently exists.
Hypothesis
The purpose of this research is to explore the tangible impact of blended learning and its ability to provide basic IT training to student in rural and semi-urban area of Bangladesh. The first task will be to identify the various stakeholder groups. Then the study will have to define the tangible effects on each of these stakeholder groups. The primary hypothesis of this study states, "The implementation of an e-curriculum in rural and semi-urban schools in Bangladesh will produce tangible differences in survey results between classrooms that utilize conventional face-to-face teaching methods and those that already have an integrated IT curriculum."
Research Questions
The hypothesis in this study only touches the most basic of information that will be needed to address the academic concerns in Bangladesh. In order to gain a perspective on the effects of the implementation of IT on the learning environment the following research questions will be addressed via the survey instrument.
1. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected overall academic achievement of the students?
2. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the role of the teacher?
3. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the ability of the teacher to effectively deliver the classroom material?
4. How has the introduction of IT into the classroom affected the attitudes of the students?
5. Has the introduction of IT into the classroom had an overall positive or negative affect on classrooms in Bangladesh?
Literature Review
E-learning is just beginning to envelope all parts of Bangladesh. Until the technology is available to all students, it will be difficult to establish a national curriculum, such as that which exists in industrialized nations. A wealth of academic information exists in industrialized nations regarding the successes and failures of e-learning in various environments. The following examines current research from studies of e-learning from industrialized nations. The articles chosen reflect state of the art and attitudes towards e-learning.
In a recent study that examines the learning experience of MBA students using e-learning to compliment face-to-face classroom learning, the reaction was a positive one. Students found that the material presented via e-learning enhanced their classroom experience. They felt that the material presented was in alignment with what was being taught via face-to-face methods (Bentley, Shegunhi, & Scannell, 2010).
When the concept of e-learning first came into existence, it was thought that it would eventually replace face-to-face learning. However, even in countries where the concept of e-learning is advanced, there is no indication that this is the case. A blended approach that uses technology to enhance classroom instruction is the most common form that this new concept has taken. As e-learning became embedded in the educational culture, several affects were reported by students. They felt that they gained more practice than with the standard classroom. They also enjoyed the ability to work at any time of the day or night, and the ability to take their work with them via laptops (Jeffries & Hyde, 2010). Blending e-learning into the classroom affords more opportunity for the presentation of material using a multimedia approach (George-Pallonis & Filak, 2009).
A number of studies regarding recent applications of networked computers have inconsistent results, ranging from complete successes to absolute failures (Fetaji & Fetaji, 2009). One of the key deficits found by these authors was a lack of systematic planning, development and evaluation of the e-learning environment. These factors will play an important role in the development of the e-learning environment in Bangladesh. This study highlights the importance of planning and consistency in policy development. Choy (2006) found that benchmarking was an excellent tool to ensure consistent results in the introduction of e-learning in Australia.
The literature review indicates that e-learning can be successfully blended with traditional classroom teaching. It also indicates that e-learning can be an excellent way to introduce multimedia learning environment into the classroom, but only if a strong framework based in policy is in place. One of the key setbacks found in e-learning environments is a lack of consistent policies and protocols. The establishment of clear, consistent policies is the most important factor in the success of the blended e-learning/traditional classroom experience. This literature will address this issue as it pertains to the establishment of a blended e-learning/traditional classroom system in the rural areas of Bangladesh.
Methodology
This study will use a quantitative survey methodology to examine the hypothesis and research questions. The research will be carried out with the assistance of BRAC, an organization that is currently operating 3,000 primary schools in Bangladesh. Stakeholders from this organization will comprise the sample population of the study. BRAC will help to identify target rural schools where the standard content could be substituted with e-learning content.
Once the schools have been identified, the schools will be divided into those that will receive e-content and those that will learn the material using a face-to-face learning environment, such as that which is currently in place. Course modules to be introduced will be taken form CISCO's Networking Academy Program, which has an element called "IT Essentials." This course couples highly effective e-content with classroom teaching. This will be the "condition" applied to one of the classroom groups.
Classroom teachers will be asked to carefully track scores throughout the study duration. At the end of the course, 50 stakeholders will be given a survey, which will assess their opinion on the success of the program. Twenty-five stakeholders from each group will be used. These surveys will be analyzed first using descriptive statistical techniques to gain an understanding of both of these types of learning environments. Next, these the survey results will be analyzed using comparative statistical techniques to gain an understanding of their similarities, differences and rate of success.
Several limitations might hinder the ability of the study to produce the intended results. The first is that the ability of the teachers in the traditional classroom might vary. This could produce inconsistent results in the grades of the students and the opinions of the students. Furthermore, the familiarity and ability to use IT might vary as well. These two conditions might affect the ability to apply the results of the study in the development of effective policy. Little can be done regarding the abilities of teachers in the traditional classroom. However, the issue of IT knowledge can be addressed via the inclusion of specific survey questions regarding their knowledge… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Measuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging E-Learning in IT Knowledge Management" Assignment:
Background of the Research:
Policy makers in developing countries such as Bangladesh, are still struggling to develop a unified system of education that can effectively deliver a wholesome learning system effectively and efficiently to its largely population. The Ministry of Education has been trying to come up with a knowledge management policy that can deliver basic education that includes a strong component of IT (information technology) education which is aimed at covering urban, semi-urban, and rural areas.
Until the recent past, most of the efforts of the regulators were focused on urban areas as the availability of computing facilities with connected networks were rare in non-urban areas which comprise of the largest portion of the country. However, with the advent of private sector with FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in large cellular and Wimax networks, it has become possible to reach out to the non-urban areas including remote villages. Along with the accessibility created by technology outreach, some of the major micro-credit organizations such as Grameen Bank founded by the Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus and also BRAC the largest NGO in the world, have embarked on a programs to set up *****Internet Kiosks***** around the country called Community Information Centers (CIC). In order to make this program successful it is necessary to develop a large pool of human resource that is trained in basic ICT knowledge which enables them to design, implement, manage, and maintain these CICs.
Introduction to the Research:
The educational institutions such as schools, colleges, polytechnics, and universities are mostly using the conventional system of learning based on face-to-face classroom interaction between teachers and students. This effectively limits the ability to reach out to a larger audience in especially in non-urbanized areas, where there is a serious dearth of teachers trained in IT, thus impeding the goals of the government of creating a large population having knowledge of basic IT skills. Deployment of e-Learning could be the most viable and effective solution to the problem. Blended learning models where a large part of the course are delivered through e-content and then merged with a portion of the course through face to face classroom hands-on interaction may offer a feasible solution.
The aim of this research would be to measure some tangible impacts of blended learning on providing basic IT training to students attending schools in rural and semi-urban centers in Bangladesh. The *****tangible impacts***** would need to be measured by quantifying the inputs received from various stakeholder groups involved in the projects. Finally, the impacts would be compared to a conventional model of learning with any e-Content in order to draw suitable conclusions.
Methodology:
The target groups that would be used for conducting the research would be selected with the cooperation of BRAC. This organization is operating over 3,000 primary schools in Bangladesh, and would provide an ideal base to conduct a stakeholders survey for collecting data. The project will earmark some set of schools where the existing course delivery system would be substituted with a large e-Content. The course modules could be taken from the CISCO*****s well known CISCO Networking Academy program which has a course called IT Essentials with highly effective e-content coupled with class-room teaching.
Another set of surveys would be conducted on schools where the conventional class room teaching is being conducted where IT is also part of the curriculum. The data would be collected for analysis and evaluation so that suitable conclusions may be drawn.
Conclusion:
It is hoped that the conclusion drawn from this research will lead to policy implications for the government of Bangladesh. Presently the planning cell at the Ministry of Education are skeptical about using e-Learning as a suitable alternative to conventional teaching, as they feel that this would lead to commercialization of education and deprive students of learning from physical class-room attendance. To address this issue it is necessary to conduct a research which can effectively dispel this myth.
*****
How to Reference "Measuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging E-Learning in IT Knowledge Management" Research Proposal in a Bibliography
“Measuring the Tangible Impacts of Merging E-Learning in IT Knowledge Management.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2010, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/e-learning-rural-bangladesh-measuring/95010. Accessed 7 Jul 2024.
Related Research Proposals:
Knowledge Management Systems Term Paper
Knowledge Management
Tarsam Knowledge Management System
Consumer electronics is an industry known for very rapid product lifecycles, complex products, and the tendency to continually churn through retail sales personnel. This… read more
Term Paper 4 pages (1160 words) Sources: 4 Topic: Management / Organizations
Knowledge Management Systems by Combining the Tacit Essay
Knowledge Management Systems
By combining the tacit and explicit knowledge within an organization and throughout its value chain, any business increases the potential it has for becoming a learning organization… read more
Essay 2 pages (496 words) Sources: 2 Topic: Management / Organizations
Knowledge Management Literature Review Research Proposal
Knowledge Management
Literature Review of Knowledge Management
Relationship between Data, Information, and Knowledge
Evaluating the Types of Knowledge and Knowledge Management Systems
Power of Knowledge to Transform Organizations
Web 2.0… read more
Research Proposal 8 pages (2586 words) Sources: 8 Style: Harvard Topic: Management / Organizations
IT Project Management Metrics Research Paper
It Project Management
Project Metrics
Project managers rely on performance indicators to gauge the progress of their activities. These metrics are essential for measuring the quality of performance and tracking… read more
Research Paper 5 pages (1325 words) Sources: 5 Topic: Management / Organizations
Knowledge Management in the Automotive Industry Term Paper
Knowledge Management in the Automotive Industry
The Current and Potential Use of Knowledge Management within the Automotive Industry
Automotive Industry Analysis
Current Use of Knowledge Management in Automotive
Potential Future… read more
Term Paper 10 pages (4978 words) Sources: 30 Style: Harvard Topic: Management / Organizations
Sun, Jul 7, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!