The Open University (OU) is a prime example of a Higher Education institution which has had the savvy

to realise the opportunity afforded through eLearning to target a specific type of learner who does not fit
the traditional model of a university student (9).
As the leading model of distance learning institution, the OU is well accustomed to educating remote
learners and has, through its commercial subsidiary Corous, begun offering computer based interactive
learning and training systems(25) to organisations looking to train and equip their employees with a
number of new skills(25) Despite Professor Lilliards assessment, eLearning now plays an integral part in
the Open Universitys strategy (4) and it is pivotal in their attempts to lure the corporate clients.
As far as an individual is concerned, eLearning presents the learner with the opportunity to engage in
study without the need to be physically present at his/her institution and as such, is liberated from the
need to attend preordained sessions or lectures (23). This emancipation of the learning process means
that education is immediately made accessible to those who would otherwise find a fixed time table
prohibitive or would otherwise be unable to attend the institution of their choice (26).
6. Limitations and shortcomings of eLearning
According to Macpherson, the overwhelming majority of information concerning eLearning gravitates
towards its advantages (27), however the authors experience would suggest otherwise and it has been
possible to gather a considerable amount of information relating to the negative aspects of eLearning. As
such, if one were to base any assumptions regarding eLearning on the strength of a single source, the
result would provide a blinkered view as to the effectiveness of eLearning.
The overriding limitation cited in numerous texts dealing with eLearning appears to be the lack of face-toface interaction between the student and the instructor (2). This lack of contact can impact on the
learners motivation as it requires a greater degree of discipline on the part of the user, a fact that is not
lost on Clark who highlights the level of commitment
needed in a world of competing alternatives for time and attention (2). Clark is not alone is his assertion
as to the importance of face-to-face interaction, as Turban also questions the degree to which eLearning
can stimulate intellectual discussion which otherwise takes place in a classroom with a human instructor
(1).
In addition, eLearning cannot compensate for the social interactions that rise through conventional
learning (11) and is unable to equip the learner with essential skills borne out of working within teams
(11). That said, some observers such as Stone, believe that eLearning will eventually be able to overcome
the social limitations that are currently all too prevalent within existing eLearning material (11). As a
means of doing so, Aggarwal foresees an eLearning environment in which the learners engage in virtual
team working by forming computer clusters whereby groups of learners collectively work on an
assignment/project (11), however this form of interaction and coordination has yet to be achieved in the
current incarnation of eLearning in use at the ISI.
The issue of plagiarism and cheating are closely linked to the subject of eLearning as there is a difficulty
in ensuring that an assessment has actually been completed by the person for whom it was originally
intended (5). In addition, remote testing allows for the opportunity to research or check the answers to
questions and thus the only means of restricting cheating is by limiting the time available to perform an

assessment (28). Nevertheless, despite the opportunities for deception presented by eLearning,
conclusive proof as to whether cheating is more prevalent in the virtual arena has yet formulated (28).
7. Types of eLearning
Instruction and learning derived by means of a networked computer can be categorised as being either
synchronous or asynchronous (29). Synchronous eLearning is akin to the traditional model of classroom
based, teacher led learning whereby interaction between all parties occurs in real-time. As such, a learner
can engage in online conferences or can interact through chat rooms as a means of simulating the faceto-face learning experience which forms the basis of any traditional method of learning (30).

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"e-Learning." 123HelpMe.com. 23 Mar 2015
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