Issues and Challenges

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In most of the existing distributed learning systems, the instructors arrange the course materials in order to cover one or more topics. For example, in Webbased distributed learning environments, the course materials are placed online to make them downloadable or visible to the students, who can use them by following the path established by the instructors. Currently, Web-based distributed learning has the following problems.

First, in terms of system development, software systems for distributed learning are typically complex, because they involve many dynamically interacting educational components, each with its own need for resources, and involve engaging in complex coordination. Developing a monolithic system that could meet all requirements for every level of the educational hierarchy would be very difficult, because no single designer of such a complex system could have full knowledge and control of the system. The systems have to be scaleable and accommodate networking, computing, and software facilities that support many thousands of simultaneous distributed users using different operating systems that can concurrently work and communicate with each other and receive adequate quality of service support (Vouk et al., 1999). Such systems should be easy to extend. A small change in the domain knowledge should not require an intensive system-wide modification to alter the information and all the functions that initiate actions based on that changing information.

Second, the existing Web-based learning management systems are not concerned with individual learner differences and do not adjust to the profiles of individual students (regarding actual skills, preferences, etc.). Currently, we use a curriculum designed just for a specific segment of the potential student population. We build courses around textbooks and other materials designed for that curriculum and do not understand students’ situations and requirements and do not utilize the possible contributions that students can make to the learning content and process. As the number of distributed learners increases, serious efficiency problems in course development and maintenance will occur when course developers try to generate personalized course materials.

Third, no appropriate support exists to help handle the constantly increasing demand for and extension of information. As a result, instructors may be spending more time teaching in distributed learning environments than they would spend teaching the same course in a classroom setting. The problem results mainly from the use of generic communication tools, such as e-mail and computer conferences, which have imposed a significant workload on educators. Because students can participate at any time, this technological advantage also demands more effort from the instructor, the tutor, and the supporting staff. They need to be more responsive at nearly any time.

Fourth, in such a distributed learning environment, the instructors and tutors are not always available online, so the interactions between instructors and tutors and students are asynchronous. As a result, the need for assistance for students is particularly salient.

Last, the features of Web processing (caching and client-side information hiding), in most cases, obstruct the collection of student-performance data.

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