Dispelling the myths of e-learning through blended learning

E-learning is becoming increasingly popular. The rapid growth of the Internet and the exponential increase in the number of netizens has created significant interest among education providers to consider the use of elearning to deliver instruction. Despite experiencing several setbacks at the turn of the century, e-learning has now proven effective as an instructional tool to providers of distance learning. E-learning has enabled some of these distance learning providers to utilise technology as a means to reach out to learners. These learners are spread out geographically over a large area or have limited time for frequent face-to-face interactions. As such, access to instructional resources via e-learning has been a crucial factor for distance learners. The Open University Malaysia (OUM) has proven that its blended pedagogy of learning model comprising both electronic and non-electronic learning resources works. It is today the leading distance learning provider in Malaysia. With about 53,000 learners enrolled since its first intake in 2001, the university has been able to support increasing enrolments due to its various e-learning solutions. Nevertheless, its success is due to its proper understanding of some of the issues and challenges associated with implementation. With this understanding, the impact on its group of learners has been generally positive. However, the continual addressing of issues is necessary. This includes establishing a culture of enthusiasm among its academics, tutors, learners and administrators. The paper describes OUM’s experiences with e-learning and highlights the various issues and challenges. (Author's abstract