IJCCET International Journal of Computer, Communication and Emerging Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2012 www.IJCCET.

com

The Virtual Classroom: The Role of ICT in Open and Distance Learning

AbstractA virtual environment that contains all course materials. The conception of the virtual classroom has made it possible for learners to tackle the features of the Internet to create meaningful and constructivist learning environments. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is playing a vital role in open and distance learning (ODL) to meet the needs and expectation of the learners in large scale. The main persistence of ICT in education means employing of ICT equipment and tools in teaching and learning process as a media and methodology. The purpose of ICT in education is generally to make students acquainted with the use and workings of computers, and linked social and ethical issues. Due to assorted requirements in open and distance learning for a Virtual Classroom, there are opportunities and challenges that are to be addressed in usage of the technology and the service(s) being provided through ICT. The paper emphasizes on the concept, role of open learning and distance education and on security issues of a service in terms of its availability, authenticity, confidentiality and access control so that one can ensure a service to the outmost satisfaction of a learner in open learning and distance education system.

8 M an us cri pt rec eiv ed Ap ril 22 Shweta Sharma#1, Shruti Gupta#2 , 1 20 shwetavrishit@gmail.com,2shruti.1324@gmail.com 12 . provided at different phases of student learning life cycle in classroom is an online learning distance learning. The terms open and distance learning signify methodologies that focus on opening access to education and training accouterment, freeing learners from the constraints of time and place, and offering flexible learning opportunities to individuals and groups of learners. Open and distance learning (ODL) is one of the fastest mounting field of education, that has been greatly emphasized through the development of Internet-based information technologies, and in particular the World Wide Web. It has been described as "a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both [4].Educational system is dynamic and changes with time. It responds to the demands of the society, by adapting the advances in technology. Many higher educational institutions offering distance education courses have started to clout the Internet to improve their programmes reach and quality. This assimilation of technology leads to a new mode of education. It is diagrammatically represented in a spiral model as follows.

Keywords Course Management, Distance Education, Educational System, Human Resources Management, ICT, Leadership, Open learning, Organization Management, Security, Virtual Classroom

I.

INTRODUCTION

ICTs stand for information and communication technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, spread, store, and manage information [1]. These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies and telephony that have been boosted as potentially powerful enabling tools for educational change and improvement. When used appropriately, different ICTs are said to help enlarge access to education, strengthen the relevance of education to the increasingly digital workplace, and raise educational quality by, among others, helping make teaching and learning into an appealing, active process connected to real life. Information and communication technology is group of technologies by which various support services [10]shall be

Fig. 1. Technology based growth of education system

Virtual learning surroundings are the basic component of open and distance learning and a virtual classroom is a teaching and learning environment located within a computer-mediated communication. Just like in a real-world classroom, a student in a virtual classroom participates in synchronous instruction, which means that the teacher and students are logged into the virtual learning environment at the same time.

Manuscript received April 12, 2012.

IJCCET International Journal of Computer, Communication and Emerging Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2012 www.IJCCET.com

II.

PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF ICTS

The rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the move towards more knowledgeintensive, symbiotic and internationalized societies create new prospects and challenges for the design and distribution of education. For the student/learner open and distance learning means increased access and flexibility along with the combination of work and education. It may also mean a more learnercentered approach, enrichment, higher quality and new ways of interaction.

Fig.2 A Virtual Classroom Setup For employers it offers high quality and usually cost effective professional development in the workplace. It allows progression of skills, increased productivity and development of a new learning culture. In addition, it means sharing of costs, of training time, and increased portability of training. For governments the main aim is to increase the capacity and cost effectiveness of education and training systems, to reach target groups with limited access to conventional education and training, to support and enhance the quality and relevance of existing educational structures, to ensure the connection of educational institutions and curricula to the emerging networks and information resources, and to promote innovation and opportunities for lifelong learning. Besides the prospects, ICTs also bring challenges. First is the high cost of acquiring, installing, operating, maintaining and replacing ICTs. While potentially of great importance, the integration of ICTs into teaching is still in its inception. Introducing ICT systems for teaching has a particularly high opportunity cost because installing them is usually very expensive. Inexperience in acquiring institution, wide requirement of hardware and software and attendant services may cost institutions very high as they may end up with wares that are outdated and subject to unworkable but binding supplier contracts. Use of unlicensed software can be very problematic, not only legally but in the costs of maintenance, particularly if the pirated software varies in standard formats. Even under ideal circumstances of licensed hardware and software

9 M an us acquisition, lack of capacity in equipment maintenance cri can pose serious implementation problems. Clear policies pt and procedures for buying computer hardware and softwarerec are necessary to prevent such problems. eiv ed III. THE PERCEPTION OF OPEN AND DISTANCE Ap LEARNING ril 22 , The term open and distance learning(ODL)is used 20 throughout this paper in acknowledgment that this is a 12 familiar term that has entered every-day usage in many parts . of the world (though not in all). The use of the term open is intended to highlight this key feature of the theory and practice of distance education. The open nature of education that is arbitrated by electronic or printed technologies might be formally institutionalized in such policies as open admissions, freedom of selection of what, when and where to learn. Distance education organizations may indeed limit the extent of their openness, but traditionally they have shown a strong prejudice towards supporting the freedom of individual learners to exercise choice over one or more of the main processes of their learning. Typically this involves helping learners take responsibility for aspects such as what they learn, how they learn, where they learn, how quickly they learn, who to turn to for help and whether, when and where to have their learning assessed. The openness of distance education is also seen in relatively flexible organizational structures, delivery and communication patterns, and the use of various technologies in support of learning. A. Elements of various Distance Learning Systems A. Organization Management: The key to the existence of a distance education program is structure, organization, and administration. The organization management component's primary role is to provide the structure for organizing and administrating the distance education system. Processes include: Program planning and assessment: identifying business goals and objectives, analyzing business needs, identifying distance education system requirements and assessing alternatives, planning, implementing, and supporting programs, evaluating program effectiveness and efficiency [7]. Infrastructure management: establishing program infrastructure, managing organizational structures and positions. Policy management: making and imposing policy, for example, technology planning and use, teacher credentials and certification, institutional accreditation, and administrative structures and procedures. Financial management: formulating and achieving budgets, managing revenue, cash and treasury accounts, handling purchasing, collecting fees and maintaining accounts, managing estates (buildings and other resources), managing

IJCCET International Journal of Computer, Communication and Emerging Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2012 www.IJCCET.com

inventories, managing travel accounts, establishing and controlling cost and profit centers, reporting and projecting financial data. Scheduling: defining the academic year, scheduling course registration and completion dates, faculty, and rooms Records management: describing, implementing, and monitoring records workflow, retrieving information, issuing grades, diplomas, degrees, and awards[5] B. Human Resources Management: The human resources system section supports the recruitment, training, evaluation, professional development, and administration of personnel within the distance education system. Processes include: Personnel administration: establishing and maintaining a payroll, defining codes of practice for personnel, establishing and maintaining a reimbursement and benefits program, allocating and scheduling faculty. Recruitment: advertising for faculty and other personnel, reviewing applications, selecting and hiring faculty, determining contract types. Training: providing initial training, such as training in the nature of distance education, distance education learner needs, orientation, providing ongoing training and technical support. Evaluation: evaluating and assessing faculty performance, imploring learner, faculty, and individual (self-evaluation) feedback, disciplining faculty. Professional development: providing ongoing education and career development opportunities, establishing and supporting communities of learning, such as "learning resources, skill exchanges, peer-matching, reference services to educators-at-large, learners network, learners problem solving network, opportunities assortment"[5],[6] C. Course Management: Course management consists of the planning, design, development, production, delivery, assessment, and archiving processes. Processes include [7] Planning and Design: organizing the design team, leading learner needs assessment and analysis, defining course scope, goals, outline, and objectives, defining course sequence, format, and presentation, identifying motivational techniques to be used, identifying materials to be used and resolving copyright issues, reviewing and revising course outline, evaluating internal/external resources, scheduling courses, assigning faculty to courses, scheduling design team members' time.

10 M an us Development: identifying instructional methods, cri media, and learning resources/activities, defining pt standards, defining schedules and processes, rec developing course (writing, reviewing, editing, eiv testing, revising, and signing-off), providing ed technical support, preparing course for production, Ap working with subject matter experts, design team, ril and unfamiliar content. 22 Production: scheduling production, testing, the 20 course, managing the production process. 12 Delivery: defining and monitoring the delivery . processes, implementing and maintaining proactive support services/resources, tutoring and interacting with learners, motivating learners. Assessment: defining evaluation methods and techniques, defining data collection forms and techniques, soliciting learner feedback, assessing course and instructional efficiency and effectiveness (summative and formative evaluations), measuring learner satisfaction, performing a cost-benefit analysis, revising course [5],[6] Archiving: inventory. archiving courses, managing

D. Learner Management: The learner management component contains the activities that create the two-way communication link between the learner and the institution. Processes include: Admissions: applying to a program, admitting learner, publishing fees and tuition information, and learner service information (for example, library services, technical support, special needs support), informing learners of expectations, program information, and financial aid options. Registration: providing registration and tuition information, registering for courses, allocating learners to courses and tutors, processing fees, distributing course materials. Advisement: providing career advice, guidance, and job placement services, establishing and maintaining a mentor program, providing alumni services. Support: providing special needs support, motivating learners, providing opportunities for learning study skills, providing access to resources and communication tools, creating and maintaining an orientation tutorial. Assessment and Evaluation: assessing learner achievement in studies, reporting results to learner records, soliciting learner feedback, tracking and evaluating learner status and progress, providing academic and performance feedback, disciplining learners. Certification: assessing learner records and data, such as courses attempted and completed,

IJCCET International Journal of Computer, Communication and Emerging Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2012 www.IJCCET.com

grades and performance assessments, progress reports, and certifications awarded, certifying learner achievements[5],[7]. E. Leadership Leadership, or governance, of the distance education system is crucial to its success as an organization. The decisionmaking and control system, is responsible for the organization as a whole, its vision, and its direction and should be managed by leaders who have a "deep concern for both production and people"[9].The various processes involved in leadership are: Strategic planning: defining the institution's vision, mission, goals, and objectives, developing and implementing a technology plan, identifying performance support requirements, deciding structure, organization, and management of the instructional design unit, making decisions about course and program delivery, assessing changes in learner, business, societal, and other environmental demands, tracking emerging technology, projecting future resource and financial needs . Sales and marketing: conducting market research and analysis, product/brand marketing, and public relations, managing sales and marketing programs, planning events. Reporting: reporting the status of sales and marketing, operations, building and equipment maintenance, and financials, reporting on diverse management needs pertaining to course development and delivery, learners, and environment. Assessment: evaluating the system as a whole, evaluating programs and courses, soliciting learner and faculty feedback. Grants/research management: planning and applying for grants, managing research, handling financial accounting for sponsored programs, reporting to sponsors, closing out grants/research.

11 M an us While information technology has potential to deliver high cri quality content more cost-effectively it cannot, nor should it pt be expected to replace the appropriate use and availability of rec human helpers in the learning process. As teachers become eiv less information communicators and more knowledge ed processers, experts in learning rather than content,Ap so technology can help them do their jobs more efficiently ril provided they are organized into better integrated systems. 22 , 20 12 IV. SECURITY IN A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM . In a Virtual Classroom, many online learning and support services are made available to its learners and other public. As usage of services is increasing day by day, at same time hackers/attackers are playing a vital role to deny the service and damage system resources. Security is essential to protect the resources from hackers and in turn protect the sensitive information and data.

Fig.3 Graphical representation of a Virtual Classroom Hackers take advantage of different security flaws in a network service, hosting infrastructure and exploit the vulnerability to compromise the system. The following are various security flaws by which a hacker will play a role: Insecure design and coding of hosted software (OS, application, etc) Weak passwords Social engineering Lack of operational control Lack of proper hardening of Servers Insufficient network boundary security controls Flaws or bugs in application/service software Security of a system/service/data shall be ensured by protecting the sensitive resources [10] at network, system and the application/service domains. Some of the security parameters are authentication, access control, availability, confidentiality, integrity and non-repudiation. Desecration in any of the parameter leads a breach in security. All these security parameters to be enforced along with security policy on the ICT infrastructure being used in open distance

F. The role of open and distance learning in educational innovation Open and distance learning has a major influence on thinking and practice throughout the whole educational system, regarding such critical matters as how students learn, how they can best be taught, and how educational resources might more efficiently be organized to deliver the instruction that is needed. Innovation in how resources are organized is essential and open and distance learning has demonstrated how the labor (i.e. teacher) to capital (i.e. technology) ratio can be improved to lead to greater efficiency. With open and distance learning there is greater specialization of labor and investment in capital to replace certain human activities. It is this different form of structure, that makes the technology effective and leads to lowering costs while increasing access.

IJCCET International Journal of Computer, Communication and Emerging Technology, Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2012 www.IJCCET.com

learning. The following are some of the policies to be framed and implemented for smooth functioning of ICT infrastructure in open and distance learning system: Database security Content management policy Web server logging policy Backup a policy Password management policy Encryption policy Audit, Incident handling and Recovery policy Physical security policy Network security policy Host/ Server security policy Application software security

12 M an us cri pt Shweta Sharma was born in Jaipur on 09.04.1986. She Completed Bachelors of Engineering in Computer Science from Gyan Vihar School of rec Engineering & Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan ,India in 2007. Currently eiv Pursuing M.Tech in Computer Science from Jayoti Vidhyapeeth Womens ed University , Jaipur ,Rajasthan. She worked as SOFTWARE TRAINEE in Websity Company ,Jaipur Ap from 2007-2008. She worked as LECTURER in Rajasthan College Of ril Engineering & Technology from 2008-2011.Currently working as 22 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR in Jagannath Institute of Engineering & , Technology, Jaipur ,Rajasthan ,India. 20 12 .
Shruti Gupta was born in Budaun (U.P) on 24.12.1986. She Completed Bachelors of Engineering in Information Technology from Stani Memorial College of Engineering & Technology ,Phagi , Jaipur, Rajasthan ,India in 2009. Currently Pursuing M.Tech in Computer Science from Jagannath University , Jaipur ,Rajasthan. She worked as LECTURER in Rajasthan College Of Engineering & Technology from 2009-2010.Further joined Poornima College of Engineering as LECTURER from 2010-2011.Currently working as ASSISTANT PROFESSOR in Jagannath Institute of Engineering & Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan ,India.

V.

CONCLUSION

It is true that ICT is playing a vital role in open and distance learning but at same time there are many opportunities and challenges that are to be addressed for smooth functioning of various online services that are to be implemented for its learners and other public provided through ICT. In this paper, the perception, components and role of open and distance learning and security issues of a virtual classroom are addressed to make one understand the need and the use of ICT in education in the era of this growing and competitive world.

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