Making e-Learning Work in the Asia Pacific: Lessons Learned

Paper presented at the The Information Technology in Regional Areas (ITiRA) Conference 2001, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 5-7 September 2001. Conference hosted by Faculty of Informatics and Communication, Central Queensland University, http://itira.cqu.edu.au/

Buenafe R. Abdon and Robert T. Raab

Abstract

Agriculture is a key sector in the economies of most developing countries in the Asia-Pacific. However, most farmers in the region are still using outdated and potentially uneconomic agricultural practices. To change this situation requires interventions and carrying these out requires trained agricultural professionals. Unfortunately agricultural education is beset by many problems and many agricultural professionals themselves do not have the knowledge and skills required to be effective change agents. Several recommendations have been advanced as ways to improve agricultural education and one in particular - e-learning - appears to offer great promise. But most of the experience with this approach comes from the North and lessons learned there may not be applicable to Asia-Pacific online learners. Peculiarities of Asian culture require that attention be given to how online courses are delivered and the way the learning of Asian online students is facilitated. Some key lessons from experience in the region suggest that Asian students benefit more when courses are structured, step-by-step instructions are given, learners are constantly encouraged, facilitation is personalized, stereotypical student-teacher roles are broken down and facilitators respect learners' needs to maintain 'face'.