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Perceived Communal Benefits, Conceivable Risks and Potential Implications: Opinion of e-Educators
Sadia Jabeen
Abstract:
Modern revolution of information technologies has drastically changed the landscape
of education around the globe. In the developed as well as developing countries,
Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are being exploited to achieve the goal
of ‘education for all’. In this regard, e-learning has been doing wonders for more than
two decades. Though the West has explored it to a great extent, the South Asian region
still needs to come up with new implications of e-learning in the social sector. Keeping
in mind this context, the present study aims at exploring the social sector implications
of e-learning in Pakistan. The study explores the communal benefits, conceivable risks
and potential implications of e-learning in the social sector of Pakistan. The
methodology adopted for this research was quantitative; a 4 point scale (Chronbach
Alpha=0 .76) was administered. The sample included e-educators (80) of one public
sector university and one private sector university having at least five years of emoderating
experience. For analysis purpose, descriptive statistics and independent
sample t-test was used. The results of the study revealed that e-learning was perceived
to be a very important tool to develop social networks around the world. Digital divide,
increase in cybercrimes, initiation of new type of ideological wars and racial and ethnic
promotions were identified as conceivable risks by the respondents. The study, opens a
discussion for social and educational planners to adopt e-learning as a medium to
achieve social sector development goals.
Keywords:
e-Learning, Social Sector, e-Educators, Social Implications, Communal Benefits
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