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Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning

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 Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning
CHRISTOPHER M. LEE
Technological University of the Philippines - Manila
[email protected]

April, 2021

ABSTRACT:

Online Learning or online classes predominantly succeed on its’ technical operations in most
Schools, Colleges, and Universities due to unwanted circumstances and an optional remote learning
practice beyond our Students of today. Different E-Learning apparatuses were discovered for the
interest of several teaching methodologies resulting to an effective E-Learning experiences. Among
its’ online IT infrastructure platforms are made exclusively for learners to make their E-Learning
activities more exciting. Likewise, different online class explorations were developed into more
meaningful educating ways by improving their self-directed online learning strategies.

Moreover, the blended education frameworks of these online classes is to ensure that
lecturers are now ready to introduce online modules while incorporating different E-Learning methods
as their way of appreciating online classes to their students. The research study article interprets how
virtual or blended learning by means of getting its’ descriptive SWOT Analysis can trully understand
the conceptual analytical framework of the research study.

Keywords: Online Learning, E-Learning, SWOT Analysis, remoted learning practice

INTRODUCTION:

For the past several months of the year 2020 up to present due to the COVID-19 pandemic
around the world, almost all of the educational institutions, applied online classes as their
battleground to overcome its’ educational adversities and problems towards students. E-Learning
platforms were developed before, and several IT Companies joined force to market and introduce
different E-Learning softwares towards the academe industry to facilitate Teachers’ medium of
instruction for their mentees at present. That is why most academic subjects impose and implement
online classes rather than face-to-face learning to supplement the overall learning activities of the
students.

As the academe industry becomes aware or conscious of what the learners will encounter
during their online schooling, many of its’ mentors or teachers always tried their best to acquire
several of the effective E-Learning systems and other web based modular learning equipments
entirely. Further developmental results of the research article are still updated and reliable to the
readers and end users. Online schooling (Lee, 2021) gives students a chance to gain from

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |1

phenomenal instructors. With limitations on the term and recurrence of online classes by the Faculty
service, and video conferencing devices alone won’t do bad trick for E-Learning. Online learning or
blended learning also permits educational flexibility in adapting online learning capability tutorial
strategies to fulfill the needs and wants of the progressive academic scholars and the institutionalized
agencies by answering any given subject materials provided by modes of E-Learning delivery. This
accommodates E-Learning designs and different speeds of any featured topic discussions. Subject E-
materials may also be given in an exceedingly style of formats, and may utilize different subject
consultations for any given sections of the delivery.

By the use of research narratives and its’ descriptive research findings that have been
prioritize the most, such as stressing its’ “SWOT Analysis”, which is an important indicator to rely on.
And by doing so, the researcher builds up a reflective research study article on how online learning or
blended learning are credible towards learners at present. The self-described SWOT Analysis
explains, interprets, and discuss valuable explanations so that readers can truly identify its’ purpose
and truly adapt towards the significance of the research study.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Educators across the globe have been forced to replace traditional learning modalities with
distance and blended learning approaches, Distance learning has been described as an information
delivery mechanism where educator and learner are separate in both time and space (Billings, 2007),
whereas blended learning combines traditional classroom methods of learning modalities (Green and
Whitburn, 2016). Neither approach is novel, and both have been used successfully as part of anatomy
education (Pereira et al., 2007; Ferrer-Torregrosa et al., 2016). However, these approaches are
usually implemented after strategic planning, collaboration with other academics, and careful
consideration of the pedagogical evidence. In order to utilize online approaches, educators must
invest considerable time up-front to learn how to create online learning material. In many cases,
academics are required to develop these new skills and create or adapt resources in parallel with a
time frame that reflects the normal progression of student learning.

With respect to globalization, most organizations are moving towards a global business
landscape where the phenomenon of e-learning platforms has correspondingly increased demand for
distance education and virtual courses in higher educational institutions (Harper, Chen & Yen, 2004).
This has overcome the geographic location and temporal boundaries associated with traditional
education (Mupinga, 2005).

Moreover, technological advancement has contributed to the high adoption rate of eLearning
management platforms, information technologies, which has seen a rise in power and fall in cost, has
in the past five years, seen exponential growth in the processing capacity of mobile devices such as
laptops and handhelds. Besides the hardware and software improvement in recent years, support for

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |2

connectivity to the web has also shot up causing an increasing number of “hotspots” and higher signal
strengths in public places (Owusu-Ansah, 2020).

E-Learning services are electronic learning services. This provides education, training,
retention, transfer, consolidation, evaluation, review, systematization. Our analysis narrows to using
these only at university level. Their systematization can be achieved by multiple pedagogical,
psychological, technical criteria, including: the specific of fundamental activity; predominant category
of acquired learning content; degree of involvement of the teacher in using the service; the category
of learning subject; the age at which these will recovered; beneficiaries; the number of persons for
whom the use of the service was designed; the core of the service; fundamental type of instrument
used to access the services (Cojocariu, V., Lazar, I., Nedeff, V., Lazar, G. (2013).

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND DATA RESULTS:

4.1. Online Learning Components:

Lecture Discussions: Both lecturers and educators clearly envisioned online learning methods are
somewhat challenging because of the technical knowledge incapabilities and other cloud-based
technology shortcomings. That is why many teachers should educate and attend training sessions
first on how to use these e-learning systems and online platforms available in the market. During the
onset of an online lecture discussions towards learners and students, a facilitator should always be
ready on how these online technical platforms works compatibly for them. Students’ participation
should be prioritize always by a teacher during online meetings and topic discussions because of the
demanding learning situations at present. Teachers are also entitled to disseminate e-learning
materials, teaching presentations, and other video conferencing materials if students need it the most.
Actual lecture discussions should always be compliant with a lesson planning strategies of the
teachers. But in most cases, instructors can re-discuss, adjust, or extent any e-course module
teachings if needed. This will prevent student to get bored during lecture discussions online.

Assessment Evaluations: In assessing the students’ performance and their progress of e-learning, a
teacher or a facilitator must ensure that they are fully equipped with proper teaching guidelines and a
lesson plan timetables. Assessments, such as online quizzes (short and long), assignments, and
periodicals should also be always compliant and properly disseminated by an instructor to assess
e-learning evaluations of the students. Other school based evaluation arrangements that are normally
used by most teachers can be in the form of an online learning software like LMS (Learning
Management Systems). They can easily record, track and evaluate online assignments, quizzes, and
periodicals simultaneously.

Feedbacks / Follow-up Sessions: Online Learning thru the use of an online learning platform
requires teachers and students to address any learners’ feedbacks and do a follow up inquires online.

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |3

This will happen during a live teachers’ availability to answer any queries made by the students’
online interactions. For example, teacher can do a refresher discussions online based from the
previous course topic. As a result of this, learners or students will attain a better e-learning concept
experience entirely.

4.2. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT), defined:

What is SWOT Analysis?

S STRENGTHS also means “QUALITIES” ( + )

W WEAKNESSES also means “SHORTCOMINGS” ( - )

O OPPORTUNITIES also means “OPENINGS” ( + )

T THREATS also means “DANGERS” ( - )

Figure 1. SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is a shape being used for checking company’s serious position and to
create key solutions for any business arrangement representation. SWOT investigation surveys are
indoors and other variables which are considered modern and can be used for future potential
business resolutions.

SWOT examination is supposed to inspire a reasonable and unbiased facts to look for at the
characteristics and shortcomings of an organization, activities, or even internal intermediaries. The
affiliated decisions and desire to maintain an effective SWOT examination specifically intended to stay
away from pre-considered or undetermined convictions and also the unwell described conditions or
zeroing out its’ proper understanding settings. By the help of an organizational practices, SWOT
analysis will allow management to manipulate business methods and oversee its effective
management decisions, whether technical or operational information, and it resolves anticipated
challenges. SWOT analysis primarily is the quintessential arranging technique expert that offers
immediate resolving tools. Identifying the core qualities, shortcomings, openings, and risks, it will
actually prompts absolute certainty management resolutions based on the total investigation, new
viewpoints, and new business ideas. It also works high-quality when diverse collaborating gatherings,
comments, suggestions or voices are allowed to provide realistic facts and advocated information.

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |4

 Lastly, SWOT Analysis can be used by any corporate functionality planning because of the
product design which was built in into recommendable survey results needed for any type of business’
interventions. By the help of SWOT Analysis towards my research article about the description of
“online learning”, I can now simplify and visualize my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats about E-Learning methodologies.

4.3. SWOT Analysis towards Online Learning:

Students:
 Excitement about the technology
based online learning environment
 Online flexibility learning and
S STRENGTHS technology navigational independence

Lecturers:
 Customized and structural e-learning
teaching sessions
 May experience better and faster
communication towards Students
Students:
 Insufficient capability to link
technological design
 Unstable Internet connectivity
 Interaction of students during Online
Classes
W WEAKNESSES  Lack of Online Equipments (laptops,
pc’s, android mobile phones)

Lecturers:
 May receive better classroom
evaluations in the face-to-face
classroom than online teaching
 May encounter difficulty in mastering
online teaching because of several
technology based advancement.
Students:
 Increase of digital market share
expansion available
 Lower costs and reuse content for any
E-Learning online courses
O OPPORTUNITIES
Lecturers:
 May gain competitive edge over
traditional face-to-face colleagues
 May offer departments scheduling
flexibility when trained

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |5

 Students:
 Lack of motivation of the students
because of multiple study options
 High drop-outs of students
 Lack of E-Content Policies in different
institutions referring its’ online
T THREATS
E-Contexts

Lecturers:
 Have doubt about the integrity and
effectiveness of online teaching and
e-learning towards learners or
students
 Reduced teacher and students’
physical engagement

Figure 2. SWOT Analysis towards Online Learning

STRENGTHS:

STUDENTS:
Excitement about the technology based online learning environment: Students’ enjoyment and
not boring online classes can truly be appreciated by students towards the benefits of a technology-
based tools and equipments during home quarantine experiences.

Online flexibility learning and technology navigational independence: It allows a lot of flexibility
(Dobre, 2010; Hsieh & Cho, 2011), accessibility in terms of geographical independence and thus a lot
of coverage without substantial cost for traditional classroom training.

LECTURERS:
Customized and structural e-learning teaching sessions: The e-learning approach made by
lecturers or teachers using online platforms towards their students are now customized and
structured, because it opens expanded learning time to attain academic pursuits.

May experience better and faster communication towards Students: (Taylor, 2002) found that
faculty experience better and faster communication with students; the online environment helps
faculty blend their unique teaching styles and abilities into their sites.

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |6

 WEAKNESSES:

STUDENTS:
Insufficient capability to link technological design: E-Learning management has an insufficient
capability to network technology based framework of training services with the basis of a
psychological mechanism by its e-learning processes that are being opposed by any traditional
classroom environment.

Unstable Internet connectivity: Slow internet network connectivity during the E-Learning sessions
and other lectural activities online. This may affect the E-Learning progress of the mentees towards
their learning development.

Interaction of Students during online classes: The interaction between the trainer and the trainee
is very limited and thus poses chances of lack of collaboration, communication and mutual knowledge
sharing (CCL, 2009).

Lack of Online Equipments (laptops, pc’s, android mobile phones): Student might be having
problems on the use of online devices or equipments, such as laptop computers, android mobile
phones, because of unlimited financial resources entirely.

LECTURERS:
May receive better classroom evaluations in the face-to-face classroom than online teaching:
Aligning course goals with activities and measurements, and providing clear assignment instructions.
Despite of all the preparatory online work, faculty who teach F2F sections receive better student
evaluations than online faculty (Mintu-Wimsatt et al., 2006).

May encounter difficulty in mastering online teaching because of several technology based
advancement: Faculty new to online teaching find that time efficiency occurs after mastering multiple
technologies, continuously upgrading technology skills, understanding and applying Quality Matters
(QM) standards, and refining course sites (Mintu-Wimsatt et al., 2006). Likewise, teachers who are
not into technology base online teaching platforms before, can make their online teaching even
worse, because of lack of technical knowledge and poor online systems familiarization.

OPPORTUNITIES:

STUDENTS:
Increase of digital market share expansion available: Several teaching experts said that there are
numerous and a positive increase of market share for digital learning and virtual learning against
classroom learning.

Lower costs and reuse content for any E-Learning online courses: Relatively decrease in cost,
expenses, and the reuse of content for e-learning project courses. Other analysis made will be a

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |7

reduction of distribution costing which will effect on its huge financial evaluations for large businesses
and often help in promoting a centralized form of training activities.

LECTURERS:
May gain competitive edge over traditional face-to-face colleagues: For faculty, those who are
trained in online teaching gain a competitive edge over those who do not. Technology-trained faculty
business schools scheduling flexibility (De los Santos, E., Zanca, N. A. 2018).

May offer departments scheduling flexibility when trained (De los Santos, E., Zanca, N. A. 2018):
Well-trained faculty who can use online platforms while teaching and continuously practice e-learning
can possibly get working flexible schedules for some departments.

THREATS:

STUDENTS:
Lack of motivation of the students because of multiple study options: Multiple studies also point
out the lack of motivation by teachers in engaging in e-learning and its support by creating e-learning
materials and implementing them (Demiray, 2010).

High drop-outs of students: The flexibility and autonomy of the learner often does not guarantee
their performance in learning and the results in higher drop-outs (Dobre, 2010).

Lack of E-Content Policies in different institutions referring to its’ online E-Contexts: Lack of
government policies and legislation regarding courses and e-learning contents adds to lack of quality
standards and quality controls and standardization of e-content production and delivery mechanisms
resulting in varying impacts of e-learning in different organizations in differing contexts (Demiray,
2010).

LECTURERS:
Have doubt about the integrity and effectiveness of online teaching and e-learning towards
learners or students: Nationally, faculty continue to doubt the integrity of online programs (Lederman
& McKenzie, 2017), and its effectiveness to deliver e-learning development towards students.

Reduced teacher and students’ physical engagement: The implementation of online teaching and
online learning diminished physical engagements between teachers and students. Just like a typical
mandatory regular classes wherein students or learners can go to their respective classroom to attend
a normal way of classes. By means of online teaching and online classes, it limits personal
engagements, and physical contact within.

Descriptive SWOT Analysis about Online Learning |8

 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS:

It has been more than a year ago that all educational institutions around the globe are still
acquiring Online Learning or E-Learning because of a global pandemic intermission that brought to
learners within. That is why different respective sectors from the Government especially the Education
sector encourages teachers, students, and learners to use online platforms and e-learning materials.
Many of its’ online platform designs are very useful and still available for any virtual classes so far.
And the role of our education sector is to concede an educational awareness towards e-learning or
blended learning practices that are more popular to our learners and students worldwide. Likewise,
being equipped with the right E-Learning approaches and a continuous students’ participation, we can
assure that students or learner can truly interact, learn, and educate effectively and efficiently. From
the said article, the researcher descriptively interprets how Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and
Threats (SWOT) manages its’ research analysis and data results to credible and reliable. Other
personal recommended ideas behind online learning is to: (a.) Embrace E-Learning methods for
continuous learning development; (b.) Take advantage on using these proven advanced technology,
like online learning platforms and other e-learning systems; and (c.) encouraging our mentees to be
financially ready and be aware of earning and saving, is to work on our personal finances so that
everything will be manageable like our financial indebtedness (Lee, 2021), so that they can overcome
the lack of financial resources to avail these online equipments (laptops, pc’s, wired internet
connections, and android mobile phones).

And as for my conclusion, our teachers, learners, and students are advisable to use online
learning platforms and e-learning materials on any distant learning and during bad crisis in our places,
but “Quality Education” should be at their utmost priority requirement to attain better education for
everyone. Thank you very much.

REFERENCES:

Billings, D. M. (2007). Distance education in nursing: 25 years and going strong. Comput Inform Nurs
25:121-123.

Canadian Council on Learning. (2009). State on Learning. Ottawa, Ontario, Retrieved from
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Cojocariu, V., Iulia, Lazar, I., Nedeff, V., Lazar, G. (2013). SWOT Analysis of E-Learning educational
services from the perspective of their beneficiaries. 5’th World Conference on Educational
Sciences - WCES 2013. pp. 1999-2003.

De los Santos, E., Zanca, N. A. (2018). Transitioning to Online: A SWOT Analysis by First Time
Online Business Faculty. E-Journal of Business Education & Scholarship of Teaching.
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Demiray, U. (2010). e-Learning practices, cases on challenges facing e-learning and national
development: Institutional Studies and Practices, Volume II: Anadolu University, Eskisehir,
Turkey.

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Lederman, D., & McKenzie, L. (2017). Faculty buy-in builds, bit by bit: Survey of faculty attitudes on
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Lee, C. M. (2021). Learning Management Systems (LMS) towards helping Teachers and Students in
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