PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF ONLINE LEARNING

Dr. S. Arulsamy,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Education,
Bharathiar University
Coimbatore- 641 046.
E-mail: arulsamy@buc.edu.in

Abstract

Online learning is the new version of computer-mediated cultural patterns. Information

and Communication Technology enlarges the network of information sharing and adds different
set of processing dimensions at individual and social level both in socially and psychologically.
In this article, the authors highlight the various psychological impact of Online Learning under
different aspects.

Introduction
Online learning makes human life more comfortable. The access to big treasure of
information is available at the click of a mouse on the Internet. Testing and data collection have
become easier. But, on the other hand this new technology encourages new types of behavioural
disorder as IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder) and net related crime. This is unending process.
Life in online is not the same as life in the face-to-face world. Our very identity becomes
something uncertain and ambiguous. Teaching and learning online can be, in Mezirow’s (2001)
terms, ‘the ultimate disorienting dilemma’. Technology will facilitate learning for some, but will
probably inhibit learning for others. Martinez’s (2001) research has identified some of the
emotions experienced by learners studying online. A study by Schaller and colleagues (2002)
found that learners experienced bewilderment and confusion as they attempted to navigate their
way through the required learning site. Wegerif (1998) reported that learners are inhibited by
feelings of fear and alienation as they experienced the exposure and the isolation that learning
online can entail. Ng (2001) discovered that some learners studying online reported considerable
anxiety at communicating electronically. A study by Hara and Kling (2000) says that learners’

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distress associated with studying a web based course. Considerable frustration experienced by
learners with the technical aspects of learning online, with interpreting and following instructions
and with managing the enormous amounts of email they are required to deal with. Thus man
creates new technology and consequently gets affected by it.

Online Addiction
Many people are addicted to Internet and some people are extremely attached with On-
line browsing. Some people are definitely hurting themselves by their addition to Internet. One
can easily identify an online addicted person by the following symptoms;
An Online addicted person
i. spends more time on the net
ii. gives less importance to physical activity.
iii. disregards for his own health as a result of Internet activity.
iv. avoids important life activities in order to spend time on the net.
v. changes his sleep pattern in order to spend time on the net.
vi. gives more preference for online chat rather than face-to-face chat with friends.
vii. depends on Internet as the primary source of knowledge.
viii. decreases socializing time with family.
ix. neglects job and personal obligation and
x. gets disoriented and foxed when there is any problem in net connection.

Frustration and Online Learning

Frustration is the most pervasive emotion associated with online learning. Many learners
experienced frustration of one kind or another with one aspect or another of online learning.
Much of frustration is associated with the technology. Many time learners cannot log on. Some
time links can be frustrating because the links do not work. Some time the learner connects with
his user name, but still he could not get any access.
For some the frustration is associated with a lack of clear instructions for locating the
required site. Some use the net all the time, but they could not navigate. Some could not get in.
The learner is apprised that the information would be available online, on the web page, but, it is
really difficult to find the page. It takes many days to find out the resource. Some times, for one

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question the learner has to spend even many hours to track down responses from online and he
could not find them. There is also frustration with material being out of date. Learners felt
frustration at the rambling or superficial nature of unmoderated online discussion. Frustration
may be associated with the administrative processes, with instructions that are unclear and
obscure. It is also related with the design, structure and relevance of the web site content and
with the learning processes, especially discussion groups.

Fear, anxiety, apprehension and Online Learning

Computer anxiety is a fear of interacting with computers that is disproportionate to the
actual danger of the situation. Computer anxiety leaves the user in an uncomfortable mental state
in which one experiences debilitating physical and/or emotional symptoms. Many learners
experienced the fear, anxiety, and apprehension cluster of emotions associated with their online
learning. There is anxiety involved with delays in the system. Some learners feel that the
lecturers do not answer their questions and they even do not mail them back until after the due
date has passed. It causes stress and anxiety. There is anxiety for some with trusting the system
to deliver assignments electronically. Some times it is doubtful whether the emails got through.
The learners have another doubt that whether their assignments are being read. If it is so, who is
reading their work?
The peculiar nature of the electronic environment is a source of anxiety for most of the
participants. For some it is anxiety associated with a lack of control over the processes of the
system. Work or ideas are submitted and then dealt with (or not) in some mysterious and
invisible way over which the learner could have no influence. The public and relatively
permanent nature of online communication is also a source of fear and anxiety as is the
impersonal and largely anonymous nature of that communication.
Ramanna (2000) noted four areas of Internet anxiety, which are as follows;
i. Internet Terminology anxiety
ii. Internet Search anxiety
iii. Internet Time delay anxiety and
iv. General fear of Internet failure.
i. Internet Terminology Anxiety

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 The Internet Terminology Anxiety is a major problem for the beginners in the online
learning class. The terms like WWW (World Wide Web), URL (Uniform Resource Location),
SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) etc., are the some of Internet terminology, which are to be
learned by the learners at the beginning. Many learners have the feeling of anxiety when they are
reading the new vocabulary, word and acronyms.
ii. Internet Search Anxiety
There are many technical blocks to finding the intended location. Even after finding the
desired site the learner are often confused by the way of construction of the site. The server
problem may cause frustration. Some times the learner has to search hours together to get the
intended site. The search engine list out few thousands of related sites, the leaner unable to locate
the most suitable one from the list. Failure of backtracking may also cause anxiety.
iii. Internet Time delay Anxiety
The Internet is often clogged when many learners who want to go online. Due to this
technical problem many learners wait for a long time during busy hours, which leads to
frustration among them. They are unable to submit their home works and assignment in time.
However these problems are minimized with the help of broadband facilities.
iv. General Fear of Internet Failure
The technology has its own drawbacks. The Internet failure is one of the drawbacks,
which triggers anger and frustration among the learners. They are in hurry to submit their
assignments and homework and they are unable to learn the content of a course due to the fear of
Internet failure.
The following are the instructional approaches that can reduce the on-line anxiety to
some extent but they do not overcome the problem completely.
i. Teaching the learners about the fundamentals of On-line learning with special
reference to hardware and software components of the system before entering into the on-line
learning.
ii. Providing instant assistance whenever necessary.
iii. Making the first attempt of the learner as a successful one.
iv. Encouraging the learner to help one another.
v. Encouraging the learner to share their problems and doubts.

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Enthusiasm, excitement and Online Learning
There are other aspects of learning online that also engendered enthusiasm and
excitement. The excitement plays an important part in learning. This dimension has been
seriously lacking in learning online. Learners feel that the way they learn is a lot more, if they are
in a big group in a tutorial having a discussion. And that gets them excited. It gets them into the
subject. It has not ever been felt like that with online learning. But, at the same time the learners
are getting lots of good information from some commercial and government sites and they make
them excite There is the excitement associated with learning in a new way, using new
technologies. Some excite with what could be gained from learning online, both in terms of
course content and of the connections made possible with other sites and with other people.

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 Loneliness and Online Learning
People who use the Internet more subsequently are adversely affected by loneliness.
Isolation caused by online learning has sparked a rigorous debate amongst researchers. The lack
of interaction associated with E-Learning is of prime concern to Cooper (1999) who remarks,
‘electronic contact cannot currently sustain the qualities and multi-dimensionality of the kind of
tutor-learner relationship that real learning seems to require’. This opinion is further supported
by Bourner and Flowers (1997) who suggest that if technological developments are to be
incorporated into higher education; this should be accompanied by increased human contact.
When people have more social contact, they are happier and healthier, both physically and
mentally (S. Cohen & Wills, 1985; Gove & Geerken, 1977). The learners have greater contact
with online learning are associated with declines in their communication with family members in
the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and
loneliness. Online learning is causing people to become socially isolated and cut off from
genuine social relationships, as they hunker alone over their terminals or communicate with
anonymous strangers through a socially impoverished medium (Stoll, 1995; Turkle, 1996).
However, when people use these technologies intensively for learning new software, playing
computer games, or retrieving electronic information, they consume time and may spend more
time alone (Vitalari, Venkatesh, & Gronhaug, 1985). ‘The overindulgence in this environment is
having negative impact on the social disengagement, loneliness and weakening of the real life
strong ties’ (Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukhopahyay and Scherhis, 1998). Generally,
strong personal ties are supported by physical proximity. Online learning potentially reduces the
importance of physical proximity in creating and maintaining networks of strong social ties.

Stress, Depression and Online Learning

Greater use of the Internet is also associated with increases in depression. There have
even been reports of Internet related deaths, such as cardiac arrests resulting from sleep
deprivation and lack of personal maintenance or suicides due to ‘Net’ related stress (Elmer-
Dewitt, 1993; Young and Rogers, 1997). Person who has ‘Net’ related stress has the following
symptoms;

i. spends more time in online than the required time.

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 ii. finds hard to stay away from the 'Net for several days at a time.
iii. decreases personal relationships as a result of spending too much time on the 'Net’.
iv. unable to control to purchase items, products, or services on the 'Net’.
v. feels much of pleasure and satisfaction while on the 'Net’ continuously.

Pride and Online Learning

A sense of pride in learners’ accomplishments is expressed by a number of learners,

including pride at succeeding in the online environment. When the learners know they have done
a good piece of work and they put that on the net and they get positive feedback. It makes them
feel quite proud. Pride is identified by Ingleton and O’Regan (1998) as a critical emotion in
nurturing learning and in engendering a positive disposition to learn. In the online environment,
with its characteristics of publicness and permanence, the potential for pride is very great.

Conclusion
Though online learning has many advantages, it is also responsible for the development
of various behavioural problems. Young (1998) remarks that the prolonged online learning
develops addictive patterns among the learners. Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is not only a
psychologically important phenomenon but its social implications are of great significance.
Continuous online learning develops shyness, social phobia and perceived lack of social status.
Online learning is associated with behaviour and impulse problems like over involvement in
online relationships (Cyber-relationship Addiction) and compulsive web surfing or database
searches (Information Overload). Thus man creates new technology and consequently gets
affected by it.
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