Virtual Education: The Voices of Learners in Pakistan

Abstract

Virtual education is one of modern means of education. It adopted Modern Information and Communication Technologies to provide as like face to face educational opportunities. It is an alternate to formal system of education for those who feel difficulty in attending educational institutions regularly. In Pakistan, Virtual University was established in 2002 with the clear mission “education for all” and “not for profit education”. It has availed about fourteen years for its development but virtual learners still face certain problems in Pakistan. The present study was entitled “Virtual Education: the Voices of Learners in Pakistan”. The aims of the study were (1) to study the virtual paradigms in Pakistan, and (2) to identify the problems of virtual learners in Pakistan. A research tool; questionnaire was developed and used to collect data from the respondents. Total sample size was 451 virtual learners. The major findings of the study were virtual education worked with the agenda of education for all, convenient and low cost education.  The study also found certain problems faced by virtual learners; isolation, technology hurdles and high dropout rate. These problems were serious in nature and must be addressed to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of virtual education in Pakistan. The study also suggested some recommendations to improve the virtual education system in Pakistan that the government of Pakistan should promote virtual education facilities in the country. These facilities must be accessible and affordable for the common public. The government should launch various kinds of scholarships for the virtual learners to meet their study expenses.

Keywords: trends in education, virtual education, problems of virtual education in Pakistan.