Abstract

Ubiquitous learning environments and technologies are reshaping education delivery. Advances in ubiquitous learning help connect knowledge seekers with knowledge providers across the world. But how effective are these ubiquitous learning environments in comparison with traditional classroom environments? This research reviews the literature pertaining to ubiquitous and online learning effectiveness, challenges faced by stakeholders, and possible strategies and technologies that can be used to ensure favorable learning outcomes. The study provides a greater understanding of online learning. As new technologies are developed further examination of effectiveness, challenges, and strategies will be warranted. With the continued development, online learning has found its way into the workplace and the learning space. This paper provides a different perspective of that online learning environment, and provides an in-depth look at the prevalence, impact, and future of online learning. It proposes an integration of the best practices of on-campus, blended, and fully-online delivery as an alternative—reducing the reliance on particular environments for learning and focusing on human interaction. While research has found no significant differences between online and on-campus delivery, determining what factors contribute to this online learning effectiveness, and what strategies can be used to improve it are worth exploring. Several issues challenging effectiveness are brought to the forefront, and several solutions are proposed.