According to Leon Festinger's theory, Cognitive dissonance is the inconsistency among beliefs and behaviors that causes mental tension .So, it is basically a conflict that occurs when a person's behavior and beliefs do not align. A person going through this dissonance experiences the feeling of uneasiness, tension, and mental stress.

Two aspects of Cognitive Theory:

To understand the relationship between cognitive dissonance and the process of learning, we must first study how cognitive dissonance is defined from two perspectives. From the psychological perspective, cognitive dissonance is defined as an uncomfortable internal state that occurs when new information fights with commonly held beliefs (Festinger 1957). As an example, imagine being presented with evidence that the Earth revolves around the sun when your understanding is that the sun revolves around the Earth.

From the educational view, Piaget (1929) described cognitive dissonance to simplify the cognitive processes of accommodation and assimilation, which are central to knowledge development. Accommodation and assimilation occur when learners are presented with new knowledge and must put some mental efforts to mix this information into their existing plan.

What is Online Learning?

Online learning is gaining education through the Internet. It is also known as eLearning. It is any kind of learning that takes place across distant areas and not in a traditional classroom. TakeThisCourse.net is working hard to facilitate learning all over the world to get the best online learning opportunities.

The Future of eLearning and Education:

By the year 2025, the global e-learning industry is projected to grow to the size of $325 billion. As more and more countries around the globe are having access to high-speed internet, e-learning will expand at a rapid pace.

Cognitive Dissonance and E learning:

While distance education is continuing to expand, there remains a stigma about its efficiency and effectiveness. While for some the experience is good, the others view e-learning as sub optimal .Ho (2010) found comparable inferences in his study about continuance intention of e-learning podiums. Ho's study found that a user's attitude and satisfaction toward e-learning greatly influence a user's intention to continue using e-learning platforms. Learners are always eager to avoid any type of discomfort and tension in gaining knowledge. When there is inconsistency or the mode through which knowledge is gained is not very effective, learners face dissonance. Imagine the same students going to school and having regular classes are now forced to have online classes by sitting at home due to Corona pandemic are now losing interest in their studies .They are unable to accept this change and alter their behaviors likewise. This new way of gaining education triggers cognitive dissonance among many students. Those who managed to accept e learning are successful in reducing the dissonance and are enjoying classes by sitting at home and taking class in a casual way. While for others, it is boring to just sit Infront of a laptop or screen .They are unable to focus on what the teacher has to say in a virtual class. This discomfort causes tension and pressure among them and they are unable to benefit from e-learning. Therefore, it is important to help learners overcome cognitive dissonance. Now, we'll discuss some ways to help them overcome it

Theoretical approach to reduce cognitive dissonance:

To reduce cognitive dissonance in e learning, the instructor should focus on changing 3 things:

1.Change one or more beliefs, or behaviors in such a way that it makes them consonant with the other one.

2.Acquire new data that solves out the old dissonant belief, behavior, or attitude thus ruling out all kinds of doubts.

3.Reduce the significance of the dissonant belief, behavior, or attitude.

Practical ways of applying the Cognitive Dissonance Theory In eLearning:

Go for instructor-led learning:

Students must be encouraged to participate in live classes with an instructor. This will give them a real feeling of a classroom.

Promote Teamwork:

Students learn a lot with social interaction. Encourage peer to peer learning and promote collaboration among the participants in an online class.

Engage every student:

Some students have higher self-efficacy while sone have low efficacy. In an online class, if the instructor engages each student and encourage specifically those who are passive in their learning sessions can boast their confidence levels and help them in achieving their goals.

Thought provoking questions:

By asking thought provoking questions, the instructor can help students to reflect on their existing ideas and then find out the origin of their cognitions. When they discover that their belief originated from an unreliable source, they will question its importance ultimately making them to change their false beliefs and accept the new change.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell it can be said; e-learning opens a lot of opportunities to use artificial intelligence and other technologies for improving conventional teaching methods. Thus, Cognitive dissonance theory helps to explain the discomforts that learners face when new ways of teaching are introduced to them and suggests helping by making them change their beliefs.

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