Udemy is a platform where people can learn from experts in diverse subjects such as data science, business, lifestyle, and teaching. Udemy like other online platforms spends both direct and indirect expenses to sustain and grow its educational products. These costs cover various aspects such as content creation, platform maintenance, marketing, and technological enhancements. Moreover, some expenses outside of this platform are paid by major IT companies to update systems for increasing data storage capacity, data processing speed, and expanding coverage of internet services. While there are several articles and editorial columns across journals and social media, discussing the benefits of these educational platforms, here we are exploring the obstacles to the sustainability of such tools. If not addressed, these challenges could not only disrupt the growth and efficiency of these platforms but also inflict irreversible damages on societies and ecosystems. It must be noted that discussing the tangible and intangible costs of this platform or similar ones does not imply neglecting the benefits of these educational methods and reverting to traditional teaching approaches. The traditional learning systems are gradually moving away due to the high costs for ecosystem.

In a review of clear costs of this platform, Udemy pays for production costs like the expenses of making and delivering course content. This includes investing in video production and integrating various multimedia elements into the courses. Platform development and marketing costs constitute an important aspect of Udemy’s expenditure. Udemy should pay to other media for advertising and promotional activities to attract instructors and learners to the platform. Administrative, operational, and office-related costs are essential for the day-to-day functioning of Udemy. For enhancing the platform’s content, Udemy might form partnership with other organizations, institutions, and content creators. However, determining the real resource costs of Udemy’s program is challenging due to several factors like private company status, confidentiality, and unique cost models that are not easily comparable to traditional industries. Well, I have tried to clarify that contrary to common belief, online education is not necessarily entirely free or low-cost, and on a production and infrastructure level, tens of thousands of people are involved. Now, I would like to address into the non-measurable costs of these platforms. So, before the rush to expand such platforms, we need to minimize the imposed costs on societies and ecosystems. We can discuss this in two domains: the human domain and the environmental domain.

In the context of human domain, although these platforms try to enhance individuals’ capabilities and knowledge, their long-term effects on human behavior will not be without consequences. Unlike physical classrooms, these platforms do not encourage discussion and questioning of course material, and the transfer of information is predominantly one-sided from the instructor to the learner. Therefore, the space for raising questions and subsequently sharing classmates’ opinions is limited. In the long time, users become a massive data storage source (like a hard drive). Additionally, the practice of actively listening to others’ opinions, and accepting or refuting them is neglected. In the future, capable individuals with high self-confidence may experience a reduction in their creative power, lose the ability to exchange ideas in a group, and perhaps even witness the emergence of a new common phobia known as “group learning phobia or anxiety of learning”(Downing et al., 2020). The mechanisms and standards for monitoring the scientific content of productions on these platforms are not feasible. Additionally, the assessment of the effectiveness of their materials in enhancing users’ capabilities requires reconsideration and study. Also, Educational institutions are generally considered places for educating sciences and upbringing human qualities (Bayanov, 2020). The daily presence at specific hours in a place called the classroom demonstrates the practical importance of having order in social life. Presence in class with other students provides another practical lesson in respecting values and opinions of others, forming friendships, and emotional growth. With the increasing popularity of online platforms like Udemy, the emphasis on teaching skills may surpass the focus on behavioral development and socialize.

In the context of environmental domain, Sustainable IT practices refer to environment-friendly approaches to design, implementation, manufacturing, and disposing-off of their products. Educational platforms should try utilizing energy-efficient systems for visual elements of their programs to reduce energy consumption during downloading and running the program. Now, let me ask a question; how many laptops or smartphones are made each year? 300 million computers and 1 billion cellphones (TheWorldCounts, February 25, 2024). Approximately 40 million tons of electronic waste is produced annually on a global scale. Only 12.5% of E-Waste is recycled (TheWorldCounts, February 25, 2024).The reason for raising this question and providing the answer here is that the primary tools for utilizing online platforms are smartphones and laptops. Therefore, for evaluating the sustainability of the online educational platforms, we must undoubtedly consider the sustainability of their infrastructure. The high volume of e-waste production is significant for two reasons. Firstly, due to the inability to recycle it, the accumulation of waste and its chemical components in the soil and water lead to the extinction of various vital species and posing a threat to human health. Secondly, the growing need to replace these tools implies an increased production by relevant companies. More production generate various toxic gases and consum more energy. Moreover, companies need more extraction of raw materials from mines. Mining for additional raw materials not only produces polluting gases from machinery but also creates significant changes in the ecosystem, possibly causing more damage than deforestation for paper production.

In coclusion, securing sustainability for online learning platforms is vital to advance their programs. These platforms must take care in both human and environmental fields to demonstrate their values ​​to the users and stockholders by reducing environmental impacts and emphasizing social behavior alongside individual training.

Reference:

Bayanov, K. R. (2020). The Function of The System “Education Plus Upbringing” In the Context of The Purpose of a Person. SHS Web of Conferences: Theory and Practice of Project Management in Education: Horizons and Risks, 70(03001). https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20207903001

Downing, V. R., Cooper, K. M., Cala, J. M., Gin, L. E., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). Fear of Negative Evaluation and Student Anxiety in Community College Active-Learning Science Courses. CBE Life Sci Educ, 19(2), ar20. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-09-0186

TheWorldCounts. (February 25, 2024). Electronic Waste Facts. https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/electronic-waste-facts