Anurag Kr

In the current coronavirus pandemic situation, online education is the need of the hour and has opened up a new way in the teaching-learning process. Social media is no longer a new tool and is used effectively, commonly known as the “second brain.” Many developed nations, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and many others, are well-acquainted with this education system. This approach is totally distinct and it conveys different meanings to different people. Several deficits to it have been identified and yet more and more advantages too, including the one highlighted here by me.

Some of the prominent benefits of this online learning system include:

1. Accessibility to teachers and learners from anywhere on the planet. 2.Students can access the lessons whenever they want, whenever they are free. even wherever they are. 3. It has a wide reach as it can be accessed from any device including tablets, mobiles, laptops, and more. It provides a rich and vivid platform for them to learn.

4. As illustrative technology has advanced; it can also be used effectively to augment the learning process.

5. It has a social platform that can be used to interact and communicate with each other and with their teachers.

6. Easy integration and modification of recorded lessons.

Due to heavy internet penetration as well as the advent of distance learning and timely adoption by the education system, the online education system has been able to go a long way towards enabling students, teachers, and the entire education system to gain immense benefits that will do wonders.

In India, the conventional type of education has been hierarchical. in a country where having a good and stable internet connection is still a challenge, though India has the cheapest and most affordable internet in the entire world.

The “all aboard” scenario is still very far, we have around 1.5 million educational institutions, bringing all of them on board online is a lengthy process, but it is being done and it is happening. This is not to denigrate the conventional school education system, but rather to highlight that the need for such a massive adjustment in the educational system has arisen to keep pace with the changing times and the emerging world. In the times of the pandemic, this learning and teaching system has proved to be a boon to education, thus leading us to continue ahead, making us faster instead of stopping at the very beginning.

It is worth considering how the entire educational system might collapse if it had happened a decade earlier.

The Challenges

As every other Paradigm shift changes, this shift from a conventional teaching method has cost us a lot too, not money but the integrity of pure education itself.

I would call it a “disruption” because a disruption by definition, should be a cause for concern and as a consequence, it brings along with it some negative aspects. The benign effect of online education fades away when we talk about the unfair practices done by students,

1.Lack of face-to-face interaction: It is very important to establish direct contact with the student. Doing this makes it possible for the teacher to get the best results.

2.Neither regularity nor discipline: Given that the students are free from the regulations and boundaries of a classroom environment, it is quite obvious that the curriculum will not be maintained as it should be. Students may not routinely study the materials and they may start taking things lightly. There are high chances of students distracting themselves while learning online.

3.Increased dropout rate: Students are more likely to drop out because they don’t completely devote themselves to their studies and take their studies too lightly. There won’t be any specific mentor for the students to keep track of their progress and effectively resolve their doubts. For countries where online education is hard to access, they might only drop out of classes.

4.Challenges in Technology: Online learning is useful only for those students who have access to a proper internet connection and have devices like laptops and computers. It is not possible to count on online learning without it.

Do students really benefit from online learning?

With online education, we can say partially yes! but we must also consider how online education affects the mental well-being of students as they are locked in and not able to explore their friends and the real outer world. Educational institutions, the priority of students, and pave the way for them to expand their limits. They learn to work as a team. Also, they can become excellent conversationalists who also meet new people and learn about different cultures and cuisines. If online classes become a reality, most of the students will miss out on learning some of the most important lessons and life-changing experiences they can gain from attending in-person classes. In a country like India, where there is no internet link anywhere, not everyone gets the advantage of these services. There are a lot of students who don’t even have a laptop, internet access, and money to do this. Online education is certainly a bonus and can be a supplement but it cannot be a replacement.

Summing it all up, to the big picture, online education is effective but with the right set of tools and adoption.