Past generations have been told to do great things, what about our generation? We have been told to just stay at home! Does this sound familiar to you? Have you felt that your life has been restricted over the past few weeks or months? All over the world, people have been overwhelmed by the Coronavirus pandemic. At least 166 countries have been affected by the virus [as of 20 March 2020, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)]. The effects are visible across different sectors. Borders have been closed, travel restrictions have been put in place and economic activities have been hit hard.
How has education been affected?
What about in the field of education? Across the globe, the schooling of around 1 billion students has been affected. Many countries have instructed their schools to remain closed until the situation eases. Those who have chosen to keep the schools open have done so after putting in place strict safety guidelines.
While the doors of schools have been temporarily shut, therefore affecting our educational systems, this is a period to explore or test new possibilities. It has been a while now since online education emerged. However, there has been no opportunity like this for online education to prove its utility. But is the online medium sufficient to cater to the educational requirements of our students?
Conventional schooling
We are familiar with the way schools are run. Very often throughout the year, a weekly time table is adhered to, regular classes are conducted based on well-organised syllabi and periodic examinations are held. This routine has helped create a disciplined mode of study that imparts uniformity and helped students reap many benefits. But situations like the pandemic which we are witnessing today cause heavy disruptions to this system and jeopardise the learning process of students. Exams may have to be postponed, academic years extended and the required syllabus might not get completed.
So, what can online education do?
Online education can help to combat any learning disruptions which may take place. Video lectures and real-time lessons can be conducted online. This would ensure that the syllabus is completed efficiently and that no time is lost. Whatever happens, the chances of online education shutting down is negligible. There is no need for students to assemble physically. They can sit in the comfort of their homes and learn without the threat of being affected by the pandemic. The lectures and sessions can be re-watched as well. Using online education gives a better scope for visualisation. Animated videos and other videographic content can be used on an effective real-time basis to give students better clarity regarding different topics. There is an element of flexibility that students get from this mode of education.
But are there certain things to keep in mind?
The background conditions
There are certain essential requirements which need to be met in order to make sure that online education is adequate to combat the disruptions in school-based learning.
The first condition is the existence of proper digital infrastructure. This means that students should have easy access to good quality internet services. In many parts of the world, this is not available. But in nations such as ours, access to high-speed internet is not a problem.
The next important thing is the presence of quality online tuition providers. Quality online tuition centres can ensure that electronic study material and educational videos reach students even when normal learning is halted. In some schools, students have already started to participate in online lessons – whether through watching videos, or completing their homework. In this scenario, physical tuition centres have evolved and started to provide online services so as to give students that extra boost academically.
Persisting issues
So subject to all these conditions, would online education be enough to cater to the requirements of all students? It might not. Some students might require a bit more attention to ensure that they do not fall behind. The classroom remains the best place to get this attention. In such scenarios, the utility of online education might be limited. However, this should not be seen as a major flaw in online education. Rather, it must be viewed as an opportunity to improve or enhance the scope of the medium.
“Be willing to change because life won’t stay the same.”
Covid-19 has led to a major disruption in the world. Four months back, would any of us have imagined that we would witness the scenes that we are witnessing today? The world is a global village. Hence it is never easy to confine problems within borders. The pandemic has forced us to rethink globalisation and the interconnectedness of the world. It shows us that our systems are not infallible and that there is always scope for improvement. The same is true with online education. It has enormous potential and scope for further betterment. Online education is the future and if its advancement continues at the current pace, it could be the new normal mode of education!
We urge all of you to stay safe and take the necessary precautions to protect you and your loved ones. Let us all hope that things get better in the coming weeks! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
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Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
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Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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