LEC052032, MUHAMMAD, ONLINE CLASSES AND ITS EFFECTS

                                                           Online classes and its effects

Global tradition has changed. The outbreak of Covid-19 has disrupted the academic year, cancelled classes and examinations across the country. To ensure the studies, the government moved to force the schools to conduct online mode of classes, which in turn forced the students to attend the class via gadgets. It is important to say that learning is no longer confined to within the four walls of a classroom. It is also known that information resources are everywhere, separated from the learner by time and space. Most  high end private institutions have made the switch smoothly using online platforms such as, zoom, google classroom, and so on. While many still find it a herculean task. 

In addition, challenges made by online platforms for education are multifaceted, especially  a country like India. The Hindu reported that a field study by the Azim Premji University on the efficacy and accessibility  of e-learning has found that more than 60% of the respondents who are enrolled in government schools could not access online education. The study examined the experience of children and teachers with online education. The researchers noted that non availability of smartphones for dedicated use or sharing, as well as the difficulty in using apps for online learning, were the most important reasons why students were not able to access class. Children with disabilities in fact found it more difficult to participate in online class.

More over, the teachers are also frustrated with the online mode of teaching. They were unable to maintain emotional connect with students during online classes. They spend the lion share of the day in front of the screen, as they have to maintain more than one one class. Some video lectures made them afraid that whether students were understanding what was being taught. In some instances teachers also may be limited in their regular access to reliable or appropriate technology and internet facilities. Another most important point is that teachers without peer support for their online initiatives, it can be a lonely and isolating experience. Body language and eye contact, which are important cues for teachers, are difficult to perceive in an online class. The lack of continual feedback in the form of students' reactions during online sessions, which reduces the effectiveness of teaching. How many students pay attention to the class?, of those how many understood? Is the teaching pace alright?These questions  arise even in traditional classrooms, but they are harder to address in the online classes.

furthermore, college students value the physical classroom experience much more than online mode. Many argue that mobile phones can be a very distracting thing. For the college students, the availability of resources seems a little bit difficult, even though the colleges provide access to libraries. In addition, science and technology programs often include hands-on laboratory sessions, dissertation projects and field trips to complement theoretical studies. This aspect of learning is severely limited in online education. 

Since, India suffers from a huge socio-economic divide, while enjoys a wide geographic and cultural diversity, only a small part of the Indian population has access to online education right now. Interrupted power supply, weak or non persistent internet connectivity, and affordability to buy necessary gadgets are major concerns. In a job less condition made by pandemic, buying gadgets doesn’t make any sense. To deal with internet connectivity and device availability issues classes in many places are happening by sharing videos by teachers over Youtube  or over Whatsapp, so that students can watch them at their convenience. It will help each child in a house, if they rely on a single smartphone.

As well as ,Online education has some good parts also. Cutting edge technologies like artificial intelligence could help the students to understand the basic concepts. Students have the freedom to juggle their careers and school because they are not tied down to a fixed schedule. An online college education might give students access to specialized degree courses that may not be available in easily accessible or local institutions of learning. This mode helps to organize events of the lecture of experts from highly reputed universities. It will be helpful part time job seekers. Flexibility of time and space help the teachers to organize classes of their own ease.

Online education opens up a lot of possibilities for students and teachers alike. Yet, it may also widen the inequalities in the socio-economic fabric of India. Education is not just about subject knowledge but also about developing social skills and sportsmanship among  the students, which is built over years. Relying solely on online education may hinder the holistic development of children, and many may underperform later in their professional and personal lives.  

 

Works cited;

“Online Education in India – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!” IndiaBioscience, 23 Sept.2020, indiabioscience.org/columns/education/online-education-in-india-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly. Accessed 3 Mar. 2021.

Inside Higher Ed. “Wellness and Mental Health in 2020 Online Learning.” Inside Higher Ed, 1 Oct. 2020, www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/online-trending-now/wellness-and-mental-health-2020-online-learning.