It has been several months since the severe outbreak of COVID-19. It has had significant impact on industries around the globe. Since then, we have all witnessed how this has also impacted our businesses, communities, families and our way of life.
The social distancing measures to curb the COVID-19 infections lead to almost global shutdown of schools and more than 1 billion children in 186 countries are now out of the classroom.
This forced the education systems worldwide to find alternative to face-to-face instruction-based learning system. While online education, or e-Learning, goes as far back as 1980s and has mostly been considered as a 'good-to-have' alternative, there has never been such global adaptation as it is now. Leveraging cutting edge technology has enabled education institutions worldwide to set up an effective online learning system
Online Learning comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. Understanding them will help not only the institutes but also parents and students deliver the lessons more efficiently, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey.
Let us look at some of the advantages, benefits and challenges of e-Learning vis-a-vis the traditional classroom set up.
Accessibility
Online Learning places no barrier to time and place it can be taken from. It allows students to attend classes from any location and there are fewer chances of students missing out on lessons. Further, the lessons can be recorded, reviewed and referenced when required allowing students to access the learning material at a time per their convenience.
In comparison, the classroom environment is structured in set up, requiring students to go a certain location and follow the same curriculum and a set schedule.
Adaptable
Every student has a different learning style; some prefer learning through videos, while others prefer audio, some prefer classroom environment, while others may be solo learners distracted by large groups.
Online education, with its many options and resources, can be personalized to create a perfect learning environment suitable to the needs to each student.
In a classroom environment, the individual attention can be given as per the need. The body language and the facial expressions help a teacher to understand their students.
Affordable
While direct Online Learning costs may not necessarily be lower than in a classroom set up, Online Learning could be considered more affordable saving both money and time. At a minimum, the housing and commuting and meal expenses are eliminated leading to reduced overall financial costs.
Flexible
Flexibility of letting students setting their own learning pace, and setting a schedule that fits is perhaps the greatest benefit of online education. Combined with ability to reference course material as per one's convenience ensures flexibility in terms of time and effort.
In a traditional set up the progress of students is uniform, since all follow the same curriculum. Though the individual flexibility is greatly reduced, it is mitigated by students having live access to their peers and their teachers promoting greater understanding of concepts.
Effective
While the effectiveness of e-Learning varies amongst age groups, there is evidence that learning online can be more effective. Replicating a physical class through video meeting and group chat tools promotes inclusion and personalization.
Using a variety of collaborative tools and engagement methods, including attractive images, videos, animated descriptions, research has shown that online learning helps students retain 25-40% more than in a classroom environment and taking notes with pen and paper.
The classroom environment is equally effective as it follows the legacy of well-established systems, mature techniques and methods of imparting education, resources and ecosystem developed over the years. Access to rich printed course and reference materials only serves to augment the effectiveness of classroom-based learning.
Efficient
Online Learning platform uses a wide variety of tools to deliver lessons to students extending beyond traditional textbooks. Using videos, chat groups, PDFs, animation, podcasts, document sharing has enabled teachers to reach out to their students more efficiently.
The efficiency of classic set up is no less than that of Online Learning after adoption of online resources into classroom environment creating a blended learning experience for their students.
Face-to-face Interaction
While Online Learning does not provide for a face-to-face interaction, the social element of creating connections and collaboration between students and teachers can certainly be extended online by keeping online learning interactive, dynamic, and interesting.
While Online Learning does not provide for a face-to-face interaction, the social element of creating connections and collaboration between students and teachers can certainly be extended online by keeping online learning interactive, dynamic, and interesting.
Environment
Parent control the environment, from building a physical space to providing the necessary infrastructure for learning. Parents should provide their children an environment suitable for online learning which is free from distractions, so they remain focused during online classes and maintain sufficient motivation.
In a traditional set up, this environment is controlled by teachers. This structured classroom set up minimizes distractions to facilitate learning of new skills and concepts.
Parental Support
The students' constitutions are influenced by the support they receive from their parents. The education journey of a student which lasts at least one-third of their lives, requires consistent parental support including emotional support.
This is especially true in the current COVID environment where our social interactions, outdoor activities and access to recreational facilities, like parks, has been limited due to lockdowns. Students' understanding, and success is influenced by the support they receive from their parents.
Different forms of support from parents and family, their involvement and commitment, is required for the development of positive attitudes towards learning irrespective of the mode of education.
Managing Screen Time
It can be bad to have too much screen time, the same rationale can be applied to online learning having students spend so many hours staring at a screen.
It can be bad to have too much screen time, the same rationale can be applied to online learning having students spend so many hours staring at a screen.
The traditional set-up of classroom-based environment naturally minimizes this problem as teachers use lectures, blackboards, and flipcharts to impart lessons.
Final Word
In the end, Online Learning is no longer a 'good-to-have' alternative but a necessity. The current generation of students is technology savvy and is able to make the most of available online tools to maximize the benefits of e-Learning.
Online teaching is continuously evolving and will require support from us all - education institutions, teachers, parents and children - to maximise the benefits of online education and make most of online learning opportunities.
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