Improving Online Learning
This 500 words essay was chosen as the best entry submitted for the prompt “Elucidate on a prevailing problem in NIT Trichy. What was its origin and what are its repercussions? Suggest an implementable solution to alleviate the issue.” as a part of the Jitheshraj Scholarship application 2020–2021.
Written by Harshinee Murali, NIT Trichy- class of 2024.
The anticipation of having an entire university experience condensed into a mere screen in front of us is daunting. It can be very anxious for us, having had traditional, passive listening and taking notes to get accustomed to this new normal. Since our entire exposure has been in online education, there are many problems here in this method that can be looked into and solved for
better efficiency.
It includes considering that this e-learning has also proved beneficial for more consistency, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, etc. This pandemic has allowed us to re-examine our education system. Initially, we require an open mind to change and bring out the best. Further, we can analyze some challenges we face and try to develop reasonable solutions.
To begin with, the online classes, instead of being interactive and alluring, are mundane. The entire curriculum being cramped within this reduced duration obliterates the excitement in learning new concepts and increases our anxiety by loads of assignments and deadlines. We are missing out on many facilities like the library, laboratory, gym, etc., which leaves monotonous conceptual dumping for the sake of tests and doesn’t make us industry ready.
There is a significant communication gap between the students and the teachers and among themselves. Connectivity issues are something to look into but classes being recorded is a possible alternative that’s being done. Saturday being a working day saddens the students, and the increased screen time also hampers their physical health, causing problems like strain in the
eyes, sleep deprivation, obesity, loss of cognitive abilities, etc. [1]
Coming into specific solutions, we have revised the curriculum that has given the professors the freedom to design them. After consultation with the management, the pattern can be changed into more of a learning experience than serving exam purposes. There can be viva, group projects to work on topics, seminars, etc., short assignments for every topic that doesn’t make the subject mundane and helps grasping the concepts.
The change in conventional marking and teaching patterns would bring in a massive change in the student community that would hook them into their classroom screen rather than the alt-tab of other forms of entertainment that readily distract them. Periodic breaks would be beneficial to replenish back. Students from the sophomore year can be mapped with the freshers to develop a mentor-mentee bonding and clear their doubts. Students themselves can use the weekends to have small informal meets to mask the void of physical interaction.
Along with subjects, professors can make the sessions interactive and bring in some engaging, fun sessions once in a while to bring the students back on track and motivate them to cleanse their psyche and focus affirmably instead of giving strict examination patterns. A committee could also be formed, including student representatives, to take in these one-line suggestions
without making knee-jerk decisions, conducting surveys, and implementing these soon to help secure the academic future.
CITATION :
1. https://blog.valleywisehealth.org/negative-effect-of-screen-time-adults-children/
