Redefining Education in the Covid Era
Class starts and the teacher begins to speak, virtually uninterrupted for the entire hour.
Class ends.
I think to myself, this doesn’t feel right.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many existing patterns and trends to the surface. On one hand, we have been shown many weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and on the other, dedication, resilience and increased attention to the public good.
It goes without saying the pandemic has forced a massive shift away from learning and teaching in traditional settings with physical interactions to online platforms.
It is no longer simply a question of delivering students to schools and colleges at fixed times and relying on the inherited belief that time-spent equals learning-achieved. Instead, we must find flexible forms, flexible times, shared educational commitments, and an understanding of the ways that learning is broadly diffused across contemporary societies.
But the real question is, are students choosing online education over physical classrooms?
Online classes over University?
1. Efficiency
The traditional 60-minute lecture does not work for many, including myself. Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Teachers have a number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts which could be incorporated into lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers are able to become more efficient educators.
2. Accessibility Of Time And Place
Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a time of their comfort.
3. Affordability
Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Online education is far more affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, state-of-the-art courses from top institutions are accessible and available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.
4. Choice
You can hand pick your courses from a larger selection of topics and providers. No more mandatory courses for subjects you’ve already learned or don’t require. No forced extra electives. Both of these cost time and money.
5. Improved Student Attendance
Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are fewer chances of students missing out on lessons.
Having said all this there’s no denying that this path won’t work for everyone.
For someone who already got a university degree and, perhaps more importantly, the university experience, online education offers a plethora of options to choose from.
Why do we miss our classrooms?
1. Inability To Focus On Screens
For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on the screen for long periods of time. With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.
2. Technology Issues
Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. While internet penetration has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child. This is detrimental to the education process.
3. Sense Of Isolation
Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.
4. Teacher Training
Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning. However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online classes.
To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.
5. Manage Screen Time
Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours staring at a screen. This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of online learning. Sometimes students also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen.
In digital societies it is unthinkable to exclude from school the possibilities of access to knowledge and communication that are increasingly seen as a necessary component of daily life — that we correctly speak of “digital divides” shows how important internet access and device connectivity have become. Here, our efforts should focus on open licensing and open access policies that facilitate no-cost use, reuse, repurposing and adaptation. Open educational resources must be prioritized; public education cannot be dependent on digital platforms provided by private companies.
We talk a lot, and rightly so, about the threats to human rights posed by the current pandemic. Nonetheless, it is essential to draw attention to the risks it poses to the rights of the younger generation. In particular the mental health and well-being of children and youth have been greatly endangered, and in ways that could have lasting repercussions.
It is hence the need of the hour for educational institutions to adapt and cater to the needs of the students and make them feel included in the process.
In a post-COVID-19 world there will be a great need to cure the separations that have arisen as a result of quarantines and distancing restrictions. We will need to think creatively about ways to reconnect people. Trusting young people and empowering them to think and act together is one important way to accomplish this.
The value of lifetime learning is irreplaceable and undisputable.
Learning is growing and growth is life.
So if we don’t grow and make use of our potential, I believe that we cannot live life to the fullest. Choose wisely and utilize every single opportunity.
Trust me you got this!
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