At the launch of 2020-21 Budget, Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister had highlighted about the new educational policy which the Government is currently working on. A draft version of the policy outlines the important role online learning could play in reforming India's education system and expanding access to higher education. Who knew that it will happen within few months?
Self-quarantine and social-distancing during the times of Coronavirus pandemic have forced the educational institutions to suspend classes and shift to the online medium in order to continue the process of education. Internet has brought a revolution across different sectors right from the way we order food, book a cab or for that matter in our education. Teachers have been using technology in their classrooms to make the learning interesting for students, and at the same time, students have been using Internet predominantly to do more in-depth research on the subjects.
Online learning is a very convenient mode for students, provided they have good bandwith. However, similar to classroom education, it requires self-discipline, time management skills, determination and a strong motivation. Here are some ways you can make yourself ready to accept the new change of e-learning:
Give importance to you online class like your real one: As this is a new form of learning, there are chances that the students might not take it seriously as they have teachers to monitor them. One should make it a habit to sit for their online class with sincerity. There might be some problem in understanding a concept at one go. But don't fret. You can replay the recording later when you study the topic again. It's advisable that students should read about the topic before
Bridging the teacher gap: According to a a report issued by Ministry of Human Resource and Development pointed out that mostly schools have less number of faculty members than the required numbers because of which they don't able to focus on each students in the classrooms. This had made the students unable to to utilise their time effectively in the classrooms. But, now with evolving technology, there are new developments. The information at one click has made the education process interesting and knowledgeable. Through online learning, students not only have the access to quality education but also seasoned professional and professors. They make the learning process fun by introducing puzzle and quizzes to hold the attention of the kids.
The associated cost of online learning is low: Online learning has made the whole education process affordable. How? If you calculate the total cost of enrolling into a college/university for higher education then you will find that less than the one-time cost attached to online learning. Not just the education, the student has to take care of lodging and commuting as well. Quality education comes at a high cost, but with the advent of e-learning resources, students can access it at a much lower cost through e-learning since there is no spending on lodging and commuting as well. With the advent of e-learning resources, students can access quality education at a much lower cost.
Can't forget classroom learning too: We are thankful that the coronavirus pandemic has brought a progressive change in the education system, which is battling issues like skill-gap, unemployability, outdated syllabus, lack of hands-on practical experience, lack of quality educators, and so forth. But at the same time, classroom education has its own benefits. We can’t completely rule out the advents of classroom education. In these challenging times, the online education will surely bridge the gap in the education ecosystem and give the requisite room for improvement.
The writer is Dr RL Raina,Vice-chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur