Online Education and COVID-19

Dr. Monali Bhattacharya

Prof. Hari Om Gupta

Mankind has come a long way from Stone Age to Web Age. Man is one of the best creations of God, who has the capability of adaptability with changes happening around. That is the key to his survival. He can easily adopt new things, adapt himself and finally be adept in it. Today, the world is faced with a new challenge of adapting itself to the pandemic situation, and to continue on to its path to future. In the field of education, online mode of learning has been the strategic survival mechanism to continue teaching & learning process. No one can deny that education plays the most important role in building the foundation of any society. Today, youth is more aware as a result of overloads of information exposure through the world of internet and is independent, ready to innovate and take risks, to make a difference in the world around. But to give him proper and righteous path, good education is must since his childhood. Education system has also evolved all these years and made technology as some part of its system till date, especially in higher education through MOOC courses, distance education and ICT in class rooms. But COVID -19 has suddenly fastened this process. Schools have not ever been equipped or trained in managing everything online except for some of the digital platforms used in some of metropolitan cities in select ways like fee payment, digital libraries and so on. With sudden need for transforming its platform, education sector has been one of the most willing sectors to adopt newer technology and become adapt in its usage. But the sudden surge in demand for multimedia equipment needed for online teaching, has resulted in its shortage as well. Moreover, in smaller cities and villages in developing countries like India, access to internet and data usage capacity is also limited.

Before we proceed with the scenario of online teaching in India, let us recollect the fact that the educational scenario in India has also not been too encouraging, especially in the context of school education. The boards across country promote inflating marks and rote learning. It suites to both management and teachers, Further there is no emphasis on skill development programs in schools and schools do not encourage experiential learning. There is little facility available for practical and lab infrastructure. Classes as competitive examination training centers do not care for practical knowledge. Many schools do not have required lab equipments. Today, education system is more concerned with the idea to prepare students for competitive examinations thereby discouraging hobbies, skill development, practical experience and extra co-curricular activities. Thus our youth possesses no skill, remains hugely un-employable and whatsoever innovative abilities the young people have had till now, is killed by our system because of rote-learning mechanism competition driven system.

A country like India having huge population requires flourishing shared economy i.e. a sizable future population must be involved in small businesses/startups. For this, one must be innovative, possess some skills, out of box thinking, ideas, and all time learning curiosity. These are some of the natural abilities present in children that need to be nurtured by education. A re-look into the existing education system might actually bring positive changes. It is not so that our government or our system is not trying or is unaware of changing our existing situation of brain drain or to inculcate an atmosphere of innovation. But it takes time for major implementations to bring in instant results. Moreover COVID-19 has somewhere brought life to a standstill. But, it has provided challenges and opportunities for shaping education system for present and future. Technology is making it possible for us to suddenly shift our gears from old habits to new approaches of teaching as well as learning.

 But the system has to look for overcoming multiple challenges at different levels, be it that of untrained teachers or lack of access to digital learning resources to all. In such a vast country as India, with still a sizable population living under poverty line, access to technological gadgets is a dream for many. Also practical experience, extracurricular activities etc. are very difficult to replicate in online learning. Moreover, many students’ access critical resources at school such as meals, clothing, books and counselor support that may not be available at home.  

But we should not forget that every crisis comes with challenges and opportunities for transformation. It is for man to grab right opportunities, and adapt himself as per changed situation to his favor. There is no doubt that the quick move to online learning has allowed little time for planning causing both potential risks and the potential opportunities to leverage. But with right approach, it is possible to make future promising and better. We can come out of this crisis stronger by collaborating and working together. Online education can open up new vistas for learning and sharing of resources. There could be wider and more of resource sharing platform for teachers and learners available through use of technology. Quality presentation, videos, concept explanations case studies, data bases etc. can be shared. Many valuable learning resources may come out based on proper navigation to help teachers and learners. Teacher can form teaching community online, share the burden and effort for advantage of each other. This is likely to go long way and may give an opportunity to all of us for bringing quality education and quality to learning processes online. This needs exploring at all levels of learning for sustainable learning globally.  Let us think that if television and mobile could reach every nook and corner of India, why not internet facility! It is only a matter of time, and every child, irrespective of his geographical limitations could get access to quality education. Government of India is emphasizing on Skills Development Programme, for youth, online education could do wonders in this with right approach. Even from a remote village, a child could learn anything of his interest. Vocational training programmes would be able to reach every hamlet of India through online mode. With new kinds of exposures to knowledge forums easily available to every child, the critical thinking faculty would also be nurtured in young brains. Education could actually become cost effective for many. Today, during Covid times, already some of the teachers in remote villages are uploading video lessons on You Tube and Government is also using Doordarshan, Radio etc to disseminate knowledge. But with online teaching becoming new mode, it would also pull children more towards education as it would create a tech savvy feeling into their minds. Using gadgets for education might become new ‘cool habit’ for our younger generation. We have to tap this potential opportunity. With few being hooked into online Smartphone education technique, especially in villages, there would be new peer pressure thing about being updated. New skills learning through online mode would also open job fronts and income generating avenues for them. This in turn, might lead to inculcating healthy competitive edge amongst children to excel, without other forms of pressure. Easy exposure to lots of information and knowledge, through online mode, wider choice could be available to students. Hence a child of Chandigarh might easily learn from a school of Chennai, if he chooses to, without the burden of relocating to a new place. Hence as our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Modiji emphasizes upon Self  Reliant India and as he has categorically said in ‘Man ki Baat’ on August 30, 2020, that India should empower its small scale industries and evolve the toy making business as part of Make in India campaign. Hence, a child or a boy/girl wishes to learn about Chennapatnam toys of South, online education could be the right platform without moving there. He/ she could learn the basics, further explore other creative forums, all through online training and come up with his new idea of innovative, robotic Channapatnam toys.

New education policy has been announced for empowering our students with skills such as original thinking, clarity of concepts, creativity, innovation, problem solving, sharing, leadership, adaptability, entrepreneurialism, communication, analyzing data and information etc. and providing flexibility in the curricula. This is to be fit in the online teaching.

In present scenario to provide quality education, the biggest challenge for institutions is to adopt an online model of teaching that meets the standard procedures, quality assurance and user friendly approach to learning.

The quality or success of online teaching may be considered to the extent of learning experienced by students/participants, the performance of students on assessments, changes in the behavior of students and teachers. For online teaching, continuous evaluation/assessment throughout the course delivery is very important or it is must. It will take upmost care of areas of improvement and solve them by redesigning and using other measures for better performance.

In general, course content, pedagogy and learning outcomes are three essential dimensions for the quality of a course. However, these three measures are more about face to face mode of teaching. For online teaching, in addition of these, feedback or input from the students and contributors/teachers, interaction between teacher(s) and students, students and students are also necessary. Since online teaching process purposely does not facilitate knowledge acquiring by itself, therefore providing a plate form for active learning through activity based interactions, debates, and creativity are bench marks. Besides, most valuable are student’s perceptions of learning and the course experience. The online education can be more of experiential learning. The assessment tools also have to be devised likewise. It would give more importance to individual’s performance based on what he has learnt rather than mapping everyone on same scale with rote learning. The assessment has to be on the spot, emphasizing on testing his inquisitiveness, eagerness, critical thinking, challenging techniques undertaken to give something unique as per individual’s strength and weaknesses. Online mode would also make us aware about how to drive across points without meeting. Communication, problem solving, adapting and handling crisis situations and finally not being just anybody, could be real life lessons learnt and assessed best through online education mode.

Technology tools (web sites, software, and hard ware) and other supporting resources are major requirement for reasonably good quality communication/interaction. This requirement is already becoming very heavy on the supplies. It will continue so with time and requirement of high resolution quality products would create new technological innovations as well. The challenges for system are to provide the access of digital learning resources to all.

Online teaching is highly demanding and challenging task for students, teachers and management. Teachers are to be trained to use technology effectively, emphasize on pedagogy, and prepare contents such that students are engaged to learn. Plan numerous activities debate and instructions for clearing concepts and enjoy/learn applications effectively.

The engaging activities that support course learning, associated with real world applications/problems etc. are to be developed and planned. Assignments are to be designed for developing sufficient high order thinking, problem solving skills, cooperation among the students (very difficult task) in a well defined time frame. It must be noted that total replacement of face to face teaching is going to be difficult.

The ultimate aim of importing learning is to create knowledge. Therefore outcome of the online teaching is evaluated through analysis of assignments, course artifacts and participation is various activities. We have to realize and accept that online mode of education is going to stay and become new norm of teaching. As discussed above, it could be best platform for educating our children from rural set-up. Two decades back, who could have thought that money could be transferred to a village person from metro city, without meeting face to face, but digital transaction has made it possible today. It is same with online education. Covid-19 situation has seeded it, now we have to take it to the next level. With the right SOPs and willingness of all stakeholders, online education could open newer vistas of dissemination of knowledge in India with the advent of next decade.

 



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