As 2020 has started, we all were excited about new beginnings, new learnings with our planned journal. We all were used to our daily routine life, fun, college life, office life, parties, food with friends, etc. etc. Yes! Never-ending list! We never thought about that, one day, this virus will come, and all this sudden change will happen. COVID-19 has affected our daily routine life. Our daily college, class routines, office routines, etc. Everything was suddenly stopped due to this virus.
This pandemic has affected thousands of lives. Students were one of them. Across the world, education has been drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As this virus spreads, thousands of lives are in danger. So, to control this virus, there was only one option that was social distancing. To follow these rules, all colleges, schools, offices, markets, research centers get shut down in the whole world.
Because of sudden lockdown orders from the government, we started sitting at home. We moved ourselves from normal life to lockdown life. I remember the whole university got shut down for 6 days. But, the COVID-19 spread so fastly that the number of days of lockdown increased.
What about education? What about the student’s career?
In this COVID-19 pandemic, almost 70% of the world’s students are not attending school. There was no other option than online education In Front of the government. Schools, colleges started lectures through online platforms via zoom, google meet, etc., but was it possible to adapt this new change easily?
Absolutely no! It was not easy for students and teachers as well. To turn yourself from learning on a blackboard to learning on laptops, the mobile phone was a tough task. This process starts from learning technology, used to handle it easily, and also managing students. In physical classes, Teachers can see each and every student.
So, it was easy for them to teach and understand students if they are getting or not. But, due to this online education, it is hard to understand a student’s mentality, mood.
Is there a positive or negative impact of this online education? I think there are both positive & negative impacts of this online education.
The positive impacts are like; when we look back, we can’t quite believe how much we have adapted – or how quickly. We fastly moved towards the digital era. We started taking online education. I must say now we are truly into digital!
Everyone started using digital platforms. From teenagers to adults everyone learned about how to use laptops, mobile phones & fast-moving technology.
As a part of youth, I must say that we understood the necessity of learning differently and creatively. From attending lectures in the classroom to attending lectures on zoom, google meet. From Attending seminars in seminar halls to sessions on the webinar.
From lunch in the canteen to lunch at home with family. From discussions of presentations in the library to the discussions on video calls. From reading books in the college library to read books on Z- Library. We all have changed ourselves. Everyone is trying to face difficulties confidently, creatively.
This is the positive side! But as we know coins have two sides. The same as that this online education has also impacted negatively.
The hard truth is Some things are self-evident. Not all students have equal access to the Internet. In the rural area, maximum students don’t have mobile phones, laptops, proper electricity connectivity. Some students face problems due to a lack of good financial conditions.
There is another negative aspect of this online education is less interaction between students & teachers. The teacher can not concentrate on each and every student. There is a also lack of practical learning so, the students are unable to get the full experience of knowledge. Due to this, in the future students may face problems like lack of skills, stage daring, lack of confidence, competitive skills.
Face to face learning is one of the best types of teaching. Both the teacher & learner can share a good bond during learning. So, the impact of education can be more on the students.This is more pronounced in rural areas and non-metro cities, and for lower-income groups as well.
But, everyone is trying their hardest to move towards digital education. As I said everyone is a learner. To get an education everyone is understanding new ways, new techniques, and new methodologies. We all are trying to make a clear map of new adaptations in our head to face coming challenges.“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” as said by Arthur Ashe to make yourself a better and confident person we all have to adapt to these changes and move forward.
“Time never stops for anyone.” so we have to walk with situations, uncertainty.
In this pandemic different universities, colleges, schools had organized different webinars, guest lectures for the overall growth of the students. Students learned so many things through social media platforms, webinars, live sessions to make themselves known. These online guest lectures helped students to be creative in these hard times. because, if you keep yourself engage in different activities you can feel more strong and healthy. Students also faced problems like bad physical health due to a lack of sports. So, the online yoga classes, meditation activities have also helped students to stay healthy & happy.
Various technicians, stakeholders trying their hardest to give training to teachers. Upskilling and motivating teachers, organizing counseling sessions for teachers, parents, and students are some of the important measures that are taken by the administration. It is important to make a continuous effort to provide customized teaching-learning material suitable for online classes to the students. The Central government has recently launched the PM e-VIDYA platform, with 12 new DTH channels, one for each class to reach out to all strata of society.
Here are some tools which teachers can use to create the content,
- Thinglink – Tools to create interactive images, videos and other multimedia resources.
- Buncee – This supports the creation and sharing visual representations of learning content, including media-rich lessons, reports, newsletters and presentations.
- EdPuzzle – Video lesson creation software.You can create videos by using this software easily.
- Kaltura – Video management and creation tools with integration options for various learning management systems.
- Nearpod – Software to create lessons with informative and interactive assessment activities.
- Pear Deck – Facilitates the design of engaging instructional content with various integration features.
- Trello – A visual collaboration tool used by teachers and professors for easier coursework planning, faculty collaboration, and classroom organization.
Do you have any idea about what are the major forces that impact online education?
There are many things around us that impact on students to get online learning. They are,
- Good technology, internet, and electricity.
- The teaching style of educators on online platforms.
- Informative study material.
- Pictorial data, information which can drive students towards online education.
- Different online activities can influence students to learn well.
- Proper training for teachers, academicians.
As per my research, there are some benefits of this online education in corona,
They are like,
- This saves time & money.
- Online education also helped distance learners to stay at their home & learn.
- We can sit at our favorite place & get knowledge.
- We are becoming more creative.
Some disadvantages are like,
- No connection to the internet and electricity.
- No availability of android phones/tabs
- Less support from home & school.
- Unavailability of study material
Do you know what the big lesson is?
We can gain knowledge from any platform, through any medium, and by sitting at any place with any difficult situation. The youth understood that this is the only time when we can discover so many good things. This is the time where we can find a better version of ourselves. This is the time where we can make ourselves confident and patient.
This is the time where we can give time to our hobbies. This is the time where we can spend a good time with our family. This is the time where we can prove ourselves strong. This is the time where we can learn more about technology, adaptability & how to be focused in uncertain situations.
“You can’t change the situation, but you can walk with the situation!” so, walking constantly is so important that we get habitual to this online learning platform & technology as well
The new learning curve is not only accepted by students but teachers as well. The whole education system is working hard to give their hundred percent to the students.
They are helping students to understand, learn, and accept this curve. I can surely say that the youth has taken this change in a positive way.
They are confident enough to face coming challenges. students have understood the difference between offline and online education and now it is practically applied everywhere.
Employees have also taken this new adaptation very creatively. From facing the everyday technical challenges to resolving it patiently, everyone is making themselves mentally strong which is most important!
In the end, I want to say that youth found a better version in themselves! They made themselves more creative!
Some key takings from this are like,
Situations are always in our hands.we have to learn from the situations. We can’t stop our lives because of certain things. If we really want to take education we can take it from any platform.
In COVID-19 many students are easily learning in these hard situations. But, still there are some students who are away from this education. So, there should be proper planning for these students as well! Every student has the right to learn!
So, yes! Corona has positive & negative impacts on online education.
