Online Education: Crisis or Opportunity?

The Covid-19 pandemic has radically changed the face of education. Online learning is by far the most compelling alternative which ensures physical distancing and safe learning in a home-based environment.

- GEORGE PLATHOTTAM, SDB

Education is going through a paradigm shift: a shift from formal education rooted in face-to-face classroom learning to one based on digital technology. In an attempt to adopt online teaching and to acquire the necessary skills to deal with the virtual classroom, the management, teachers, parents and students have to grapple with many new challenges.

There are many debates across the world on the implications: merits and disadvantages of the new mode of education. As of now we have no clue as to when the schools and colleges will re-open and students would be able to return to classrooms. Whether we like it or not, at the moment there are no other alternatives than e-learning.

The benefits

There are obvious benefits to e-learning: reduced costs, great flexibility for the students, and the ability to train thousands of people all over the globe at the same time. Many students admit that learning is fun and is without the inertia and passivity of classroom courses. Students vouch that some classes are leisurely, interesting and interactive. They also admit that they are in a totally new environment where they miss the teachers, classmates and their space in the school.