Addressing the challenges of online education

With the seeping in of new technology, the education system integrated various technological tools to create a new digitised learning environment for the students. The aim was to open a new world of limitless learning offered by unlimited study material and multiple educational resources. Students, teachers and parents have adapted to the more recent ways of digital learning and are dynamically utilising it to benefit and enhance their skills. But with the ongoing learning process, the challenges of online education are putting a tremendous toll on the students. Parents and teachers must keep track of their student’s learning process to help them gather the best.

Evolution of online education

The advent of new technologies has surpassed the traditional method of learning and delivering lessons in schools. The world is slipping into digitisation at a fast pace and benefitting from the various advantages of technology. Earlier, technology was not a prevalent part of the Indian education system and was inculcated in smart classes. Of course, computer classes were another mode of exposing students to technology. Additionally, youtube was a dormant means of learning as students did not actively utilise it. It was prominently during the Covid-19 lockdown when the world suffered a complete fallout and had to shift to digital platforms for everything. It was then that education also underwent digitisation. Schools turned towards video conferencing solutions to conduct daily activities and classes, teachers recorded lectures and shared links, youtube began to be flooded with plenty of educational videos, and exams were operated remotely. Educational firms started investing in offering online courses and live coaching classes. It was a new learning experience for not only the students but for teachers and parents as well. Since then technology has evolved immensely since then, and students have a world of information they can access to learn.But through online learning, it has become easier to provide global exposure to girls. Although, the challenges of online education always bear an impediment to the smooth and efficient learning process.

Benefits of online learning for Students

1. Increased flexibility– While traditional classrooms require students to come to schools and attend the scheduled lectures, digital learning has inverted the learning process. Students do not need to go to schools and sit inside developed infrastructures. Online learning has eased access to education at your fingertips. Phones, laptops, tablets, and smart TVs connected to the internet can efficiently be utilised to get study material or attend online lectures, both live and recorded, at any time of the day.

2. Encourages self-discipline– Since online classes and learning are not monitored, it becomes very easy for students to engage in other activities and not focus on studying. But with time, students inculcate self-motivation and discipline towards studying things independently. By minimising procrastination, making a schedule and following it timely, studying at their own pace and evaluating their knowledge, students learn to inculcate discipline.

3. New opportunities– Traditional learning structures sufficed most students’ time daily. Investing time in some other courses for skill enhancement became challenging. Online studies help in saving a lot of time that can be invested in other side courses. Many students also applied for part-time remote jobs to earn and study side by side.

4. Saves time and money– Virtual resources, classes, and exams have led to less expenditure on textbooks and other study materials. A one-time investment in a smartphone and wifi is enough for students as they have access to plenty of educational resources and study material. Time and money spent commuting to the school also get cut down.

5. Enhances time management– Students must form their schedules based on their attention span to complete their assignments and projects, attend classes, and give time to other activities and exercises. It is not simply showing up to classes to study but focuses on students’ engagement in studies while managing time.

   

What are the challenges of online education?

1. Technical issues– The most common online challenge students face is a technical difficulty. Students residing in rural areas may suffer network difficulties and connectivity issues in learning. Website overloading and crashes are potential problems that hamper the flow of any ongoing class or lecture flow.

2. Difficulty due to distractions– Students access online learning through smartphones and laptops, with many other apps in the background. The notifications from those apps are a constant distraction while students try to focus on their classes. Lack of supervision gives students the autonomy to do whatever they want, and they quickly get driven towards other social sites rather than focusing on their studies.

3. Lack of technical equipment– It is necessary to have a smart device and a working internet connection to access online learning. Not all children can afford a phone or laptop and may find it difficult to arrange it to complete their studies daily. In such cases, technical equipment forms a barrier to online learning.

4. Dependency on technology– With the evolution of online learning, students increasingly became dependent on AI and other apps to complete their tasks and assignments. The impact of technology has led to a major dependency issue among students. They refrained from using their own research and mental ability to complete tasks. Copying work from external sources and getting others to do your assignments led to a lack of hard work and creativity and increased children’s dependency on online classes.

5. Lack of productivity – It is one of the huge drawbacks of online classes. Students sitting lazily and scrolling through their phones the entire day not only affects their eyes and mental health but also drastically impacts their physical health. They fail to look for hobbies or outdoor activities, barring their growth and productivity.

These are the few challenges of online education that students across India face when accessing digital resources for learning. Parents and teachers must help their children stay productive and manage their online studies well.

SKV is among the top 10 boarding schools in India that offers modern education equipped with smart technology to help students get much enhanced and productive learning under the supervision of experienced mentors. We provide education to girls from class VI onwards.