In times of the Covid-19 pandemic, online learning has gained significant importance, as conducting offline classes has proved to be a difficulty for schools and colleges across the world. Online learning has been a part of the curriculum for some time but not much emphasis was given to it. But now it is as if it has become an undetachable part of our life. The pandemic has surely taught us to be more adaptable to tough situations. However, online learning has its own pros and cons.
Some of the pros and cons of online learning are-Pros
- ● Students and teachers can attend and conduct classes from the comfort of their homes in any part of the world.
- ● The theory part of the curriculum can easily be completed over online classes.
- ● Online classes can be preponed or postponed easily as per convenience, and conducting extra classes isn’t a problem.
- ● Online classes have also seen more students turn up for classes than physical classes as it is more convenient.
Cons
- ● Even though online classes see more students turn up for classes, the students are not as active as they were in physical classes.
- ● Students miss one on one interaction with teachers and also lack socialising skills if they are not exposed to their peers in a classroom.
- ● Students lack the impact of physical activities that are conducted with their peers as a part of their learning process.
A big advantage of online classes is that it connects students and teachers on a global scale. There can be meetings conducted by international teachers which students sitting at their homes in India can become a part of and thus interact with those teachers and have a fruitful experience. There are several international schools in Hyderabad like the Global Indian International School, which uses online learning to let their students interact with teachers of their school’s international counterparts like the ones in UAE, Singapore, etc. This helps children acquire an in-depth understanding of the global industry and helps them build an international network and mindset from an early age, thus paving doors for international opportunities at a later stage and developing skills that could potentially help them have prosperous careers.
The hours for online classes are flexible, unlike offline classes, which are usually rigid. Every student’s individual learning pattern can be recognized, lectures can be recorded and students can learn at their own pace. Teachers can also structure the classes according to the requirements of the child and these classes can be made more interesting and enjoyable with ease. Online learning provides an opportunity for teachers to implement new teaching methods, thus helping them find better ways to inculcate knowledge and thus improve and become better teachers themselves.
Parents can also easily keep track of what their child learns in these online classes as these classes happen in their presence. Parents also don’t have the trouble of ensuring that their child reaches school on time every day.
There are several CBSE schools in Hyderabad and IGCSE schools in Hyderabad that promote such online learning techniques. The analysis through online learning is easier as the teacher can provide a detailed explanation with a variety of examples instantly. Students can also take tests at their convenience and also retake these at later stages to improve or check their progress.
But, online learning needs one very important aspect to be successful: the dedication and involvement of the student. They need to take it seriously as once they lose their focus, online learning can become unproductive, and in the times of Covid-19 where online learning is the only way a student can learn, a student’s interest has become even more important. If taken seriously, online learning is truly the way forward and will be the more appropriate platform for higher level of education as there would be exposure to more students and there wouldn’t be a problem as such with limited number of university seats as everything would be virtual. Therefore, as online learning is more flexible, easily accessible to most and allows a customised learning experience, it can be a boon for the next generation if properly utilised.