Online learning has opened doors for part time scholars, says Dr. Manish Kumar Srivastava, Assistant Professor, JIMS VKII
Education has undergone a paradigm shift in COVID times. Online education has altered the education landscape worldwide. With the optimal use of technologies and constant up gradation on the go, learning has evolved an experiential dimension. Convenience and experiential learning are the two latest additions to the way we teach.
During this pandemic, online education has played a vital role in providing education to all the students while sitting at their home. Communicating things became easier and the student teacher interaction is more personalized.
Boon for part time scholars
Online education has also opened doors for the learners who could not sign up for courses due to paucity of time. Work from home environment is conducive to parallel learning via online mode. This makes e-learning the most utilized method of studying nowadays. Home-caged, both students and teachers made the most out of the opportunity during pandemic.
The virus has shaken the world because of which, most governments have closed all the schools and educational institutions to follow the social distancing norms and to contain the damage. This decision affects every student whether he/she is from school or university. UNESCO supported the decision of the governments and endorsed the intent of the governments to protect the public from being infected. However, online education has also put a big question on the holistic development of the students. Many exams were cancelled due to pandemic and students were promoted to next class without any evaluation or assessment. Government introduced the concept of remote learning by announcing that teachers should take online classes so that student’s academic growth is not compromised. In the beginning, technological divide proved to be the biggest challenge. Many students don’t have access to technology at their homes. Many students reported network problems in their area and they could not attend the classes properly due to connectivity issues. Online classes benefited the students who had access to technology, but students with poor background were the worst hit lot.
Pros and Cons of E-learning
| ADVANTAGES OF E- EDUCATION | DISADVANTAGES OF E- EDUCATION |
| Students are not bound to follow their fixed schedule as they are free to select their own time and place of study. | Students who have eyesight problem and can’t focus on screen for a long time face the biggest challenge in online education. There are many students who can’t listen online for a long time so they engage on their social media handles as the class progresses. This in turn poses a bigger challenge for the teachers. |
| In traditional classrooms, students come on a daily basis by incurring the cost of transportation, while in e-classrooms there is no such cost. | Every student does not have a good or excellent internet connection for taking online classes. So, it can affect the study of those students who are facing network issues in their area. |
| E-education provides a platform to students where they can network with their friends and seniors in any part of the world; traditional classrooms on the other hand offer interaction opportunity with limited students. | Some students are habitual of group study as they can’t study on their own. E-learning is a big challenge for them as they study in isolation while taking classes in the online mode. |
| Attendance in online classes is better than the traditional classes because students prefer taking their classes at the place of their convenience. Chances of being absent become less or fewer. | Some teachers are not used to taking on technological advancements. So, it’s difficult for them to teach in online classes and operate effectively. |
| Every student has its own style of learning; some feel better interacting offline but there are many who like to interact online. | Online education lacks face to face human interaction and therefore, making friends or nurturing long term relationship is a bleak possibility. Introvert students do not get an opportunity to engage in class during online learning. |
Conclusion
Online education has advantages as well as disadvantages, but it has proven to be a blessing in these tough times. To succeed in the online environment, every student must first research well so that he/she can find the university and course best suited to his/her calling. The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, JIMS VKII offers a unique learning experience in hybrid mode. Tailor-made to the students seeking careers in journalism, television, radio and digital media, advertising, content writing, corporate communication, event management, and public relations, the skill-based curriculum offers a perfect take-off platform for a successful future.
