Online learning is the future of education

Very recently, the Government of Karnataka undertook a very  significant step by distributing 1.55 lakh  tablet PCs to students studying in government degree and engineering colleges and polytechnics across the state thus providing impetus to online education in the state, especially in higher education.  Besides, 2500 smart classrooms have been established in colleges all over the state thus facilitating online learning.  Indeed, it is a laudable step to be appreciated by   all the stakeholders in the present situation of Covid 19 pandemic.  Karnataka is the first state in the country to implement Learning Management System through the distribution of tablet pcs, said Dr.C.Aswathanarayana, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Higher Education.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to huge loss of life across the globe.  About 4 lakh people in India and about 38 lakh in the world have lost their lives due to Covid-19. In India, we have passed through two phases. But we do not know still how many waves have to be conquered with in the days to come. The Covid-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to the food system, employment, public health, industry, environment and host of others. Our day to day activities are profoundly affected. Economic disparity, poverty, helplessness, suffering, marginalisation have all been exacerbated in all communities. Educational institutions have been closed for almost two years. I call it “Apocalypse” which marks an event involving destruction on a catastrophic scale.

Earlier to February 2020, words like quarantine, masks, lockdowns and social distancing were unknown to many of us. Today they have become a part of our everyday jargon as Covid-19 pandemic continues to pound on us, impacting all aspects of our lives.

The pandemic has drastically changed the canvas of education, especially higher education. Educational institutions have been shut across the world for more than one and a half years. As a consequence, the teaching- learning process has changed dramatically with the steep rise in online learning. Thanks to technology, otherwise students would have lost an academic year. Online education is not a totally new type of education found during the pandemic. In fact, it has its roots in distance learning. The pandemic has only led to its augmented growth, perhaps unprecedented in the past.

 Students all over the world including our country have been attending online classes since the last academic year. In our country, apart from the network issues encountered in the beginning, it was more or less first time and a learning experience for both teachers and students. Of late, online classes are being conducted quite successfully all over the country and online examinations are also conducted. Several educational apps have been developed thus improving the efficiency and efficacy of online classes. With time, both teachers and students are getting accustomed to the new style of online teaching- learning process. It has become a new normal.

Efficiency and efficacy of online classes were a matter of debate in the beginning, when educational institutions started to conduct online classes. Even now, there are arguments both in favour and against. But with the continued onslaught of the pandemic, with no other alternative in sight, we have accepted online teaching- learning. It is being encouraged by educational institutions, central and state governments. Digital learning has emerged as one of the important tools for uninterrupted learning.

 In the last one-decade, online education has witnessed tremendous growth in the country due to the availability of high-speed internet connection. It is emerging as an alternative to the traditional Brick and Mortar education, particularly in the postgraduate education. According to a report prepared by KPMG and Google in regard to online education in India 2021, in the next 3 years online education is expected to grow by eight times. India is the second largest for e-learning next to US. By the end of this year 2021, the sector is expected to reach $1.96 billion with 9.5 million users. At the global level it is projected to reach about 350 billion dollars by the end of 2025. In 2016, it was only 1.6 million. More and More number of students are seeking admission to PG courses like MBA and MCA in the online mode. In the coming years, boom is expected to happen even in UG and intermediate education.

Why online education is becoming popular or likely to be the future of education. It has several advantages as enumerated in the following paragraphs.

1. Flexibility is one of the key aspects of online teaching. It allows students to attend classes from any place of their choice and at any time of the day depending on the convenience of the teacher and students. It transcends all geographical boundaries. Students can attend classes with the comfort of their homes. Besides, online lectures can be recorded, preserved and used at a later date. Students can access the study materials whenever they require. Online Learning is very convenient and perhaps, tailor made for employees. Without quitting the jobs, workers can enroll for the online courses, attend classes during weekends or any free time to improve their qualification, skills and personal profile. Additionally through online education, they also learn the art of balancing between work and education.

2. Suitability. It is a known fact that every student has a different learning style and also pace of learning.  Grasping power varies from student to student. While teaching in a large classroom to a group of 80 -100 students, it is impossible for any teacher to focus on each and every student. Some students may not comprehend the lessons properly. For the sake of such slow learners, remedial classes or special classes need to be engaged, which again may not be always possible. In online teaching, personalised teaching is possible so that the needs of each and every student can be addressed. Further, in online teaching, study material is shared with students prior to the class. This enables the students to learn at their own pace and at their convenience. Online classes can be made interactive so that learning becomes more effective. 

3. Accessibility and Selection of courses.

The biggest advantage of online education is that a wide range of options are available when it comes to selection of courses and universities or colleges. Enjoying the comforts of home, one can earn a degree from prestigious universities of the world in various disciplines.

• Affordability.

Online education is far more affordable as compared to traditional learning through physical classes. In recent days, with an increased number of private players, education is getting commercialised. Therefore, Brick and Mortar education is becoming quite expensive, unaffordable to many students and parents belonging to the middle or lower economic strata of the society. Online education offers quality education at an affordable cost. Brick and Mortar education is expensive because of the money spent for establishment, maintenance, lodging, sports, cultural, transportation etc.

• Customized Online Learning.

Generally, the number of students in an online class is limited, sometimes limited to a few students (less than 10). In such cases, students get an opportunity to engage in fruitful discussion with the teachers. Besides, variety of study materials and devices like CDs, video lectures by eminent teachers are available in the market giving opportunities for students to choose based on their learning abilities.

• Interaction with Classmates and Group chats

 Interaction with classmates is possible, exchange of Ideas can be made through group chats or video conferences.

• Beneficial for Teachers

Online learning has several useful tools like videos, CDs, PPTs and podcasts. Teachers can use all these tools for teaching, include them in their lesson plans in addition to textbooks and make their classes more effective and interesting.

•  Improvement in Attendance

 As the students can attend online classes from anywhere, from any location of their choice, chances of missing out on lessons is less thus resulting in improved attendance.

• Huge Variety of Options

Students can learn whatever they want to learn. With online education, without travelling away from home, a student can take any program or course of his/her interest. Let us say, a student is interested in a course on Digital Marketing. All that needs to be done is a search on Google for that course offered by a prestigious university from all over the world and get enrolled. Availability of a large variety of online courses is again a biggest advantage of this mode of education.

1. Beneficial from the point of view of Management

Financially, online education is beneficial from the point of view of Management because education can be imparted to a large number of students at a lesser cost with the same establishment.

Even from the point of view of the government, online education is a useful mode of education to improve the Gross Enrollment Ratio and Adult Education.

It is imperative for the Government to give boost to online education in order to reach GER of 50% by 2035 as envisaged in NEP 2020.

Demerits.

1. Online education does not provide opportunity for face to face physical interaction between the teacher and the taught. This may have a negative impact on the depth and quality of teaching- learning process.
2.  Online education is still a big challenge, teachers are not yet adequately trained to prepare digital content and convey it effectively to students in online mode.
3. Like in a traditional class, a teacher cannot perceive cues about body language and eye contact, which is important to engage and ensure attention of students.
4. In a traditional classroom education, students learn how to make friends, learn team spirit and skills necessary to work in a team.They also learn to strengthen the art of maintaining good interpersonal relationship. These are missing in online education.
5. In online education also, if the class strength is more, discussions would become difficult.
6.  Online education is not suitable for disciplines involving practical work.

 A student has to weigh the merits and demerits of online education.

Depending on the individual goal and financial support that a student enjoys, selection of online or offline education can be made.

 Because of several advantages of online education, it is bound to become very popular in future. With the advancement of technologies, availability of high-speed internet and affordability, online education will undoubtedly occupy an enviable position in the higher education sector. A huge expansion in MOOCs is likely to happen. Subjects which do not require hands on skills like practicals, can be taught using online mode. Subjects requiring hands on skills can adopt blended learning.Perhaps some of the universities may prefer to adopt blended learning or Brick and Click mode of education for some of the courses. Online mode would become an important mode of instruction in open and distance learning Universities. Probably, blended learning is going to be the new bench mark in higher education .

As per the survey conducted by St. ClaraUniversity in 2019 on “Impact of online education”, 50% of the students have shown appreciation for online education.

In conclusion, online education should be seen as a complementary to the traditional classroom mode of teaching. Even the best online course cannot replace the personal contact with a teacher, particularly in our Indian context where in, Student-Teacher relationship is regarded to be sacred.