The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of online education in Indian education system. In spite of the fact that most schools, colleges, and other academic institutions have embraced online education, teachers still face challenges in engaging students on the web. E-learning was introduced many years ago, but due to the pandemic it has grown exponentially.

During lockdown students got learning opportunities because of online education. However, the experience of online education was not that great for kids below 5th grade as it presents a variety of challenges as compared to traditional schooling systems. All educational techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages, including digital learning. Understanding these pros and cons would help educational institutions develop more and more effective paths for students in the future.

Advantages Of Online Education

Convenience and Flexibility

The most important advantage of online education is its convenience and flexibility. Students can study when they want to, without the bondage of the timings. They can also learn one topic repeatedly until they fully understand it. Previously students used to travel long distances for private coaching and if not possible they used to compromise on the local teacher. Online education has removed these barriers, now everyone can learn from the best teachers around the world no matter where they live, they just need to have an internet connection.

Reduces your time and costs

Parents can save money and time for their kids in a variety of ways by letting their kids learn online rather than in a typical classroom. The first cost reduction comes from not having to commute to the school every day. This will save both time and money, since travelling consumes a lot of time. The school will also charge less fees as they will not be paying administrative costs for maintaining the school infrastructure.

Improves retention time

With the help of interactive pictures, charts, and videos, online learning helps students to gain a thorough understanding of the subject. These interactive learning patterns enable students to retain the topic for a maximum amount of time. Long lectures in the school induces boredom in the students causing students to lose attention. To counter this issue, fun elements like quizzes and games are often used to make online study more pleasurable.

Resources

Teachers can provide lessons to students in a more resourceful manner via online learning. Teachers can use multiple online learning resources, such as videos, images, and PDFs as part of their teaching preparations. By combining standard textbooks with internet resources teachers can become more efficient online tutors.

Equal Opportunity

Students from underprivileged groups can now benefit from online education. The availability of online courses can also benefit low-income, ethnically diverse, and specially abled students.

Challenges of online education

Distraction

Every type of education system faces some kind of challenge whether it be online or offline. The main challenge for digital learning platforms is that many students are unable to focus on the screen for long hours, they get easily distracted by social media or games. To tackle this issue, teachers will have to make the class very engaging and entertaining so students don't get distracted easily.

Internet Connectivity

India is a developing country, and most of the Indian population lives in rural areas. Most rural areas in India are not blessed with good internet connections and electricity, so students living in those rural areas will not benefit from online education.

Social isolation

Students using the current E-Learning system often feel remote due to the lack of contact among the students. As a result, many students and teachers who spend a significant amount of time online may begin to show indications of social isolation in their life. The combination of social isolation and a lack of communication can lead to a variety of mental health concerns, including increased stress, anxiety, and negative thinking.

Conclusion

Online education is new and emerging day by day. There are benefits and drawbacks to online learning. However, it is obvious that the teaching attitude must shift towards engaging and interactive content in order to make online learning successful. With time, technology will improve and many concerns of the students regarding online classes will be addressed, and it is our firm belief that the advantages of attending online classes will outweigh the disadvantages.