Coronavirus and the "online education" has ruined the learning process instead of facilitating it
Updated: Mar 22, 2021
It is 11:00 PM right now, I was attending online classes the whole day , gave a few online quizzes which are a part of the “new” online curriculum , my eyes hurt from the excess screen time ; just had a cup of coffee to continue with the project work , assignments and a “little” self-study. Exactly during this month last year, classes were shifted online, we were asked to go back to our homes from our residential college course , at that time I believed that the internet is a blessing and the online classes would ensure proper education even in these crucial times. Slowly, the duration of the online classes increased , the quality reduced and we were forced to sit in front of our screens without any actual learning. Our second year in college meant that we would be attending language classes after a couple of trimesters of online Arabic classes and online Mandarin classes, I am totally convinced that proper learning needs face to face interaction with the teacher , conversations with peers and cannot take place in solitary confinement where your laptop is your only window to the outside world.
A year ago, I was a supporter of online education , I believed that an online course and some study material is all we needed to learn. Little did I understand the importance of discussing concepts with peers , the role of face to face interaction in making the learning process fun , how our mind actually craves social interactions and how long hours in front of a screen can almost create a resistance to learning.
It is almost the “Board exam” time of the year; however , these are not any other board exams , the situation this year was challenging, the students of class 10th and 12th relied on online learning and online tests the whole year and finally they will be called to give an offline exam , which might be a little unfair.
A year ago, it would be hard for us to imagine students studying application-based and practical subjects online without any face to face interaction or help from their peers.
The online education system has glued young students to the screen , it is almost addicting and is harmful at the same time , the productivity may or may not be at par with the traditional approach of learning/schooling. Most of us would actually need a literal “digital-detox” after we enter into the old normal.
Online education might be a facilitator but let’s not ever let it replace the traditional learning system.