IMPACT OF ONLINE EDUCATION

Online learning has fundamentally altered the way we learn, yet the year and a half of taking classes at home have resulted in a number of mental and physical health problems for both students and professors. Among adults in the workforce and those pursuing higher education, online education has greatly increased in popularity. The independence and freedom that these courses provide are of great value to various groups of online students.

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc and wrought damage in ways that no one could have predicted. In some way or another, everything came to a complete stop. Our way of life was altered. The new constant was this change. Online instruction became popular with academic institutions. With no need to rush to get ready to come to the institutions and the ability to stay in the comfort of their homes, the beginning of this transformation seemed fairly alluring to the students. Individual learning preferences, the learning environment, and the degree of parental engagement can all affect how well a pupil does academically when learning online.

The transition away from the academic atmosphere has been challenging for the kids, such as Digital inequity, Lack of structure, Decreased engagement, More flexible schedules, More self-paced instruction, Fewer distractions, Improved self-regulation skills and More sleep.

Children don’t gain the same social advantages from online schooling as they do from interacting with peers or teachers. As a result of the detrimental effects of school disruptions, many parents have shifted to online schooling. Children may lack motivation, isolation, and engagement.

Online education has proven to be a welcome break for kids who may be subjected to bullying at school. Other kids might experience relief at being relieved of the need to appear well or fulfil particular social norms, and shy or anxious children might find it simpler to ask a teacher for help.

What effect online education has on children’s emotional development may be a major concern for parents. Children may experience mental distress as a result of the pandemic’s uncertainty and disruption, as well as the later switch to online learning. Additionally, 3.7 million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 receive mental health services at school, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which means that many kids could be missing out on care when they most need it. Depression, pandemic fears, and money problems are the most urgent emotional concerns.

Additionally, different learning styles among students can be accommodated by the design of online education. As educators, we’ll probably have to work harder to integrate online learning programmes into the curriculum in the most effective way possible.

Teachers and educators are advancing their knowledge in leadership, policy, education systems, and curriculum implementation through online training programmes, both independently and with the assistance of their institutions. They can work together with their peers and pick up new teaching techniques that will help them in their careers. With the use of technology and multidisciplinary approaches, these programmes can assist them in assisting their students in developing new skills and capabilities.

Learning has benefited from technology, and technology growth has benefited learning. As they navigate through this challenging time to learn more and more, they need the direction of both their parents and instructors. Online education will eventually become a fundamental part of the educational process, working hand in hand with both traditional classroom instruction and e-learning. Education will be hybridised at some point in the future. Technology has integrated itself into academia throughout Covid and will continue to do so. Both teachers and students have benefited from the development of new talents and skills that support and expand their knowledge thanks to online applications and programmes. We will need to return to traditional classroom teaching as online instruction cannot take the place of it.

References

Agarwal, S., & Kaushik, J. S. (2020). Student’s perception of online learning during COVID pandemic. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 87, 554–554.

Anh, N. V. (2017). The Impact of Online Learning Activities on Student Learning Outcome in Blended  Learning  Course, Journal  of  Information  and  Knowledge  Management (JIKM). Doi: 10.1142/S021964921750040x