This was written 5 years back – in a Pre-Covid world (April 16, 2017 to be precise). How much has the world changed thereafter. Do let me know the extent of change / benefits / drawbacks of online education you have noticed.
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For a large portion of Indian students, education system in India is still outdated. It emphasises classroom chalk-and-blackboard teaching. The students are supposed to listen to the teacher, read and then mug up entire text book and study material without any understanding of it.
The system encourages and rewards mugging up instead of developing analytical skills that are integral to any student’s holistic development.
Even admission to higher institutions is partly, if not completely, depends on the marks of last qualified exam. Therefore, it is very important to secure good marks by any means.
However, securing admission in a good institution is not easy. There are 100s of applicants for a seat in any good institutions, be it IITs, IIMs, NLUs, best universities and colleges.
Students vie for such institutes due to their atmosphere, history and faculty.
Majority of our teachers themselves are not sufficiently trained to teach students. Teaching as a profession isn’t the calling for the most brilliant students any more as there is not much money or recognition.
Further, all that a student learns during his schooling and college life is not much useful for job markets. We are generating millions of graduates from our institutions but not all of them are employable. Their skillset isn’t honed for job markets. There is so much unemployment in India and at the same time, it is difficult to find suitable candidates for vacancies. Our education system is needed to be revamped and must be designed according to market demand.
Conventional classroom teaching system has its own limitations. Not all students get the college, course or faculty they want. Further, many students cannot afford to stay in another city for education. For students who have to work to support their studies cannot devote the stipulated time in college at times.
That is where online education can be a good supplement. Online education is one of great changes in last couple of decades. It offers an opportunity for those who wants to learn something beyond the education confined in traditional system and institutions.
Online education allows you to choose the program or the course which you wish to pursue – which in traditional education that may involve traveling away from home, living in a completely unknown city. With online education, you can supplement your formal education with additional certifications, diplomas, courses and so on and learn practical skills through modules and video lectures.
There is lot of wastage of time in traditional education system. You have to get up, dress up, travel to college, wait for your lecture, sometimes the instructor may be absent and then you come back. In an online system, lectures, videos and materials are provided via online platforms, so you can access them from anywhere.
Online courses look good on your resume too. It shows your zeal towards continued education and eagerness to obtain more knowledge and new skills.
You can learn at your pace in online system. You can access the study materials at any time of the day that works fine for you. If you are employed or have to take care of your family, you can study at night or odd hours.
If you start looking out, many online courses and internships are even free of charge. Even if they do not come with certificates, they may be good knowledge tools for you.
You only need passion and zeal for learning and an online search can introduce you to the right course. From that point on, you can direct the course of your own education.
In our global village, if important meetings can be held through video conferencing and Skype, why shouldn’t education be imparted in the same way. As more students choose online learning platforms rather than a fixed facility institution, the opportunities available to such students continue to rise. In today’s world, no one is an alien to technology and its benefits.
While online education cannot substitute traditional education, it can be a good supplement. Slowly and steadily, the trend is picking up in India and you see more online educators coming into play.
