The COVID-19 has caused schools all around the world to close. Over 1.2 billion youngsters are out of school worldwide. As a result, education has changed dramatically, with the rise of e-learning, in which teaching is done remotely and on digital platforms.
Research suggests that online learning increases information retention and takes less time, implying that the changes caused by the coronavirus may be here to stay.
While nations’ COVID-19 infection rates vary, more than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries are now affected by school cancellations due to the pandemic. Children up to the age of 11 in Denmark are returning to nurseries and schools after being closed on March 12, but pupils in South Korea answer roll calls from their instructors over the internet.
With the rapid move away from the classroom in many areas of the world, some question whether online learning adoption would continue post-pandemic and how such a shift might affect the global education industry.
Situation Before Covid -19:
Even before COVID-19, education technology was seeing rapid development and acceptance, with worldwide EdTech investments reaching US$18.66 billion in 2019 and the entire industry for online education expected to reach $350 billion by 2025. Since COVID-19, there has been a substantial increase in the utilization of language applications, virtual tutoring, video conferencing tools, and online learning software.
What Is the Educational Community’s Reaction To COVID-19?
Many online learning platforms, notably BYJU’S, a Bangalore-based educational technology and online tutoring corporation formed in 2011, are now the world’s most highly valued EdTech company, are giving free access to their services in response to strong demand.
“According to Mrinal Mohit,” the company’s Chief Operating Officer:
BYJU has witnessed a 200 percent rise in the number of new students using its Think and Learn app since launching free live lessons
Meanwhile, Tencent Classroom has been in heavy usage since mid-February, when the Chinese government ordered a quarter-billion full-time students to resume their studies via online platforms.
- Other businesses are expanding their skills to create a one-stop-shop for instructors and students.
- Offering teachers and students unlimited video conferencing time, auto-translation capabilities, real-time co-editing of project work, and smart calendar scheduling, among other features.
- Lark increased its worldwide server infrastructure and technical skills to assure stable connection in a hurry and during a catastrophe.
According to Nikita, a teacher and also a professional assignment and Essay Writing Service provider. “To enable large-scale remote work, the platform leveraged Alibaba Cloud to install more than 100,000 additional cloud servers in only two hours last month setting a new record for quick capacity expansion.”
Some school districts are creating unusual collaborations, such as the one formed by the Los Angeles Unified School District and PBS SoCal/KCET to provide local educational broadcasts with various channels geared toward different ages and a variety of digital choices.
Virtual learning is also supported by media companies such as the BBC; Bitesize Daily, which started on April 20, offers 14 weeks of curriculum-based learning for children throughout the UK, with celebrities such as Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero teaching part of the subject.
What Does This Signify for Education in The Future?
While some believe that the haphazard and hasty transition to online learning – with no training, insufficient bandwidth, and little preparation – will result in a poor user experience that will hinder long-term growth, others believe that a new hybrid model of education will emerge, with significant benefits.
“According to Wang Tao, Vice President of Tencent Cloud”
The integration of information technology in education will speed even faster, and that online education will eventually become an important part of classroom instruction”
Many universities have previously completed successful transfers.
“According to Dr. Amjad, a professor at the University of Jordan”
Many people are already praising the advantages: “It has revolutionized the manner of teaching. He has been using Lark to educate his students.
- It allows me to communicate with my students more efficiently and effectively, especially during this epidemic, through chat groups, video sessions, voting, and document sharing.
- On Lark, my pupils also find it simpler to communicate.
- Even after the coronavirus, I’m sticking with Lark because I believe conventional offline learning and e-learning can coexist.”
The Difficulties of Online Education:
There are obstacles to overcome. Some students who do not have a dependable internet connection or technology find it difficult to engage in digital learning; this divide exists across nations and within socioeconomic groups within countries.
According to Professor Adam, who is an expert in essay writing help and essay help:
“95 % of students in Switzerland, Norway, and Austria have access to a computer for schooling; just 34% of students in Indonesia have access to computer”.
- In the United States, there is a substantial divide between those from wealthy and poor homes.
- Although nearly all rich 15-year-olds stated, they had access to a computer, over 25% of those from underprivileged families did not.
- While some schools and governments, like those in New South Wales, Australia, have provided digital devices to children in need,
- Many people are still afraid that the epidemic will deepen the digital gap.
Is Internet Learning as Successful as Classroom Learning?
There is evidence that studying online can be more successful in various ways for individuals who have access to the proper technology.
According to several studies, students who study online remember 25-60% more content than those who learn in a classroom retain just 8-10%.
- Students’ ability to learn more quickly online
- E-learning takes 40-60% less time to study than traditional classroom learning since students may learn at their own pace,
- Going back and re-reading, skipping, or accelerating through ideas as needed.
- The efficacy of online learning, however, differs by age group.
- According to the common view, children, especially younger ones, require a controlled environment since they are more easily distracted.
- The effort is needed to provide this structure and go beyond replicating a physical class/lecture through video capabilities,
- Instead, using a range of collaboration tools and engagement methods that promote “inclusion, personalization, and intelligence.”
A Shift in Schooling Is Required:
This epidemic has wreaked havoc on an education system that many believe was already losing relevance. In his book 21 Lessons for the Twenty-First Century, Yuval Noah Harari explains how schools continue to emphasize traditional academic abilities and rote learning over qualities like critical thinking and flexibility, which will be more crucial for future success. Some are concerned that the hurried pace of the online shift has hampered this objective; others want to make e-learning part of their “new normal” following first-hand experience with its benefits.
COVID-19 Emphasizes the Significance of Knowledge Dissemination:
Major international crises are frequently a tipping moment for fast innovation, as seen by the emergence of e-commerce following SARS. While we don’t know if this will apply to e-learning beyond COVID-19, it is one of the few areas where funding hasn’t dried up. The significance of spreading information across borders, companies, and all aspects of society has been highlighted by this epidemic. If online learning technology has a role to play here, it is incumbent on us to fully use it.
How Has Education Been Affected?
1. Delays:
Standardized testing and school admissions are being postponed. Because of the delays and numerous missed school days, several states have decided to cancel or postpone standardized testing, while others consider extending the school year.
• Staff and professors are adjusting to the new online platforms and trying to adapt their content to a new teaching style, causing classes and semesters to be delayed.
• Learning how to utilize online tools, working out how to transfer hands-on learning materials or discussion-based classes to the new platforms,
• Modifying the entire learning plan depending on the inability to transition to an online platform is part of this process.
2. Staff and student challenges:
Students and faculty learn how to deal with distance learning and communication as school and university personnel learn how to transfer their lectures to online platforms.
Though technology has already played a significant role in most school activities, the new reliance on technology for every aspect of education has been forced upon many people, leaving them grappling with technological issues as well as the challenges of studying at home and learning how to create a productive schedule outside of the school environment.
3. Difficulties faced by low-income households:
Unfortunately, many families rely on the public school system for more than just education; they also rely on it for necessities like food and day-care.
- Many youngsters are left without appropriate meals while schools are closed, and parents are forced to take time off work to care for their young children.
- Even though many schools are moving to the internet, many kids do not have access to computers or the internet at home.
- Many pupils will be compelled to miss classes due to a lack of appropriate technology until other solutions can be found.
4. Difficulty in concentrating:
With online instructional tools, younger children and pupils with ADHD or other specific needs find it difficult to concentrate fully.
- Young children require the support of in-person education and may struggle to focus in a normal frontal class conducted on a computer.
- Switching to online platforms may be especially difficult for students with special needs who rely on in-person education.
- These issues may necessitate a more individualized approach to online learning or additional parental support as these kids negotiate a new educational paradigm.
New Possibilities:
1. Increased access to internet resources:
Despite the aforementioned obstacles, the change in education implies that additional possibilities are opening up for students. Online and distant education is being emphasized to make inexpensive programmers more relevant and accessible to the general population.
2. A new opportunity to learn:
Students transitioning from traditional classrooms to online classes may discover that a remote education suits them well, and they may want to continue their education or pursue degrees online.
- Many students will have the opportunity to test out remote education due to this change, and they may be more willing to enrol in online programmers in the future.
- Due to the benefits of distance learning and the cheap choices accessible, students who are new to remote education may choose to pursue a future degree online.
- University of the People and other online colleges provide 100 percent online degrees, allowing students to get a degree from anywhere globally and on their own time due to job or family responsibilities.
- University of the People is also tuition-free, making education accessible to students from all walks of life.
Conclusion:
To prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, education is moving online at a breakneck pace. New educational opportunities are being advertised and made available to students. Still, the switch has also highlighted the importance of public-school systems for lower-income families and the challenges that the switch poses for families, special needs students, staff, and students across the board.
It’s too early to determine how kids and instructors will deal with online learning while the system works out the kinks. Moreover, if you need any assistance with assignments, the professionals are here to help you!