E- learning

 

E- LEARNING: MERITS AND DEMERITS

Nowadays, the teaching-learning activities are completely disturbed as the lockdown due to fatal pandemic COVID-19 had made the educational institutions and all other organizations closed. The educational institutes were closed especially for the safety of students and will be continued until the situation becomes normal. The associate in the educational field had come upon with the new method of continuing regular classes. Keeping all the criteria and precautions in mind including social distancing and staying home, the government has decided to continue teaching-learning activities through online using e-gadgets.

Though this new method of education helps to run the classes efficiently, there are lots of problems roaming around which if not solved in time can create a bigger issue for teachers, parents and students later on. As a coin has two sides inseparable, same thing applies with every new topics and ideas. Therefore, we can get both merits and demerits of e-learning in this drastic situation due to global pandemic. Here are some of the merits and demerits of e-learning or online classes faced by teachers, students and parents:

MERITS OF E-LEARNING (ONLINE LEARNING) :

• E-learning enables both the teachers and students to get into teaching-learning activities from anywhere at any time.
• E-learning provides better understanding of courses using different effective and interactive tools for presentation of specific topic and group discussion or communication.
• While attending online classes, there is very less chance of being disturbed by friends. It is also beneficial for teachers as they don't have to yell at the students time and again like in the regular class.
• E-learning offers more individual attention. Through online classes students can individually get the answers  to their queries without being disturbed by anyone like in classroom.
• E-learning tends to make students cultivate the habit or skills of better time management. As students should be on time in class, it has helped them a lot to be self- disciplined as well.
• E-learning enhances the active participation/ involvement of parents in students study review. Through online classes it is convenient for parents to remain up-to-date with their children's academic performance.
• E-learning helps the teachers to deal with weak and less-attentive students as they can check out the activities of every students who are online.
•  E-learning has become more beneficial teachers as they can keep records of each and every assignments, assessments and academic performances of each students.
• E-learning has developed the better technical skills and communication in students as they have to use technology for every activities during this fatal pandemic.
• E-learning tends to improve virtual communication and collaboration among the teachers and students to replace the real (face-to-face) interaction till the situation becomes normal. 

DEMERITS OF E-LEARNING (ONLINE LEARNING) :

• The biggest problem of online learning is limitation of technology. Many students are deprived of education as they don't have reach to e-gadgets or technology.
• Students and teachers both are likely to face internet connectivity issue which can affect the teaching-learning activities. Whereas in some cases, students tell internet connectivity issue as the reason of bunking classes even when it is not true.
• The students can even chat privately in the online class without being known by the teacher. So, respective teacher must pay attention to that.
• The next big issue of online learning is procrastination. Students are free to procrastinate in the online classes easily as they are in contact with their friends online. 
• The academic performance of students may not be that much reliable which they used to have in school as cheating prevention is totally impossible during online assessments.
• E-learning tends to create different eyes related problems and other diseases as during this pandemic all people spend their most of the time using e-gadgets.
• Some mischievous students are likely to disturb the class and try to outsmart the teacher by entering class with a false name, posting inappropriate messages and scribbling in the shared screen. 
• E-learning can cause social isolation as well. Some students cannot workout properly with e-gadgets only. They require special attention from teachers and real interaction with their friends otherwise they can feel isolated.
• Online teaching is difficult for teachers as they are more likely to teach students with real interaction. In some cases, teachers too don't have enough skills and knowledge to use technology/ e-gadgets for teaching which creates a big issue.
• E-learning can decrease the creativity level of students. As students are habituated for being dependent in the technology for minor difficulties, it slowly decreases their creativity level.

The government and associates in the education field must take major steps to solve out the online issues especially for the easy access to the e-gadgets in the remote areas. If not so we are likely to witness digital divide soon in our country. Digital literacy is very essential and it is the right of every citizen to get access to the digital technology and get quality education. Moreover, it's in our hand to make this new method or effort of continuing regular classes successful. We must follow the right path and be the good digital citizen of our country. 

                                                         Thank You!!!