Write an essay on my online school
Answers
The Good
Online education allows for learning something beyond the norm. A learner has access to unlimited topics and global experts in niche subjects – something otherwise not affordable or imaginable for many. Online programs allow people of a wide age group to learn at their own pace, without inhibitions, and without compromising on their other responsibilities.
With the emergence and spread of COVID-19 in India, online education has trickled down to the most basic level — schools and colleges! When asked about their experience with online teaching, a student from a college in Bengaluru said, “The online option is a need in this pandemic situation. It has brought education to us without us going anywhere, and it is more flexible”. Probably, students are finding it a welcome change from strict schedules and long-distance commutes to attend classes. For some others, who find learning in large classes intimidating, this may be a less stressful option. Many teachers are making the best of this situation by exploring new methods of teaching and assessment.
This is encouraging. But the moment online education moves from an optional to the only form of learning, and that too long term, the bad and the ugly slowly become evident. India is beginning to get a taste of this now.
The Bad
Using the internet for entertainment is common, but for online lessons is a big challenge. Teachers may not be well-versed with creating digital content, and conveying it effectively online. A sudden expectation from them to upgrade, and from students to adapt, is unfair.
Body language and eye contact, which are important cues for the teacher, are difficult to perceive in an online class. “I do not receive continual feedback in the form of students’ reactions during online sessions, which reduces the effectiveness of teaching”, says a college teacher in suburban Mumbai. How many students have paid attention in a class? Of those, how many understood the lesson? Is the teaching pace alright? Are some students getting left behind? These questions arise even in traditional classrooms, but they are harder to address in online classes. A parent of an 8‑year-old attending a private school in Gurgaon says, “There shouldn’t be online classes for such young kids. Their concentration span is small and they do not pay attention after a while.” The 8‑year-old added, “I hate them (online classes)!”
Even college students seem to value the in-class physical learning experience much more than a virtual one. Many acknowledge that phones can be very distracting. In addition, science and technology programs often include hands-on laboratory sessions, dissertation projects and field trips to complement theoretical studies. This aspect of learning is severely limited in online education.
Finally, education is not just about subject knowledge but also about developing social skills and sportsmanship among the students, which is built over years. Relying solely on online education may hinder the holistic development of children, and many may underperform later in their professional and personal life.
Answer:
This year, I am independently doing my class activities. I feel liberal as the teachers are not supervising us constantly. In the classroom, some of our teachers strictly instruct us to perform certain activities. Although they are inculcating discipline in us, we do not feel independent. Every year, we should sit down on the bench for six hours a day. But this year, I comfortably sit on the study-bench and do my activities. If I feel bored, I can get up and loiter around my room. The teachers do not instruct me to sit down in my place. I can complete my class assignments at my own pace. This year, although I do not constantly interact with the teachers, I am learning my own ways to study. If I do not understand any concept, I open the textbook and read the chapter. Then, I gradually learn the concept of any subject.
Every year my school reopens on the 1st of June. But this year, due to the spread of coronavirus, my school remains closed. But yet, the teachers are conducting online classes for us. Every morning, they instruct us to complete certain activities within the specified period on the messenger app. They also conduct videoconferencing sessions twice a week. I have uploaded the video software on my system and I can attend the online class.
New experience with online teaching
This year, I am independently doing my class activities. I feel liberal as the teachers are not supervising us constantly. In the classroom, some of our teachers strictly instruct us to perform certain activities. Although they are inculcating discipline in us, we do not feel independent. Every year, we should sit down on the bench for six hours a day. But this year, I comfortably sit on the study-bench and do my activities. If I feel bored, I can get up and loiter around my room. The teachers do not instruct me to sit down in my place. I can complete my class assignments at my own pace. This year, although I do not constantly interact with the teachers, I am learning my own ways to study. If I do not understand any concept, I open the textbook and read the chapter. Then, I gradually learn the concept of any subject.