Lockdown: A Great Period for E-Learning

Abstract

The year 2020 was a lockdown or shutdown period for the world in general. The year marked a great priority to e-Learning i.e. electronic learning, virtual learning, web-based learning or online learning. The modes of e–learning are mobiles, laptops, PC’s, Tablets via internet. Due to this pandemic, all institutions i.e. schools, colleges, universities remained close but continued to provide learning via internet to help students with the studies, providing proper education continuously. It was a unique and challenging platform for teachers to provide proper education to students without many facilities in a developing nation. Moreover, such e- learning benefits most of the drop-outs or distance learning students as well. Several courses are highlighted on the internet, for instance, SWAYAM, edX, Coursera and more. E-learning provides positive as well as negative impact, at the good end it has provided students a ‘home based free learning’ while negative impact implies health issues.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

As we all know that education is important part of life. Without education human being is nothing. Therefore, education has been provided to all the children. The Government of India has made an act related to education for all i.e. Right to education. It provides a way to reach our destiny. So, Education can be done through several modes. Mostly people used offline mode of learning but in present era offline learning is totally changed into online learning due to disastrous epidemic i.e. COVID-19.The deadly virus has changed the economy of the world.COVID-19 was firstly identified in the Wuhan city of China which was deadly spread all over the world. World health organisation has announce it pandemic in August 2020 when rate of mortality increases (6). It causes so many deaths due to which every sector i.e. economic, social, educational sectors harmed. Government of every country took strict action on people to move out from their homes. It was decided by the government that each and every work had to be done from homes only. Different measures in the form of restrictions has to be taken to control this pandemic i.e. social distancing, travel restrictions, quarantine for travellers, closure of shops & restaurants etc. Government had strictly imposed lockdown or curfew for controlling the fast spreading of this virus. Any epidemic or pandemic which spread in country as well as in world has direct impact on learning. Likewise COVID-19 is also having its footprints on the field of education. This misfortune has likewise stirred up the education area, and this dread is probably going to reverberate across the education area universally. The Corona virus pandemic flare-up constrained numerous schools and universities to stay shut incidentally. A few territories are influenced worldwide and there is a dread of losing this entire continuous semester or much more in the coming future. Different schools, colleges and university have ceased face to face learning. Therefore online learning is best step for teaching and learning.

E- Learning can be done through online mode. It is known as web based learning, online learning, and virtual learning. In present era, students are virtually connected with their teachers and they don’t feel any hesitation in putting any question to the teachers. Students can learn different things via what’s app, video conferencing, instant messaging, you tube and  by using other tools . So online learning or e-learning provide a positive attitude among students. Video conferencing become one of the important part in teaching learning process in which students from urban as well as rural area has learnt lot of things. More efforts has been done by the educators to teach their students via video conferencing. Students of rural area who have lack of knowledge regarding this digital world get opportunities to prove themselves. Online learning provide good access to rural areas students to interact with experts also. Higher education also introduces different courses through internet by different tools like SWAYAM, edX, MOOCS etc. All students from elementary class to higher classes surf browsers easily .online learning helps the student to develop their intellect in a positive way. It becomes a first priority among teachers as well as students for teaching learning process. It was studied that most of the students use smart phones and laptops in higher rates to solve mathematical questions and for social media (5). E-learning has positive as well as negative impact in the field of education. There is a prerequisite of a speedy move to internet learning mode; in this way, the items by Google can be truly valuable under such risky circumstances; they are (a) Gmail, (b) Google Forms, (c) Schedules, (d) G-Drive, (e) Google Hangouts, (f) Google Jam board and Drawings, (g) Google Classroom, and (h) Open Board Software (not a Google item, helps in recording gatherings as documents). These instruments can effectively be utilized as an option for up close and personal classes (1).

II. OBJECTIVES

A. To explain various tools used for teaching-learning process during lockdown.

B. Enlist the impact of online learning on health.

C. To know about positive as well as negative impact of use of technology.

III. METHODOLOGY

Secondary data was used for the collection of data for the present study. The data can be collected from newspapers, articles, research papers, journals, reports and other academic publications.

A. E-Learning : Not Only An Option But Its Necessity

Major part of the world is in quarantine due to this pandemic, so there is a need of online learning to continue the studies of the children without any breaks. The corona virus changes the functioning of the institutions from offline mode to online mode in order to continue the studies of the students. E-learning and teaching becomes one of the important part of the education system. It’s known as Nostrum for the crisis (2). There is a total shift of normal class to e-classroom. No one have option for continuing their studies without e-learning. Each and every country especially who are not having advance technology, they also use online teaching learning process for continue their studies. E-learning and teaching was hobby before COVID-19 but now it becomes silver bullet for the students as well as teachers(7).

B. Initiatives Taken By Government For E-Learning

Since whole of the world suffer from this pandemic which have great impact on the education sector. Education sector is suffering a lot during this pandemic. Due to this pandemic lockdown was seen in whole of the world. In the field of education, all the exams were cancelled by which students suffer a lot. In order to overcome from this problem central government as well as state government has taken some initiatives so that students  from lower to higher classes continues their studies without any harm. State govt. starts online learning by using digital platform to continue their academic cycles. UGC has also put some steps in order to continue study of the students of various universities. List of tools and software used by MHRD and UGC to continue the study of the school students, UG and PG students during this lockdown:

1. Wise app: Provide a good platform to both teacher as well as student to complete teaching learning process. Its generally a local app used by the students of Jammu and Kashmir to enhance their studies during lockdown. Link: https://www.wiseapp.live
2. SWAYAM App: used to complete courses online to get certificate by UG& PG students. Link-https://storage.googleapis.com/uniquecourses/online.html
3. Google Meet: Used by teacher as well as by students for online learning. Link: https://meet.google.com
4. Google Classroom: Digitalized way to continue teaching learning process. Link :https://classroom.google.com
5. ZOOM: Digital platform for e-learning for continue teaching learning process. Link : https://zoom.us
6. National Digital Library: Practical storehouse of learning material. Link- https://ndl.iitkgp.ac.in
7. Shodhganga: Digital platform used by research scholar to submit their thesis. Link- https://shodhganaa.inflibnet.ac.in
8. Swayam Prabha: Online platform to give valuable knowledge.Link- https://www.swayamprabha.gov.in
9. CEC-UGC Youtube Channel: it provides curriculum based lectures in unlimited numbers. Link :http://www.youtube.com/user/cecedusat
10. E-Pathshala: Provide study material for PG students to continue their studies. Multiple  books can be accessed by using this app. Link: https://epathshala.nic.in

C. Impact Of Digitalization Of Education On Health

Continuous use of digital systems increases many health problems. It not only affects elder people but also effect small children. Continuously use of technology not only effect mindset but also effect physical structure of the person. In past children played outside their homes but now people used technology for their entertainment. People used to learn everything by digital mode but in this pandemic people use through this digital system only due to which they get affected with lot of problems. Eye strains, mental health problems, headache, increased sleeping disorder, obesity can be seen with excess use of smart phones, computers, laptops, tablets etc. there is change in the behavior of the children (3,4). They are not interested to interact with family members as well as with the outside world.

D. Advantages Of E- Learning

1. Web based Learning supports more gainful utilization of time which keep people protected from pandemic circumstance like spread of Covid-19.
2. Due to online learning, no problem was faced by the students in their studies.
3. Proper social distance was maintained during lockdown by using e-learning.
4. It is a cost effective technology which is very moderate and upgrades correspondence among instructors and understudies. One instructor can educate different virtual classes at the same time which lessens going to different spots. It can oblige more students at a specific time.
5. Data can be saved for future references. For example, students can take notes anytime which can be saved in various software’s and apps.
6. Students from far flung areas get opportunities to interact with experts in the particular subject.
7. Women and physically challenged persons can also afford learning through online learning.
8. Online learning is uncontemporaneous or anytime, anywhere learning.

E. Disadvantages of E-Learning

1. Teachers who used traditional learning face many difficulties to continue with e-learning method. They face some problems in starting the apps and software’s.
2. Students from poor families were unable to avail this facility because they don’t have enough money to buy laptops, tablets, mobile phones etc.
3. Lack of internet speed in far flung areas is also a major problem to do e-learning.
4. Lot of laziness increases in the students.
5. Lack of face to face interaction between teacher and students is also a big problem.
6. Students unable to learn how to treat in the society without going to school, colleges as well as in universities.
7. Lack of interest shown by the students.
8. It is hard to teach the clinical subjects through online learning.
9. Digital illiteracy is also one of the problems with e-learning.

Conclusion

Lockdown helps the student to learn how to use digital system. It helps the learner to learn practical skills related to technology. As we know that using technology in present era is important. During lockdown lot of things a learner has learnt that how to run the software’s. Students from rural areas also get opportunities to learn and interact with the experts. E-learning not only helps the learner but teachers also go through it. Even parents also cooperate with their children to complete their home task interestingly. As per the World Economic Forum, the Covid-19 pandemic likewise has changed the way how a few groups get and grant schooling.

References

[1] Basilaia, G., Dgebuadze, M., Kantaria, M., & Chokhonelidze, G. (2020). Replacing the classic learning form at universities as an immediate response to the COVID-19 virus infection in Georgia. International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology, 8(III). [2] Dhawan, S. (2020). Online Learning: A Panacea in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis.Journal of educational technology system.49(1):5-22. [3] https://www.nwpc.com/how-does-technology-use-affect-mens-womens-health/ [4] https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2020/04/how-online-learning-can-affect-student-health [5] Mulenga EM, Marbán JM. Is COVID-19 the gateway for digital learning in mathematics education? Contemp Educ Technol. (2020)12:ep269. doi: 10.30935/cedtech/7949 [6] WHO. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. (2019). Available online at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 (accessed August 25, 2020). [7] Taparia,H. The New York Times.

Copyright

Copyright © 2022 Radhika Kumari. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.