Virtual Learning during COVID-19: A Difficult Journey in India
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has changed conventional ways of face to face teaching with online classes. Across the world the education is being imparted through virtual classrooms, however; still, a decent substitution of traditional training is yet to be found. The distance learning has been followed in the Indian education system for a long time, however, with constrained use and sources. During the time of pandemic, e-learning has become popular when many schools and universities are closed across the country. Virtual learning although can be easily accessible, but it cannot be accessed by a large section of Indian society comprising of rural poor and the marginalised. An online class usually lasting 40-45 minutes offers minimum teacher-student interaction. Lectures are mostly teachers’ oriented, a kind of monologue, with neither extra-curricular activities nor any association with general themes. A learning relationship, commitment and sharing of knowledge between guru-shishya can hardly survive in virtual classrooms. A conversation between a teacher and a student is an integral part of learning and virtual teaching lacks important values such as care and empathy. Moreover, with all the libraries closed, limited access to books and travel restrictions has put a brake on academic and fieldwork research. In this context, the present paper highlights the challenges and difficulties faced by students, teachers and parents while accessing and delivering the education. It also examines what are the benefits and drawback of the virtual classrooms. At the end this paper attempts to show measures and procedures that shall be used for strengthening online education.
Keywords: impact of online teaching, challenges in education, education at risk, school teaching
Introduction
The outbreak of COVID-19 is believed to have originally started in 2019 in Wuhan, a city in China’s Hubei province. It spread to many countries across the globe like India in the span of a few months. The primary reported case of COVID-19 reached Kerala on 30th January 2020. India observed a one day voluntary ‘Janata Curfew’ to fight coronavirus on 22nd March 2020. Further from 25th March, the first phase of nationwide lockdown began for 21 days and extended until the fourth phase, which concluded on 31st May 2020 and was partially lifted afterwards. All primary schools in several Indian states were directed to remain closed from 06th March 2020 and further orders by the Delhi Government on 12th march 2020 required that schools, colleges, institutes and universities be closed to contain the spread of the virus. As per a report of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), more than 850 million students were stranded at home by the closure of institutions. (UNESCO, 19th March 2020). In a very short time from mid-march, many educational institutes made a transition from face to face to e-learning, which does not always mean effective learning. Many schools and colleges in rural areas did not have access to digital infrastructure so were left with very limited choices so both students are teachers faced unique challenges.
This paper tries to critically analyse impact of virtual learning during COVID-19 on students, teachers and parents. The lockdown was an unexpected shift for all educational institutes, teachers, students and parents. In such an abrupt transition India witnessed a boom of e-learning apps. All classes have been shifted to relatively lesser-known online apps such as Zoom, Microsoft team, Google meet and so forth. According to a study, during the period of the pandemic, Zoom has become India’s top three most downloaded applications. (The Print, 09th April 2020). There has been such an exponential increase in the number of webinars that social media termed it ‘webinar fatigue, death by webinar and webinar coma’. (The Economic Times, 21st June 2020). The exposure to screen light, wearing headphones and sitting for long hours have become physical and mental fatigue for many.
It is true that students will continue with their courses through online classes throughout the time of the pandemic. It can be an opportunity for them to learn new skills, save travelling time and access education from any place at any time. However, virtual learning will widen the division and imbalance between rich and poor and rural and urban. In many villages, remote and hilly places, there is neither internet connectivity nor do all students have access to devices. The digital divide has become very evident. According to an article published on May 25, 2020 in the Hindustan Times, many students in hilly districts had to walk for a few kilometres to get the proper signal to attend online classes or submit assignments. In addition to this, many Indian families live in one bedroom with no separate space for learning so for them virtual learning is an unprecedented challenge and results in an imbalance in the outcome. As per a report of 2019 of the Internet and Mobile Association of India by Nielsen India, most people in India access the internet through mobile phones. Mobile can be used for virtual meetings and classes but is not practical for doing research or reading e-books. In urban areas as per the report of 2019 by Statista, 72 per cent of internet users in a rural area is male while 28 per cent are female users. So the accessibility of the internet depends on various factors such as gender and socio-economic factors. (Statista, 07 July 2020)
Government of India’s initiatives
The Government has taken some effective measures to help students in a difficult time. There are several initiatives that MHRD has taken to minimize the effect of the pandemic on students and to keep them connected with education. The Ministry had already launched Swayam and Swayam Prabha, two very important digital educational initiatives in 2017 under digital India. Swayam offers an option for Universities to accept a transfer of credits of students for courses done on its platform. All video lectures, reading material, self-assessment tests are available free of cost under this initiative. Moreover, other options for students can be National Digital Library, e-pg pathshala, Vidwan, Shodhganga, and CEC-UGC YouTube channel. Recently MHRD in collaboration with the National Council for Teacher Education has come up with an app for digitally learning, called Diksha for teachers and learners. As per a report by Statista, 118 thousand Gram Panchayats have been equipped with internet access. (Statista, 07th July, 2020). MHRD has set up a virtual lab under the aegis of National Mission on Education through information and communication technology. Many experiments, especially for science students, can be done here remotely via the internet. Many states such as Kerala started using channels on cable networks and direct to home for education. Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and many other states are using channels of Doordarshan to reach rural students.
The changing role of a teacher
The closure of educational institutes has posed many challenges for teachers. After the lockdown, teachers found themselves with few options other than moving to online teaching. There were a good number of them with no experience of using online applications. A person, who has always driven a car in plains, is now being asked to drive into hilly areas. The teachers were neither ready for such a sudden shift nor had any time to prepare themselves professionally. Teachers were asked to prepare digital teaching aids such as audio and video lessons in the space of a few weeks. Moreover, to assess students in a fair manner is another challenging area. In online evaluation, use of unfair means cannot be monitored. There has to be a comprehensive policy in finding an appropriate assessment tool of e-learning as the merit system fails. Examinations and grades have lost their reliability in digital education. Moreover, evaluating answer sheets on the screen is not an easy task for teachers, as it requires much more time and IT skills than a paper pen exam. It is impractical to shift all face to face teaching to fully online methods. It can be a way to engage students so that students feel connected, motivated and encouraged. However, few subjects such as language learning, where gestures, group discussion are considered important in learning, cannot be taught through online methods efficiently. In addition to this, many private schools have slashed the salaries of teachers and in Karnataka alone, over 40,000 private school teachers have lost their job. (Deccan Chronicle, 8th July 2020). For non-teaching staff, many private schools are reluctant to give a full salary to them. Private schools give reasons that they are not getting tuition fees from all the parents due to the financial crisis. Private schools find it difficult to give salaries to teachers, pay rents and arrange access to online classes. (The Times of India, July 25, 2020).
Being a student during the ongoing pandemic
The sound of a school bell is now being digitalized in online apps. Notebooks are replaced by chat box, digital books have taken place of a heavy school bag and whiteboards are smart screens today. E-education is not easy for students too. Some experts believe it leads to social alienation and may be awful for kids’ mental health. Not being able to run and play in a park is a punishment for children. Everything from school classes, tuition, dance, yoga, and meeting with friends is held online which has increased student’s dependence on the internet. Screen time has increased by 100 per cent for students aged between 5 to 15 years. (The Economic Times, 15th June 2020). More screen time caries a high risk of impacting the vision of children. Moreover, in online teaching, the safety and privacy of students is a major concern as they might get exposed to inappropriate online content. Many children have difficulties only sitting for long hours and listening to lectures. They have difficulty focusing on studies while in front of the screen as they get distracted during the classes by social media and online games. Students learn discipline in the school, getting up early in the morning, getting ready and reaching the school on time, but whereas at home their complete routine gets disturbed, they become lazy, fitness level drops, and they tend to eat during online classes. In addition to this, many students with disabilities struggle to follow the online classes as suitable study material, or sign language interpreters for deaf students are rarely available.
The distress of parents
Slashed salaries or loss of a job, fear of getting infected by coronavirus has created stress and anxiety among many parents. 85% of Indian parents are anxious about their children’s future. (National Herald, 13th June 2020). Parents are worried about the health and safety of their children. The different economic and social background of parents creates a difference in e-education of their children. Many times parents are unable to use technology and find it difficult to support the learning of their children in online mode. In many homes, there are no spare mobiles or sufficient devices for all children to attend online classes. During this time, there is an increase in the levels of physical violence at home against women and children as well. Many parents find it challenging and demanding to keep children locked inside the home, they have to miss their office work just to assist their kids. The screen time for parents too has increased a lot as they assist their children in joining online classes.
Key questions
Indian Educational institutes have to yet declare a date for resuming the physical classes. Important competitive examination such as JEE, NEET have been postponed until further notice as it is difficult to conduct the examinations. Million of students register for these exams in India who are under pressure to fight with corona and with exam stress. Many parents are worried because of salary cuts and are not able to continue to pay tuition fees of schools. Parents have signed many online petitions on social media and in Supreme Court for a waiver of school fee.
Recommendations
This paper offers various recommendations for centre and state governments and educational institutes for implementations of programme and policies for virtual teaching. Classes are usually held between 09:00 am to 12:00 pm, if there are no or limited power cuts during that time so that online learning is not interrupted. The Ministry of Communications shall strengthen internet infrastructure in rural areas. In remote areas, post offices, govt. buildings, religious places, or railway stations can be equipped with Wi-Fi so that students of that area can get access to the internet through their mobile phones by walking close to Wi-Fi hotspots and at the same maintaining social distance. Even schools in developed countries in Europe such as Italy, Spain have been continuing with the dissemination of education online, however with inevitable difficulties of internet connections. India has a large network of post offices so by taking advantage of that, there can be a strategy to rely on distance learning and books and study material can be sent to students for self-study via courier. Radio or television broadcast can be a solution for areas with connectivity issues. In case of a decline in COVID-19 positive cases, when schools will be reopened, staggering timings, moving classes to open space, observing absentee students and teachers are few strategies that can be adopted, but important is for students to learn hygiene measures including frequent hand washing, using sanitizer and maintaining a physical distance. In the end, the government should dialogue with all stakeholders such as parents, teachers & schools to come up with a relief package for parents who are unable to pay tuition fees so that children can continue their education without interruption and dropouts can be minimized. In schools and Anganwadis, the government shall find an alternative way to deliver the food to students for its Midday meal scheme or rather cash transfer directly to parents’ account as a compensation.
At the level of policymakers, as teachers, as people who have to resolve the problem, have to be innovative and need to adopt an approach which can help poor families in continuing education. Teachers also need to lower their expectations from students in these difficult times and objectives of many courses along with teaching hours shall be recalculated and formulated as per the situation. It cannot be the same schedule like that of a regular school, syllabus of all courses shall be reviewed and reduced. Teachers shall change their strategies and shall make lessons plan in such a way that the maximum benefit can be given to students during their online classes. A network of digital volunteers, retired teachers or para-teachers can help the government to continue its education programmes in villages and remote areas.
Conclusion
There seems to be no easy alternative to in-person teaching. Students, teachers and parents are struggling to adopt online methods but coronavirus disease has not left many options for the education sector. However, a little management by parents, teachers and students could have eased the difficulties in learning. In India, many appreciated the efforts of the government for coming up with so many initiatives for online learning; however, an improvement of basic facilities such as internet connection and electricity could have helped in disseminating the knowledge.
References:
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Rohit Bajaj, Assistant Professor (Sr. Scale), Centre for European and Latin American Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-110025 rbajaj@jmi.ac.in