Over the past 1-year, E-learning has mushroomed at a rapid pace to counter set back in the education sector due to Covid-19. New technologies make their way to promote online education. However, our reliance upon traditional methods was so high that it took time to make this tremendous shift. Several online learning platforms ratchet up to simplify e-learning and since these platforms use machine learning algorithms, the chances of enhancing the learning patterns are quite high. This change is the catalyst for a new beginning. A student who repeatedly struggles with a concept needs proper course training and instant feedback in order to improve the learning pattern.
Affordability of Digital Education
Establishing its foothold over traditional methods, the digital revolution has been leading over 500 million youth for more than a year now. However, the demand and competition for quality learning are catapulting new goals. The constant stipulations that are introduced to redress teaching methods and methodologies are being addressed to promote skill-based learning programs. Ensuring the availability of affordable and accessible learning in rustic areas is their gateway to opportunities. Considering that the financially unstable class may get deprived of education, the government has introduced various schemes and has allotted a sufficient education budget. To promote online learning through digital initiatives the states/union territories are allowed a sum of Rs 818.17 crore and 267.86 crores for training schemes.
Equality of Opportunity to All
Unlike traditional modes of education, online education and e-learning is a sack filled with opportunities for all without caste, clan, and gender barriers. E-learning has empowered students to utilize technology advancement in all scopes. With access to tech-enabled education, students enjoy self-paced learning and teachers may create engaging and interactive lessons without external bounds.
However, it has brought existing digital inequalities to the fore while creating a class division- a class of students having a digital device, regular internet access, and continuous electricity supply on one hand, and a class of those who can’t access any of this on the other. The Unaffordability of tech-enabled education has skewed its advantages.
India cherishes great social diversity, and the Covid-19 pandemic may have different impacts on different people. Therefore, it’s better to approach uniform and standard teaching-learning methods and resources. The government could set up initiatives for the nationwide network to promote the same subsuming the necessity of internet access in rural areas.
Accessible to All
Purportedly, in an urban and rural areas, the reach of online education is debarred. Whilst the privileged ones have access to innovative learning schemes, online learning portals, teaching videos, and sites. The bridge has reached its maximum due to the pandemic. However, to ensure increased accessibility, an initiative like SWAYAM PRABHA, PM eVIDYA, National Academic Depository, National Digital Library of India, E-Shodh Sindhu, Virtual Labs, E-Yantra, E-Acharya, GIAN, IMPRINT, NIRF, etc. With over 1.5 crore students enrolled in these courses, the Indian government is trying to mitigate the effect of COVID 19 on the education sector. These online courses, unlike the classroom environment, offer a more personalized environment for reticent students who are shy to respond during F-T-F learning sessions.
Great Steps by the Indian Government
Since April 2020, the government of India has been trying to improve the intricacy of the Indian education system and has taken various initiatives. PM eVIDYA, DIKSHA, SWAYAM are enabled to provide multi-mode access to education and are unified in one. However, the problem of the availability of the internet and devices remains unaddressed. This digital divide is growing anyways and requires a sorted and innovative method.
About Author
