E-learning: A Boon Or A Bane?

 

E-learning, which literally means, ‘electronic’ learning has received a sudden market-boost since the coronavirus outbreak. Digitalisation has been ongoing for quite some time, but the pandemic seems to have heralded it. The digital coaching institutes which were earlier restricted to a few brand names, have now grown into a vast network. Many regular educational institutions have switched to e-learning temporarily. But  is online learning reliable as a permanent source of knowledge? Are we ready to modernise our system, or is E-learning not a substitute for traditional classrooms?  Let’s find out. Schools offer twin development commitment: Academic and Characteristic. While e-learning modifies the pedagogy and makes learning more visual and digitally enabled, the students somehow miss out on social interactions and collaborative activities. It doesn’t seem to be very convincing on the haracteristic development front of a student. Yet, it has an edge over traditional classrooms. How? Let’s break this down into boons and banes of  Online Learning. 

Boons 

 Anything you need to learn is a search away- 

The beauty of Digital Learning is that anyone can learn anything, at any place. There are no boundaries or restrictions. Every curiosity of yours has an answer. 

Less resource input and economically feasible -

For online learning, a physical set up of a classroom is not required. This makes the platform open for any teacher or even an ordinary person who wishes to teach. With less input cost, the cost of education ultimately lowers. 

Certificate and skill courses for better-

Employment opportunities- Digitally you can pursue any course of your interest at any time, regardless of your age. When qualifications become a barrier in your professional life, you can always have a chance to enhance them digitally, even when it’s not possible physically. 

Flexible study timings-

Flexible timings make e-learning accessible for everyone according to their routine, which ensures seamless learning. 

Real-time interactive classes-

Live classes assure a healthy interaction between the tutor and the learner. Any query or confusion could be put up by the student without any embarrassment or fear. 

Reduced school crimes-

Crimes we often hear about like sexual harassment, physical harassment, bullying, body shaming by seniors, teachers or classmates would be reduced to their minimal. With no physical interaction, it would be almost impossible for these crimes to emerge if the student has the right cyber knowledge. 

Banes

Social ineffectiveness - 

When classrooms enter a room and are confined to a mobile screen, the student doesn’t get to interact with anyone physically. Gradually when they move out, they’d realise how the world is more nerve racking than their bedrooms. Social infectiveness would be a major impediment in not only their professional life but also in regular living. 

Unskilled scholars- 

As weird as it sounds, if we enforce a digital system permanently, we’d soon be producing dumb-scholars, with no team working skills, extra curricular abilities, patience and communication skills. That would be like hatching a scholar chick out of his/her house who is in fact a grown up chicken and needs to live like one.

Unpunctuality and lethargy- 

With everything served in their rooms and no one to keep a surveillance on, the learners would be rather lethargic and slothful. Their work would be left incomplete and if they do it, it would be done at the eleventh hour. They’d lose the value of knowledge if everything is readily available.