How online learning is shaping the future of education and overcoming challenges
Online learning is one of the most life-changing innovations of the present century. Education is the biggest asset of the modern era, and online learning has provided a medium to disseminate it among the entire population more intelligently. COVID-19 has caused a health pandemic that has had challenging ramifications socially and economically, but mostly on education is one of the significant areas disrupted. However, this disruption proved the beginning of surprising innovation because institutions, including educational ones, responded to the pandemic by shifting to online interaction. Although major issues arise from the crisis that caused the shift, users worldwide wonder whether COVID-19 could act as a catalyst for online progress in educational procedures and accelerate the use of the latest technology to the point where the future becomes the present. The coronavirus pandemic has revolutionized global education through the unprecedented introduction of new solutions, tools, and applications. The pandemic too occurred in the 21st century that has already brought about a massive change in the world of education. Days are gone when teaching was limited only within the confines of a classroom. The internet has brought about a paradigm shift in the fundamental way in which learning is done. It has taken learning beyond the hallowed walls of the universities and into the palms of everyone. But how did this radical transformation occur, how do we have to handle it, and how to cultivate challenges that arise from online education?
The concept of e-learning was developed by an efficient teacher, Isaac Pitman, in 1840 through distance learning when he taught his students shorthand before the time of the internet. Distance courses were offered to educate people who were in a different location. In 1924, the first testing machine was invented, which allowed those who were learning to test themselves. In the 1950s, BF Skinner invented a machine that permitted schools to offer programmed instructions to the students. In the 1960s, the first computer-based training program was made, and it was called PLATO or Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations. The first-ever completely online course was offered in 1984 by the University of Toronto, and the British University was the first university in the world to begin online distance learning courses in the early 1990s. In 1999-2000, online learning started to get widespread mostly due to the convenient form it had, offering people courses that they could attend without having to change the location and businesses started to incorporate e-learning, now becoming a fast-growing economy. E-learning has revolutionized education, particularly in Western countries. We need to emphasize the upgrading of e-learning and simultaneously reduce its infrastructure loopholes.
The future of technology in education is bright and sustainable. From virtual and augmented reality to artificial intelligence and machine learning, technology is constantly evolving. Virtual and augmented reality will soon become an integral part of the education experience, allowing students to immerse themselves in interactive, 3D simulations of real-life scenarios. Artificial intelligence will also play a big role, with chatbots and AI-powered tutors providing instant feedback and support to students. Technology is a critical tool for preparing students for the future. The workforce is rapidly evolving, and technology is playing a significant role. Students need to be equipped with the skills they need to succeed in the digital age. One of the biggest benefits of technology in education is personalized learning. With online resources and educational software, students can find information that is tailored to their needs, interests, and learning styles. The impact of online education on individual education environments will inculcate the concept of a global village. Explosive information and global resource sharing, driven by the Internet, have become prevalent. The performance mode of curriculum design is more and more diverse. Education modes have moved from reality to virtual. The students’ learning mode is transforming to self-supervision and self-discipline learning. The interaction between the online educator and learners is increasingly popular, from which they can find the knowledge and information that they need. With the continuous development of information technology, network teaching is an inevitable practice.
We are lagging behind despite the government’s continuous efforts to make maximum use of technology in the education sector. It is very much necessary to adopt the technology industry in education completely because the future is secured with technology, and all other industries are directly related to education. To make the country developed and self-resilient, we have to recognize the problems we are facing while implementing technology in the education sector, and afterwards, it is necessary to solve them.
What I have observed in the COVID-19 pandemic and thereof regarding problems we are facing in implementation of technology are infrastructure, technical issues, syllabus, teachers Training, etc. Although online learning doesn’t require huge buildings, big classrooms, chairs, tables, blackboards, or chalk that doesn’t mean there is no need for infrastructural requirements. We have a need for computers, adequate software, constant electricity, and high-bandwidth internet. Access to the internet and digital devices is not uniform across the country, leading to disparities in learning opportunities. Rural areas and economically disadvantaged communities often lack the necessary infrastructure for effective online. A bigger problem is with constant technical issues faced by both teachers and students on these platforms. These problems of online education often require technical support to rectify.
Critically, we have low skill proficiency in working with computers. The segment of students completely ignored in the evolution of online learning are students with special needs. Although technology has improved drastically, it is still heavily dependent on the need for an expert or a teacher to be there full-time to guide the student through the tasks. The shift to online learning and other modern teaching tools was thought to bring about modernization even in the course curriculum and structure. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case. Institutions have retained their obsolete course curriculum and structure even after shifting online. We have to recognize whether enough flexibility had been built into the education system and whether students and faculty members were capable of enough adaptability, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, and above all of dealing with the technological advances.
The cost of online education can be a financial burden such costs may include tuition fees, course materials, internet access, and technology requirements such as tech gadgets. Another complex problem is that we have to keep connotation, which is how we make sure the usage of the internet by students and morality. You may be familiar with the proverb where there is a will. There is a way, and the same is true for Edu tech. Where there is a problem, there is always a solution. The current Edu Tech system in our country has many shortcomings not limited to the listed above. The system is changing and evolving rapidly and is soon to become the norm.
The writer works in the Department of Education and can be reached at ra************@***il.com