What is Online Education?
Online education can also be known as the e-learning platform or distance learning system. In this type of education, students receive education remotely with the help of the Internet. Teachers use several different digital platforms and tools to deliver teaching instructions to their pupils. Online education platforms ease the communication process between instructors and students and also examine the test results. Now, let’s have a look at the different forms of the online education systems:
Synchronous Learning
In this online education method, students and teachers interact with each other in real time using live chats, video conferencing, and webinars. The participants must be present in the video lectures or discussions at the same time.
Asynchronous Learning
This online education mode doesn’t require students and teachers to be present at the same time. Students can refer to pre-recorded lectures on their own time and later discuss their doubts with the instructors using forums, messaging platforms, or emails.
Hybrid Learning
This is a teaching mode where students learn through both online and offline modes. It is closely related to blended learning (but they are different) and many times they are used synonymously. Lecturers provide traditional offline classes where students can ask their subject-related doubts and they also get the flexibility to complete and submit their assignments online.
In the last few years, online education mode has attained enormous popularity due to its easy accessibility. It also offers learning flexibility to those students who come from remote areas and need help to attain regular college.
Moreover, students also get many course options that match their diverse learning requirements.
What Are The 10 Main Reasons That Make Online Learning The Future of Education?
Online education or e-learning provides several advantages to people of all age groups and backgrounds, thus, making it an extremely popular mode of learning. So, let’s have a look at its advantages:
Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages that online education provides is that there is flexibility in accessing learning materials and attending classes from anywhere in the world by just using an internet connection. This is helpful for people who cannot be physically present in a class like working professionals, parents, or anyone with busy work schedules, and people who are living in remote locations.
Convenience
Online education helps to save time and transportation costs for students. They can devote that time to learning other important lessons and fulfilling their prior commitments. Students can schedule their study time and learn at their own pace.
Accessibility
There are times when students who are suffering from some sort of disability are not in a position to commute and attend traditional offline classes. Online education removes such constraints and provides equal learning opportunities to every student. It eliminates the geographical barriers as well. For example: You can learn from a reputed university in London while staying in India using the online learning mode.
Cost-effectiveness
Sometimes, while studying online, you may get several reading materials for free. Like, many free courses are available on YouTube and other learning platforms. You can learn the fundamentals of any course from online mode. It also has been observed in the past, that online education is more cost-effective than traditional offline classes. Additionally, you also get to save money on commuting, tuition fees, and accommodation.
Personalized learning
Online learning platforms focus on providing personalized learning experiences to students. This is achieved through adaptive learning technologies and course materials that are customizable.
Global Reach
Students from collaboration from different cultural backgrounds exchange their ideas with each other on a learning platform. Online learning goes beyond geographical boundaries and provides a diverse and all-inclusive learning environment for students.
Such education planning lets students focus on those subjects or topics where they need more guidance which cannot be expected in offline learning mode. In the traditional classroom learning mode, all students have to keep learning at the same pace and there is not much room for personalization.
So, here, online learning platforms provide more choices to students.
Let’s have a look at these possibilities.
Variety of programs and courses
One of the greatest advantages of online education is that it provides an extensive range of courses, specialization certifications on niche subjects, and learning resources. This may not be the case in the offline mode. So, students get a variety of programs and courses to choose from and follow their career goals more effectively.
Enhanced interaction and collaboration
There is a popular belief that learners pursuing education through online platforms often face isolation due to no interaction with classmates and teachers. However, it is just a myth, because students get to interact with peers and teachers through video conferencing, group projects, and discussion forums. The online learning platforms are so interactive and created with such details that they take care of a learner’s mental health and promote a sense of community amongst students.
Career Advancement
Online education doesn’t hamper your prior work commitments. You can easily grow in your career and develop skills as per your suitable timings. You can do several internships or jobs and even get professional certifications and optimize your resume.
Continuous learning
Many learners want to upgrade their skills or explore new interests. Online education offers them this opportunity. There was a time in the past when people who wanted to pursue advanced degrees or develop new skills had to take up traditional classes.
However, due to their other personal and professional commitments, they could not keep up with the university schedules. Thus, several learners would drop the idea altogether to pursue any further education.
But now, thanks to online education, this scenario has changed big time. People from all over the world and from all age groups are shifting towards online learning.
It is feasible and flexible for them. Learners can now engage in a continuous learning process and keep upgrading their knowledge.
Environmental sustainability
Less commuting and less physical infrastructure is a positive move for creating a sustainable environment considering the rise of carbon emissions right now.. Therefore, shifting towards online education is always beneficial for the environment.
What Are The Disadvantages of Online Education?
There is no doubt that online education has some strong advantages, but it also has a few disadvantages that you must know. Now, let’s have a look at some of the drawbacks of online learning:
No face-to-face interaction
As we have discussed in the advantages section it is a myth that students may turn recluse and isolated if they opt for an online mode of learning, but it is just one side of the story. Many students have opted for online learning platforms and those platforms have not provided much support through discussions and forums.
The less number of live chat sessions with the instructors and peers could discourage students from even completing their courses. Such issues could completely hamper the growth of online education mode.
Limited access to resources
The biggest issue with online education is that there is an unequal distribution of reliable internet connections. Certain remote locations have poor internet connectivity and students may face difficulty in attending a live class session.
Also, many students may not have computers, smartphones, or any other crucial technologies that are required to study online. So, if these issues are addressed by the Government then, online education could become the first choice for any learner.
Self-discipline and motivation
One of the biggest advantages of enrolling in a school or college is that students have to follow a study routine every day. This rule does not apply to those who have opted for online education. Due to this, some learners may find it difficult to follow a regime and remain self-disciplined and motivated to complete their online course.
Quality of instruction
Not every online platform is good enough for beginners or those who are trying to upgrade their skills. Some may charge higher fees and provide a substandard level of instructors. The study materials and the entire course design could be insufficient for learners and there could be a lack of live online sessions where you could interact face-to-face with instructors and discuss your topic-related doubts.
Technical issues
Due to software malfunctions or power outages in certain locations, students may not be able to participate in the learning process and this may hamper their skill development and career growth, especially, if it happens frequently. Another problem that could arise here is that there are learners who are not very tech-savvy and may face difficulty in using devices like computers or smartphones.
Limited feedback and support
In online classes, sometimes students may not receive feedback and support immediately from their teachers as compared to offline classrooms. This leads to the piling up of topic-related doubts and misconceptions when learners indulge in self-studying. Such issues can be countered if online learning platforms provide online classes daily.
Reduced hands-on learning opportunities
Some of the practical subjects like science or engineering, and many such courses need practical training from instructors. These fields require students to enroll in a traditional offline mode of education and practice and experiment in their field of study.
Perception and credibility
One big disadvantage that causes learners to become skeptical about choosing online education is the credibility of the online degree. Will any organization accept it and employ it in the future or not is the biggest question for the learners. Digital platforms should provide more assurance and transparency while providing degrees to students. They must mention which private or government organizations are recognizing these degrees and certificates.
How Will Online Education in India Evolve in The Future?
Several key factors will drive significant growth and transformation in the future of online education in India.
India is growing in the technology sector and online education is not behind. There are many digital platforms where students are enrolling in learning. Now let’s have a look at the key factors that will lead to a bright future of online education in India.
Increasing Internet Demand
In the last few years, the Internet has become cheaper and easily available to the masses. Today, people living across the most remote locations are also using the internet. This is a good sign of development. It means that technology is reaching various rural parts of the country and people can easily access online education.
Government Initiatives and Digital Infrastructure
As per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Indian government is trying to launch various schemes and has been taking initiatives to include online learning in the traditional classroom mode. Using technologies will help students from remote locations to learn and become educated. This initiative will also upskill many youngsters and make them employable.
Demand for Quality Education
Due to the growing population of youngsters, the Indian government is trying to provide education for all, especially in sectors where it is not possible to build a proper infrastructure. Thus, good quality online education can fill this gap and make education accessible to everyone.
Rise of EdTech Startups
The Indian ed-tech sector is booming, especially after the Covid crisis, when students couldn’t go to school. EdTech companies are trying to create a personalized learning environment for students to focus on knowledge-based education and completely do away with the grading system. Leveraging advanced-level technologies, these learning platforms are monitoring the needs of young minds and supporting them.
Employability and Skill Development
Learners can continuously upgrade their skills through online learning platforms. There are live sessions, webinars, and online tutorials that can help students understand the concept of the subject and become employable. This continuous learning and skill development through online education methods can help students stay relevant in their careers for a very long time.
Adoption by Traditional Educational Institutions
The Government is trying to integrate online learning with traditional classes. This hybrid model blends the components of traditional classroom instructions and online learning to boost the learning results of students and also adapt to evolving educational trends.
Language Localization and Regional Content
Online education provides learning instructions in local languages and regional content. This is an important aspect of the Indian education system because India is linguistically and culturally diverse.
People want to study in their language and online learning makes it possible and provides an all-inclusive learning environment for students who are from diverse language backgrounds.
What Are The Future Trends in Online Education in India?
Predicting future trends in any field, including online education in India, involves some speculation, but here are several potential trends that could shape the future of online education in the country:
As per my speculation, some potential trends in the current education field can give a strong boost to the online education sector in India, and they are the following:
Expansion of EdTech Startups
After COVID-19, India has seen immense growth in the online education system. Lately, Ed-tech startups are focussing on different aspects of learning and imparting knowledge to students.
They want to make online education more personalized for the pupils and prioritize concept-based learning, unlike many traditional organizations that focus on completing syllabi and pressure students to get the highest grades.
Other aspects that online education covers are content creation (eg., audio-video-based learning) and learning management systems(eg., properly planning the entire course of students).
Government Initiatives
The government has been taking initiatives like the National Education Policy (2020) and is emphasizing using technology in the education sector.
In the future, it can be speculated that there is a high chance that the government will bring more policies and online courses that can strengthen the online education field.
As mentioned earlier in the blog the Indian government is trying to impart knowledge and education to those who are living in remote locations, where it is quite burdensome to build any physical infrastructure. These online education initiatives will help learners to become skilled and employed.
Some of the online courses that the Indian government is providing right now are – a free import-export course, a Diploma in Government Accounting and Internal Audit, and Vskills Certified Redmine Project Management Professional Government Certification, amongst others. You can find these online courses on shiksha.com.
Rise of Regional Language Content
In the last few years, India has seen a proliferation of online content in regional languages.
Ed-tech companies are now trying to meet the demands of students who want to learn in their regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, or Telugu. Even though English will always stay on the priority list of students now, there is also a surge in the demand for regional languages.
So, we can say that shortly, online learning platforms will give you more options to choose the languages in which you want to study.
Integration of AI and Data Analytics
Artificial intelligence or AI, Data Analytics, and Data Science are the current favorites of many students.
Most of the businesses are bringing it to use. Companies are using their inventory, customers, and sales data to boost their businesses. They need high-end tools and software for the same.
These businesses also need professionals who can handle the software and analyze the business data. Moreover, companies are using AI for the same reason to make work simpler and error-free.
AI can read, analyze, and manage data. It can also create videos, audio, and images and write stories as well. However, no company can depend on AI, they need professionals who can give prompts and manage the AI to bring out the best results. Thus, in the last few years, learners are moving towards AI, Data Analytics, and Data Science.
This trend will grow more shortly because data management systems and AI are still in the stage of infancy. Every day new start-ups are emerging and it is producing a huge number of data that needs proper management. Not only in the private but also in the government sector, there is a plethora of data in every field.
Therefore, online learning platforms are creating courses along the same lines and using AI and data-driven insights to understand a student’s studying pattern and provide a more personalized learning experience through adaptive assessments.
Mobile Learning
You must have seen people using smartphones in every public place, be it in a bus stand or any shopping mall, people are hooked to their phones these days. And affordable mobile data plans have further outspread this technology.
Therefore, the sizable number of online learning platforms is increasing every day. These platforms are customizing their content to reach out to mobile users that are spread across the urban and rural sectors.
The companies focus on providing a smooth functioning of the mobile apps so that users can easily learn. In the future, the population of mobile users will grow exponentially and so will the online learning platforms.
What Did We Learn?
Online education holds a significant place in the future of the education system in India. The Indian government is providing online certificates and professional training to learners.
This is because there are people who are living in remote locations and are unable to physically reach schools and colleges. Secondly, it is not always possible to create physical infrastructure in some regions.
Moreover, the online education system is flexible, cost-effective, and easily accessible for students.
These days learning platforms are working toward understanding user data and providing more personalized experiences to students, unlike the traditional classes where students can’t expect instructors to give them more time to understand a concept.
However, online education platforms must provide authentic degrees and certificates to students, regular live sessions to clear students’ doubts, and in-detail courses, so that they can become more skilled and employable in the future.
Read the article to know more about online education’s future in India.
