The coronavirus lockdown obviously had a huge impact on school and university education. With their regular schedule considerably disrupted, schools and colleges have tried to use online tools to deliver education. But unfortunately, judging by the feedback from students and teachers in India, the result is far from encouraging. Many people from universities that TechRadar India contacted by phone have expressed concern that some students are being left behind due to infrastructure constraints. Some concerns are well known, such as the lack of laptops and WiFi that prevent the student from participating online. Students without access to printers face other challenges. "Obviously, technology and technological learning tools are not the leveling force that some of us have imagined they could be," said one professor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "My courses have been disastrous because student participation is skewed. Only those who have better tools and equipment can perform well. And it's a tragedy," he adds.
Internet penetration is a problem
Even in the United States, online education or "advanced technology" hasn't exactly democratized the learning process across the socioeconomic spectrum. Video classrooms and other technological aids, Bill Gates once said that these tools would "revolutionize the classroom", did not give the expected results. In India, experts question the reach of e-classes as (according to Telecom Statistics 2018 published by the Economic Research Unit of Telecom University Economic Research Unit), the internet subscriber base amounted to 483,96 millions. This translates to 84,74 per 100 inhabitants in urban India and 16,42 per 100 rural dwellings. With these numbers, it is impossible to guarantee an equal learning experience for everyone across the spectrum. If technology makes the difference, there are other problems that are difficult to solve as well. A Bangalore teacher told this author that the home environment caused him distractions. "The loss of in-person instruction for students with learning disabilities is another concern." The Internet is still inaccessible to many students with disabilities, and educational platforms can also be exclusive. Children with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, may be absent because completely remote classes reduce individual counseling. Manoj Dixit, Vice Chancellor of Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University (Faizabad) has been quoted in the media as saying: “Although this is an immediate response to a crisis, digital learning in as long as a tool is fundamentally flawed. Initial stages, a certain level of curiosity and enthusiasm might attract students, but its long-term benefits have been questioned even in the world's most developed countries."
Who will train the coach?
Another concern is that most of the teachers and the teachers themselves have not been trained on the training process through online tools. Consequently, their effectiveness is generally uneven. Many old masters have had trouble adjusting to the new scheme of things. "The selection of teachers must be progressively linked to the ease of technological use and the desire to adopt technology. Likewise, the accreditation parameters and criteria must be reviewed. All these steps will contribute to strengthening the long-term digital vision learning infrastructure of the country," said professional chancellor Dr. Ashwini Kumar Sharma. , Vijaybhoomi University and former DG, NIELIT, Government of India. But everyone hedges their bets. They believe that electronic schools will be the future. But the moment is too busy to make concrete plans and start all the processes. As one teacher said: "It is difficult to create a sustainable plan without knowing what the future holds."