The COVID-19 pandemic has touched upon all aspects of our lives and changed them for better or worse. Our education system is no exception. The education system, too, has undergone a drastic transformation. While it offered newer opportunities to some, it also took away the meager opportunities from others who already struggled in the first place to secure the little. Let’s take a look at the positive changes that accompanied the education system in India after the pandemic.
Technological Integration with Traditional Education System
The technological integration with the conventional education system has been bliss. It has been instrumental in spreading digital literacy among both educators and learners. The use of tools like Google Meet, Google Classroom, and Zoom calls that enabled the conduct of online classes during the pandemic ushered in a new era of hybrid learning. Now, hybrid learning is not just an exception but a norm. Often, schools conduct online classes during intense summer heat to shield students from the scorching summer heat. Recently, during the excessive deterioration in air quality in India’s capital, Delhi, after Diwali, schools were shut down temporarily, and classes shifted online.
Accessibility of Online Resources
In addition to that, the constant screen exposure in the absence of physical libraries made us adept at navigating a wider range of online educational resources. It was also during the pandemic that many of the educational websites started offering their resources free of cost. American Economic Association (AEA), Annual Reviews, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Duke University Press, Harvard Business Review E-books (EBSCO), The Lancet, and Wiley, among others, made their content accessible temporarily during the global lockdown. While this habit of exploring enriched online resources stayed with some of us, the ICT initiatives that received a severe boost by the Indian Government in order to improve the education system have been a game changer.
Innovating way of teaching
Also, the pandemic allowed educators to devise innovative and creative ways to engage students by leveraging technology. Keeping students engaged in online classes proved to be a daunting task as classes conducted through digital devices allow for multiple distractions and diversions. Besides, our attention span has significantly reduced due to over-exposure to screens and our habit of scrolling. So, teachers and educators turned innovators in the field to transform the conventional classroom experience.
With the use of interesting and engaging educational applications like Kahoot, Photomath, Quiver, Quizlet, Greenscreen, Nearpod, and Gimkit, Mentimeter, Plickers, they have introduced quizzes, debates, and games that encourage student participation and ensure adequate motivation and engagement in the class. This has redefined our classroom experience and made learning truly a fun activity.
Information and Communication Technology Initiatives by the Government of India
The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning, abbreviated as NPTEL, is a joint venture of the IITs and IISc that is funded by the Ministry of Education (MoE) Government of India. NPTEL, which started its journey in 2003 and offered its first open online courses in March 2014, has found popularity in recent times, precisely after the pandemic. The ICT initiatives introduced by the Government of India now characterize the education system in India. This can be attributed to the pandemic-related restriction that confined everyone to the space of their living room.
Apart from NPTEL, the CEC-UGC YouTube channel provides access to expert-curated lectures based on the educational curriculum. Again, e-PG Pathshala is another free online platform that houses high-quality interactive education content containing 23,000 modules in 70 postgraduate disciplines of social sciences, arts, fine arts and humanities, and natural & mathematical sciences.
Besides, the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) is a virtual repository of learning resources that offers multiple services for the learner community. NDLI is sponsored and mentored by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, through its National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT). It offers flexibility in terms of languages for all academic levels, including researchers and life-long learners across disciplines. It also takes into consideration the needs of differently-abled learners.
Personalized Learning
It also laid the foundation for a new era of personalized learning, which conventional classrooms have struggled to accommodate so far. The self-paced courses allow students time to cope with the rigorous syllabus and schedule which the classroom failed to offer. Personalized training, which often seemed an impossibility in conventional classrooms, turned into a reality thanks to the technological advancement that took place after the pandemic. Now, students can express their creativity and interest at their own pace without being bogged down by the pressure of meeting deadlines.
Autonomy and self-discipline
With personalized learning experience came autonomy. Self-paced courses and learning activities allow students to take better control of their learning experience and exhibit self-discipline in learning. Hybrid learning, besides allowing interaction with the teachers, also enhances the opportunity for self-learning. The flexibility of the schedule contributes to enriching the student’s learning experience.
Better Monitoring by parents
The hybrid mode of learning also initiated active participation and enthusiastic involvement of parents in their wards’ learning experiences. Teaching now emerges as a shared responsibility between parents and teachers. Moreover, online learning enables parents to control and monitor their children’s use of phones and keep better track of learning activities. Marks scored in formative assessments are regularly updated through an online dashboard, allowing a better understanding of their children’s progress.
Challenges after the pandemic
The pandemic witnessed the challenges of an accelerated digital divide in the education system. The digital divide is the unequal access to digital technology, which affects individuals based on their class, gender, and other axis of identity. It was noticed that in impoverished families who could afford only one digital device like a smartphone, preference was given to the male child regarding the use of the phone. As a result, the education of the girl child took a back seat. Besides, the Annual Status of Education Report published by NGO Pratham also revealed the basic literacy levels of children have dropped significantly. Their reading ability and numeracy skills were both affected, and they reached pre-2012 levels after the pandemic.
Therefore, while the pandemic has ushered in a number of positive changes in the lives of both students and teachers, it has also given an unfair advantage to a section of students who have digital accessibility over others who do not. So, the digital gap needs to be addressed if the benefits of technology are to be equitably distributed among all the sections who are a part of the education system in India.
FAQ
1. How has technology impacted the education system post-pandemic?
The digital integration with the conventional education system in India has been a contribution of post-pandemic technological advancement. Moreover, innovation in teaching methods through engaging educational applications is another such contribution.
2. What are some government initiatives to promote online education in India?
The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) offers free online courses from reputed institutions. CEC-UGC YouTube channel, another Government initiative that provides access to expert-curated lectures to students across disciplines. Additionally, e-PG Pathshala offers high-quality interactive education content in various disciplines. Also, National Digital Library of India provides a virtual repository of learning resources.
3. How has the pandemic affected student autonomy and self-discipline?
Self-paced courses and learning activities have empowered students to take control of their education. Some have developed greater self-discipline as they manage their own learning schedules.
4. What are the challenges of the digital divide in education system in India?
Not all students have access to digital devices or internet connectivity. In some households, male children may prioritize access to technology over female children. The pandemic has negatively impacted basic literacy and numeracy skills among the under- privileged students.
5. How has the pandemic changed parent-teacher relationships?
Parents and teachers have had more frequent and effective communication. Parents have become more involved in their children’s education. Besides, online learning has enabled parents to monitor their children’s progress more closely.
6. What are the potential long-term impacts of the pandemic on education system?
While technology is likely to remain a significant part of education, personalized learning approaches is here to stay. Efforts will be needed to ensure equitable access to digital resources.
