Two years back, when the pandemic struck, it created huge troubles for the educational sector. Most colleges, universities, schools and other educational institutes around the globe were shut down for an indefinite period, leaving around 1.5 million learners stranded. The storm of COVID-19 disrupted the traditional teaching model and created challenges for educators in different places.

As a result, teachers and students were forced to avoid live classroom interactions. But every coin has two sides, and this scenario too, created an open space for change. It helped put a break to conventional practices by moving the education system online, and teachers started adopting better ways of educating.

Online education reappraising the teacher’s role

Within a short span, teachers successfully transitioned to virtual classrooms and started positively impacting the lives of their students. E-learning enabled students to resume their studies while maintaining social distancing norms. Teachers too were equipped with the right technology to reach a much larger audience, and the government and society encouraged students and teachers to continue learning despite challenges.

As anticipated, the result was game-changing. Students became more self-directed learners as they got the chance to acquire knowledge asynchronously. Meanwhile, teachers proved their abilities to adapt to technology-enabled teaching platforms. They developed innovative ways to reach their students. From the educational perspective at least, it looked like the world had started overcoming the COVID aftermath.

So was online education successful in India?

Well, not quite. Though the education system kept up with the transition to virtual learning, the switch exposed India's standing as a digital nation.

Due to limited tools and lack of proper training, a lot of teachers struggled with their responsibilities. Some found managing students virtually an uphill task, while others faced difficulties with online teaching materials and tools. Needless to say, there were multiple hick-ups.

But thankfully, the teachers remained committed to their profession and kept trying everything they could to continue imparting knowledge. Slowly but surely, the virtual classroom ecosystem survived the mayhem of COVID-19.

What were the key factors affecting e-learning in India?

After China, India has the largest school-going population in the world, with more than 260 million students attending classes regularly. According to reports analyzing the Indian education sector, students attending government schools were hit hard by the pandemic. Over 80% of government school from the states like Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh, experienced difficulty in facilitating review materials and proper tools for online studies to students during the lockdown.

The main reason behind this crisis was the lack of availability of proper technology. Even today, several Indian families don’t have access to modern gadgets and e-learning tools. And since online learning completely depends on electronic gadgets and internet connectivity, many students still struggle to attain it. Even teachers find it difficult to reach all the students, especially in remote areas where there is a higher risk of students dropping out.

However, the good news is that the Indian government is aware of these issues and is trying its best to bridge the gaps. By offering pre-recorded lessons, one-to-one coaching, and numerous scholarships, the Indian government is extending a helping hand to give deserving students a much needed push and support to realize their dreams of quality education.

To sum it up

Whether it's teaching in a physical classroom or on an online platform, a teacher is always the central point in a student’s eyes. If teachers are empowered, they can create more engaging and interactive learning experiences for students. And to achieve that, educational institutions and government bodies should together create better training and infrastructural environment. Adequate strategic preparation and proper implementation will accelerate the digitalization process of education and make education reach every corner of the world.