COVID 19 has had drastic effects on all measures of society. These include transport, the economy, agriculture, and many more. As such, it can safely be said that society has been disrupted quite strongly by the advent of the Pandemic. One part of society that seemed to recover almost miraculously is education. Students and Learners alike are quickly transporting themselves to the world of online education, teaching, and learning rather than delaying their courses or their graduations. People are still learning valuable skills in the middle of the Pandemic to support themselves and have a brighter future. We’re going to be talking about four particular reasons that have led people worldwide to opt for online education in the current Pandemic.
When online learning was introduced, it turned out to be the only resort for students to continue their education in the Pandemic. While implementations of the model were quite flaky at the start, they have quickly refined appropriately to be better suited to the new medium. Now, students can access their entire courses from their mobile phones, laptops in the comfort of their home. Over time, more educational institutions worldwide have started acknowledging the merits of online education in places with strict lockdowns.
Moreover, combined with the fact that most workplaces have shifted to 'work from home models, it only makes sense that education will quickly follow suit. As the economy restabilizes itself in the middle of the Pandemic, the enrollment of students in online classes while being under lockdown has spectacularly nourished the economy.
Students who learn at a distance do not have to worry about moving out of their homes, neither do they have to worry about meal plans which significantly reduces the overall cost of students. Moreover, in most cases, it is more practical to study at home as it also reduces the time taken for a student to travel from a university.
This has also helped universities reduce their overall operational cost amid the Pandemic. As the economy has shrunk globally, most universities are unable to sustain their current employment methods and organization due to the sheer number of staff they might have. However, since operational costs have now been significantly reduced, it is extremely beneficial for students to now be able to choose between distanced learning and online learning. The University of Sydney, for example, offers a reasonably priced, two years Master of Management Course that can be completed online with no need for on-campus attendance.
With the advent of e-learning, this is no longer the case. Now, students have a diverse variety of universities to choose from, with the most important factor, distance, is completely ruled out. So, students who might wish to pursue a degree in a field not offered to them in their local university can now easily learn their entire course online with no repercussions.
Universities, too, will have a much easier time filling up seats and making sure their quotas are met since they can expect a large number of overseas/transnational students to be applying for their various programs. This allows students to experience a higher pool of universities to choose from, benefiting their overall academic progress while also helping universities create a more diverse student body for themselves.
Another important aspect of e-learning is the re-integration of students who might not otherwise go to an on-campus class. Students with special needs, workers, the unemployed, or disabled and might not have the time / physical means to attend an on-campus class can now complete or start their entire degree online, which helps create a more mature workforce.
For example, students in most universities now see vivas being conducted, which serve as oral presentations. Instead of stress-inducing examinations, untimed but graded assignments are now being given instead, which many argue serve as a better outlet for creative expression and academic ingenuity. Due to the techniques being mentioned above being fairly new, there, of course, are some compromises and nuances that need to be ironed out. However, over time, universities will need to re-evaluate traditional concepts of assessments and examinations and how a course in the future might not have the same examination pre-requisites as current ones do. However, this current form of assessment will have a temporary detrimental effect on the value of degrees worldwide, and employees might need to resort to internal applications and testing to ensure proof of concepts.
Accessibility amid Lockdown
The first reason is perhaps the most obvious. Governments worldwide have established lockdowns in their respective provinces or states depending on the number of individuals affected by the virus. To reduce the Pandemic from spreading, communal places that see a high influx of people grouping up together, such as universities, schools, and libraries, were closed down in most countries.When online learning was introduced, it turned out to be the only resort for students to continue their education in the Pandemic. While implementations of the model were quite flaky at the start, they have quickly refined appropriately to be better suited to the new medium. Now, students can access their entire courses from their mobile phones, laptops in the comfort of their home. Over time, more educational institutions worldwide have started acknowledging the merits of online education in places with strict lockdowns.
Moreover, combined with the fact that most workplaces have shifted to 'work from home models, it only makes sense that education will quickly follow suit. As the economy restabilizes itself in the middle of the Pandemic, the enrollment of students in online classes while being under lockdown has spectacularly nourished the economy.
More Cost-Effective Education:
Over time, universities and other educational institutions have quickly realized the merits of e-learning when it comes to cost. Since distance does not remain an issue anymore, universities can have a more diversified student population that remains integrated with the university’s teaching curriculum at all times.Students who learn at a distance do not have to worry about moving out of their homes, neither do they have to worry about meal plans which significantly reduces the overall cost of students. Moreover, in most cases, it is more practical to study at home as it also reduces the time taken for a student to travel from a university.
This has also helped universities reduce their overall operational cost amid the Pandemic. As the economy has shrunk globally, most universities are unable to sustain their current employment methods and organization due to the sheer number of staff they might have. However, since operational costs have now been significantly reduced, it is extremely beneficial for students to now be able to choose between distanced learning and online learning. The University of Sydney, for example, offers a reasonably priced, two years Master of Management Course that can be completed online with no need for on-campus attendance.
More Opportunities:
In the last decade, getting into a prestigious university has gotten harder year by year. With overall SAT scores rising globally and attendance tests asking for higher numbers, there’s a large number of students who are forced to take a gap year or must move away from their local universities just to be able to go to an educational institution.With the advent of e-learning, this is no longer the case. Now, students have a diverse variety of universities to choose from, with the most important factor, distance, is completely ruled out. So, students who might wish to pursue a degree in a field not offered to them in their local university can now easily learn their entire course online with no repercussions.
Universities, too, will have a much easier time filling up seats and making sure their quotas are met since they can expect a large number of overseas/transnational students to be applying for their various programs. This allows students to experience a higher pool of universities to choose from, benefiting their overall academic progress while also helping universities create a more diverse student body for themselves.
Another important aspect of e-learning is the re-integration of students who might not otherwise go to an on-campus class. Students with special needs, workers, the unemployed, or disabled and might not have the time / physical means to attend an on-campus class can now complete or start their entire degree online, which helps create a more mature workforce.
Better Assessment Methods:
Online learning has played a huge difference in how students have been evaluated. The move to traditional online examinations has been a question of academic integrity for many educational institutions. While the open-book format led to a higher amount of cheating than usual which was generally detrimental to the overall value of the degree being offered, universities quickly counteracted this by introducing new examinations that assessed students in various other formats.For example, students in most universities now see vivas being conducted, which serve as oral presentations. Instead of stress-inducing examinations, untimed but graded assignments are now being given instead, which many argue serve as a better outlet for creative expression and academic ingenuity. Due to the techniques being mentioned above being fairly new, there, of course, are some compromises and nuances that need to be ironed out. However, over time, universities will need to re-evaluate traditional concepts of assessments and examinations and how a course in the future might not have the same examination pre-requisites as current ones do. However, this current form of assessment will have a temporary detrimental effect on the value of degrees worldwide, and employees might need to resort to internal applications and testing to ensure proof of concepts.
