There are certain perennial issues that still plague e-learning including the digital divide in the country.  It would require a lot of efforts to bridge this gap, says Nimisha bansal

The sudden lockdown can be a testing time for the students but due to the various exams being postponed what it offers is time. The isolation can be a gift for all students if they use it to their advantage  by working towards their goal with  utmost dedication. Online learning is a saviour in these testing times and by choosing to learn from the most qualified teachers at the cheapest of prices students can make the most of the time that they have in their hand.

Having said that, there are certain perennial issues that still plague e-learning. First & foremost is the digital divide in the country and there are still many efforts from the Government’s end that need to be taken to bridge this gap. And while there have been inevitable teething problems, one can simply not deny that online courses represent the future. The recent outbreak has left many experts wondering the course of events in future and online learning is the only thing right now which can save our life from coming to a complete standstill.

In these testing circumstances due to impromptu closure, the biggest benefactors and the blessings in disguise are the online learning platforms. Also known as e-learning this online learning method can cater to the growing demands of the students in the most efficient manner. The online learning platforms have seen a spike in the number of students who are enrolling in the plethora of courses they offer. From courses on various Government sector exams, technical courses to activities like painting and even dancing there is a never-ending list that is available to you at the most affordable price. The preparation for Government jobs, in particular, has put many students in a quandary as still even in these modern times they prefer a traditional brick and mortar kind of setting. The reason for that is the physical presence of the educators and the learning atmosphere with the students of similar interests in these offline courses. However, the recent advancements in technologies have taken the education industry by storm.

India is not new to eLearning, for instance, Coursera, an American learning platform founded in 2012 has over 35 million users and India is second only to America when it comes to a number of people who are taking the courses. The major advantage that online learning has over offline is its flexibility.  Student can learn from anywhere in the world at his convenience. Furthermore, students in our country are generally more cautious when it comes to spending and the traveling time, cost of traveling and exorbitant offline course fees only add to the woes in their otherwise busy schedule. The more technological advancement will only lead to more attraction for students and it is expected that by 2021 our e-learning will be worth a staggering $2 billion.

Online learning has covered a lot of ground in the recent times and the interface is more user friendly and on top of that a student gets a classroom experience by sitting in the corners of their rooms. There are facilities for communicating with your educators and the students of the same course. The biggest trump card is its flexible timescale. Students can get a resolution to their problems not only during the mundane hours of the class but also during the time while they are studying themselves via email or through an online chat system.  The exams are mostly conducted online today due to its efficient mechanism and due to the tests, which are designed in the online format, e-learning makes students accustomed to an almost exact exam atmosphere and thus increases their chances of success.

With the availability of various courses by an endless number of educators with demos and refund policies, the student’s satisfaction is always given a priority. An educator in online learning keeps on improvising to impart better education in comparison to their peers in order to survive in this humongous platform which enhances the experience of the users and help in their overall development.

The writer is an online educator