The world has turned upside down ever sinceCOVID-19 wreaked havoc on businesses. The crisis has impacted the educationsector in immeasurable ways because of which schools started experimenting with innovative ways to learn. The risk factors involved in physical classes have pushed the schools to proceed with virtual classes. In this unprecedented time, the teachers and school management combatted this challenge with online classes, which is the new normal, and with every day, it’s becoming evident that they are the future of the education world too.
But, what is a virtual classroom?
Virtual or smart classrooms are digitally equipped witha wide variety of teaching and learning methods. It uses the internet clubbedwith seamless technology for conducting the classes. It creates an environment where teachers and students can engage and interact through their laptops or smartphones via various engaging means, often through audio-visual resources.
The unpredictability of the world and the lessons learnt from 2020 areenough to lay the right foundation all over again for the education sector, notjust in India but worldwide. The ongoing crisis has allowed the sector to build back in a better way. The learning loss that children have faced globally is incalculable; however, to avoid such disruptions in the future, deploying a model that can withstand a crisis of any magnitude remains imperative.
Benefits of virtual/ smart classes:
· Accessibility: Students can access their coursework at any time from anywhere. Theonline classes enable the students to continue with their studies independentlybeyond school hours or even when the schools are shut. This way, students don’t miss out on their family occasions or vacations and at the same time don’t lag behind their studies. The parents are also in the loop with the recent developments in their children’s education. They can guide their kids in a better way as they are part of the online classes too.
· Freedom to create yourschedule: Online classes have provided new ways of creatinga routine for students. They work on a structure of weekly online classes andassignments. Students can still set their timeline for various subjects accordingly. This gives them the freedom to choose their time that syncs with their schedules.
· Time management: With online classes, the parents are more involved in their children’seducation. They have more time in their hands to spare as they are not wastingtime travelling back and forth to school. That way, they save hours every week and eventually utilize that time more efficiently. Online classes also have a streamlined curriculum that makes parents equal participants in their child’s academic life.
· Sharpened Digital Skills: Students in today’s time are not only gaining academic education but arealso honing their digital skills from a very early age. Online classeshelp students hone digital skills, which will play a much bigger role in their future.
We can easily conclude that virtual classrooms have changed the way our education system used to function. Ithas become more efficient, time-saving and advanced. Children are now not only knowledgeable but also skilful. They are exposed to the nitty-gritty of the digital world from a young age, opening up ample opportunities for their career path. There is an enormous exposure that e-learning offers that is beyond the four walls of a classroom. Children are now more exposed to world views and multiple perspectives on various subjects. The knowledge in today’s time is not bookish but more researched. E-learning is only going to grow bigger in all dimensions in the coming times.
