I believe that regardless of how modern things get, a screen can never be replaced by a human: Evlyn

These are first-hand student accounts on how our young population is managing to keep their exam prep or college course work going from the confines of their homes. In case you want to share your lockdown study experience, write to us at publish@shiksha.com.

Coronavirus has cost the lives of innumerable and the rest have been left to live in fear. It has impacted the lives of students in a drastic way. Especially the students who had to appear for their board/university exam are left anxious. Nobody is sure about how the exams will be conducted and how the academic year will be carried forward. All the students who had been prepping up for their farewell parties for the whole year are extremely gutted. The portion had to be left midway as the education sector had to shut down. The working population can opt to work from home but what about the students?

There are so many institutions that may not have the facility of online classrooms nevertheless there are several educational institutions that chose to go online for the betterment of students. The online classrooms have made it easier for the students as well as teachers. But how accurate can one be if the lesson has been delivered to the students correctly?

I am not doubting on the knowledge of the teacher. Online classes have been highly beneficial but some students may not get the explanation in one go and choose to keep mum. On the other hand, there will be quite a few, who might miss a part of the explanation due to poor network. There will be a handful of students who may not appear for the online class for their comfort purpose. The above barriers may seem like minor but it does affect the learning process.

I do agree that most of the barriers are common even in ‘bench and desk mode’ but during that time if a student is facing any difficulty in understanding, the teacher can read the facial expressions and body language and confront the respective student. This is the major difference that sets the online class apart from the physical class environment. Hence, I believe that regardless of how modern things get, a screen can never be replaced by a human.

Our college has made us familiar with the college website, Moodle, which is used to deliver lessons online or the teacher can upload their content so that the students can stream it as and when they want. We can give presentations as well as leave a message to our teachers in case of any queries.

We all are aware of how the teacher’s presence intrigues us.

I would like to emphasize how teachers can never be replaced by online classrooms. I mean, come on, without those stares you wouldn’t have submitted your projects on time.

Not to forget to mention the little rebuking was only to challenge you to do the best. We Indians have always adored teachers and given them an esteemed position. I would personally never opt for online classes, I mean for a short period it is all right but if you ask me in the long run then, definitely the answer is no.

There are few changes I would suggest for online classrooms like it should be operational on low network speed, it should send reminders to all the students one day prior and the content should be made available to access offline. Student participation should be ensured by the teacher by taking attendance before starting the class and failure to attend the class should be given a warning (if the reason is not genuine).

This way it will give the feel of a physical classroom to an extent. Let us support the education system, regardless of the little discomfort we are facing. It is time to co-operate with each other and not find faults. Stay in! Stay safe!

About the Author:

Evlyn Fernandes is currently pursuing BBA from Don Bosco College. Her hobbies include reading and writing poems and write-ups. She likes experimenting with food.