GD Topic: Is Online Education Here to Stay or Just a Backup During Crisis?

While a lot of professionals are sadly rooting for a pre-2020 world, the student community seems to have moved on and happy to embrace this blended world. A purely online setup also has several limitations. But is it the ideal arrangement? Let's explore online education as a GD topic.

By Aritro Dasgupta

This article was first published on September 28, 2022.

Once a crisis is over, we all like to think over it, celebrate the way we tackled it, or even introspect the same. Now that the pandemic-induced crisis of the last few years seems to be past it, it is now time to introspect on the status of online education and on its future. A lot of us teachers, students and other professionals alike, remember those tough early days, when it was new for most of us to experience online education. I personally missed the interaction we used to have in the classroom. It was also often difficult for the teacher to gauge whether a student is being attentive or not. These were some key challenges faced in the early part of the pandemic-induced online classes.

Yet, one cannot brush aside the achievements of the human endeavour. Each stakeholder had to double down and work a way out, so that learning and education did not stop. And with time, many of us got comfortable with this mode, and dare I say even mastered it! Now that classrooms have restarted with full vigour, much debate rages on the efficacy of the online classes. Many feel that they were merely an emergency troubleshooting alternative, but not one that is effective in the long run. But all do not agree, as many also feel that online classes have their own unique advantages. Most agree that a blended format can probably work the best in the long run.

While a lot of professionals are sadly rooting for a pre-2020 world, the student community seems to have moved on and happy to embrace this blended world. A purely online setup also has several limitations. Like any Group Discussion or GD topic, this one too has both pros and cons. Let is discuss them as follows:

Online Education: Pros

Following as some of the key advantages of online education:

1. Flexibility of use for the students; they do not ‘waste’ time commuting, especially given the heat, pollution, rains and other such factors.
2. Flexibility for teachers too, as they can focus more time on research, and travel for the same if needed.
3. Avoids duplication of delivering the same content again and again, since a few batches can easily be merged over online platforms.
4. If certain smart tools are used, contrary to perception, the quality of classes can actually improve.
5. Courses with lesser popularity can also be catered to; under a pure offline system, courses that attract 5-6 students in a classroom, cannot be catered to, due to feasibility issues, but this gets resolved by merging batches across geographical locations online.
6. Students can interact with peers from across geographical areas, thus adding to their exposure base.
7. Students can also compare themselves with others of equal talent, while those struggling in any subject area, may see tailored batches for them.
8. Ideal for short-term knowledge upgrades
9. One can continue to learn while also pursuing some full-time job.
10. Due to the availability of recordings, students may even watch out for classes they would otherwise have missed.
11. Good in the long run for the environment, as use of personal vehicles and classroom air conditioners reduces significantly.

Online Education Cons

Let us now explore some key disadvantages of online education:

1. Winner takes all: due to the merging of batches and elimination of geographical barriers, some teachers and institutes can bulk up on enrolments and views and thus revenue as well.
2. Has given rise to a Venture Capital-fueled artificial economy, where the real revenues are much less than amounts generated through funding rounds.
3. Can lead to some unemployment, as the best of teachers would be in greater demand, and most students would prefer being catered to the best, rather than seeking geographically local options.
4. There could be operational hazards, as institutes would often merge batches that are not compatible with each other in terms of the syllabus completed; institutes need to be extremely careful in not committing this error.
5. While self-motivated students may save travel time and use this time for more productive purposes, online education may not work for a lot of students who require the occasional push.
6. The carbon footprint doesn’t actually always reduce, as instead of a single AC or a few in a large classroom, multiple students end up using private ACs at home, so the overall impact could be more.
7. A lot of ancillary sectors may suffer, as many depend on students traveling to institutes and spending there on food, travel, socializing etc.
8. While students may end up with greater academic knowledge, their practical understanding, social interactions and human collaboration may not work out.

Thus overall, we see that while there are several advantages of online studies, there are also dime a dozen disadvantages. Institutes offering these classes need to be doubly careful. They will need to devise the ideal formula to bring about the best from the blended mode. In a GD, in order to prove one’s point, the participant must draw up data from credible sources such as national levels newspapers, international publications, reliable news channels or even renowned web publications. Studies released by credible bodies can be quoted with full effect. He/ she must work to ensure the best output with regards to the 4 Cs of Group Discussions- Content, Collaboration, Communications and Clarity. Aspirants must start prepping on general knowledge and communication skills from now on itself, and practice as much as possible.

About the Author:

Aritro Dasgupta is a Teacher, Trainer and Content Writer. He has taught at several leading colleges and coaching institutes in both India and the UAE. Several of his students have finished in the top 10 of various national level exams such as CLAT, AILET and DUJAT. He is also a prolific content writer, having written for several leading publications in India, while currently, also working for one in the USA.

 

 

 

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