The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a public health emergency and the measures taken to curb the virus have still resulted in countless lives lost, and major changes in the way we live life.
The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a public health emergency and the measures taken to curb the virus have still resulted in countless lives lost, and major changes in the way we live life. The global pandemic led to the closure of schools in over 150 countries, and numerous nations like India and Brazil are currently battling the second wave of this deadly virus. In India, since the 24th of March 2020, a series of restrictions were imposed to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. Educational institutions like schools and colleges remain closed and the health crisis continues to threaten the lives of people. Amidst the lockdown, unemployment rose and numerous professionals lost their jobs, freshers were denied new opportunities and the healthcare system required much attention. However, the emergence of remote work and online learning have provided new hope to the vast majority of the working population and students. CreditAp was one such initiative projecting the vision for uninterrupted education, by providing accessible financial assistance to those in need. Because every child deserves the right to quality education.
In this post, we dissect the impact of COVID-19 on the changes in education.
The emergence of home-schooling and online learning
Homeschooling became a new norm, with remote learning as the central focus of continuing education. Since the closure of schools, parents became more responsible for teaching their children. Between work from home and ensuring that children continued education, the responsibility on parents was immense. The disruption of academic activities resulted in less playtime and more skype sessions or zoom meetings for students. Temporary unemployment, financial burdens, household management and now homeschooling was added to the list of challenges many people faced. Classroom experiences were being reinvented, while teachers and faculty caught up to make online learning more engaging. While many students embraced the tech-driven approach, some students were left behind.
In rural areas, the introduction of online learning required assistance and awareness before things got organized. Many teachers were unprepared with handling technology to impart wisdom. However, the people eventually caught up to the demand of the time. During this time, CreditAp services emerged to provide easy EMI finances for parents and students to make the most of their educational opportunities. The challenges became an opportunity to re skill the education faculty and expose students to the many benefits of EdTech. Companies like Byju’s, UpGrad, Udemy, Coursera and numerous EdTech enterprises rose to the scene. Working professionals and students began to enrol in online courses hoping that the future would have an opportunity to showcase their learnings. Homeschooling via online learning is slowly becoming more popular. Anybody with access to the internet has the opportunity to skill themselves with technology. More than 624 million Indians regularly access the internet and this market has become the study of industry experts and educational institutions. Many industries and the government began to rely on technology to continue social, economic and political activity in the nation.
Digital learning paves a new way for education
While most schools and colleges transitioned to an online mode of delivering classes, corporates salvaged cloud technologies to enable remote workplaces. Digital learning was adopted quickly, as a hopeful indicator of better things to come. It is estimated that 73.3% of India’s population is connected to mobile phones. Educational institutions leveraged the demographics of mobile phone users to deliver online classes. In rural and urban areas alike, Indian parents realized the role of internet technologies, to further their child’s education. Attendance was taken over zoom calls, lessons were delivered through audio and video, and students attended these sessions from home. However, not every student got the opportunity to make use of digitalization. The disparity of access became more evident when students belonging to low-income groups failed to adapt to digital learning. Many youngsters missed out on classes because of the lack of internet facilities, many more because of financial restrictions.
The adoption of e-learning took some time, but the shift was much-needed. Those who have access to digital learning found other challenges, like an increase in video gaming, more social media activity, being easily distracted and failing to take online classes seriously. The intervention of parents was necessary, unlike a school environment that facilitates better independent learning. Eventually, online education became a priority and students were encouraged to accept this new reality. Parents became chief stakeholders in their child’s learning experiences. More interactive ways of delivering educational content became necessary. Digital libraries and resources gained popularity. The shift to EdTech was the only way to ensure that students and professionals continued to acquire new skills and further their aspirations. To bridge the knowledge deficit between the students and the working population, remote learning became a powerful tool.CreditAp popularized their platform by collaborating with top educational institutes to make up for the financial limitations of many parents and their children.
Factors for leveraging digital learning in India:
- Digital learning aims to make education more inclusive and universally accessible to all students
- Teachers of regular and special schools can build competency in delivering online classes.
- A special focus on students from marginalized sectors is necessary.
- The penetration of the internet and electronic media across the various socio-economic landscape is vital.
- The technological infrastructure in many educational institutions requires improvement.With the existing infrastructure, governments and educational experts have begun to make the most of online learning.
- From virtual graduation ceremonies, online assessments, exams and group discussions, the digital space has taken over the modern education ecosystem.
The many advantages of EdTech began to unfold and people everywhere were drawn to the new way of learning.
Advantages of online learning
Among the many advantages of online learning, here are some important ones.
- Flexibility for self-paced learning
Students are not confined to the classroom experience, and thus do not have to learn in groups. A more flexible way of learning allows children to learn at their own pace.
- Time management
Another important impact of online learning is time management. Especially for students working and attending part-time classes, the schedule was no longer a cause for worry. Instead, managing time effectively to get the job done proved beneficial.
- Self-driven research
With access to a vast library of resources, students can explore the internet for a deeper understanding of concepts. Especially when completing projects, the amount of research knowledge available is huge. Additionally, students and professionals can explore their other interests by enrolling in a free online course or paid course, to upskill themselves.
- Virtual communication & collaboration
Virtual communication and collaboration are rampant in almost every industry. During the pandemic, collaborating from remote places over the internet became more popular. While students embraced e-learning, they were also getting prepared for the new workplace demands of the 21st century. Being able to function properly in remote environments is a powerful asset for today’s workforce.
- Global perspective
The internet is global and thus encourages a more interconnected setting. Students with exposure to news, insights, knowledge and practices from around the world broaden their perspective. E-learning has a powerful capacity to create more inclusive social interactions. Students in rural India have access to material created by professors and lecturers from Yale or Harvard. Ted talks are one example of learning resources that nurture a global perspective.
- Technical skills
As more students and professionals mingled with machines, the importance of computer skills and technical awareness became paramount. Thus, the skilling of large populaces becomes easier. In the continued impact of e-learning, students may easily diversify their talents with the numerous opportunities available to improve existing skills and acquire new skills.
- Refined critical thinking
The most important aspect of e-learning is access to a vast sum of learning resources. Students have access to more people as well. By enabling the youth with the best practices for researching, studying and analysing information, their critical thinking skills are refined. The goal of an online classroom is to encourage students to think differently. The world is more knowledge-oriented than ever before and critical thinking abilities add value to the student’s aspirations and their environment.
- Self-help services
Online technology like CrediAp allows students to gain financial assistance at the click of a button. With minimum paperwork and lenient eligibility criteria, the platform aims to facilitate uninterrupted learning by providing financial assistance and access to the best education, career management and coaching services. With the rise of EdTech, students and professionals can leverage such opportunities to upskill themselves and further their career aspirations.
Wrapping up!
While some of the top educational institutions charge a heavy fee for education, online learning has the potential of making education more accessible and affordable to all. With the massive strides in technology, a more interconnected and youth will be able to make the most of new opportunities. The mission of CreditAp is not only to make the private school financing easier but also to make the best educational opportunities available to all. CreditAp offers educational loans for school students in India, college students, and even parents looking to send their children abroad. Paperless, quick loan approval can empower your child with the resources to further their studies and secure their dreams. We have made it possible to apply for student loan online, with minimal paperwork and guaranteed financial assistance. If you would like to explore new options for your child’s higher education, CreditAp has got your back. Click here to see some of our partnered institutes.
