Every industry has a “spark” moment. Y2K was that moment for the Indian tech sector. COVID-19 has caused lockdowns and is the spark moment for online education. With millions of students shifting to the online mode of learning, will virtual classrooms prove as effective as its physical counterpart? What makes platforms like SP Jain’s Engaged Learning Online (ELO) stand out from the rest? Nitish Jain (President, SP Jain) shares his insights in an article featured in PagalGuy, a leading education portal.
“Classes are timetabled, questions are answered immediately, and the engagement is just like the one you would experience in a physical classroom. In many ways, it is even better because it engages (through polls, alertness metres, breakout rooms) even those students who wouldn’t participate in a traditional classroom. Other technologies like Zoom, Google Hangout and Microsoft Team offer decent video conferencing services but suffer from a lack of engagement when class sizes go above 20 students,” writes Mr Jain.
Does this mean the education system is in for a revolution? Are we looking at a situation where physical classrooms will no longer exist? Speaking to The Pioneer, one of the most reputed newspapers in India, Mr Jain shares that there is no one scenario to fit all. There will be some programs that will be taught online and the rest may have a combination of online-offline classes – hybrid classes. “This is because technology has the benefit to reduce tuition fee. Those students who can’t afford to study programs due to financial constraints now have access to it. Online learning will also ensure a wider reach for the institutes. Also, certain classes, executive programs and adult education will go online.”
Mr Jain also notes the emergence of other EdTech platforms that measure student learning – from pre-class learning to classroom engagement and assessment (exams). “There are learning analytics software that are gaining prominence. One can attribute the boom to the forced ‘study from home’ environment, but in experiencing it, the ones with the best technology would score over the old conventional players,” he writes in PagalGuy.
