The Scenario of Online Education in COVID-19 Pandemic

Manovikas Family strives to provide ‘Inclusive Education’ – choice-based, realistic, real-world, active learning experiences that support employable skills and independence in the community while working to ensure equitable access to these learning opportunities.

Online education is an electronically supported learning that relies on the Internet for teacher/student interaction and the distribution of class materials.

It means the online education is Computer-based training, Web-based training, Internet-based training, online training, e-learning (electronic learning), m-learning (mobile learning), computer-aided distance education - online education goes by many names and comes in a variety of styles.

The HRD ministry on Tuesday announced guidelines for online classes by schools and recommended a cap on duration and the number of online classes.

In the guideline called "Pragyata", the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has recommended that the duration for online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes.

For classes 1 to 8, the HRD ministry has recommended two online sessions of up to 45 minutes each while for classes to 9 to 12, four sessions of 30-45 minutes duration have been recommended.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted over 5 million children with special who are enrolled in inclusive and other special schools. Extended school closures may cause loss of learning. HRD Minister Sh. Ramesh Pokhriyal has indicated that to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, schools will not only have to remodel and reimagine the way teaching and learning have happened so far, but will also need to introduce a suitable method of delivering quality education through a healthy mix of schooling at home and schooling at school,".

Some educational scientists have identified types of e-learning according to learning tools, while others have chosen to focus on different metrics such as synchronicity and learning content. These are some different types of e-learning:

Computer Managed Learning (CML)

Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)

Synchronous Online Learning

Asynchronous Online Learning

Fixed E-Learning

Adaptive E-Learning

Linear E-Learning

Interactive Online Learning

Individual Online Learning

Collaborative Online Learning

People are afraid that pandemic may be the end of traditional teaching methods which does worry many academics of becoming surplus; nevertheless, we all know that the relationship between the teacher and his students has always been the key to learning. History has proven time and again the role of a Guru (a guiding force) in the life of a student, some great examples are Arjuna-Dronacharya, Chandragupta Maurya- Chanakya, and relatively modern examples have been Sachin Tendulkar-Ramakant Achrekar, Blanche Caffiere-Bill Gates.

For those new to online education, the process of assessment and examination can be intimidating. But there's no need to worry! Online institutions have experienced professionals, they'll ensure that your assessments are fair, comfortable, and designed to help you make the most of your learning experience.

Suggestion for developing trust in online learning assessment and examination process.

We need to develop adaptive e-learning, which will largely enable and make it possible to adapt and redesign learning materials for each individual learner. Taking a number of parameters such as student performance, goals, abilities, skills, and characteristics into consideration, adaptive e-learning tools allow education to become more individualised and student-centred than ever before.