Online Vs Offline Education

The emergence of internet services sowed the seeds of online learning in the early stages of the technological revolution. However, with the advent of digital transformation, the wide acceptance of the internet and its penetration into the daily lives of people broadened the scope of online education.

The education sector is undergoing a digital leap. Learning is no longer confined to the four walls of a classroom.

Rapid technology changes, internet penetration and growing demand for skill-based workforce has led learners to adopt a flexible learning route which allows them to study at their own convenience.

From a being a ‘good to have’ option for educational institutes and corporates, it’s become mission-critical to have an online play.

This has given rise to a range of edtech players across the learner lifecycle right from pre-primary, through K-12 and then higher education and professional certifications.

While these trends have opened doors in the education sector, it has also given the onus to edtech players to do justice to what has been hitherto considered as a noble profession.

Currently, online education is as mainstream as traditional or ‘regular’ education. Classroom-based learning also includes digital technologies or depends on online resources to effectively deliver the content to students.

For example, AR-VR technologies are embedded in the school curriculum to give students a near-real experience of the concepts they learn in textbooks, thereby ensuring immersive and interactive learning.

Online mode contributes to hybrid learning, which ensures uninterrupted education by improving accessibility and engagement.

A learning management system (LMS) is the primary channel of learning. Students can learn through both synchronous and asynchronous methods using various self-learning resources available on the LMS.

It includes short and long reading material, recorded videos, online live lectures, short concept videos, and an e-library with e-books. It allows students to pursue their favourite programmes from anywhere, and at their convenient time.

They only need an internet-enabled device a smartphone/tablet/laptop. All of this is well-supported through a host of digital enablers like student communities, online university lifecycle management, career services etc.

Digital solutions are being made outcome-oriented to provide objective improvement in learner skills and being able to deliver at scale- thereby making quality education accessible as well as affordable.

Universities and edtech players have different strengths and a different DNA. Both must work together to synergise their strengths for the long haul to offer an affordable and accessible learning experience to students across the length and breadth of the country.