Online education and virtual learning were on an upswing in India long before it became a necessity due to the ongoing pandemic. India was one of the largest online education markets
in the world and is expected to continue its exponential growth in the post COVID era. Experts and industry insiders have long held the view that an eventual shift to online classes,
at least partially, was inevitable. COVID and the lockdowns merely accelerated the shift.
While the data and the numbers paint a rosy picture of the virtual teaching environment, what needs a closer examination and remains underreported is what does this mean for the
schools? What are the challenges that the school managements have to surmount? What are the battles that our teachers would have to fight on a daily basis?
We decided to look beyond the macro data and understand the on-ground reality. We talked to the school management and teachers, and identified several key areas that remain critical
when it comes to determining whether our schools and their staff are equipped to handle the new normal.
Accessibility – Despite a massive surge in internet penetration even in the remotest part of our country, internet accessibility continues to be a challenge. It is undeniably
a systemic issue but the school managements still need to be aware of the problem and contribute towards building teaching systems that are inclusive and account for
those who may lack the means or access. Ensuring that every student has access to online classes is an integral part of making those classes a success. The schools need
to be prepared, to the extent possible, to address the issues of accessibility and digital infrastructure.
Assessment – Assessment remains a critical problem area when it comes to virtual teaching. Different schools and teachers are addressing the issue in different ways.
The most common way is the one where the examination paper is sent to the students who finish it during the online class itself and mail it to the teacher. The teacher,
meanwhile, invigilates the students through the webcams. The accessibility once again remains a problem, as does the fact that a lot of students suffer from poor and
fluctuating internet connectivity. While the solution may vary from school to school, the assessment remains an area where the management needs to pay attention and
create reliable models that are convenient for both students and teachers.
Teacher-Training – As with most new developments, the efficacy of virtual teaching is heavily dependent on the comfort and efficiency of the key resources. In this case,
our teachers. We have to understand and appreciate the fact that this shift is a little too abrupt and has caught most teachers by surprise. The learning curve is bound to be
steep. And it is our duty as a system as well as management to be compassionate and understand the plight of our teachers’ invisible struggles with these unprecedented
challenges. The best way to deal with this issue is through a robust teacher training system that addresses the technological challenges being faced by our teachers and
allows them to make a smooth transition to online teaching.
Specialized Tools and Software – During the lockdown, most of the teaching shifted to instant messaging tools like Whatsapp. It was understandable considering that these
tools are familiar and easy to use for most of the teachers and school staff. However, we have to remember that these tools and apps were designed for communication and
not teaching and have limitations that are bound to eventually create problems. A lot of issues like managing assessments and keeping records emanate from the fact that
the tools being used for teaching are not designed for that purpose.
Training teachers is not enough. The schools need to invest in specialized tools and software that allow teachers to not just communicate with students and parents, but
also send and evaluate assignments, keep a record, and prepare a report as and when needed. Over the past 5-6 months alone, SchoolPad has worked with around 3000
educators to help them maintain their student data, share assignments and homework on a regular basis, allow students to submit their work, generate reports to monitor the
entire process and keep parents up to date with all progress of their child. Our on-ground experience with our clients has reinforced and strengthened our belief in both
the need for specialized software and their demonstrable efficacy in the education sector.
This shift towards online classes and a virtual teaching environment is a developing situation with evolving challenges. We don’t know for how long this situation is going to last, and
what would be the changes that will follow once all of this is over. As of now, the schools not only need to be prepared for the existing issues but also anticipate the problems that are
bound to arise in the future. The evolution of new systems is inevitable but our schools’ success in the new world shall depend entirely on our level of preparedness and willingness
to adapt to the new technology and changing times.
