Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, the normal lives of people have not been the same and masses are still coping with the fact that the physical presence in daily affairs has to be as minimum as possible.
However, this trend has affected the students’ lives in its own unique way as online or virtual learning is becoming the new ‘Normal’. Almost all educational institutes of the country have been providing virtual lectures and classes for their students during this time period to avoid the time-lapse between the semesters. Although this solution has helped a great deal to save the educational year as a whole, yet it has brought some of its own challenges along. Students as well as teachers are faced with many obstacles on the road to learn virtually.
The biggest concern for students is internet connectivity. Students from metropolitan cities enjoyed good internet connectivity, but those living in rural and remote parts of the country faced immense problems while going virtual. Online connecting sites such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and LMS consume large amounts of data, require faster internet speed and advanced versions of phones or computers.
Besides, power outages in certain areas are also an obstacle for students to be able to come online for the lessons on time. Another valid concern was for parents who cannot afford separate phones or laptops for all the siblings attending the classes at the same time.
Talking to APP, Mehjabeen Zia, a housewife said that in the beginning of the lock down it was worrisome because children were wasting their time at home but after the inception of online classes it had become easier for us to make them follow the study routine although virtual learning that was not as effective as traditional one.
She added, “Most of the time I have to make sure that children are attentive during the lecture as the teacher cannot pay attention to a class of 60 students through a video call. It’s not only the teacher’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the method as it is new to all of us”, she said.
Sobia Kanwal, a mother and banker who has been working from home said that getting kids ready for online classes and making sure they were attending thoroughly was a whole other level of struggle.—APP
