Cheating eye: Editorial on challenges involving online education

 The ethical crisis — parents are complicit in helping their wards to cheat — is, of course, a manifestation of the spirit of unhealthy competition that is the bane of modernity

There seems to be an element of permanence about online education. In higher education, the enrolment for online education grew by 170% between 2021 and 2022 and by 41.7% for open and distance learning. But this medium comes with attendant — emerging — challenges. For instance, the mental and physical health of teachers has deteriorated with the rise of the digital classroom. Initially, teachers ill-equipped to handle technology found it difficult to use online platforms like Zoom and Google Meet to impart knowledge while keeping their students engaged. More recently, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal, PLOS One, has revealed that a staggering 55% of teachers who were forced to work online for more than six hours a day suffered physical discomforts such as headaches, eye strain, back pain and neck pain. A majority of the respondents also admitted that they experienced a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, mood swings, along with feelings of restlessness, hopelessness, and loneliness. These, however, are not the only problems associated with online education. Almost two-thirds of the teachers administering tests are reported to be sceptical about the quality of the answer scripts owing to the adoption of dishonest means by examinees. The culture of cheating in academia is, admittedly, not new. What is worrying though is that traditional deterrents — invigilation, for instance — are proving to be ineffective in the online mode. In fact, students have come up with ingenious means to escape scrutiny, taking refuge in the excuse of poor connectivity during online tests to dodge measures taken by invigilators like asking examinees to install a mirror behind them while the test is on. 

This only goes to show that the erosion of ethics remains persistent even as education evolves. The ethical crisis — parents are complicit in helping their wards to cheat — is, of course, a manifestation of the spirit of unhealthy competition that is the bane of modernity. If traditional deterrents are not working in the online system, pedagogical and evaluation techniques need to change. Instead of being asked to memorise facts and spill them onto the answer sheet, students should be taught to think critically and apply that subjective knowledge in their examination. This would not only discourage learners from adopting unfair means — the latter would become redundant — but also sharpen their analytical skills, which are mandatory for education and future employment.

Source: The Telegraph, 8/03/23

India did well in transition to digital learning: Oxford report

 

The pandemic has paved the way for a hybrid model in education, combining digital and traditional methods of teaching and learning, but governments need to act so that progress from the past year is not lost, according to the report "Education: The Journey Towards a Digital Revolution".

The transition to online learning during the coronavirus-induced lockdown in India was done rather well, though unequal access to digital learning devices as well as lack of internet connectivity were major issues, according to the findings of a new report from Oxford University Press (OUP).

The pandemic has paved the way for a hybrid model in education, combining digital and traditional methods of teaching and learning, but governments need to act so that progress from the past year is not lost, according to the report “Education: The Journey Towards a Digital Revolution”.

It captured insights from experts across seven markets — India, the UK, Brazil, South Africa, Pakistan, Spain, and Turkey — as well as from hundreds of teachers globally, and extensive secondary research. With the pandemic affecting more than 1.7 billion students worldwide over the past 12 months, the report analyzed how teachers, students, and parents adapted to new ways of delivering education and will continue to utilise digital learning tools and resources to shape educational practice in the future.

“In India, compared to other countries, respondents felt that the transition to online learning was done rather well, scoring 3.3/5. However, a major issue identified by respondents was unequal access to digital learning devices, as well as a lack of internet connectivity and little familiarity around the tools required to facilitate online learning,” the report said.

“The majority of respondents in India (71 per cent) also felt that shifting to online has been detrimental to wellbeing. The priority for the government is to provide more funding, as well as addressing connectivity issues, particularly in rural areas,” it said.

The top three issues identified as having a negative impact on digital learning were: socio-economic barriers, lack of professional development opportunities for teachers, and disruption or uncertainty in day-to-day life caused by the pandemic. When asked what steps the government should take to support digital learning, the respondents sought support for improving connectivity, increased funding for technology and more professional development opportunities for teachers.

Speaking about the research, OUP CEO Nigel Portwood said the pandemic has, unsurprisingly, prompted a rapid increase in the adoption of digital learning.

“As we start to reimagine what education may look like in the future, it is imperative that the governments learn from those who have been on the frontline, delivering and receiving learning. We have a huge opportunity to learn from all our experience to develop education systems that will work for both local and global society,” he said.

Source: Indian Express, 9/04/21

How to tackle ongoing challenges of online classes for students

 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, students included. It is now over 10 months since schools shifted over to the online platform of education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even now, as we have begun the New Year 2021, while most students long to return to the familiar environment of school, the timeline for them (particularly of primary and middle schools) to return to regular schooling is still sketchy. While humanity continues its relentless battle against this resilient virus, these young ones are fighting their own battle to remain motivated and focussed.

Here, we look at some of the ongoing challenges for students attending online classes and examine ways in which online learning can be made more interesting, comfortable, productive, and safe for students.

The new user-experience of attending classes online

Because of online classes, students do not have direct access to faculty or peers to discuss and clarify academic matters. This creates a hurdle for effective learning. To make things even harder, there are other challenges that present themselves: frustrating technical issues (such as a weak internet connection), having additional responsibilities in the house, and distractions (such as the presence of other people in the house, the ubiquitous mobile phone, or easy access to other websites). All this makes it hard for students to stay focussed. The following suggestions could help them make the most of attending online classes from home:

1. Proactively interacting with faculty and peers can help students understand course expectations more clearly, learn better, and stay focussed. For this, students can take advantage of technological tools such as videoconferencing programs like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, or the mobile phone or emails to connect with classmates or a teacher.

2. Finding a productive workspace as well as a quiet work time at home can go a long way towards improving motivation and productivity. The study space needs to have access to a high speed internet connection. Ensuring that their devices are charged and working efficiently before class time and study time can save students a good deal of frustration. Students can reduce distractions by using a website blocker and by keeping their mobile phones switched off during classes and study time.

3. Building and maintaining an effective daily and weekly schedule (similar to the one they had during regular school) creates a sense of familiarity and accountability and also helps in planning and time-management.

4. Not everyone learns the same way. By understanding their particular learning style (such as a visual or auditory learning style), students can employ effective study strategies for themselves at home.

5. Impact of online classes on students’ physical and mental health

   As a result of classes being held online, students often spend hours in front of an electronic screen. This can cause physical and mental health issues such as headaches, eye-strain, body pain, stress and anxiety, a feeling of isolation and boredom, an inability to focus, and disturbed sleep patterns and food habits. Here are some simple, effective tips to help students take care of their health:

1. Attending online classes in a well-lit and well-ventilated room helps make the experience more comfortable. Using blue light filtering glasses can reduce the negative impact of prolonged screen time. Students can also use the short break time between online classes to wash their eyes and do basic stretching exercises. Having ergonomic furniture can help them steer clear of posture-related issues. Importantly, students need to make a conscious decision to limit their overall screen time.

2. Having nutritious and tasty meals/snacks can keep students energetic and happy. In addition to this, consuming adequate amounts of water through the day is essential to stay healthy. Sufficient and good quality sleep also goes a long way towards keeping students physically and mentally fit. Parents can help their children with this by keeping them away from anything that may keep them awake late at night.

3. Creating a healthy balance between personal time (time for oneself), study time, family time, and time for socialising is important and can contribute to one’s good health.  Weekends could be kept free of school work and instead be filled with relaxing, recreational activities.

4. Attending online classes for over 10 months, with the possibility of this continuing for perhaps a little while longer, has been difficult for students. It is important for family members and teachers to understand this predicament and continue to journey with them so that they don’t feel alone in thier struggle. They need to be encouraged to stay motivated, while assuring them that schools are most likely to open up in the near future.

5. By Ashlon Noronha

Source: Indian Express, 5/02/21