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Education Plus
Net or classroom?
CHITRA V. RAMANI
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Some say online learning is great, others don’t think so
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— Photos: Murali Kumar K.
Differing views: Amreen, Jenelle, Dimple, Meenal, Padma.
The Internet has become an inseparable part of our lives. Much of our everyday activities have now gone cyber, right from shopping to now include even education. Education that seemed to be confined within the four walls of a classroom has moved on to the online arena.
With new software being developed, e-learning has become interactive and accessible, thus attracting a lot of students. However, there are quite a few who still swear by classroom education. The Hindu EducationPlus spoke to a few students from Mount Carmel College to find out what they thought of e-learning in the present context.
Amreen Kagalwala: Students these days do not have the patience to go to a library and search for information. We would rather go on the Internet. This is the same concept which will extend to studies. Online tutorials are the best way because we can come back and read up on what we don’t understand in college and learn at our own pace.
Genelle Mazarell: E-learning is a very important concept. Nowadays, there are several master’s programmes that are available online. It also makes life and learning simple for people who live in remote areas. But I also think that e-learning can only be a supplement. It is not the real deal. The classroom atmosphere, for instance, cannot be substituted because it motivates the students to do well. Discussions in class and the exchange of information can take place only in the classroom set-up.
Dimple Punjabi: E-learning is an excellent tool for working professionals. It is a very good utility tool and it is good to see that the Government is now supporting it. The fact that is not interactive is certainly a big drawback. Another factor which could affect is lack of connectivity in the country. A large section of society, especially in towns and rural areas, is yet to be introduced to Internet. So, if you take society as a whole, e-learning does not make great sense.
Meenal Bharath Kumar: The problem with e-learning is that when you study on the Internet there are several things that can be distracting, from chat rooms to a lot of fun websites. Unless you are really focussed you will not get much from the process. The good thing is that all this information and study material is available at the click of a mouse; but then having a whole lot of other distractions around it makes it difficult for the average student to focus on studies.
Padma S.: Personally, I wouldn’t go for an e-learning course. Learning on the computer or on the Internet is certainly not for me. I find it boring and non-engaging. I would any day prefer the classroom model. Nothing can beat the impact of having a teacher explain concepts and create an interactive atmosphere. For instance, Maria Sharapova got her high school degree online.
I guess it makes a lot of sense for people who are into some other activity and need to get a degree on the side. But for an average student, nothing works like classroom learning.
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