Can You See My Screen? Online Classes Are Here To Stay

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Memory Gajurel | St Xaviers College and Sambhavi Upadhyay | Ullens School

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There’s only been one seemingly beneficial thing to have come out of the pandemic - the standardisation of online classes. Before that, most of our schoolwork was based on the availability of the resources we could find online. Then we used to be grateful for the internet because our course books were not enough. Now, we’re thankful because physical classrooms are not enough.

This isn’t just a subjective opinion from a group of people growing up in cities. A much more objective understanding of the concept can be backed by the results of the study by Paudel, P. (2021), ‘Online education: Benefits, challenges, and strategies during and after COVID-19 in higher education’. The results of this study showed that college student participants believed that online education provided a much more flexible study environment for both students and teachers, helped them develop time-management skills, and helped them become a part of a global community.

Most leading universities from all over the world have already laid into the concept of online learning. With more institutions establishing complete online-based curricula for all education levels every day. In terms of the adversity we face in Nepal, schools have started to adopt this concept as well. But there’s also obviously much more we can do with this idea outside schools and classrooms.

Because of the resources and opportunities people now have in their hands, there’s a growing demand to learn uncommon subjects: art, music theory, cookery, and all the basic academic level topics; people from our time have growing and changing interests. However, although there’s a growing scope for most disciplines, we can’t seem to find the right course and mentors for the ones we’re looking for.

The reason these mentors or classes cannot fulfil their demand for niche (in the context of Nepal) subject combinations, is due to the lack of required resources for the limited teachers. Online courses make it easier for people willing to teach these very specific topics to do things their way in a much more cost-effective manner. Although there aren't many institutions that focus on such courses here in Nepal, there are more than enough people willing to teach people from all over the world just on easy-to-access online platforms.

The internet is way more accessible than private education. The growing use of technology isn’t limited to the more developed parts of Nepal; rural areas have equally progressing requirements for and usage of the internet and mobile devices. What we don’t understand is how we can use this tool to become a part of the bigger world a part of social media and entertainment.

With mobile phones and computers reaching each corner of the rural sector of Nepalese households, it would be no surprise if in a few decades no less, the availability of online education could become a national community for every student who strives to learn. With the existence of six million students enrolled in schools across the country, educationists in Nepal had told the government that the pandemic actually offered an opportunity to upgrade IT facilities in classes and played a colossal role in narrowing down the digital divide. This simply tells us of the willingness and ability of Nepalese educators in changing the lives of these children through the effective use of online education.

There are numerous online courses for people of all study levels based in Nepal and outside. Even better, they are probably a much more cost-effective method of getting an education than trifling through private institutions with high prices and stressing over them. Some even provide better financial opportunities in terms of financial aid and scholarships for people from low financial backgrounds.

Of course not everyone from different parts of Nepal, even if they’re from rural areas, has a similar lifestyles. Some may have more important routines in their days based on supporting their families. Even for people with these issues, online classes are a great option because a major benefit of online courses is being able to study on their own time and at their own pace.

Moreover, the students who are stricken between the poverty line and basic educational requirements, find tuition costs inaccessible and expensive along with the over-priced books provided to them at large. With raging transportation costs and a lack of external resources, it is no wonder that online education, especially from NGOs that education would be white knights for these individuals amidst a forest fire.

While some would argue that the lack of face-to-face interactions might not have been the most feasible situation for hundreds of thousands of students across the globe, a research study done by The University of Potomac has shown that 70% of students agree that online classes are better than traditional classroom settings. An even larger percentage of the above think that online education enabled the teacher and student to learn at their own pace, along with the obviously added flexibility of a fitting schedule for each individual in the classroom. This is relevant to the context of Nepalese students as well. With education rates of board exams, required for these students to continue further education, especially in South-Asian countries decreasing in a rather detrimental theme, online education might just become the potential resource necessary for students across the map.

The ways that students are taught must change in order to accommodate dynamic courses. The vast majority of respected academic institutions throughout the globe have already adopted online education. This isn't just a bunch of urban kids' impressionistic opinions. Due to the tools and possibilities available to individuals today, there is a rising demand for people to be experts in specific fields.

People now need to broaden and adapt their interests in the humanities, music theory, cookery, and all other foundational academic areas. Despite the fact that the majority of disciplines have increasing fields of study, we can't seem to find the right mentors or programs for the ones we're interested in. Due to inadequate demand and a lack of necessary resources for the restricted number of teachers, these mentors or courses are unable to meet the need. People who are eager to instruct these very specialized subjects can do so much more easily thanks to online courses.

Some even provide people from low-income families with more financial options in the form of financial help and scholarships. Of all, even those who come from rural areas of Nepal do not all lead the same lifestyles. Some people could have more significant daily routines based on providing for their families.Even for those who struggle with these challenges, taking online classes is a terrific alternative because they allow students to study whenever and wherever they want. The importance of online education in Nepal has become increasingly detrimental to its development as a variegated, developing state.