Can Online Classes Replace Physical Teaching?



Online coaching has helped continue studies during Pandemic

Due to Covid 19 pandemic, Online classes has come to the rescue for millions of students across the globe. Few months before, Online classes was a distant dream. It was unthinkable. However, in last few months, everyone in the education industry – be it schools and colleges, teachers, private tutors, students or even parents, have adapted to online coaching. During pandemic, since students are not able to attend physical classes, online coaching has become new norm. However, when situation comes to normalcy, would you still like to continue with online coaching? Would you like Schools and Colleges to conduct physical classes? Is online coaching better than physical teaching? There are many such questions arising in your mind.

When situation comes to normalcy, would you still like to continue with Online Coaching?

There is no doubt that online coaching is best option during pandemic situation. It has helped students continue to learn in these challenging times. However, is it really effective? or is it a mere temporary solution to current problems?


You may also like to read : "Should Schools and Colleges be Open Now?"


What Experts have to say

We found a very interesting article published by ABC7 News - “Online classes don’t offer same benefits asin person learning” written by Lyanne Melendez. It says “Having too many students at once on Google Meet or Zooming is robbing children of the opportunity to engage or get the proper feedback from teachers.” That's what Karen Aronian, an education expert, found when analyzing remote classes at some public schools in US.

On the other hand, CTech who is technology news site, published an article “There are many benefits to remote learning”. Professor Ina Blau argues that the Covid-19 lockdown has forced the education system to adopt advanced teaching methods and that there is no turning back. “When dealing with the fifth-grade and higher, I identify significant advantages to remote studies,” Professor Ina Blau, who heads the post graduate education program at Israel’s Open University as well as the institute’s educational technology research center.

Some are in favor of online coaching while some see merit in continuing physical classes once pandemic is over.


What Parents and Teachers Say

So we asked this question to the people who are participating in this journey – parents and teachers. We asked them that “Can Online coaching replace physical teaching?” 

89.6% of the participants said that they would like to get back to physical schooling post pandemic. We got interesting perspectives from parents and teachers. We are highlighting few comments here.




Alka Rawat says “Nope”. Online coaching cannot replace physical teaching. “Online is great addition to teaching pedagogy. It has immense potential, but face to face teaching is the soul of teaching.”

Nanda Jinesh bring up interesting aspect and says “I think it depends on what your take is on Education? Are you strictly talking about formal education based on a syllabus and regular tests? or Are you talking about learning? In my perspective, learning can happen anywhere at any time. We learn through content we read, watch online, through people we meet and through our experiences throughout life. There is a huge home schooling / un-schooling movement worldwide which uses several channels to teach the child but focuses on practical hands on learning. I think provided the child has sufficient interaction and sustained support from their family to learn then the medium of instruction does not matter.

Papia Bose adds that “My belief is - yes”. Online coaching can replace physical teaching. “It is happening. May be this was just the beginning. We are all evolving and teacher/student are bonding in a diff way. The teachers are doing their best to teach, in every possible manner, and students are doing their best to learn. “We are all evolving and KUDOS to this. I feel if the intent is right, there is no issue.”

Shanthi Subramaniam believes otherwise. She says that “Where is the guru - Student bonding on virtual classroom? Where is the social development among the children? The only solution is where is the vaccine? Let's hope and pray for it soon”

Anita Punj shares the feeling of Shanthi. She says “Where are physical emotions?”

Ashwini Menon adds “School is not just about studies. Man is a social animal. At home, kids are restricted to mingle with family members. especially when nowadays it's mostly nuclear family and that too with both parents working. “Kids just get adapted to the virtual world and forget the real world. When they are big and situation comes where they have to mingle with other people, they will really struggle. They will never know to interact properly. Also it affects their values and behaviour to other people. They will not be able to identify good or bad friends. But at school, they learn from childhood to know other kids behaviour and choose their best friends. They have more exposure.”

Nidhi Wankhede pens down very nicely and says that “I don't think online teaching is as effective as classroom teaching in the school. Interaction which takes place between students and teacher inside the classroom is very different from interaction which takes place during online teaching. Students can ask as many doubts as they can in the classroom rather than asking in online class. A teacher can judge each and every child, his activities, his behaviour, his habits etc while having a class in the school. But it's difficult to judge all this, while having online teaching.”

Seema Chawla says “The feel and sense of Teacher - Student bonding is missing (in online coaching). But as far as this pandemic time is concerned, we can say online teaching has done a remarkable job. Continuity of the studies is maintained and students are also coping up with the studies. So it's good.” She salutes to the hard work of the teachers and cooperation by the parents.

Hema Nagar Rao adds to what others say “Online teaching can be always useful in only selective areas, but not where you physically need to be present to know the practical aspects, specially for our children, who also need to grow in a social environment, to enhance their overall growth. I wish the pandemic gets over soon and schools /colleges /institutions open and things get back to normalcy. Till then, since no option, hence make the best out of online stuff!!!”

Some of the teachers also echoed this sentiment. Tanu Shaikh mentions that “I am a teacher myself. A big no (to online coaching). It can never replace physical classes.”

Babita Shetty also shares her thought “I am a teacher for 15 years now. I really think most of the children are unable to grasp each and everything taught, it has become more conceptualization rather than practicality. Somewhere something or rather many things are missing. No doubt kids are turning tech-savvy, but still nothing is better than physical learning.”

Kalpana Mani Acharya bring up interesting perspective. She says “This is like asking can swiggy replace home cooked food? We outsourced our cooking to online ordering. We outsourced our caring to daycare.  We, after getting degrees, did not use our knowledge to teach our children, but sent them for tuition. If our children, at the tender age, accepted all this, online teaching is also a good replacement.

Rushali Desai More says “Online teaching is not by choice, it’s our only attempt to keep them constructively involved & let this time pass soon. Neither can online food replace healthy home food nor can online class to physical classrooms.”

Jagruti Navlani Komal Santwani says “Earlier it was no (to online classes), but as we are getting used to it, I will say yes. But for higher classes from 9th onwards, its absolutely difficult (for online coaching).” However, Sejal Divecha, a teacher, says that “I am taking online classes for class 9th and 10th. I am getting the same output as the physical class. It depends how the teacher manages (online classes)”.

Sweta Shrivastava mentions that “During this pandemic, something is better than nothing. This (physical classes) cannot be replaced but yes much better option (online coaching), keeping safety in mind.”

Ritu Agarwal brings a different perspective. She says “Online coaching is useful because children save lot of time of traveling, but it can't be replaced schooling. Schooling is must for kids.”

Rani Issrani, whose grand son is in school, says “My grand son is not good at on line coaching. He keeps on crying that he wants to go to school. My son's family stays in Dubai. Now schools are reopened there. He goes to school daily and says he studies much better there. He says school is much fun as teacher's are focusing more on children, as there are less children. Good care is taken (by teachers). They are very strict and have to follow the rules. He (grand son) is very happy now. At home, they are full time on TV or Mobile, no outdoor games and parents don't have enough time to play more indoor games with their children.”

On the other hand, Jayata Chanchlani Rai shares her view and says “Online teaching or a virtual class has overcome the benefits of classroom teaching. Technology demands to be very swift in doing any session virtually, rather than physical. Its a need of an hour.”

Swati Sanjay Shrivastava says “Everything new is always challenging. If kids are disciplined, then yes. We can replace some of the physical teaching which will save other expenses too”

 

Summary

In summary, we appreciate the sentiments shared by parents and teachers. Everyone agrees that during this special situation, online coaching has helped students and teachers to continue studies. However, many of them feel that physical classrooms are more important. Once pandemic is over, they would like Schools and Collages to conduct physical classes. Physical classroom helps in overall development of child. It also helps teacher to focus on children and help in their overall development.

Some may agree with few comments and some may not agree. However, we respect all the views from parents and teachers.

 


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Note: All above views and statements are independent views of parents and teachers. This should not be construed as our / author's views. We are not in favor or against any of the views. We do not endorse any of these views. We are putting efforts to bring different perspectives of parents and teachers. We are not making any recommendations in this blog. All parents and teachers should form their independent views and opinions about the situation and make decisions which is suitable to them. None of the above views should be construed as our / author's own views or recommendations. We / Author should not be held liable and responsible, in any manner whatsoever, for any of the views, which are independently coming from parents and teachers.


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