Online Education: A Students’ Perception

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, all educational institutions in Bangladesh remain closed since March 17. Afterward, students have been under home quarantine. Prolonged lockdown is causing a lot of damage to students’ mental health as well as their studies. Alike other countries of the world, the online education system has been introduced in almost all the educational institutions of the country following the direction of the government of Bangladesh. Subsequently, many private educational institutions (school, college, university) started online classes using virtual platforms since the government declaration, though the government educational institutions were lag behind the private institutions. Therefore, students started attending classes by their teachers using various online platforms like Zoom, Google Classroom, Google Meet, Facebook Live, and YouTube. Apart from this, Sangsad TV has been also broadcasting regular classes on different subjects for a different class for school going students.  Now some questions have arisen, how many students are getting the opportunity to attend online classes? Are they learning? How much are they taking? Are long-term online classes affecting their physical and mental health?

Positive facets of the online class

First of all, I must appreciate the online education system which creates a bridge between students and teachers to stay connected virtually to avoid spreading coronavirus. In fact, online classes are diversifying the monotonous lives of students as they are home quarantine for a lengthy period. A student can join in an online class from anywhere from the country. As we know, our nation is technologically developing, therefore students are so comfortable with using these online platforms rather than teachers. Importantly, students have contact with books, which is highly indispensable for their lives. They wake up just in time to take online classes and spend the day in discipline so that they remain busy as regular life, which has a positive effect on their physical and mental health. Moreover, online classes are reducing the anxiety of session jam. Students as well as guardians were so concerned in this regard. As the government announcement, academic sessions are expecting to end in on time.

Negative facets of the online class

Despite the positive facets of any one thing, there are negative facets as well. A tedious attitude is being created among the students, as a result of 4-5 hours of continuous classes. Besides, Students are having problems with their eyes as they sit in front of the screen of different devices for a long time to online classes. Again, some people are feeling headaches. Many students have been suffering from neck and back pain due to sitting in a chair for a long time that can cause damage if continued for a long time. Despite having all the facilities, they are reluctant to participate in classes. However, in a classroom, students used to talk to their classmates while the teachers’ taking a class. Similarly, during the class, most of the students turn off their audio and video and keep in touch with friends using other apps and some of them, playing games or doing similar kinds of stuff. As a result, the lectures of their teachers are not entirely understood by them. Additionally, some students share answers with friends with homework or exams. Consequently, things that are learning in the online class are not being able to evaluate precisely through online examination.

What are the steps that should be taken?

1. Alike other developed countries of the world, the government of Bangladesh has to pay attention to the education sector. Reducing price, the government needs to ensure laptops, computers, or smartphones for students and teachers to attend online classes. Besides, the government may introduce a small loan facility for students to purchase such gadgets without interest.
2. Unremitting internet access for all students and teachers. 4G internet or broadband facility should be provided in all districts of Bangladesh at a minimum price.
3. Teachers need to be trained up to the use of technologies to take classes.
4. During the class, students should turn on the video, so that they can pay attention to class.
5. Academicians should introduce an innovative method to evaluate the students’ wisdom precisely through online examinations.

Even though online education has some negative facets, the value of this method on one can repudiate at this moment.  So far, we have no knowledge when our educational institutions may reopen as the current situation of COVID-19 is not under control. It may need a longer period. Hence, the government should handle the matter earnestly to defeat negativities and provide an infrastructure of online education as they are prospects of the nation.