The demand for online teaching and learning increased rapidly after the epidemic of COVID-19. When the lockdown was imposed globally, imparting education among learners was a huge challenge. To cope-up with this, online learning became more popular. The emergence of this new way of learning gave both teachers and students an opportunity to explore the new electronic world of education.
But, nothing comes without challenges. Offline learning is the traditional method accepted globally. Whereas, adopting the online teaching and learning culture was quite difficult. The online learning environment is way more different from the offline learning environment.
There is no fixed physical location, and both teachers and students are physically away from each other. Students might learn from a wide variety of settings, such as – outdoor environment, home, etc., but nothing can be compared with the traditional classroom setting, which is the best environment to share and gather knowledge.
However, during this outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not possible to run offline classes, so teachers need to build an interactive culture of online teaching and learning. They need to pay attention to certain amenities, like – good internet connection, upgraded technological tools, proper teaching environment, and ensure optimum utilization of online resources to create a hassle-free learning environment.
Online learning VS classroom learning
In this era of digitalization where the education sector is experiencing transformations, acknowledging which mode of learning is better is quite debatable. People are still wondering which is the better way of teaching and learning. Here are some differences between both the modes of learning that will help in understanding your convenient method.
| Factors | Online Learning | Classroom Learning |
| Communication | Online learning is in a way more convenient and flexible as the students and teachers can take the classes in the comfort of their homes. The students don’t have to carry heavy bags to their schools. | Teachers can easily set up two-way communication in classroom learning because both teacher and students are physically present in the classroom. |
| Convenience | There are no distractions in the online courses and students can finish them at their convenience. | Classroom learning is more interactive and makes the students fully attentive to what is being taught. There are fewer distractions, which makes the class less chaotic. |
| Timing | Online learning is considered perfect for working people who can learn in flexible timings. | Classroom learning is ideal for young children and students because they need consistent guidance from their teachers. |
Therefore, we cannot say that one mode of learning is better than the other. Both are moulded according to the needs of the learners. But, some components need to be considered for establishing an effective learning environment.
Components of an effective learning environment
Creating an effective and engaging learning environment for students in a class regardless of its setting is one of the most creative skills of educators. There is a tendency to focus on either physical learning environments, such as classrooms, labs, etc., or online learning environments, such as – using digital tools for the virtual classroom. But, learning environments are wider than these physical and online components. These also include components like:
- Goals for teaching and learning.
- Needs of the students.
- Activities that best support learning.
- Cultures that infuse the learning environment.
- Assignment strategies that will measure and drive learning in the best possible way.
Conclusion As we know that online learning is the need of the hour and we can’t switch to the offline mode instantly. So, teachers need to upgrade their skills and learn the optimum utilization of online teaching tools. For some educators adapting to this shift was easy, but for some, it was very challenging. However, teachers are a sea of knowledge, and they just need to hone their online teaching skills, which can be done by enrolling themselves in online teacher training courses.
