It has been a month since the lockdown was announced and the people’s initial enthusiasm at getting more time at home and exploring new skills has since given way to boredomand finally frustration (apparent in the their faces’ reflection on the Netflix screen as it teasingly asks “Are you still watching?”).
While we are in the midst of a pandemic, we must carry on the same routine, with a few alterations. The daily ritual of waking up and grooming oneself at the break of dawnhas been shifted to late morning or early afternoon (or maybe even the evening on certain lazy days).
The schools are still functioning even though the brick and mortar classroom has given way to virtual Zoom sessions and the lectures have been reduced to text and videos. The learning has taken a new form - enter blogs to video lectures and the annoyingly frequent notifications on your phone from the question bank website that wants you to share your location.
The students differ in their views towards the situation. While some acknowledge the fact that the syllabus is progressing at a remarkable pace, owing to the almost total disappearance of distractions, otherstudents feel that the work is being rushed at a speed that makes it impossible for them to grasp the lessons. Some others feel that there’s no need to panic as the written assignments can be completed with the help of the material sent by teachers onblogs and when the schools reopen, the teachers can elaborate on the topics properly.
Attending an online lecture is much easier than physically travelling to the venue. However, it is indisputable that the quality of learning is affected since there isn’t much room for discussion, especially between the students themselves.
“It’s not that different. The only difference is in the mode of providing education. There are students who will focus on work and others who won’t, just appearing as present (for the sessions) without actually studying. Nothing’s really changed.” says a student who wishes to remain anonymous.
“To be honest, I don’t mind the classes. There’s almost no difference. But, it’s about the feeling of going to school and sitting at the desk surrounded by your friends while mindless shenanigans ensue. Education-wise, I feel that it’s not that different” says another student.
Some argue that the current state of affairs is just a taste of how the means of education will be in the near future. People believe that this is just a transition into a new form of education. The schools would continue with the online lectures even when there isn’t a worldwide emergency.
Many feel that the current situation is intrusive to their private life since there is no stark boundary between ‘home’ and ‘workspace’ anymore. The screens that we have become so accustomed to as a mode of entertainment have become a passageway to formal education.
Most of the students are indifferent to the mode of education since it is the thrill of being surrounded by their peers that they miss. A classroom environment is important for the growth of a person.
To conclude, the lockdown is not directly hindering the education but rather it is the social life of the students that is being affected, which in turn, affects the output of the work.
GAURAVYA MOHAN
XII-D
