Online platforms have been in use for decades and have reached tremendous popularity within both the corporate and the education spheres. Online education has reached new heights during and in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The dependency on online education has increased dramatically and many students prefer online education for its convenience.

When the government announced lockdowns across various states, schools and colleges had to transition to online modes of education. Keeping track of assignments, tests, and homework was also done in the online mode.

Digital classroom apps like Google Classroom gained popularity during this time. Many other apps were designed where teachers and professors could post assignments, keep track of attendance, and post notes and homework. Some of these platforms had an inbuilt plug-in to conduct online classes as well.

This made it super convenient for teachers as all they had to do was post the materials in one place. Students, in turn, could easily access homework, assignments, and tests, as everything was in one place. Digital classrooms or Smart Classes have become so popular that even universities find it convenient to reach out to students via these platforms.

There has also been a surge in the use of online teaching platforms. Many platforms have started offering free courses that students can take to upskill themselves. These courses could later be used to receive credits from universities. For a lot of school students, online classes are offered on these online teaching apps. There are various advantages and disadvantages associated with such apps.

Here are the advantages:

• Efficiency: Teachers don’t need to move from class to class to teach kids and can keep track of all the materials in one place. Instead, they just need to log in to a link to take classes. This also helps the students to track their progress and study materials.
• Accessibility: Teachers can record the classes. This makes it convenient for students to access the online teaching app to get access to the recorded videos for reference and to clear up uncertainties. With the help of technology, students can now record specific classes or lectures that they can refer to in the future. Various eBooks are made available to the students as well and these can be easily accessed with the help of the internet.
• Attendance: Unlike the necessity for physical presence in class, students just need to log into the links according to the school time schedule to attend that period. This is especially useful for kids who cannot afford to travel long distances to get to school. They can take classes in the comfort of their home which increases the efficiency of learning.
• Affordability: A lot of parents gave a sigh of relief when online education became popular as it helped them financially. They do not have to invest in transportation for their kids. Transport is usually very expensive for kids who attend school in metropolitan cities. Especially in a country such as India, accessing study material has become very easy as most people have internet access.

Here are the disadvantages

• Lack of infrastructure: Students who don’t have the basic infrastructure for attending classes at home find it very hard to cope.
• Teacher Training: Sometimes teachers also need additional training to be able to use the platforms to their own and the children’s advantage.

Conclusion:

Online education has revolutionized the way we look at education. It has made the system a lot more efficient for teachers. Teachers find the online teaching platforms very convenient. Their preparation time is reduced and they are able to work more efficiently.