Experts say that online classes are an “all weather friend” for students as they are here to stay. Here’s taking a look at online classes from the point of view of a student !
By: Anshula Agarwal
Tags: Online Education, Education Reform, Makersbox, STEM, Technology

Over the last few months life has drastically changed for all of us across the world. The wrath of a mere vir!!us shook the economies of the world ,changed lives and patterns of thinking and affected us students, whose lives revolved around books and examinations.

I have been a student for 16 years and not once did I fathom a day where I would end up being admitted to an educational institution which I have not once set foot into. Being a first year college student, it’s a new experience for both my teachers and my peers to conduct and attend online classes.

Online classes are an integration of education and technology. It breaks away from the traditional notion of the chalk and board and exposes us to different methods of learning and grasping concepts, ranging from video lectures to the 360 degree visualization of figures and structures.

This sudden shift in learning has created a new market for E leaning platforms, educational gaming sites and mobile applications, thereby opening a new avenue for students. The main idea being that a whole new resource pool has been created for students across multiple disciplines. For example ,If I want to study the words of the great political philosopher Plato I am no longer restricted to a textbook but rather I could watch a presentation about it or listen to a political science Harvard professor explaining the ideas of Plato’s book ‘the Republic’ from the comfort of my very home.

Moreover, Online Education has made barriers of geography futile. The beauty of this education lies in the fact that it accounts for lesser social factors which once restricted students to attend classes whether it was religious, familial or customary .It is only now that a person ‘s access to this new window of opportunity is governed by the simple possession of a laptop with a stable internet connection . Recently, I had taken part in an international debating competition and the very fact that I could be a part of an online debate conducted by the University of Alabama with teams from across twenty countries, sitting within the four walls of my house in Delhi is a point in case for how inclusive this new mode of education has become.

Another aspect of online education is its relationship with vocationalization. Vocational training was primarily associated with the age old apprenticeship system of learning. However, now the concept of online internships in fields of Law, Research and Teaching are being promoted. The fields of law and IT in particular are training students and exposing students to online court hearings and computer languages respectively which require little to no human interaction. The fields of engineering are also witness to AI modelling and computer command systems. Thus changing the face of vocational training.

Online education has combined the advancement of technology with the curiosity of young minds to create platforms empowering us. Similarly, MakersBox Foundation is one of those platforms. The organisation aims to give children the environment to learn within technology and take advantage of all it’s benefits. To connect with the world, to question and solve but most importantly build independent thinking. With our online workshops and activities along with our effort to make such opportunities accessible to the grassroot population of our country, we are contributing to the sphere of online education.

To connect with us visit us at https://www.makersboxfoundation.org