The pandemic has brought a sudden unprecedented change into every individual’s life. Remote communication systems proved the only way the exchange of information could take place. The education system has also suffered a major setback during the pandemic. Learning is a task that must never stop. Learning during the growth years of children is more vital, as they can compute the future ideas based on what they learn today. They are the future of our planet and compromising with their learning will take the progress of humans a step back. Since the traditional school system had to shut down temporarily because of the virus outbreak, other sources of knowledge transfer were high in search. It is not surprising that the new e-learning technologies are gaining fast popularity. A crisp and consistent communication system with clear and real-time visuals was what the children and teachers most needed.
E-learning has thus evolved very rapidly in the pandemic. Two very prominent technologies that aided the e-learning process is Synchronous and Asynchronous technology.
The Synchronous technology
Synchronous technology is generally for topographically distributed learners who have the time commitment. It allows the class to proceed in real-time with multiple choices. Both the teacher and students can communicate and access the information just like a normal classroom. Therefore the class functions just as if it was physically functioning. The Synchronous system accommodates a number of advantages and disadvantages. Its perks include that the information flow is not interrupted. Students can then and there clear their doubts. Most importantly it maintains the seriousness of the classroom decorum which is very essential to build discipline among the young generation. It also allows the geographically distant students to learn what they desire. It however proves difficult for the students who cannot commit to a certain time. Also, unexpected network breaks cause abruptions to the teaching process.
The tools and technologies that aid Synchronous systems have become a part of our daily lives. These include audio conferencing applications like Skype, Video conferencing apps, chats, whiteboarding, application sharing, and remote data sharing apps.
The Asynchronous technology
Asynchronous technology is what feels like a dream for working students. Asynchronous systems provide an alternative for the working generation to complete their higher education. Also, students who cannot cope with standard class timings find this technology worthwhile as they can learn at their own pace. So here the teachers and students communicate in a different time frame. This technology is what makes the faculty’s job easier. The same material can be uploaded for every new session until the syllabus changes. It also provides better options for the users to record and count the participants. It provides the most important thing to its users while learning and that is the time required for thinking and analyzing the newly learned information. So sensible interactions are most common in this system.
Although it is a boon to the working class, it also breaks the decorum of the standard education system which is why it is less preferred by institutions. The Asynchronous system is also well-known. They are streaming videos, social media uploads, blogs, discussion panels, etc.
Coming to the pandemic hitting us unexpectedly for an indefinite time, people have realized the importance of technology-aided tasks in real life. The dependence on technology has substantially increased and this is because it has proved to be a pure blessing during the pandemic. For example, the Parents who were worried about the education of their little ones at school have come to trust the teachers more by seeing them teaching during the online classes. They can also have more insight into what their child is learning. The adults who long craved for a better degree had utilized the pandemic to achieve one. Technology has given them a second chance to excel in their career with no commitments to time. These all are only possible due to the aid of technology and Synchronous and Asynchronous technology have undoubtedly been the greatest weapon to fight the pandemic. But some sectors like which one is better is still a lingering question that needs to be clarified. Obviously, both of them have equal sets of benefits and deficits. But a balanced combination of both these technologies will prove to eliminate all the issues faced by the users. Hence it is very clear that e-learning technology has definitely benefited the education system during the pandemic.
Thank you for reading the article. I hope it was well informed. In case you want any further information on e-learning technologies, kindly contact us. Team win squares will be happy to help you and make your work easier. It will be our immense pleasure if you give your valuable feedback in the comment section. Please share this article with your loved ones and professional circle if you like it.
