eLearning – The New Normal

 

When we were kids, we were told by our parents, teachers, friends, and relatives that Schools, private coaching’s and libraries were the best places to learn but it was not their fault that’s how they used to learn. There were many ways through which we used to gain knowledge by attending classes, lectures, self-study, and going to tuitions. In fact, the best way to learn new things is Group study with your buddies. Then came the internet in the late ’90s and mobile phones, however, the majority of people used the internet for unproductive activities and cell phones for calling their friends and relatives only, not many people were aware of a lot of things back then. Then came the era of smartphones, BTW, the first Android phone was introduced in India in mid-2009 and that actually revolutionized the entire telecom and other industries. Technological advancement and use of various smartphones and Apps impacted other sectors as well including the medical and education Industry. People started doing online bookings for reservations (both Train and Flight), movies and ordering food from Swiggy, Zomato, and other food applications (Apps).

These were the traditional ways how we used to learn, gain information and knowledge, however, with the current pandemic situation, many things changed the way we worked, operate, and do things, the way we approach and act. Earlier we used to go to school and colleges but due to COVID, almost everyone started to work from home. The majority of people started cooking at home, reading books, and writing Blogs. In fact, a lot of people have become more tech-savvy and started exploring different options as well. Even students are nowadays aware of a lot of things due to their exposure to the internet and the latest gadgets. Online courses or eLearning and gaining knowledge and acquiring new skills from YouTube and other sites are in vogue.

Students, many working professionals and housewives nowadays are upskilling themselves and trying different options either to learn new skills or impart their knowledge with others, thereby increasing their household income. Also, according to various surveys India has a large number of youths with high aspirations but low income is the right target market for online education and eLearning industry.

Advantages: There are many benefits of online courses:

·         As majority of people are working from home, they can learn new skills by enrolling themselves for online courses and that too hassle-free.

·         Students, housewives and other professionals have easy access to the internet so they can purchase courses according to their interest and passion to upskill themselves.

·         Whatever you learn you can teach others as well and hence contribute to your family’s income.

·         Online courses are relatively affordable and one can watch them according to their own convenience.

·         As these are pre-recorded videos so one can watch them repeatedly and at any point in time.

·         As these are a one-time investment so people can share their respective courses with their family members also.

·         Online courses have a good ecosystem as well it means that once you purchase a course, you’ll be a part of their online community and it helps you and others to grow as well on a fast-track mode.

·         People will be connected with other like-minded people which helps in increasing their own professional network and will be beneficial for them as well to start an online business of their own.

·         In an online education system tutor can teach and guide a lot of people at the same time.

·         Even many companies and employers find it convenient to train their employees online so that they can upscale their business eventually.

·         Learning while working has also become a new norm and also a bit convenient than traditional brick and mortar education system.

Disadvantages:

·         Trust is an important factor in an online-business and courses but unfortunately the majority of people mislead, misguide and misrepresent facts which are detrimental not only for them but for others as well especially those who want to learn, operate and do business ethically.

·         As there are many sources of information available online so people do get overwhelmed and confused.

·         There are few cases of people buying multiple courses and as a result, such category of people are unable to complete either of their courses.

Conclusion:

As we can analyzed from the aforementioned information that online courses and businesses have both pros and cons however, it completely depends on us to do our deep research so that we are able to make an informed decision. Although, Covid affects many businesses adversely and a lot of people lost their job, however, there were few people and businesses who took the initiative and transitioned at right time, and now they are enjoying the fruits of their hard work. Our country has a bright future and will have many exciting opportunities due to its young population and also increasing penetration of the internet in various parts of India, especially the rural areas and small towns. Information sharing and accessibility are very easy in this day and age due to the internet. Please do share your thoughts in the below comment section regarding this new way of learning and acquiring new skills and information.

PS: I too recently purchased an online line course to upskill myself and now I’m using and learning how to use various new tools and have many new friends who are helping me whenever I face some problem or need clarity regarding a particular topic. If you also want to know more about this course and want to start your own online business do connect with me. 

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