unclear about what to believe in not only to start exploring the possibilities

Journal of Educational Technology Systems. 2020 Sep; 49(i): v–22.

Online Learning: A Panacea in the Time of COVID-xix Crisis

Shivangi Dhawan

¹Section of Commerce, SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi, Bharat

²Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi, India

Abstract

Educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities) in India are currently based simply on traditional methods of learning, that is, they follow the traditional fix of contiguous lectures in a classroom. Although many academic units have also started blended learning, still a lot of them are stuck with old procedures. The sudden outbreak of a deadly disease chosen Covid-xix acquired by a Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) shook the entire world. The Globe Health Organization declared it as a pandemic. This situation challenged the didactics organisation across the earth and forced educators to shift to an online mode of teaching overnight. Many bookish institutions that were before reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical arroyo had no selection but to shift entirely to online education–learning. The article includes the importance of online learning and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Challenges (SWOC) analysis of e-learning modes in the fourth dimension of crisis. This article also put some lite on the growth of EdTech Start-ups during the fourth dimension of pandemic and natural disasters and includes suggestions for academic institutions of how to deal with challenges associated with online learning.

Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-xix, teaching, online learning, technology, EdTech

The deadly and communicable diseases Corona Virus also known as Covid-nineteen has deeply affected the global economy. This tragedy has likewise shaken upwardly the educational activity sector, and this fear is likely to resonate across the instruction sector globally. The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak forced many schools and colleges to remain airtight temporarily. Several areas are affected worldwide and there is a fear of losing this whole ongoing semester or even more in the coming hereafter. Diverse schools, colleges, and universities accept discontinued in-person teaching. Every bit per the assessment of the researchers, it is uncertain to go back to normal education anytime soon. As social distancing is preeminent at this stage, this will have negative furnishings on learning opportunities. Educational units are struggling to find options to deal with this challenging situation. These circumstances make united states of america realize that scenario planning is an urgent need for academic institutions (Rieley, 2020). This is a situation that demands humanity and unity. There is an urgent need to protect and salve our students, kinesthesia, academic staff, communities, societies, and the nation every bit a whole.

Several arguments are associated with e-learning. Accessibility, affordability, flexibility, learning educational activity, life-long learning, and policy are some of the arguments related to online teaching. Information technology is said that online manner of learning is easily accessible and can fifty-fifty achieve to rural and remote areas. It is considered to be a relatively cheaper mode of education in terms of the lower cost of transportation, adaptation, and the overall cost of institution-based learning. Flexibility is another interesting aspect of online learning; a learner can schedule or plan their fourth dimension for completion of courses available online. Combining confront-to-face lectures with technology gives rise to blended learning and flipped classrooms; this blazon of learning surroundings can increase the learning potential of the students. Students can learn anytime and anywhere, thereby developing new skills in the process leading to life-long learning. The government also recognizes the increasing importance of online learning in this dynamic earth.

The severe explosion of Corona Virus disease can make the states add one more statement in terms of online learning, that is, online learning serves as a panacea in the fourth dimension of crunch.

Literature Review

Online Learning or E-Learning

Rapid developments in technology have made altitude education easy (McBrien et al., 2009). "Most of the terms (online learning, open up learning, spider web-based learning, figurer-mediated learning, blended learning, 1000-learning, for ex.) have in mutual the ability to use a computer continued to a network, that offers the possibility to acquire from anywhere, anytime, in whatever rhythm, with any ways" (Cojocariu et al., 2014).Online learning can be termed every bit a tool that can brand the teaching–learning process more student-centered, more than innovative, and even more than flexible. Online learning is defined equally "learning experiences in synchronous or asynchronous environments using different devices (due east.g., mobile phones, laptops, etc.) with internet access. In these environments, students can exist anywhere (contained) to acquire and interact with instructors and other students" (Singh & Thurman, 2019). The synchronous learning surround is structured in the sense that students nourish live lectures, there are real-fourth dimension interactions between educators and learners, and there is a possibility of instant feedback, whereas asynchronous learning environments are non properly structured. In such a learning environment, learning content is not available in the form of alive lectures or classes; it is available at dissimilar learning systems and forums. Instant feedback and immediate response are non possible under such an environment (Littlefield, 2018). Synchronous learning can provide a lot of opportunities for social interaction (McBrien et al., 2009). Amidst this deadly virus spread such online platforms are needed where (a) video conferencing with at least 40 to l students is possible, (b) discussions with students can exist washed to keep classes organic, (c) internet connections are expert, (d) lectures are accessible in mobile phones also and not just laptops, (e) possibility of watching already recorded lectures, and (f) instant feedback from students can be achieved and assignments can be taken (Basilaia et al., 2020).

Online Educational activity Is No More an Option, It Is a Necessity

The major part of the world is on quarantine due to the serious outbreak of this global pandemic Covid-19 and therefore many cities have turned into phantom cities and its effects tin be seen in schools, colleges, and universities also. Betwixt all this online education and online learning can be termed as the panacea for the crunch. The Corona Virus has made institutions to get from offline mode to online style of pedagogy. This crisis will make the institutions, which were earlier reluctant to alter, to accept modern technology. This catastrophe volition show the states the lucrative side of online pedagogy and learning. With the assistance of online teaching modes, nosotros can sermonize a large number of students at whatever time and in any function of the world. All institutions must scramble different options of online pedagogical approaches and attempt to employ applied science more than aptly. Many universities around the world have fully digitalized their operations understanding the dire need of this current situation. Online learning is emerging every bit a victor ludorum among this chaos. Therefore, the quality enhancement of online educational activity–learning is crucial at this stage. Online education in Chinese universities has increased exponentially afterward the Covid-nineteen outbreak. In that location was an overnight shift of normal classrooms into due east-classrooms, that is, educators have shifted their unabridged pedagogical approach to tackle new market conditions and conform to the changing situations. During this tough time, the concern is not about whether online teaching–learning methods tin can provide quality education, it is rather how academic institutions will exist able to adopt online learning in such a massive manner (Carey, 2020).

Resistance to modify will not help any educational unit of measurement across the world. They volition be judged on their pace to suit to the changes in such a short catamenia and their ability to maintain the quality. The reputation of educational units is on pale and under scrutiny. How well they behave and how well they maintain their quality of instruction among this crisis shows their adapting capabilities. The shift from face up-to-face lectures to online classes is the just possible solution. Indeed, academic institutions would not be able to transform all of their college curricula into and online resources overnight. Distance, scale, and personalized teaching and learning are the three biggest challenges for online teaching. Innovative solutions past institutions tin only help us deal with this pandemic (Liguori & Winkler, 2020). There is a requirement of a quick shift to online learning mode; therefore, the products by Google can be actually useful under such problematic situations; they are (a) Gmail, (b) Google Forms, (c) Calendars, (d) 1000-Bulldoze, (e) Google Hangouts, (f) Google Jam board and Drawings, (chiliad) Google Classroom, and (h) Open up Board Software (non a Google production, helps in recording meetings in the form of files). These tools can successfully be used equally an alternative for contiguous classes (Basilaia et al., 2020).

Problems Associated With Online Pedagogy and Learning

There are n number of technologies available for online education but sometimes they create a lot of difficulties. These difficulties and problems associated with modernistic technology range from downloading errors, problems with installation, login issues, issues with audio and video, and so on. Sometimes student finds online teaching to be boring and unengaging. Online learning has and then much of time and flexibility that students never find time to exercise it. Personal attention is besides a huge issue facing online learning. Students desire ii-fashion interaction which sometimes gets hard to implement. The learning process cannot attain its total potential until students do what they learn. Sometimes, online content is all theoretical and does not let students practise and learn effectively. Mediocre course content is also a major issue. Students feel that lack of customs, technical problems, and difficulties in understanding instructional goals are the major barriers for online learning (Song et al., 2004). In a study, students were establish to be non sufficiently prepared for balancing their piece of work, family unit, and social lives with their study lives in an online learning environment. Students were too found to be poorly prepared for several east-learning competencies and bookish-blazon competencies. Also, there is a low-level preparedness amidst the students concerning the usage of Learning Direction Systems (Parkes et al., 2014).

Possible Solutions for Issues

A lot of issues are fastened to online educational activity but we cannot ignore the perks of information technology in times of such crisis. Nosotros can always have solutions to set up these difficulties. Technical difficulties tin be solved through prerecording video lectures, testing the content, and ever keeping Plan B ready then that the teaching–learning procedure cannot be hampered. Online courses should be fabricated dynamic, interesting, and interactive. Teachers should fix time limits and reminders for students to make them alert and circumspect. Efforts should be made to humanize the learning process to the best extent possible. Personal attention should be provided to students so that they tin easily adjust to this learning environment. Social media and various grouping forums can be used to communicate with students. Advice is the fundamental when information technology gets difficult to try reaching out to students via texts, diverse messaging apps, video calls, and and then on—content should exist such that enable students for exercise and also strop their skills. The quality of the courses should be improved continuously and teachers must try to give their best. Online programs should be designed in such a fashion that they are creative, interactive, relevant, student-centered, and group-based (Partlow & Gibbs, 2003). Educators must spend a lot of fourth dimension in making effective strategies for giving online instructions. Constructive online instructions facilitate feedback from learners, make learners inquire questions, and augment the learner horizon for the course content (Keeton, 2004). Institutions must focus on pedagogical issues and emphasize collaborative learning, example learning, and projection-based learning through online instructions (Kim & Bonk, 2006).

The challenge to educational institutions is not only finding new technology and using it merely also reimagining its educational activity, thereby helping students and bookish staff who are seeking guidance for digital literacy.

Objectives of the Study

To explore the growth of EdTech Start-ups and online learning.
To conduct an Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Challenges (SWOC) analysis of online learning during the Corona Virus pandemic and natural disasters.
To give some suggestions and recommendations for the success of online mode of learning during a crisis-like situation.

Research Methodology

The study is descriptive and tries to understand the importance of online learning in the period of a crisis and pandemics such every bit the Covid-nineteen. The bug associated with online learning and possible solutions were also identified based on previous studies. The SWOC analysis was conducted to understand various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges associated with online way of learning during this critical situation. The research tool used for analyzing the data which amassed from different sources for this study is a content analysis and the enquiry method is descriptive research. We accept taken into consideration the qualitative aspects of the research study. This report is completely based on the secondary data. A systematic review was washed in detail for the collected literature.

Secondary sources of data used are (a) journals, (b) reports, (c) search engines, (d) visitor websites and scholarly articles, (e) inquiry papers, and other academic publications.

EdTech Start-ups in the Times of Corona

If nosotros go dorsum in history and see EdTech through the ages, we can discover that writing slates were used in Indian schools during the 1100s. In the yr 1440, get-go printing press was invented past Johannes Guttenberg; in the 1600s, Abacus helped students in agreement fundamentals of Math; and in the year 1913, Thomas Edison promoted film clips as a replacement for teachers. In 1927, Sidney Pressy invented the first didactics machine famously called the MCQ machine. In the 1960s, online instruction originated at the Academy of Illinois and in 1994, India'due south EdTech journey finally began in India with the launch of Educomp. Recently, around 2010, EdTechs start-ups entered the market place intending to disrupt the instruction sector. A learning application Byju'due south became i of the most valued EdTech companies in the year 2019. And from and so many beginning-ups have come up to give tough competition to Byjus'southward. Li Kang, Ai English Executive Director said, "Online Learning is the hereafter and if in that location was no virus, that realization would have taken some other few years but this has accelerated the process."

EdTech Offset-ups are borer all the right opportunities by providing free online courses to students amidst this crisis. UNESCO also suggested that these EdTech Start-ups and learning apps can help students during such difficult times. Digital payment companies, such as Paytm, Mobiwik, Tez, PhonePe, and then on, grew quickly during and after demonetization. Now, in this pandemic outbreak, EdTech start-ups are hoping for improved performance. EdTech start-ups are trying hard to brand nigh out of this situation by providing several costless courses and e-resources to the students. Although the availability of electricity and a stable internet connection is notwithstanding a bigger claiming in their way as a lot of Indian cities especially modest cities still face frequent electricity shortages. As per the reports, initiatives by these companies are already bringing them gains. Their customer base of operations is improving a lot, it might exist for a temporary period merely even if they can retain a few customers it is for their adept but.

Educators or teachers in the form of facilitators face a lot of trouble while working on these EdTech commencement-ups in the form of how to start using information technology when to utilise it, how to reduce distractions for students, how to strop students' skills via EdTech. The participation by students is non enough, educators must put considerable endeavour to increase student engagement, retain their attention, accept feedbacks, and assess them in several ways. This will create an effective and meaningful learning environs. EdTech cannot replace a teacher but it tin heighten instruction. During such tough times, when Covid-19 has forced schools and colleges to remain completely lockdown for few weeks due to the seriousness of the situation, EdTech companies tin prove to be of great assist to students (Brianna et al., 2019). According to the reports past KPMG and Google, the EdTech sector will smash and is likely to attain around 2 Billion Dollars by 2021. Some of the famous EdTech start-ups include Byju'southward, Adda247, Alolearning, AptusLearn, Asmakam, Board Infinity, ClassPlus, CyberVie, Egnify, Embibe, ExtraaEdge, iStar, Jungroo Learning, GlobalGyan, Lido Learning, Pesto, Vedantu, Edubrisk, ZOOM Classroom, ZOOM Business organization, Toppr, Unacademy, Coursera, Kahoot, Seesaw, Khan Academy, e-pathshala, GuruQ, and the list is long. SWAYAM portal is an interesting educational programme that is initiated by the regime of Republic of india to achieve three important objectives of our educational policy, that is, access, equity, and quality. The main objective of SWAYAM is to provide online learning and reduce the digital divide. It provides a large number of free courses for school, distance, graduate, and postgraduate education. During the Covid-xix crisis, SWAYAM is of great assist for students across the country.

SWOC Analysis of Online Learning: During Corona Virus Pandemic and Other Crisis-Similar State of affairs (Natural Disasters)

In the aftermath of some of the natural calamities such every bit floods, cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes, and so on, knowledge delivery becomes a challenging task. These hazards disrupt the educational processes in schools and colleges in several ways. Sometimes, it leads to closure of schools and colleges which creates serious consequences for students and deprives them of their fundamental right to education and poses them to hereafter risk. "100 million children and young people are affected past natural disasters every year. Most of them face disruption to their schooling" (Earth Vision). Situations of crisis and conflicts are the biggest hurdles in the path of education. Many students and teachers likewise face psychological bug during crisis—there is stress, fear, feet, depression, and insomnia that lead to a lack of focus and concentration. Disasters create havoc in the lives of people (Di Pietro, 2017).

With irresolute weather condition patterns and ascent global temperatures, an increasing number of farthermost weather events have become the new norm. Such events caused varying amounts of loss to life and holding. Table1 shows some of the natural disasters that caused huge disruption in educational processes. Large numbers of schools and colleges were destroyed and thousands of students were afflicted by these natural calamities. Their education got disrupted in midway. "Disruption of teaching tin leave children at hazard of child labor, early marriage, exploitation, and recruitment into armed forces" (Baytiyeh, 2018). When disasters and crises (human-made and natural) occur, schools and colleges need to exist resilient and should find new ways to proceed with education–learning activities (Chang-Richards et al., 2013).

For instance, in 2016, Italy experienced three fierce and powerful earthquakes. This brought huge destruction in the number of areas. About i,00,000 people became homeless, buildings and structures collapsed, and there was severe loss of life and holding. The Academy of Camerino, one of the oldest universities in the world suffered a huge loss. The university was in crisis, its structure collapsed, a large number of students became homeless and some left the place. In such situations, students were deprived of teaching and learning. It is rightly said, "Information technology is difficult to stick to the traditional road when the road itself has crumbled." This means that face-to-face instructions were non possible at that time; therefore, management and leaders came forrad to devise some plans to continue the educational processes in continuation. Before the earthquake'southward destruction, e-learning at the University was cumbersome. But they were unstoppable, and to proceed the teaching–learning processes, they used Webex (an online tool) by Cisco. Webex helped professors in designing their instructional programs and sharing notes and presentations with students. In almost 1 calendar month, the university was well-versed with e-learning strategies and techniques. They integrated themselves well in an e-learning earth. They believed that, of class, the value of the contiguous didactics method cannot be reduced, but e-learning tin be used together with the traditional methods to bring in efficiency, effectiveness, and competitive edge over other competitors by imparting quality education (Barboni, 2019).

In February 2011, a vi.3 magnitude convulsion shook Christchurch and the University of Canterbury collapsed. Information technology and online learning helped the academy to restart its operations and gave them a second life (Todorova & Bjorn-Andersen, 2011).

At New Orleans, Southern University converted itself into an e-learning campus later the violent hurricane created a Havoc. Several online courses were offered and mobiles were used to provide education to the displaced students (Omar et al., 2008).

And the most recent disaster is in the course of the Covid-nineteen which is spreading similar a forest fire around the earth. All of the schools, colleges, and universities are facing lockdowns in the most affected areas to adjourn further spread of the Corona Virus. Many bookish institutions are, therefore, seeking the help of online learning so that instruction and learning processes are not hampered. The SWOC Analysis of Online Learning is shown in Figure 1.

In the concluding few years, east-learning has started gaining popularity in Republic of india. Many platforms provide affordable courses to students via Massive Open Online Courses. Still a lot of institutions in India were reluctant toward online instruction and learning. Nevertheless, the challenges posed past the Corona Virus pandemic introduced everyone to a new world of online learning and remote education. Instructors indulged them in remote teaching via few flatforms such as Google Hangouts, Skype, Adobe Connect, Microsoft teams, and few more, though ZOOM emerged as a clear winner. Also, to conduct smooth teaching–learning programs, a list of online etiquettes was shared with students and proper instructions for attending classes were given to them (Saxena, 2020).

Tabular array ane.

Natural Disaster That Affected Teaching–Learning Badly.

Year	Natural disasters
2009	A vehement convulsion in 9 the city of 50'Aquila
2010	Floods in Islamic republic of pakistan
2011	Tropical storm Washi in the Philippines
2011	A series of earthquakes in New Zealand
2013	Tropical storm Haiyan in the Philippines
2015	Gorkha floods in Nepal
2017	Harvey and Irma Hurricanes in the United States
2017	Floods in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bharat
2018	An earthquake in Papua New Republic of guinea
2018	Earthquakes and tsunamis in Indonesia
2019	The typhoon Lekima in China
2019	The typhoon Hagibis in Japan
2019	The tropical cyclone Idai in Southeastern Africa
2019	The heat moving ridge in Bihar

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The SWOC Analysis of Online Learning During Such Crises.Note. SWOC = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Challenges.

Strengths

Eastward-learning methods and processes are actually strong. These strengths of the online learning modes tin rescue us from these hard times. It is pupil-centered and offers a great bargain of flexibility in terms of time and location. The eastward-learning methods enable u.s. to customize our procedures and processes based on the needs of the learners. There are plenty of online tools available which is of import for an effective and efficient learning environment. Educators can employ a combo of audio, videos, and text to reach out to their students in this time of crisis to maintain a human touch to their lectures. This tin can help in creating a collaborative and interactive learning surround where students can requite their immediate feedback, ask queries, and larn interestingly. The Anywhere-Anytime feature of east-learning is benign in the times of crisis-like state of affairs, for case, man-made disasters, natural disasters, or pandemics such every bit Covid-19. The closure of places and unsafe traveling by roads can create a lot of troubles simply e-learning will at least not go on us deprived of getting an instruction at our homes or workplaces.

Engineering provides innovative and resilient solutions at times of crisis to combat disruption and helps people to communicate and even work virtually without the demand of face-to-face interaction. This leads to many system changes in organizations as they adopt new technology for interacting and working (Mark & Semaan, 2008).

Weaknesses

E-learning has certain weaknesses in the form that information technology tin can hamper the communication between the learner and the educator, that is, direct communication and human touch are lost. Users can face many technical difficulties that hinder and slow-downwardly the education–learning process (Favale et al., 2020). Fourth dimension and location flexibility, though information technology is the forcefulness of online learning these aspects are delicate and create bug. Student's nonserious beliefs in terms of time and flexibility can crusade a lot of bug. All students and learners are not the same, they vary in degrees of their capabilities and confidence level. Some practise not feel comfortable while learning online, leading to increased frustration and defoliation. Inadequate compatibility between the design of the applied science and component of psychology required by the learning process; and inadequate customization of learning processes tin can obstruct the teaching procedure and creates an imbalance.

Opportunities

Online learning generally has a lot of opportunities available just this time of crisis will allow online learning to boom as well-nigh bookish institutions have switched to this model. Online Learning, Remote Working, and east-collaborations exploded during the outbreak of Corona Virus crisis (Favale et al., 2020). Now, academic institutions can grab this opportunity past making their teachers teach and students larn via online methodology. The people have ever been conceited and never tried some new modes of learning. This crisis will exist a new stage for online learning and will permit people to look at the fruitful side of due east-learning technologies. This is the fourth dimension when there is a lot of scope in bringing out surprising innovations and digital developments. Already, EdTech companies are doing their bit by helping us fighting the pandemic and not letting learning to be put at a halt. Teachers can exercise applied science and tin blueprint various flexible programs for students' better understanding. The usage of online learning volition test both the educator and learners. It will enhance problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and adjustability amongst the students. In this critical situation, users of whatever age can access the online tools and reap the benefits of time and location flexibility associated with online learning. Teachers can develop innovative pedagogical approaches in this panicky situation, now as well termed as Panicgogy. EdTech Start-ups take enough of opportunities to bring almost radical transformations in nearly all the aspects associated with educational activity ranging from, teaching, learning, evaluation, assessment, results, certification, degrees, and so on. Likewise, increasing market demand for e-learning is an amazing opportunity for EdTech first-ups to bring technological disruption in the educational activity sector.

Challenges

Online learning faces many challenges ranging from learners' issues, educators' issues, and content issues. Information technology is a challenge for institutions to engage students and make them participate in the teaching–learning process. Information technology is a claiming for teachers to motility from offline fashion to online mode, changing their teaching methodologies, and managing their time. Information technology is challenging to develop content which not only covers the curriculum but as well engage the students (Kebritchi et al., 2017). The quality of e-learning programs is a existent challenge. There is no clear stipulation by the government in their educational policies about eastward-learning programs. There is a lack of standards for quality, quality control, development of e-resource, and e-content delivery. This problem needs to be tackled immediately so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of quality education via e-learning (Cojocariu et al., 2014). One should non merely focus on the pros fastened to the adoption of online learning during the crises only should also take account of developing and enhancing the quality of virtual courses delivered in such emergencies (Affouneh et al., 2020). A lot of time and price is involved in east-learning. Information technology is not as easy equally information technology seems, a considerable amount of investment is needed for getting the devices and equipment, maintaining the equipment, training the human being resources, and developing the online content. Therefore, an constructive and efficient educational system needs to exist developed to impart educational activity via online mode.

Ensuring digital equity is crucial in this tough time. Not all the teachers and students have access to all digital devices, internet, and Wi-Fi. Unavailability of proper digital tools, no internet connections, or iffy Wi-Fi connections can crusade a lot of trouble due to which many students might lose out learning opportunities. Efforts should be taken by institutions to ensure that every student and faculty is having admission to the required resources. They must also ensure that all the educational apps work on mobile phones as well, in case students do non accept laptops. Therefore, steps must be taken to reduce the digital carve up.

Do makes a human being perfect is a famous and very true proverb. Students and teachers beyond diverse universities take never really expert e-learning. Most of them are conceited and are stuck with traditional modes of educational activity. The Corona Virus outbreak is the gamble to brand out the best from the current situation. We can larn a lot in this challenging situation. A lot of tools are available, teachers are required to choose the best tool and implement it to impart education to their students. A step-by-step guide can be prepared by bookish institutions that can guide the teachers and students on how to access and use various due east-learning tools and how to cover major curriculum content via these technologies thereby reducing the digital illiteracy. Teachers can nowadays the curriculum in diverse formats, that is, they can apply videos, audios, and texts. It is beneficial if educators complement their lectures with video chats, virtual meetings, and then on to get immediate feedback and maintain a personal connection with the students.

Conclusions and Suggestions

Ayebi-Arthur (2017) conducted a case study of a college in New Zealand which was desperately affected past seismic activities. In her study, she found that the higher became more resilient to online learning after that disastrous event. Technology helped them overcome the barriers in those difficult times. Merely they advise that robust IT Infrastructure is a prerequisite for online learning. Infrastructure needs to be so stiff that it can provide unhindered services during and afterward the crisis.

Equally per the Earth Economic Forum, the Covid-19 pandemic also has changed the way how several people receive and impart educational activity. To find new solutions for our bug, we might bring in some much-needed innovations and change. Teachers have become habitual to traditional methods of instruction in the form of face-to-face lectures, and therefore, they hesitate in accepting any change. Just among this crisis, we have no other culling left other than adapting to the dynamic state of affairs and accepting the modify. It volition exist beneficial for the didactics sector and could bring a lot of surprising innovations. We cannot ignore and forget the students who do not take admission to all online technology. These students are less affluent and belong to less tech-savvy families with financial resources restrictions; therefore, they may lose out when classes occur online. They may lose out because of the heavy costs associated with digital devices and internet data plans. This digital separate may widen the gaps of inequality.

This terrible fourth dimension of fate has taught us that everything is unpredictable and we need to be ready to face challenges. Although this outbreak did not requite us much time to programme we should take a lesson from this that planning is the key. Nosotros should plan everything, no matter if plan A fails, we should have plan B ready. This can merely be done if we exercise scenario planning. At that place is a need to prioritize all the critical and challenging situations which may occur and plan appropriately. This pandemic has also taught us that students must possess certain skills such as skills of problem-solving, critical thinking, and most importantly adaptability to survive the crisis. Educational institutions must build resilience in their systems to ensure and prioritize the presence of these skills in their students.

"The key lesson for others may be to cover e-learning technology before disaster strikes!" (Todorova & Bjorn-Andersen, 2011). Today, we are forced to practice online learning, things would have been different if we have already mastered it. The time we lost in learning the modes could have been spent on creating more content. Merely it is better belatedly than never. This virus surely has accelerated the process of online learning. For instance, this eastward-application chosen ZOOM is making a lot of news because of its viable features. It allows conducting live online classes, web-conferencing, webinars, video chats, and live meetings. As near of the schools, colleges, universities, companies are airtight due to lockdowns/curfews and near of the people are working from abode, this app helped in keeping people continued via video conferencing. This application is trending on Google play store amidst the ongoing crisis. People are practicing social distancing so this application gave them a sigh of relief. ZOOM also allows conducting business meetings.

Disasters will continue to occur and technologies volition likely help us cope with them (Meyer & Wilson, 2011). Don Dippo, The Co-Chief Investigator at the Borderless Higher education for Refugees said that "We are in a world where conflict and environmental devastation … are going to have lots of people, families, and communities, living in precarious contexts. The willingness of post-secondary institutions to step-upwards and engage and provide opportunities for those people will never be as big as the need. The only way we tin even brand a dent in this is to larn to interact and cooperate beyond institutions and beyond time and spatial boundaries. The only way actually to do that is to rely on technology to create conditions to allow people to collaborate."

We need a high level of preparedness and so that we tin quickly adapt to the changes in the environment and can conform ourselves to different delivery modes, for instance, remote learning or online learning in situations of pandemics such as Covid-xix. Institutions and organizations should prepare contingency plans to bargain with challenges such as pandemics and natural disasters (Seville et al., 2012). Reliability and sufficient availability of Data Communication Technology infrastructure, learning tools, digital learning resources in the grade of Massive Open Online Courses, e-books, due east-notes, and then on are of utmost importance in such astringent situations (Huang et al., 2020). Instruction, content, motivation, relationships, and mental health are the five important things that an educator must go on in mind while imparting online education (Martin, 2020). Some teaching strategies (lectures, case-written report, debates, discussions, experiential learning, brainstorming sessions, games, drills, etc.) can be used online to facilitate effective and efficient didactics and learning practices. In such panicky situations, where the lives of so many people are at stake, teaching and learning should be made interesting. This will likewise reduce the stress, fearfulness, and anxiety levels of people. For this, proper technique and learning support should be provided to teachers and students and government support is besides crucial at such stage. Pedagogical and technical competency of online educators is of utmost importance. Rigorous quality management programs and continuous improvement are pivotal for online learning success and making people set up for whatsoever crisis-similar situation.

Natural disasters tin can stimulate our motivation for the adoption of highly innovative advice technology and e-learning tools (Tull et al., 2017). To make due east-learning effective in such hard times, we need to focus on the apply of technology more efficiently, that is, the usage of that technology which has minimum procurement and maintenance costs simply can effectively facilitate educational processes. Earlier bringing in and adopting whatsoever east-learning tool or technology, its pros and cons demand to be weighed. Institutions should conduct plenty of research when bringing the right technology for unlike educational initiatives. At that place should exist proper clarity on the purpose and context of technology adoption. As several factors bear on the choice of a particular engineering science such as security features, availability and condition of laboratories, cyberspace speed, internet access, digital literacy levels of the beneficiaries, and so on. E-learning can help in providing inclusive education even at the time of crisis. Such systems demand to be developed in educational institutions that make sure that no educatee is getting deprived of education due to their location, social course, ethnicity, and and then on. Online methods of pedagogy support and facilitate learning–teaching activities, merely in that location is a dire need to weigh the pros and cons of engineering science and harness its potentials. Disasters and pandemic such as Covid-19 can create a lot of anarchy and tensions; therefore, in that location is an important need to report the engineering science deeply and with due diligence to balance these fears and tensions amidst such crisis.

Writer Biography

Shivangi Dhawan is an banana professor of Commerce at SGTB Khalsa Higher, University of Delhi. Currently, she is pursuing MPhil from the Section of Commerce, Delhi Schoolhouse of Economics. She is a graduate of SGTB Khalsa Higher and completed her Masters in Commerce from Shri Ram Higher of Commerce (SRCC), University of Delhi. Her area of specialization is Organizational Behaviour & Development and has work related to it to her credit. Ms. Dhawan has written several research papers and presented them in various National & International Conferences.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this commodity.

Funding

The author received no financial support for the inquiry, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7308790/