The COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The global outbreak of COVID-19 is still ongoing.

The current coronavirus pandemic is having a perplexing impact, not only on people’s health, but also on how they learn and work. The pandemic has introduced uncertainty into major aspects of society, including the education sector. Thousands of schools, colleges and other educational institutions are closed nationwide. This situation challenged the education system across the globe and forced institutions to shift to an online mode of teaching.

Challenges of Online education

Schools and colleges have been impacted significantly by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. Closures have pushed countries towards a modernized, digital style of teaching. However, this solution comes with its own unique set of challenges. Among the most important challenges created by the coronavirus is how to adapt to a system of online education.

There are various technological devices available for online education but sometimes they create a lot of problems. These difficulties and problems associated with modern technology range from downloading errors, installation issues , login problems, poor connectivity, etc. Sometimes student also finds online teaching to be boring. Students want face to face interaction which is not possible with online mode of learning

Universities across the globe have adjusted their courses in response to the spread of the coronavirus. Moving all the educational programs online may prove very challenging. While some universities or schools may already have strong online systems, smaller universities may struggle with the technology. Some students also don’t have reliable internet access or technology and they struggle to participate in online learning. This gap is seen across countries and between income brackets within countries.

Advantages of Online Learning

• More flexible than offline classes.
• Saves time by avoiding transportation.

Disadvantages of Online Learning

• Loss of interest
• Small children have low concentration power, and they don’t want to sit for a longer time in front of the blue screen.
• The availability of internet to students living in rural areas.
• Speed and cost of internet.
• Spending long time in online learning makes the students lose their motivation to participate.
• Lots of poor students do not have access to laptops, computers, tablets, cell phones, etc.
• Less interactive.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has affected the academic performance of most of the students with varying degrees. Online education helps the students with an opportunity for self-study. However many subjects need practical classes; therefore, it is not easy to understand all the subjects online. The learning process cannot reach its full potential until students practice what they learn. This may impact their career in the future.