Role of Gender in Online Education
by Clemintine Davis WriterThe number of unprecedented changes that have come
forth in our lives due to covid is innumerable. The world was a spectator of
the gigantic shift from the norm. The disease shunned everyone indoors;
everyone had to conduct every piece of work from their home only. The risk of
going out to do any task is too much, given the magnitude of the situation.
The educational sector was not left unaffected by
covid. With the world at war with covid, online education platforms like Byju’s
was the only method of learning left for
all the students. And so, the whole world was a witness of the colossal shift
from the traditional way of learning to online learning. We can’t exactly press
pause on the students’ education, can we now? After all, education provides the
foundation for lifetime learning. It is the first step towards change, acknowledging
the fact that information is liberating. It is the key to opportunity in
society. A lack of knowledge creates fear; seeking knowledge creates courage. Equal
educational opportunities should be the birthright of every member of the
community.
But, what exactly does online education entail?
Online education involves various courses offered
virtually by educational institutions. The classes take place over the
internet. Byju’s provides the students
with a great deal of flexibility as they can take courses anywhere, anytime. It
gives more scope for self-paced learning. It grants students the means to
manage their time and responsibilities appropriately. Moreover, it is
cost-effective. Its benefits far outweigh its disadvantages.
In education, whether online or offline, there has
been gender disparity for a long time in many countries. Learning gaps still
exist, to a certain extent, due to this. To curb this issue, considerable
efforts and considerable progress made by people are visible. There has been a
rise in the global youth literacy rate since the year 2000. Moreover, an
increase in the number of females studying online is evident. In many
countries, women make up the majority of online learners.
Some people think that the whole online education
environment can’t automatically be free from gender disparity and become
democratic, and some believe that the climate is gender-neutral and democratic.
How can that possibly be the case when one can never be sure about how many
people may register for a particular course online? There are plenty of factors
at play in making such a decision. Furthermore, there is no surety about the
nature of the people who attend online classes; it can be mayhem for all they
know.
As the world and technology develop, education grows
as well. Access to teaching from home has had a significant impact on both
genders, especially people who could not pursue their studies due to personal
reasons. Some have concluded that gender consideration is irrelevant in online
education; whereas, others think that online education favors women. It is all
circumstantial. Educational institutions must make themselves aware of the fact
that males and females have distinct learning needs. They must adapt
accordingly and ensure that there is gender equality and flexibility in the
online learning environment.
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Created on Jun 14th 2021 02:14. Viewed 171 times.