Challenges, Prospects, and Strategies of Emergency Online Education at Secondary Level in the Assam State of India during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions globally to resort to the online mode of teaching and learning. In this paper, we examined how the emergency online education was carried out in the Assam state of India. An explanatory mixed methods study methodology was adopted. Perspectives of 92 students and 30 teachers from 30 secondary level institutions of Assam were examined. Students’ acceptability of the emergency online education as well as the effects on the mental and physical health of the students were studied. Moreover, the teachers’ perspectives on the emerging online threats were also examined. Data were collected using two separate questionnaires administered to the students and the teachers. It was followed with telephonic interviews with the teachers to gain in-depth knowledge on the studied issues. This study examines both the positive and negative effects of the adoption of online education. The results indicated that all the students could not avail the benefits of this mode. Social messaging apps and online tools like WhatsApp, schools’ own mobile apps, Google Classroom LMS and Google Meet, ZOOM, recorded videos and audio tutorials were used to provide online support to the students. Impact on the physical and mental health of the students was observed. The online teaching process led to the generation of a large repository of e-resources. The results also indicated the ignorance of teachers regarding the online threats which could severely affect their students. The study recommended awareness programmes and training sessions for teachers and students on educational technology tools, technologies and approaches for the post-COVID-19 period.