Student perception and behaviour in response to the sudden rise in online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

As the education sector struggles to fight with the COVID-19 crisis, students’ behaviour and perceptions towards e-learning are witnessing a significant shift. Students from diverse backgrounds and across all levels are attending classes online and resorting to other forms of digital education. This has brought with it a host of opportunities for the EdTech sector in India which is gearing up to provide its best performance during the worst times. At this stage, experts predict a very bright future for the online education market in India and worldwide. This is attributable to the fact that even after opening up of schools and institutions, classrooms have to run with limited student strength and increased precautions against infections. They have to comply with social distancing norms and at the same time employ creative measures to reduce the adverse impact of the pandemic on learning and education. This suggests continued usage of technologies in the field where e-learning becomes the new normal. However, the system is fraught with several challenges too. There is a wide disparity in access to internet and technologies across the country. Students are facing physiological and psychological problems due to increased screen time and reduced physical activity. Distancing from peers unlike in a normal classroom also affects learning and personality development. Through this project, we aim to study the shift in the behaviour and perceptions of the users of e-learning apps and websites and analyze the impact of the pandemic on the overall EdTech industry in India. This research can be of potential help in designing better operational and marketing strategies for the EdTech platforms.