LETTER | Education at home is a luxury for some

LETTER | Globally, technologists along with a number of governments have advocated for online learning agenda in higher education. One of the reasons is because there is fear that the brick-and-mortar universities will become obsolete due to the advancement of technologies and artificial intelligence.

However, the Covid-19 lockdown period has given us a glimpse into the opposite scenarios. Mostly concerning the luxuries that we have taken for granted at physical universities and how a disruptive shift to online learning is not one without complications.

A few assumptions were made about teaching and learning through online platforms, involving the bottom stakeholders in the education sector; lecturers and students. Those assumptions are related to internet data and bandwidth, digital technologies, and conducive environments. These aspects cannot be overlooked as they are much needed for a seamless teaching and learning process.

While we are thankful that the government, through its collaboration with the telecommunication companies, is providing an extra 1GB of internet data daily to facilitate online learning, we often forget that having a stable internet bandwidth is as significant as having the internet data. 

In fact, we would be needing internet coverage at home prior to being able to use the internet data provided. Imagine having 1GB internet quota per day, but not having a stable internet bandwidth that would allow us to use the quota.

Additionally, as teaching and learning are a social activity, having denied access to it, both face-to-face and online, will indefinitely damper the process of education.

As for facilities, pushing for teaching and learning through online channels carries the assumption that majority, if not all, lecturers and students have the basic digital technologies including hardware and software to conduct the intended education process. 

This is a dangerous assumption that makes us neglect the struggles of the non-haves. Often times, university students who we bump into don’t appear to be poor, or live in shabby houses. They walk among us. But this is a struggle that they reserve in silence.

Another assumption is that both lecturers and students possess the required space to conduct the teaching and learning practice as usual and as effective as we can. 

Meanwhile, in a real context, what about the female lecturers with children running and screaming in the house; and what about university students who have to look after their younger siblings or help with house chores? 

Why do we not factor in the humidity of our weather that causes one to perspire so much in the heat and feel uncomfortable? Research has emphasised the significance of a conducive environment prior to being able to concentrate on the teaching and learning activity.

Despite these struggles that many are facing, I do praise the decision-makers who strive to sustain the education sector from crumbling down. Many universities, such as in the United Kingdom, face the risk of bankruptcy. 

Nevertheless, as much as we would like to accept this new normal in higher education, this lockdown has also opened our eyes to the limitations of online teaching and learning approach. In contrast, one may have noticed how these hindrances have been minimised or otherwise are less visible at physical universities.

Let us hope this situation is merely temporary because observers have warned us about the widening digital inequalities in education if the current state of affairs were to continue. 

Economists too predicted that this will cause ripple effects in relation to the wealth gap. But until the higher education can be risk-free from the Covid-19 outbreak, lecturers will have to make do with what they possess, and students will have to persist despite the challenges that they face in their learning. 

The writer is a doctoral researcher in Educational Technology, University of Bristol.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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