PERCEPTIONS OF VIRTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING AMONGST UNDER-GRADUATE STUDENTS DURING COVID-19

COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has originated in Wuhan
city of China. The coronavirus triggered first phase in the form of nationwide lockdown in India which
commenced on March 25, 2020. It has globally put, over 1.2 billion children out of the classroom. This
situation challenged the educational system across the world and forced educators to shift to an online mode
of teaching abruptly. Many academic institutions that were forced to transform entirely to online teaching and
learning. Hence, there was distinctive rise in e-learning, whereby teaching is undertaken through digital
platforms.
The lack of digital tools is a major drawback amongst students, there is difficulty in understanding, social
isolation and poor communication skills. The impact of the virus was so strong that online education became
an omnipresent part of education, resulting in no further physical interaction of teachers with students. Due
to the lockdown, students have not connected with the outer world resulting in lack of exposure. Since, students
have been introduced to virtual platforms it made them well versed with technology with digital identity.
On the other side of education i.e., the teachers, were greatly benefitted by teaching online, in such a way that
it has increased their awareness of students' needs and methods to create engaging activities. Few teachers,
realised it is easier to teach face-to-face after teaching online, while other teachers disagreed and faced
challenges when returning to the face-to face classroom. The student teacher rapport has been affected very
badly as the whole surrounding has drastically changed on account of unprecedented advent of pandemic.