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Book Reviews, Education, Public Administration, Research Paper, Science and Technology

Digital Learning Vs Classroom Learning andits functioning in the times of Corona.

Traditional Classroom Learning, of course can not be replaced but  Digital Learning, I feel, has proved out to be a boon in disguise especially in these times of Covid 19. If the concept of Digital Education had not been introduced long before then there would have been a complete hault in the process of shaping the intellect of students through academics.
Moreover,  I reckon that Digital Education is a much better version of Classroom Education since students, especially in the younger grades, often mistake studies to be a burden since they are not exposed ,that seriously, to the idea of career-building yet. Hence, they deliberately lag behind when it comes to adopting a serious attitude in the higher grades. On the other hand if Digital Education is introduced early on in their lives, then they get fantasized with the illustrations, cartoon-voices, colourful theme etc which only draws them more towards studies and seems far more interesting than a black and white themed Classroom Education. Also, things when depicted through visuals tend to stick by much longer in the human brain than bookish texts.


Now talking about the senior lot, Digital Education has helped the students massively. The vast courses available online permit students to go for self-paced i.e flexible learning. They can understand the dimensions of a particular topic as per their own speed of grasping and can repeat a particular lecture multiple times. It also makes students acclimated to the idea of using technology the right way towards their best interest.
It is also a major boost for widening the scopes of teachers as they could never use technology in these complex yet  enhancing ways during their years but now they are all also becoming used to and not only learning but also appreciating it. This accentuates that learning never stops and so doesn’t the advancement of technology.
However, just like a coin has two sides, Digital Learning also comes with its own sets of pros and cons. The pros have already been discussed so now let’s take a deeper insight into the cons i.e the demerits, I personally observed in the present scenario of the pandemic.
Online lectures, these days, are conducted through apps like Zoom in most schools, including my college. 


Apps like Zoom which are of Chinese origin allow students to close the application without actually exiting from the ongoing lecture  so their teachers  kind of mistake them to be still attending the lecture while they are actually surfing through social media platforms or busy playing games like PUBG. Students can also watch their lectures while keeping the microphones muted. Now does that make any sense? What is the use of watching the lecture when you just can’t even hear the teacher and you’re watching some movie in the meantime.
So, I don’t think digital learning has been able to generate a fruitful result as far as the academics and portion completion in lockdown is concerned for students of higher grades, since they are very smart. Schools and officials need to reconsider the thought of spreading education through this means and should consider other better options like Google meet in which you can’t press the back button and exit the lecture just like that.

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Education

E-learning: A boon or bane?

E-learning, which literally means, ‘electronic’ learning has received a sudden market-boost since the coronavirus outbreak. Digitalisation has been ongoing for quite some time, but the pandemic seems to have heralded it.

The digital coaching institutes which were earlier restricted to a few brand names, have now grown into a vast network. Many regular educational institutions have switched to e-learning temporarily. But  is online learning reliable as a permanent source of knowledge? Are we ready to modernise our system, or is e-learning not a substitute for traditional classrooms? 

Let’s find out. 

Schools offer twin development commitment: Academic and Characteristic. While e-learning modifies the pedagogy and makes learning more visual and digitally enabled, the students somehow miss out on social interactions and collaborative activities. It doesn’t seem to be very convincing on the characteristic development front of a student. Yet, it has an edge over traditional classrooms. How?

Let’s break this down into boons and banes of online learning.

Boons

  • Anything you need to learn is a search away- 

The beauty of digital learning is that anyone can learn anything,  at any place. There are no boundaries or restrictions. Every curiosity of yours has an answer. 

  • Less resource input and economically feasible –

For online learning, a physical set up of a classroom is not required. This makes the platform open for any teacher or even an ordinary person who wishes to teach. With less input cost, the cost of education ultimately lowers. 

  • Certificate and skill courses for better employment opportunities- 

Digitally you can pursue any course of your interest at any time, regardless of your age. When qualifications become a barrier in your professional life, you can always have a chance to enhance them digitally, even when it’s not possible physically.

  • Flexible study timings-

Flexible timings make e-learning accessible for everyone according to their routine, which ensures seamless learning.

  • Real-time interactive classes-

Live classes assure a healthy interaction between the tutor and the learner. Any query or confusion could be put up by the student without any embarrassment or fear.

  • Reduced school crimes-

Crimes we often hear about like sexual harassment, physical harassment, bullying, body shaming by seniors, teachers or classmates would be reduced to their minimal. 

With no physical interaction, it would be almost impossible for these crimes to emerge if the student has the right cyber knowledge.

Banes

  • Social ineffectiveness – When classrooms enter a room and are confined to a mobile screen, the student doesn’t get to interact with anyone physically. Gradually when they move out, they’d realise how the world is more nerve racking than their bedrooms. Social infectiveness would be a major impediment in not only their professional life but also in regular living. 
  • Unskilled scholars- As weird as it sounds,  if we enforce a digital system permanently, we’d soon be producing dumb-scholars, with no team working skills, extra curricular abilities, patience and communication skills. That would be like hatching a scholar chick out of his/her house who is in fact a grown up chicken and needs to live like one.
  • Unpunctuality and lethargy-  With everything served in their rooms and no one to keep a surveillance on, the learners would be rather lethargic and slothful. Their work would be left incomplete and if they do it, it would be done at the eleventh hour. They’d lose the value of knowledge if everything is readily available.
Business and Management, Education, Public Administration, Research Paper, Social Studies

Social Media: The perfect tool for Digital Marketing

As indicated by one Facebook report, there has been a 70% expansion in time spent on the application in Italy. A March 2020 study of U.S. conducted on online networking users discovered that 43.1%  would scroll through Instagram more whenever staying home while 63.7% and 62.3% used YouTube and Facebook, in comparison to the other websites, more.

Presently is a prime chance to develop business accounts by putting out valuable content that doesn’t focus on a hard sell. The objective should rather be to assemble an internet following through: 

1) For example, how to extract productivity out of “work from home” and methods of reducing expenses on veggies.

2) Posting harious content of mockery, similar to funny clippings and memes. 

3) Collaborating with an influencer. 63% of shoppers trust influencers more than brands and COVID-19 has allowed influencers over a wide scope of ventures to make their administrations accessible at a sensible cost. 

With relatively little expense and exertion, an organization can understand results that keep on profiting them long after the situation improves.

GENERATING MARKETING SCHEMES OVER THE WEB

Online campaigns help to spread the word about their businesses and the new ways of functioning, with less amount of time and effort invested, than asking their regular set of customers to do so.

This can be achieved through Smart bidding like Google Ads, Content Marketing and Coupons designed from Easy Promo Or Woobox

CARRYING OUT DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS ONLINE

There are not many organisations can transition their day-to-day functioning using internet. However due to the availability of video conferencing facilities like Zoom and Google Meet, there can still be interactions between the customers and the buyers. 

Orders of groceries and other essentials can be taken online, education through schools and Institutions is being provided online and live tutorials and sessions are being conducted in which clients are asked to make the payments online. There are several other courses available on digital marketing too  which can be availed to enhance the speed of the working staff and enable them to make the most out of the present situation.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? 

Numerous organizations are curtailing their showcasing endeavors due to COVID-19, however what they should do is multiply while making the most of the new open doors that are springing up. 

This accentuation on digital marketing isn’t something that they’ll need to back off on once the lockdown is over. Internet shopping won’t stop at any point in the near future, and most organizations will find that online associations are more helpful than in-person interactions. 

While it might be viewed right now as an alternate course of action, when the pandemic is over, everybody will probably understand that it’s much more than that.

On the off chance that a very much upgraded site, all around arranged advertising devices, and selection of virtual interchanges can get an organization through one of the most exceedingly terrible crises in present day times, for what reason can’t digital-based promoting make its all intents and purposes relentless?

(Part 3/3)
Hope you all had a good time reading!

Business and Management, Research Paper

BEEFING-UP THE COMPANY’S WEBSITE

Presently is a lucky opportunity to put resources into longer-term venture channels, especially if an advertising expenditure plan can be rearranged towards that path. 

The global market is chaotic and questionable now, so outbound strategies can presumably be moved to working out inbound resources, similar to the organization blog.

For instance: 

1) Making announcements on the home webpage passing information that the business is willing to support its customers. Incorporating a connecting link to a FAQ where clients can get more data about assistance hours and delivery options. 

2) Reorganising product/services or administration pages with new illustrations and portrayals. Brief specials or discount offers could be made to maximise the orders. 

3) Setting up an internet business framework for taking on the web orders. Major web hosts have incorporated Stripe integration in their progressed facilitating packages. Local companies and small businesses can likewise opt for Shopify or Etsy, which have e-commerce facilities. Many individuals also use Paypal. Managing account there can also speeden up the growth of orders.

Businesses that have generally sold items to customers from shops/stores only  may scrutinize the intelligence of building advanced resources like an online store, accepting that they can’t contend progressively with bigger, established portals like Amazon. 

Notwithstanding, due to over-crowding in web based shopping and much-expanded social networking, individuals are currently holding up longer than even a month to receive their Amazon packages, and no one’s upbeat about it. 

In the event if people discover that an independent business is selling what they require and that they’ll receive it quicker without prolonged delays, they’ll be up for it instantly.

TAKING FIRST STEPS WITH SEO MARKETING

The pandemic has transformed the way customers approach the idea of shopping. Roughly 47%  expressed that they are staying away from shopping centers and strip malls in an online poll. 

Then again, SEO is experiencing a gradual upward trend, with certain brands announcing a noteworthy increment in their search visibiility from January-March 2020. 

Suggested steps towards creating an impactful SEO procedure during Coronoavirus pandemic are as follows: 

1) Content creation intended to fabricate trust.

 COVID prevention measures have made purchasers increasingly pessimistic. As per a Forrester report, they don’t confide in organizations to finish on guarantees. Brand messages should be created with the goal to instruct, advise, and console rather than gruffly requesting a buy. 

2) Adapting a “take-charge” attitude while dealing with the corporate web. 

It is significant for organizations to deliberately deal with their online brands. Refreshing item accessibility, keeping the Google My Business page current and keeping client information secure would all be able to put forth the picture of a reliable business.
ATTRACTING AUDIENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

An ever increasing number of individuals are managing self-isolation by going on the web to get access to recent news, look for data, and engage themselves.Hence, business social media pages can be easily promoted.

To be continued….

( Part 2/3)

Business and Management, Public Administration, Research Paper, Science and Technology

Is Digital Marketing The New Approach Companies Need To Adopt During The Times Of Covid 19?

Some issues tend to just disappear if they don’t receive our attention for a longer period of time. However, the coronavirus pandemic is a mammoth issue for the companies all over the world. It is becoming extremely troublesome to just let go of the problem for it is hugely influencing the way business is being carried out globally.

Furthermore, a lot of businessmen, managers and directors are finding it difficult to bring about a change in their marketing strategies so as to get used to this short-term “new normal”.

The possible reasons could be that they maybe still not convinced to adapt to this sense of normalcy with so much going around and them facing their own issues but whatever the reason, this is only going to lead to much bigger problems and could even result in the downfall of their respective companies.

Moreover, handshakes are being replaced by the new norms of digital marketing and remote work forces during the signing of the business deals amongst a handful of other organisations.

These dynamic companies are not only accepting the Covid-19 world with open arms but are also ramparting the need of the hour, the recession resiliency.

HOW HAVE THE BUSINESSES BEEN IMPACTED?

Despite the fact that somehow, every business has been able to keep itself intact amidst the current situation, it hasn’t been any easier for the small startups due to the lack of capital or reserves to sustain their existence especially those which were massively dependent on physical interactions like beauty salons, fashion boutiques, Health Care Centres for yoga etc.

Since these startups were habituated to getting constant customer reviews and then stimulating their growth, they are now afflicted by colossal losses to such an extent that their spontaneous takeaway on this entire situation has been to minimise the product marketing expenditure which should have otherwise been to explore much innovative methods.

All the types of businesses irrespective of their magnitude of growth can easily extract benefits out of digital marketing. The only thing that needs to be done is to bring about a small change in the route of reaching their customers i.e by making business accounts on social media to ensure the prolonged survival of their businesses.

Because customers are in immediate need of all sorts of products but they cannot step out of their homes so the only way to flourish is by doing business digitally.

THE FIRST STEPS TO CARRYING OUT A BUSINESS ONLINE

In the pre Covid era, every customer was well aware of the the “best” that every local business had to offer. Now as we take the present situation into consideration, some of these local businesses have been shutdown after being categorised as “non essential”. Also, the customers are not informed that whether or not they can still continue to buy products from their local favorites as there is a huge question mark on them being still in business.

So now this is the time that these affected startups and local businesses grab most of the opportunity and make this bold decision to step out from the confining walls of their stores and expose themselves to new horizons by establishing their accounts on social media and connecting with customers all over.

 CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS

Given below are enlisted three steps which are crucial in springing up that link between the buyer and the seller and keeping the momentum going to ensure the business continuity and also building strong connections by adhering to the technological aspects of the process.

1) The first email: If the delivery of products like milk, groceries etc has been affected by Covid 19, the business should make an effort to inform its customers via Email or WhatsApp briefing about the new changes. 

2) ‎Updating about post-corona functioning on existing platforms: Businesses who already own emails or other digital communication facilities should inform their customers about the new methoods of operation.

3) ‎ Making announcements: Lastly, a public post on social media needs to be made regarding the resuming of online orders while also briefing about how their business is responding to the pandemic.

P.S~ This is a highly detailed research report that I have done on this topic and hence this is just PART 1 of it so that it doesn’t become too lengthy or monotonous.
Next part would be published soon.

Reference article for deeper insights: https://napoleoncat.com/blog/digital-marketing-during-covid-19/
 

Education

IMPRESSION OF COVID-19 ON EDUCATION IN INDIA

What our Prime Minister’s Campaign “ Digital India ”could not  achieve , the Pandemic has done it. Covid-19 has led to the closure of schools , affecting the learning of  around 230 million students. It started in the month of March, when the schools were shut down, but now owing to the present scenario there is no assurance when it would open again.

My Firsthand Experience

It was that time of the year, when my beautiful journey of two years in Institute of Management ,Nirma University  was about to end in March , 2020.With just fifteen days left  in hand for our final goodbye, we’re trying our level best  to  save our tears  for the last days.Just then when the new of increase of cases started coming , we officially received  the mail stating  our journey have come to an halt, keeping in mind the seriousness of the issue. In a span of few seconds, the memories of  last couple of  years  splashed in our minds.  Everyone  was shocked, as they ‘d no clue it would end like this. The feeling of not having been able to take the exams for probably the last time in our lives, didn’t sink much. However, the proverb, “Everything Happens For A Reason”, started  making all the more sense when  the number of  cases started rising, while all of us had reached home safely. Had it not been for the strong decision of our College authorities , we  would’ve bear the brunt.

Did The Pandemic Have A Positive Spin-Offs?

With everything  on stake, Online education  takes off the old saying  “Learning Anywhere, Anytime”. Schools and Companies  have switched to apps like Class Dojo, Zoom, Google Classroom which have made the learning experience convenient and flexible. Teacher’s at all point are making the full use of app like Whatsapp, YouTube for online tuition  classes  in order to reach out to students in their doorsteps. Machine learning has led to the calculation to data driven tools, which  is why Multiple Choice Questions(MCQs) are preferred over Fill in the Blanks for the online test assessment. Apps like Dreambox makes students abide to the subject Mathematics, at their own pace and adapts itself  to every child needs. Blended Learning will be the new cool nowadays. This would ensure transparency and openness in Academics.Collaborating teaching and learning would take new forms and would be monetized.

Let’s Have A Look At The Unfavourable Spill-Overs

The Pandemic have surely brought us to an unplanned situation, not been imagined in anyone’s worst nightmares. The students who were studying abroad in Universities of UK,US New Zealand, Canada had to suffer in terms of their invested money and time. Their careers are at stake. The cross-border movement have surely taken a hit for the next two days. Since in most of the Universities, students were specially from India and China, it would adversely effect them .In order for the education sector to have a digital revolution, it’s very important that the teachers and the students are ready to accept the change . Teacher’s refused to get used to the online methodology leading to Passive learners. Students  who studied in Govt. Schools, are the worst affected  as going to school is the best policy tool available to raise skills.

Covid-19 emergency has changed the teaching style been followed by generations. It’s time to reinvent ourselves and adopt  ourselves to digital transformation .This upgradation to e-learning would not only cut the costs, risks and efforts , but would create the need for the educational sector to invest immediately in educational app development.