Virtual classes begin in lockdown districts in UP

With the war against coronavirus getting prolonged and resumption of classes in schools, colleges and coaching centres not likely in near future, number of educational institutions are resorting to virtual classes to ensure completion of syllabus.

Online sessions using tools like Google Hangouts, Skype and Zoom are being conducted and teachers and students have been asked to remain online during school hours.

The Lucknow University has released e-content on its website and has asked students to continue studies online. Teachers have been asked to constantly update and upload content related to their subjects.

A private school on Rae Bareli road has been conducting online classes since Monday for classes 9 and 10.

Children in junior classes are being given work to do form home and have the option of contacting their teachers to resolve problems.

However, a teacher from the school said that virtual education was not as simple as it seemed. "Teaching online is not as effective. Sometimes, students tend to mute teachers or each other. We cannot handle such issues and online classes are not the solution," she said.

Virtual classes are a problem for science students since experiments cannot be done online. Students are required to be physically present to understand the subject.

Teachers of another prestigious school in Prayagraj said that group discussions often turn into a mockery of sorts.

"Students are talking over each other. They are not following the format of the group discussion and marking becomes difficult," a teacher said.

In Varanasi, some schools have asked teachers to remain present in the school so that students can call up or connect online to solve their problems. IANS