Classroom programs are pivotal in developing soft skills: Tata, TSM

These are first-hand student accounts on how our young population is managing to keep their exam prep or college course work going from the confines of their homes. In case you want to share your lockdown study experience, write to us at publish@shiksha.com.

Q: What are the major difference in the experience of attending an online class and a brick and mortar class? What do you find more enjoyable?

A: The major difference I find between an online course and brick & mortar one is flexibility and level of interactivity. In an online course, you don’t necessarily have to dress up fully unlike regular class where you spend time grooming and having proper attire. However, it does not mean that you ignore personal grooming completely while attending an online course. It’s important that you wear decent attire especially if you are going on a video call. However, my personal suggestion would be to wear a semi-formal dress like a t-shirt and a half pant so that it triggers you to listen properly to the class.

I personally find regular brick and mortar classes to be more enjoyable because I can ask and clarify my doubts during the session itself. Also, it is much easier and convenient to interact with the instructor in a regular class compared to an online one which doesn’t provide the same classroom experience.

The bond or rapport that is developed between a student and teacher gives a regular class advantage. Classroom programs are also pivotal in developing soft skills like speaking with clarity, effective communication with peers, something which online course lacks currently.

Q: Would you prefer to opt for online classes if given a choice? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each- online and offline?

A: My choice for online classes would be based on certain constraints in terms of flexibility, cost, duration of the course and relevance.

Flexibility: Online courses certainly provide flexibility in terms of space and time as I can access the course from the comfort of my home at any time.

Cost: Online courses are comparatively less in cost compared to classroom program but the trade-off here is you are devoid of the actual classroom experience and this can become a hindrance. According to me if the course is of reasonable cost and is relevant to my goals I will give it a try.

Course Duration: One of the biggest setbacks of online courses is the flexibility itself. This is because with little or no time constraint and supervision which you might discontinue the course over a period of time. There had been several instances where I started a course with all enthusiasm, only to be unable to complete it due to other commitments and a depleted motivation to complete. If an online course is more than 3-6 months I won’t prefer doing it. According to me, online courses are best suited for a shorter duration of 1-2 months.

Relevance: If the regular classroom program does not have the course I am looking then it makes sense to check for online. Of course, the above factors will also be considered while making a final decision. Also, online courses are which give a general overview of a subject will be preferable for me.

Thus if you are looking for a higher duration course which involves a considerable amount of money and you are prepared to spare a significant time, then the classroom program would be ideal.

Q: How are you making the most of all the extra leisure time that you have now?

A: There is significantly more time due to the closure of college and home quarantine. But I am not at all overwhelmed or burned out because of my free time. It’s actually a blessing in disguise. I have a daily routine that I follow and this helps me keeping engaged thought out the day. I have a simple routine where I allocate specifics parts of the day to different activities like exercise, reading. I also have regular conversations with my parents which was not possible before the quarantine period. Also with no exams as of now, I started thinking of all books and topics I wanted to read but which earlier took a backseat because of the college work. I have also started investing my time in doing daily household chores which keeps me occupied.

Q: With exams being postponed, how are you keeping up with extended preparations?

A: I try to read important topics on a regular basis so that I don’t forget the key concepts. Time spaced learning is a useful method for learning and revising.

About the Author:

Tata Subramanian is pursuing MBA from Thiagarajar School of Management (TSM) in Marketing and HR. He is a passionate public speaker who is enthusiastic about new technologies in marketing. A fan of crime fiction novels, he loves to study human nature. He is also a core committee member of debating and quiz club.