Online schooling as a concept became prevalent in India in 2020, considering the pandemic. However, the practice of schooling virtually has been an accepted form of learning for decades globally. Online Learning / E-learning and Online schooling are often used interchangeably, without realizing the fundamental differences between the two.

In simple words, an online school is one that offers online live classes to students, following an approved curriculum without any brick-and-mortar presence. It has been defined as “education that uses one or more technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students.” (Allen, Elaine (May 2017). The subjects taught in an online school include core subjects like Science, English, Mathematics, third language and etc along with co-curriculars like music, dance, art. Mindfulness and more.

On the other hand, online education or eLearning is conducting an academic program or teaching-learning process between a teacher and group of students, or individual student, over the internet using tools and applications that allow for communication and conduct of classes online. For example: An operating public or private school conducting classes virtually due to the pandemic or additional learning platforms that supplement school education to help clarify concepts.

How does it work?

Students who opt for an online school must spend a dedicated amount of time (approximately 3 to 4 hours) in live classes, where the best of teachers teach using specially designed modules based on an approved curriculum. Students access the modules independently and the assessment is done by teachers – basic regular quizzes, virtual exams, and activities. Online schools also encourage personalised learning and ensure that a student master’s skills that add value to their future personal and professional lives.

Benefits of online schooling

• Better Retention:Research indicates that online schools are better at engaging students through visual content and boosting retention rate up to 60%. However, in traditional classrooms students sometimes fail to connect with the course material or instructors.
• Saves Time: With online schooling, learners get to learn at their own pace rather than moving with the rest of the class. Besides this, there is no travel involved leading to saving as much as 1050 hours per year.
• Flexibility in learning: Online schools provide a greater degree of flexibility as students can have access to classes anytime, anywhere. It can be less stressful to manage classes along with other activities.
• Lower Tuition Fee: Traditional schools tend to be more expensive than online schools as it provides additional facilities like big brick buildings filled with faculty rooms and classrooms, playing area, libraries etc. All these facilities will be reflected in students’ tuition fee as an operating cost.