When our parents were studying in schools, they had heavy school bags with books they used to write down notes, which the teacher had scrawled on a blackboard using chalk. During our time, times were slightly better as the screeching of the chalk had been replaced by the smooth glide of a marker over a whiteboard. However, nowadays technology is a fundamental aspect of education. A lot of schools and universities around the world have ditched traditional teaching methods to opt for artificial intelligence driven education technology platforms to transform learning and teaching practices.
Especially after the pandemic, most learning has shifted to online-based courses and programs which can be followed from the comfort of one’s home. This change has made education less costly, and more accessible for a lot of students, while boosting engagement and student participation.
The online ecosystem has made it easier for teachers to share notes, tutorials and other materials pertaining to their subject, blurring the boundaries of traditional school timetables and rules. This gives way to immersive and interactive sessions conducted flexibly so more students can participate and interact, thus learning more. Through online learning, both students and teachers are able to review and discuss information at any time, from anywhere. While this is a progressive step towards convenience, and makes education more accessible, what does this mean for recruitment?
While online learning could be deemed effective in supplying more knowledge to students, there are other aspects of traditional schooling or the physical university experience which not only groom the personality of the student, but aid in supplying relevant skills for students to attain high-paying jobs, and get recruited into well-established firms.
For starters, physical school and university come with a certain agenda of discipline, which moulds students to follow rules of good conduct. These rules ensure punctuality, a proper dress code, as well as a formal structure of functionality. When it comes to online learning, students are often logging into classes from their homes. This disrupts the intake of knowledge and slows down the process of learning. Later on, discipline becomes one of the most important attributes of a corporate job. If students are used to their comfort zone, they may face problems with employment once their studies have been completed.
Another hindrance to recruitment due to online learning is the lack of social exposure. While it is true that students are able to engage better with their studies when they learn online, they are also prevented from the idea of communicating with others and forming friendships which will transcend the boundaries of a classroom. In an online platform, students are unable to freely network with their batchmates and know them better. This is an issue as networking, and social skills are essential skills to enrich a personality, for high-paying jobs.
In an online learning environment, students get used to the idea of depending entirely on technological facilities. This deters them from understanding the concept of going out, participating in physical events and manually working. If most of their education is at their fingertips then groundwork becomes a distant reality. For most who are pushed into corporate after their studies are complete, this might be a nightmare, as they would find it highly challenging to adapt to a physical environment after getting used to immersing themselves in the online ecosystem.
As such, it could be deduced that while online learning is interactive and convenient, there is a lot more which is overlooked due to the convenience factor. In a progressive world, the idea should be to incorporate technology into modern learning, instead of shifting the process of learning into a fully technological base, especially for recruitment in the corporate world.
