From March 24, India witnessed an unprecedented lockdown. The country suddenly stopped; in fact, the whole world suddenly came to a halt. All the hustles and bustles of life stopped. Life in its truest sense got confined within the four walls.

Schools, colleges, universities all were shut, but then the knowledge sharing process can’t stop. So, digital learning emerged as a big saviour. From pre-primary to PhD level, exchange of knowledge started using several online platforms. The new age education or digital learning process is now helping people to learn, grow and stay connected. Within a few weeks educators across India started using online platforms effectively to impart knowledge. Not only mainstream teaching even karate, dance, singing, chess, etc. started using online mode for training students.

Some of you can say that online mode of teaching is not new. I agree, but it was not as widespread as it is now. When this pandemic closed the doors for physical classrooms, online classrooms emerged as a solution to fulfil the void.

Digital technology has formed a new culture called ‘digital culture’, which has changed the ways of living. Change is visible in every aspect of human life especially in the knowledge sharing process around the world.

Another term which is gaining huge popularity these days is ‘digital literacy’, that talks about the skills of searching for, discerning, and producing information, as well as the critical use of new media for full participation in society. With a sudden and unprecedented lockdown situation, this technology is becoming more and more prominent not only in education, but has also become a driving force behind socio-economic growth.

ICT, Information and Communication Technology, is an extended term for Information Technology, which is a technological source to make information available at the right time, right place, in the right form to the right user. ICT has brought a huge change even in the world of mass media. Now, one can get information instantly with just a click, they don't need to wait for newspapers, not even TV.

ICT has made the life of people easier and smarter. ICT was already existing in every sphere of life, but it suddenly gained huge prominence with the lockdown. During lockdown, people are forced to stay and work from home, so they have to depend on ICT completely. From education to finance to IT to banking, even in public administration, ICT is a major saviour now. The market of digital learning is predicted to increase vastly in the coming years. In the education sector also, we are seeing there is a significant increase in the usage of ICT. Use of this mode in the teaching-learning process has huge advantages.

Advantages:

• Digital learning breaks physical barriers. Many times, we miss opportunities to attend academic programmes because of travelling issues. Online mode solves that problem. Academicians and researchers across the world, many a time, find it difficult to travel to join seminars or courses physically. Therefore, digital courses, workshops and webinars help to solve that problem. Knowledge sharing must not stop owing to any sort of barrier. ICT is no longer a lifestyle choice; it has become an important part of our daily life. In this knowledge and information driven world, ICT tries to foster knowledge by overcoming all types of physical barrier.

Digital learning breaks physical barriers. Many times, we miss opportunities to attend academic programmes because of travelling issues. Online mode solves that problem. Academicians and researchers across the world, many a time, find it difficult to travel to join seminars or courses physically. Therefore, digital courses, workshops and webinars help to solve that problem. Knowledge sharing must not stop owing to any sort of barrier. ICT is no longer a lifestyle choice; it has become an important part of our daily life. In this knowledge and information driven world, ICT tries to foster knowledge by overcoming all types of physical barrier.

• It helps in interactive learning. Regular online classes using digital platforms are gaining importance and to make it smooth and effective not only teachers and students, but parents are also learning this new medium. Digital learning provides diverse options for taking in and processing information, making sense of ideas, and expressing learning with audio- visual aids. Research conducted by several agencies worldwide has shown that ICT can improve the knowledge sharing between students and teachers. Participative learning methods are fostered through ICT. Using digital technology in classrooms helps to retain attention among students. The visual presentation and interactive learning increases interest in the teaching-learning process.

It helps in interactive learning. Regular online classes using digital platforms are gaining importance and to make it smooth and effective not only teachers and students, but parents are also learning this new medium. Digital learning provides diverse options for taking in and processing information, making sense of ideas, and expressing learning with audio- visual aids. Research conducted by several agencies worldwide has shown that ICT can improve the knowledge sharing between students and teachers. Participative learning methods are fostered through ICT. Using digital technology in classrooms helps to retain attention among students. The visual presentation and interactive learning increases interest in the teaching-learning process.

• The reach is very extensive. ICT fastens outreach process. E ‐learning is a growing trend where education has broken the physical constraints of classrooms and acquired mobility. Students access information whenever and wherever they want, and institutions that provide such advanced technological terrains are rising. It helps to break the distance barrier.

The reach is very extensive. ICT fastens outreach process. E ‐learning is a growing trend where education has broken the physical constraints of classrooms and acquired mobility. Students access information whenever and wherever they want, and institutions that provide such advanced technological terrains are rising. It helps to break the distance barrier.

• Another big advantage of using ICT in education is complete inclusion. Every student is different and so is their need. Digital learning breaks the barrier and tries to impart the same kind of knowledge to every student. In fact, language barriers can also be removed by using this technology. It helps a student to complete the academic process at his own pace.

Another big advantage of using ICT in education is complete inclusion. Every student is different and so is their need. Digital learning breaks the barrier and tries to impart the same kind of knowledge to every student. In fact, language barriers can also be removed by using this technology. It helps a student to complete the academic process at his own pace.

• Systematic evaluation process helps a student to self-evaluate their progress. A detailed marking scheme and correct results helps a student to understand and evaluate. Online teaching to a huge extent self-directed and self-motivated teaching. Hence the evaluation process helps in doing that.

Systematic evaluation process helps a student to self-evaluate their progress. A detailed marking scheme and correct results helps a student to understand and evaluate. Online teaching to a huge extent self-directed and self-motivated teaching. Hence the evaluation process helps in doing that.

Challenges:

ICT has many advantages, but it requires the presence of technology to work properly. Digital divide is a big limitation in the path of ICT. Digital divide refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don’t or have restricted access.

Despite the huge developments made by technology there are students who failed to access digital learning because of insufficient infrastructure. Hence it is important to try to break this digital divide as fast as possible by improving technological reach. Schools and colleges can use wireless technologies in libraries and cafeterias to increase their awareness.

Society needs ICT to develop but it's also important that they realise it. Therefore, authorities need to promote the usage and importance of ICT in a structured way. Better infrastructure and awareness will help ICT to overcome all digital divides that do exist. We need more infrastructural development and planning to make it a success. Mobile is not only for entertainment that can also be used for online education. This awareness needs to be there.

Handling passive students is a big challenge in the online education process. Much of the learning that occurs in online courses is self-directed. Although online teaching serves to deliver course content, the less we imagine students as passive consumers, the better for their learning. But students have to be active participants during the course otherwise their knowledge will remain incomplete.

Instructions here also need to be different from offline mode. In physical classroom teaching we understand students by their body language and eye contacts but here we have to innovate new types of assignments and different evaluations so that students get engaged in the entire process. More research-oriented projects will help the students to be a part of the study actively. The presentations and study materials need to be made more interactive and interesting. Different softwares are available for free which can be used to make audio visual presentations that will help to get better attention from learners.

To use the online mode effectively it’s important that the trainers know the format and platforms thoroughly. Educationists need to be trained properly to make the course content effective, interesting and result oriented. This requires proper collaboration between different stakeholders including Government, professionals, technology providers and learners. Each one of them need to understand the platform to use it effectively.

In the coming years digital learning is going to be a part of mainstream education. Many Institutions will be delivering a huge percentage of course modules/credits through online platforms. Even examinations will take place using it. Need for a substitute of physical classrooms could bring more innovations in the field of digital learning. Undoubtedly online education is not only cost effective but its huge reach, easy access provides an opportunity for customised learning.

Every crisis comes with some sort of opportunities. The COVID-19 crisis is actually a huge opportunity to explore and innovate new technologies and methods using online platforms. A lot can be done in the field of education, but for that we need to develop infrastructure and break the digital divide.

Some state administrations are using study groups and community TV services to reach students staying in remote areas. Future of education definitely lies with digital learning.

New age education is going to be hybrid. A mixture of online and offline mode. Here it will be wrong to compare both the modes as they are very different from each other. Both online and offline have their own advantages and disadvantages. Physical classrooms and virtual classrooms both are going to exist in the new normal era, complementing each other.

The writer is Professor in Charge, Mass Communication Department, St. Xavier's University. She specialises in communication theory, marketing communication, and communication research. She has more than 14 years of experience in teaching both UG and PG students. Presently working as a Ph.D. supervisor under St. Xavier's University. Her research interest is marketing communication.