The worst part of video conferencing and online classes is that it dehumanises learning. While sitting in dozens of video chats, online meetings and web conferences, I realised this big difference between traditional learning and online learning is that the human element of learning is lost.
While we constantly endeavour to overcome the physical barrier, we have lost that constant entanglement we used to have in traditional education. We can no longer debate in class or chat with the person next to us in that large lecture hall. Also, we somewhat feel like an outsider in this era of “new education”.
We do have some of the greatest inventions and innovations in the cyberspace. But one thing we could never fit into this online education is humanisation. Yes, we need to humanise the learning, inculcate debate culture within the cyber walls.
Often, we find driving a motorcycle to be more refreshing than debating and listening to someone on the computer. Why so? Because motorcycles, cars, etc. have some human element attached to it. We can interact with our co-rider. We are well acquainted with the controls of the particular technology unlike video conferencing wherein we drown in the sea of the unknown; complicated and intimidating, but overwhelming controls.
But how can we inculcate humanisation within the premises of digital space? The answer lies in gaming consoles. It has been observed that children interact well while chatting in a multiplayer game. Can we find our answer in the way the newer generation has adapted itself into this ever-growing cyberspace? Well, only time will tell.
While the tech industry believes in aggregating people into ever-growing number of video conferencing apps with ever-rising features, we somehow miss adding human emotions into the feature list.