Research article on COVID-19 and IT in education

Impact and Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Role of Information Technology in Education

Aashma Khadka, Department of Computer Engineering

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and colleges across the world, including Nepal, in 2020. Information technology made it possible to continue education online. This article reviews the impact of the pandemic on education, the challenges of online learning in Nepal, and the role of IT in meeting them. The study is based on published literature and a survey of 70 students. The article concludes that IT saved the academic year, but the gap between students with and without access to technology widened.

Keywords: COVID-19, online education, information technology, Nepal, digital divide

Introduction

In March 2020, the Government of Nepal imposed a nationwide lockdown, closing all educational institutions. More than 8 million students were affected. Teachers and students had to move to online and distance learning, supported by IT tools. Hodges et al. (2020) described this abrupt change as emergency remote teaching, which is different from planned online education.

Impact of the pandemic

1. Loss of learning time and the postponement of examinations.
2. Stress and loss of motivation due to isolation.
3. Financial pressure on families and private schools.
4. Interruption of laboratory and practical classes in technical education.
5. An increase in dropouts, particularly among girls and poor students.

Role of IT

• Video conferencing: Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams for live classes.
• Learning platforms: Google Classroom, Moodle and shared drives for materials and assignments.
• Radio and television: for students without the internet, the Ministry of Education used radio and TV lessons, guided by its Student Learning Facilitation Guidelines.
• Virtual labs and simulations for practicals.
• Online exams and assessment tools.
• Social media groups for communication.

Challenges

In the survey of 70 students, 64 percent faced slow or unstable internet, 41 percent had no personal computer and used a mobile phone, and 58 percent reported difficulty in concentrating. Other problems included high data costs, power cuts, teachers' lack of digital skills, weak interaction, cheating in exams and screen fatigue. Students in remote and poor areas were the worst affected (Bao, 2020, noted similar issues in other countries).

Conclusion

The pandemic showed both the power and the limits of IT in education. To apply these lessons, Nepal should provide affordable internet and devices, train teachers, develop local digital content and adopt a blended learning model. A resilient education system should be able to continue learning in any crisis.

References

• Bao, W. (2020). COVID-19 and online teaching in higher education: A case study of Peking University. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(2), 113-115. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.191
• Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020, March 27). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu

Note: survey figures and local details in this article are illustrative.