--- title: "Research article on COVID-19 and IT in education" subject: "Communication English" chapter: 10 key: "semester_5/communication_english:research-article-covid-it-education" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/research-article-covid-it-education site: BCT Engineering --- # Research article on COVID-19 and IT in education Communication English · Chapter 10: Writing Research Articles - Asked in: 2079 Baishakh, 10 marks - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/research-article-covid-it-education - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/communication_english/chapter-10 ## Question Write, in about 500 words, a research article on "Impact and Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic and the Role of Information Technology in Education." ## Short answer COVID-19 disrupted education, but IT tools like Zoom, Google Classroom, and radio/TV enabled remote learning. However, challenges such as poor internet, lack of devices, and low digital skills widened the digital divide. Affordable access, teacher training, and blended learning are needed for resilience. ## Answer **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.* ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. How did Hodges et al. (2020) describe the abrupt move to online classes? A. Planned online education B. Blended learning C. Emergency remote teaching, different from planned online education D. Distance education by post Answer: C. The article says the abrupt change was emergency remote teaching, unlike planned online education. (Key point: Emergency remote teaching) 2. Which is listed as an impact of the pandemic on education? A. Increase in laboratory practical time B. Decrease in dropouts C. Reduced stress due to isolation D. Interruption of lab and practical classes and increase in dropouts, particularly among girls and poor students Answer: D. Impacts include lost learning time, stress, financial pressure, interrupted practicals and more dropouts. (Key point: Impact on education) 3. How did Nepal reach students without internet? A. The Ministry of Education used radio, TV and Learning Facilitation Guidelines B. Classes were simply cancelled C. Only Zoom was allowed D. Students were sent to universities abroad Answer: A. Radio and television were used for those without internet access. (Key point: Learning without internet) 4. What does the article conclude about IT's role? A. IT solved all problems equally for everyone B. IT saved the academic year, but the gap between students with and without access widened C. IT failed to help education D. IT removed the need for teachers Answer: B. The abstract states IT saved the academic year while the digital gap widened. 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