Merit and challenges of online teaching in India and Malaysia

Abstract

An attempt has been made to articulate the ideas of online teaching in a comprehensive manner. The study unifies the merits, and challenges of the online teaching - a new, or as a different alternative and even as a supplement of traditional teaching which had to be forcefully promoted by the government in several developing countries due to COVID 19 pandemic and the same was adopted forcefully in most cases by the teachers in their teaching practices which aroused several questions for students, teachers, and parents. The objective of the study thus comprised to know the perception of the students, teachers, and parents towards the merits, and challenges of online teaching in India, and Malaysia. Interviews were conducted on the students, teachers, and parents in both the countries. The findings indicate that major merits of online teaching include flexibility in learning, economical with respect to time, money, and energy, access to knowledge, and fostering communication. The major challenges are issues and threat of technology, gender issues, problems associated with rural people and communications. The study concludes the similarity and differences of the merits and challenges of online teaching among two countries and provides a new insight to the future academicians and practitioners.