The Impact of Interaction between teachers and students in online learning

Introduction
Education plays an essential role in an individual life. It is through this process that a person
initially formulates his thoughts with the help and guidance of the instructors within the
boundaries of school. Parallel to this, it is also by means of education that an individual discovers
his strengths and is able to apply them to his practical life. In this regard, it is important to utilize
all aspects of the learning process, including online procedures of teaching and learning that are
so important in today world. It would be great to consider one of the initial moves of today world
such as gearing up towards online procedures of teaching and learning. The facet of online
teaching techniques is currently perceived by most individuals as an initial step towards
transformation. Redefining techniques in the teaching system would deliver a set of skills,
knowledge, and practicality to students, some of whom are prospective teachers, who are behind
the walls of their classrooms. These new techniques could also expose them to a dimension of
thought, which is very pertinent to their daily activities and interests. Online social networking is
so important for individuals today. Understanding the contributions of online teaching for
students would be a huge leap towards achieving diverse learning with minimum supervision.
Online learning is classified as synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous technology allows
for “live” interaction between the instructor and the students (e.g., audioconferencing,
videoconferencing, web chats etc.) while asynchronous technology involves significant delays in
time between instruction and its receipt (e.g., E-mail, earlier video recording, discussion forums
etc.) It has long been acknowledged that online instructional methods are an efficient tool for
learning; however, online learning can be challenging for students because of the limited non-
verbal communication. Other aspects, such as students’ and professors’ interactions, accessibility
of materials, and time management, can also affect the opinions of online education participants.
To assess students’ performance in an online course, a representative set of face-to-face courses
should be compared to a similar set of online courses.
Background
In the Global perspective The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to engage in the
ubiquitous use of virtual learning. And while online and distance learning has been used before
to maintain continuity in education, such as in the aftermath of earthquakes, the scale of the
current crisis is unprecedented. Speculation has now also begun about what the lasting effects of
this will be and what education may look like in the post-COVID era. For some, an immediate
retreat to the traditions of the physical classroom is required. But for others, the forced shift to
online education is a moment of change and a time to reimagine how education could be
delivered.
In the African perspective the COVID-19 pandemic has, no doubt, accelerated the move to
digital learning in Africa, just as it has in other parts of the world. But is Africa ready for e-
learning, given a myriad of challenges associated with it? Hardware, software, internet access,
skill levels of faculty and students, perceptions around quality, and the effective delivery of
practical skills are among the named barriers. And what of the potential of e-learning on the
continent, which will be home to a billion youth by 2050. Is e-learning the answer to reaching
millions of young people who yearn for a formal education? When asked about the future of e-
learning in Africa, the majority of educational stakeholders were unanimous that, in spite of the
challenges, e-learning is here to stay. The question is how to get from here to there, and at what
cost and the impact it will have in terms of interactivity between teacher and student.
In the Kenyan Perspective, Kenya’s reputation as the Silicon Savannah should mean it is well
placed to shift its education sector towards effective virtual learning, in place as part of measures
to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. But millions of pupils lack access to the required
technology, and low-tech solutions remain vital in many areas. Equitable access to reliable
broadband remains elusive for Kenyan learners who live in a country classified as lower-middle
income. Some universities partnered with mobile network providers to discount rates of mobile
internet bundles. This arrangement, however, was not replicated across all tertiary institutions,
and primary and secondary schools did not benefit from such arrangements.
Supportive impact of Interaction between teachers and students in online learning
Online education environments offer the opportunity for increased interaction – regardless of
how many types of interaction are considered – than previous models of distance education. In
particular, there has been significant emphasis in the literature about how to promote
interpersonal interaction with the tacit understanding that high levels of interaction will produce
positive results, particularly results related to social dynamics. Such an emphasis on (and
perceived benefits associated with) interpersonal social dynamics is consistent with the
constructivist framework, which appears to be dominant in online learning pedagogy. An
unstated assumption, however, appears to be that promoting interaction will lead to positive
communication behaviors such as instructor immediacy, social presence, and community in the
online classroom. It is important in most Web-based instruction that a designer explicitly
includes learning in social context... since the learning process takes place within a social
framework. The implementation of online activities and interactions has been scrutinized and
considered to be a manner of improving the system of learning. It is imperative to present the
limitations of teaching and understand the possible interactions between teachers and students.
Education is linked to the strengths of the administrator; hence, training for teachers is regarded
as very important for implementing a well- organized curriculum. It is best also to highlight to
the students the importance of learning without any pressure on them and to encourage
participation in productive activities to heighten appreciation of their studies. Several programs
should be identified both for teachers and students, and it would be best to consider reformatting
the practice of teaching in regards to the form of online teaching and training. This training
begins for prospective teachers while they are students, during their exposure to online learning.
Challenging impact of Interaction between teachers and students in online learning
The philosophy of education is the basic element in the professional training of the teacher. The
teacher seeks the meaning of the educative process as it takes place in the mind of the pupil and
the goal towards which it should be directed. The philosophy of education is in consonance with
the manner of exemplifying the learning, and how the teacher educates his students using an
unconventional approach to the delivery of knowledge. What aspects of professional training
allow it to capture the attention of students? What strategies should be adopted when students are
preoccupied with other activities? In accordance with this, is it exceptional as well to reconfigure
systems parallel to the application of thought using the new trend of interactions through online
processes? In the past, we could only use simple tools to motivate students to learn, as opposed
to the variety of elements available to today generation, in which we recognize students varying
background knowledge, readiness, and languages, preferences in learning and interests, and
‘responsive reactions’. Today society is a different one: teachers must think creatively and
engage in further exploration to be able to meet the students halfway which is a challenge as a
majority of teachers are not technology savvy and more teachers will need to play catchup with
regards to using new technology tools.
Students are so absorbed in technology, and many of whom abuse it rather than make use of it to
gain more knowledge. However, there are also some students who read avidly, make good use of
the Internet, and become better versed than their teachers during discussions. These are some of
the reasons why teachers must be flexible in expanding their knowledge to reach the expanded
horizons of the students and pull them towards the goal of becoming competitive educated
people with values. Teachers must engage the students in academics to enable the students to
learn and understand more which is an uphill task is. Goodwill among all the education
stakeholders is needed to improve the online learning interactivity between teachers and students
hence the road is till long for that realization to actually happen.
Conclusion
To establish successful online learning in an environment of transformation, the top-most
concern must be participation of the students and teachers to be on the same level so that
learning can have a holistic impact. Increasing numbers of studies have shown that the number of
students participating in online learning has grown, and the expansion of online learning
techniques has occurred as well that have been embraced by teaching professionals . In addition
to online strategies, computer-based learning environments are able to equip students with a wide
range of opportunities at a convenient time and a location that they prefer. These environments
provide numerous online resources that can help students synthesize information through the
communication that can occur during their interactions across online environments. Successful
web-based learning that supports students and teachers efforts to develop their abilities and sets
them apart from students and teachers who engage in only conventional learning strategies.