Initially, when online education was first introduced, many rejected the idea of it as employees in the education sector worry about job security and students find their lessons to be rather impersonal and disengaging with the lack of interaction.
However, with the widespread COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning has become increasingly used and has brought about countless benefits. In a survey of 1,354 adult learners aged between 20 to 70, conducted by the Institute for Adult Learning Singapore (IAL), it was found that 5.6 per cent preferred online learning before the circuit breaker in April last year, had increased to 26.4 per cent post-lockdown.
As online learning reduces the negative impact on the environment, we start to notice more of its advantages that may not be so obvious from the surface. As we delve in, we acknowledge its benefits and appreciate that online education is here to stay. Here are reasons why you should choose online education for sustainability:
1.Fuel Consumption
In a modernized and busy city like Singapore, many learners, especially Adult Learners, prefer to drive to campus for classes. Students who travel to only a few classes waste fuel as they are travelling back and forth for a short time. By reducing the need to commute to physical classes, lesser wear-and-tear is also done to their vehicles and the local roads.
2.Pollutions and Emissions
A study by the University of West Georgia revealed that for every 100 students who did not travel to school, carbon dioxide emissions were decreased by up to 10 tons per semester. As much as electric vehicles are encouraged these days, many people are still not ready to transition due to concerns about the lack of fast charging points, high upfront costs and doubts about their reliability compared to traditional cars.
3.Natural Resources
Buildings use large amounts of energy for electricity to run lightings, air conditioning and use electronics. Additionally, materials are also needed to construct the campuses, such as metal for the buildings, plastic and wood for the furniture. With online classes, the demand for these materials would decrease, allowing for the preservation of natural resources.
4.Paper usage
As it is commonly known, deforestation has been a serious issue for the past decade. 1 ton of uncoated virgin (non-recycled) printing and office paper uses 24 trees. With that said, it is important to understand that online learning reduces the consumption of paper with its digital textbooks and assignments. Online education can also incorporate online portals for administrative paperwork, registrations and finances, this can also bring convenience to the employees to share information.
5.Lower Costs
As the consumption of energy, fuels and natural resources reduce, schools also get to lower operational costs. This will help them divert these expenses to invest in better education quality and employee welfare, helping them to be a more sustainable organization. Students also learn in the comfort of their own space without having the need to travel, eventually saving on transportation costs.
In conclusion, as technology evolves and advances, we should use it to our advantage. Using technology for online education can help us to curb environmental issues with e-learning tools and innovations. Despite the complications in transitioning to online education, e-learning is inevitable and has been the adopted teaching model in many places. One way that institutions can get started is through blended education as it can also help with reducing carbon footprint and still retains the advantages of face-to-face education.
Implementing such changes not only requires efforts from the lecturers, but it also involves the assistance of non-teaching staff and the students’ corporation and active learning attitude (i.e. through class participation and breakout room discussions). As a student, it is important to pick a learning method that suits oneself. As much as sustainability is being emphasized, it is crucial to know the value of their choice of education. Change is not necessarily easy to make but progressively, the benefits it will bring to the stakeholders and the organization can cause a huge difference.
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