Expanding Educational Access: Opportunities in Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study examines the impact of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on its benefits, challenges, and preservation strategies to ensure flexibility and resource access. Online learning offered flexibility and access to digital resources, but it also brought significant challenges, especially communication gaps and inequalities in digital access. The study uses a qualitative research method and a descriptive research design, selecting teachers, students, and parents from Dhankuta Municipality and Kathmandu through purposive sampling. The researchers took six months to gather information for the study. Interviews with teachers, students, and parents showed that low-income families struggled due to a lack of high-speed internet and digital devices. Teachers found it difficult to adapt to online teaching, and students faced challenges staying connected without in-person interaction. These difficulties were worsened by financial inequalities, causing stress and anxiety for many families.

The study found that online learning benefits mental health and reduces academic pressure, but the pandemic slowed progress and increased inequalities. Limited infrastructure in low-income areas made online education less effective, creating challenges for teachers, parents, and students.

To ensure fair access to online education, governments and institutions should invest in better digital infrastructure, teacher training, and student engagement strategies. Socioeconomic support, hybrid learning models, mental health resources, personalized assessments, digital literacy training, and improved ICT facilities are essential for long-term success.

The pandemic disrupted global education goals, emphasizing the importance of personal and systemic resilience. The study suggests that while online learning has potential, education systems need reforms to make it more effective and sustainable for the future.