Internet-dependent teaching or online education is the only key to the right education for students of all ages, while the pandemic is around. However, the lack of proper resources and connectivity is cultivating immense problems in the already troubled world. Students worldwide are facing issues concerning adequate internet connectivity. Technology has created a huge impact on education, How Technology is Evolving Online Education?
Major parts of southern West Virginia was already suffering to contend the drug epidemic and chronic poverty long before the coronavirus pandemic took roots. Surpassing the difficult poverty line was a tragedy in itself. Now, as online teaching becomes the only go, college students trying to return to high school, feel dejected. The absence of broadband web entry is cultivating another longstanding problem.
The underlining issue
Delivering broadband services to suburbs and cities is quite easy as compared to the sparsely populated areas. The terrain in Appalachia makes it further tough to put in and keep the infrastructure. In short, the geographical conditions and financial situations are hindering the growth of young minds.
Research by Microsoft Corp underlined that about 21 million people nationwide shortfall access to broadband. If individuals with slow or uncertain web connections are included, the quantity bloats to 157 million. So, practically half of the U.S. inhabitants fail to receive good internet provision.
As all the nations, now go online, almost 9 out of 55 counties of West Virginia are working towards instructing all the courses remotely. The spiking COVID-19 situation is pushing the circumstances to adopt remote education to the core. However, most of the remaining counties within the state, choose to blend the training in-person and in-classroom courses. But if the coronavirus cases surpass the ranges, then the counties will have to halt the in-person courses. The COVID-19 cases and associated deaths are seeing an exponential increase day-after-day.
The census records demonstrate that in Logan County, which is enveloped by hilly mountains, more than half of residents stay beneath the federal poverty line. It is a place where schools and colleges usually appear empty. The place is technologically still backward and renders a wide scope for improvement.
Having a glitchy connection to no connection is forcing the students to drop out of the colleges and find some income sources that would render a helping hand to their family. The bright students are witnessed sitting in yards to receive the internet connectivity of the neighbours. The poor conditions of their dwelling bolstered with the internet facility are all-in-all a big drawback for the students.
The minimum of broadband service as extended by the FCC is 25 megabits per second. But a velocity check around the recent times is way below this minimum bandwidth. The geographical location makes the connectivity, even more, worse, and students are found to travel half-hour from their houses or are seen touring with their parents on their way to work. “Students are facing a tough time trying to finish their online classes,” added a student’s grandparent.
The faculty and the lecturers are striving hard to reach to all the students and make the provisions for them to attend the courses. Facing the same issues as the students, the professors have to drive to the colleges and make sure that the technical issues are addressed and a glitch-free course is delivered for the students. The professors are finding it better that compared to almost 105 students not having the conditions prevalent for attending the classes has drastically come down to a 5 or less in subsequent days. This is progress in itself and the professor considered this a step positive.
Measures to combat the lack of satisfying Internet
Around 30% to 50% of college students in West Virginia, face the lack of provisions for web entry at homes and fail to remotely log in to the state Division of Training. The state had arranged approximately 850 WiFi active connectivity spots at college libraries, state parks, and Nationwide Guard armouries.
Governor Jim Justice lifted a $50 million cap to provide the best high-speed broadband services to the rural and deprived areas. This amount is raised from a fund created by the FCC. But the doubts persist on how efficiently the task can be reached. Governor mentioned that stepping ahead and meeting the problem is quintessential.
He further added that provisions thus made could be a short-term repair to a long-term drawback. He illustrated the necessity to deal with the entry to broadband is much like the urge for electrical energy. The way the necessity of electrical energy was addressed in the 1930s, should be redone, or else the college students will fall behind.
Conclusion
Although the government is trying hard to meet the ends for the students, the students are facing the discomfort of not having a stable internet connection in their homes. The Logan County college district utilized a $375,000 grant from the state to make sure that the college students get linked. The poverty and the absence of resources are hindering the success of the students in these areas. Hope to see the sky to this problem soon!
