Exploring the Scope of Online Learning in India from an Ethnography of Communication Perspective

Abstract

This survey-based paper explored the position of online learning in English language pedagogy in India from an ethnographic perspective. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which online learning is gaining popularity in the English language teaching landscape in India. This study gains more relevance owing to the recent pandemic which has forced all academic institutions to carry out the teaching and learning of the courses online. It does an ethnographic analysis of the quality and quantity of communication between the teacher and the student, and the attitude of the students towards this form of learning. It also shares the findings of a survey that further reinforces the belief that online learning on its own cannot bring about a change in the skewed dynamics of the traditional language classroom. The two objectives of this study were to determine the attitude of the students towards online learning from an ethnographic perspective and to analyse the viability of online learning as a platform for English language teaching and learning in India. In this survey-based study 52 students from Gauhati University participated. The findings indicate that the learners are highly aware of the benefits of using online learning. It was also found the attitude towards the use of online learning as a language teaching tool is quite positive among the learners. It was also realized that there are a number of issues that needs to be addressed before online learning can be considered as an effective tool for teaching and learning in the Indian context.