Godrej Interio launches ‘The two sides of online teaching’ whitepaper

Chandigarh: Godrej Interio, India’s leading furniture solutions brand, announced today the release of its exclusive whitepaper: The two sides of online teaching. The pandemic has forced education online. To study the developments in online education, its pros and cons, and the implication of the developments on the lifestyle of teachers working from home, the Workspace & Ergonomic Research Cell at Godrej Interio conducted a nation-wide study. The study comprised the inputs from over 300 teachers working in different private, government, and semi-aided education institutions. 
 
As educators work in a more controlled and safer environment from home, not only do they save commute time but get an opportunity to spend more time with their family. Teachers enjoy the opportunity to up their digital literacy and make optimum use of resources along with having better control over their virtual class.
 
However, online teaching also has its share of challenges. The research revealed 39.3% of teachers have received formal technical training, whereas 21.4% have not; nearly 39.3% are self-taught.
 
A formal work setup plays a crucial role in setting up a positive environment for any professional. 31% of teachers do not have a dedicated workroom; they share the space with family members. In the current scenario, there is a requirement for a separate working area. The study revealed 63% of people use tables and chairs for teaching online. A dining table chair and desk, used by 25.4%; a bed, used by 22%, and a sofa, used by 25%. As many as 16% of teachers work sitting on the floor. These numbers suggest that teachers do not have a dedicated workspace. 

72% of teachers face body pain issues while working from home. 19% reported that they sit bending forward while working on the bed without any back support. 14% said they sit cross-legged on the floor without proper back support. Both these postures frequently account for back pain and knee pain.

Sameer Joshi, Associate Vice President, Marketing (B2B), Godrej Interio, said, “This pandemic has made teachers change the approach toward teaching. Virtual teaching has been a part of our lives for longer than we anticipated. As the education system evolves across borders and education media, the responsibilities of teachers also keep growing. Online teaching comes with significant advantages as well as disadvantages. While technology, zero commute time, and safety work in teachers’ favour, factors like excessive gadget usage, irregular or no breaks, and social isolation affect them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Basis these insights, it is imperative to establish a routine and learn step by step to ace online teaching. To ensure teachers’ wellbeing while working from home, we at Godrej Interio recommend the Teach from Home Webinar. Apart from this, we developed a guide for recommending solutions through which teachers can adopt a smoother routine to guard their health and virtual lessons.”
 
Considering the current situation, online learning has helped teachers in these dire times with benefits ranging- from being able to teach students through a screen to easily sharing notes with them. Not only does this transformation ensure teachers’ and students’ safety but also keeps the process of learning going. The option of teaching online has proved to be a blessing for the education system in some significant ways.