REVIEW OF RISKS AND PRECAUTIONS IN ONLINE LEARNING: A CAUTIONARY VIEW FOR ADOPTING E-LEARNING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE NEW NORMAL

The global lockdown occasioned by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to the closure of schools in most nations of the world. This also led to global increase in the demand for online (e-learning) learning at all levels of education, including developing countries. While there are several identified benefits of online learning, there are also potential risks associated with its usage. More at risk of online learning are children and young people (Minors). Caution is therefore required to be taken while introducing this category of students to online learning amidst greater emphasis and demand for online learning in the new normal dispensation. The purpose of this study is to create awareness on the potential risks associated with studying online, especially for young students in developing countries; and also to identify the various precautions that could be employed to minimise these risks. The study was carried out using the Narrative Review methodology. Relevant literatures that focused on potential online risks and the necessary safety measures and precautions required for students to safely study online were reviewed. Based on the findings, the study recommends among others, that asynchronous learning should be more emphasizes than synchronous learning for children and young people using the internet for e-learning purpose. This and other similar measures will enhance the safety of our students while studying online, especially as the demand for online education is on the increase.