Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for the rapid global adoption of online education, fundamentally altering traditional pedagogical approaches. While digital learning platforms ensured educational continuity during lockdowns, this transition has precipitated significant psychosocial consequences and exposed critical technological limitations. This comprehensive study employs a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the multifaceted impacts of online education, analyzing data from 21 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020-2023. Our findings reveal that while online education offers unprecedented flexibility and accessibility, it simultaneously exacerbates mental health challenges, widens educational inequalities, and presents substantial technological barriers. The paper concludes with evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, educators, and technologists to develop more equitable, engaging, and psychologically supportive digital learning ecosystems in the post-pandemic landscape.