Shifting online is more than converting class-notes into PDFs or a collection of video lectures and e-books. Digitized learning content has to be contextualized and ‘byte-sized’ to make it crisp, engaging and understandable. Although there is no replacement of the field trips, social and cultural interactions during academic exchanges it may be possible to make the e-learning more user friendly through customization.
As it is, our young urban population has screen-addiction that contributes to many of them lacking in social skills. Now we are asking them to observe social distancing and to communicate online and this can only encourage screen-addiction! I am afraid that this will diminish real communication and social skills further, reducing tolerance in general.
SWAYAM and NPTEL are seen as the ideal platforms for online learning, but much of the content on these platforms run asynchronously, i. e. with pre-recorded videos that the students watch at their leisure. This process deprives the students of the benefit of live interactions and feedback from the teacher. Viewing of study material created for a general audience works only for self-learners. One needs to remember that not all students are equipped to be self-learners and most of them report that they benefit from a teacher.
There are no courses for history in the India-based Swayam portal. Harvard University’s online courses are on China. The Department for Continuing Education of University of Oxford has online history courses that is predominantly British history. Thus, to learn Oriental history (excluding Chinese history) especially Indian History, there are no MOOCs.
Online classes are not capable of substituting classroom lectures. The former is very seldom able to generate the interaction that is needed in a class. Moreover, the teachers’ body language, which is a part and parcel of the classroom lectures and is imperative for their success, is also missing in online classes. The use of technology will not only lead to more discrimination, but also will create some practical problems. It will also lack the desired interaction in the class.
Series of articles on Higher Education post the pandemic
Since online instruction is more intense and requires more effort in their delivery, universities may be forced to completely separate tracks for research and teaching. This could change the nature of university education beyond recognition and eventually branch out into two distinct streams – one that prepares students for industry and the other for a career in academics and research. While the former can be more easily delivered online, the latter will continue in the traditional mode but for a much smaller group of students.
Epidemics have both, a clinical and scientific side as well as a governance and public health management side.
Physical distancing by closing down schools, offices, businesses and staying at home is all that we can do to slow the spread
Chance of death from Covid-19 is not very high; only 35 of 1,000 cases are dying on an average.
