THE ONLINE BOOM
How equipped are Indian schools and colleges for e-learning?
As educational author Donna J. Abernathy says, online learning is not the ‘next’ big thing—it is the ‘now’ big thing. COVID-19 has brought several global health and economic concerns, but it has also caused a major shift in the education sector. Learning from home, students are attending classes on Zoom and teachers are taking on their doubts using the ‘raise your hand’ button on the app or through individual online chats with the students. Schools and universities are finding ways to ensure that e-classes run as smoothly as possible.
SCHOOL SITUATION
Online teaching, say teachers, differs vastly from regular classes. Birla Open Minds International School (BOMIS), Mumbai, conducts lessons via Zoom, holding three 40-minute lectures a day spread over three hours to minimise screen time for students. The lessons focus on English, Mathematics, Science, Environmental Studies, Yoga and Dance. In Kolkata, at Gokhale Memorial Girls’ School, when it comes to the English syllabus, the school is emphasising literature studies to complete as much of the stipulated curriculum as possible while language studies have taken a backseat for now. “Teachers need to go very slow when teaching online, especially for the junior classes. Classroom teaching is usually far more interactive,” says Sanghamitra Mukherjee, rector at Gokhale Memorial. In Delhi, Vasant Valley School is ensuring balanced learning by including classes on Physical Education, Art and Pastoral Care with academic subjects. Rekha Krishnan, principal, Vasant Valley, says, “We
have developed built-in sessions for students to have personal conversations with their teachers.”
Learning Tools
Education is becoming increasingly tech-heavy, with schools such as the Oberoi International School (OIS) in Mumbai using apps like Zoom, Google Hangouts, Seesaw and ManageBac to teach, review and conduct teacher meetings to discuss progress. DPS Nagpur has begun using Google
Sheets for assessments, Zoom classes, interfacewhiteboard and free access to First in Math, an online learning platform, for Classes 3 to 7. Ritu Sharma, principal, DPS Nagpur, says, “We have been able to hold classes using audio, video and PowerPoint presentations. We are also connecting with parents on our school app.” To make sure students feel a sense of normalcy, the school is even creating digital versions of everyday school experiences—for instance, a daily prayer, recorded by the music teacher, is shared with students each day. Teaching techniques have also changed to reflect the new normal. Elaborating, Hina Desai, principal, BOMIS, says, “Educators have to redesign assessments, whether formative or summative, for better learning outcomes. Feedback methods are important considering it is difficult to hold a child’s attention on a screen for too long.”
Teacher’s Dilemma
Teachers have also had to learn new technological skills. They say their workloads have increased, and old communication boundaries have been lost. Parents also say that they are finding it difficult to cope—but then, initial glitches are a part of all new systems.
UNIVERSITY SITUATION
From live sessions, lectures, notes, mentor programmes and webinars, universities across the country are exploring and inventing new methods for e-classes. Using software developed inhouse—‘LPU Live’—Lovely Professional University, Punjab, has given students and faculty members a platform through with they can interact. Lecture notes and study materials are available online. “We have online assignments and tests to check their knowledge levels, but it’s slightly difficult for below-the-average students who need personal attention to keep up,” says Rajeev Sobti, dean, Division of Admissions at Lovely Professional University.
Industry at a Click
Quick to understand the importance of restructuring their systems to engage students through the pandemic, Amity University, Noida, reaches out to its 70,000 students every day. Faculty meetings have also been shifted online. Balvinder Shukla, vice-chancellor at Amity University, says, “We have been doing mentormentee programmes so that teachers and students can work together in smaller groups.” With more than 30 webinars with industry experts arranged since the lockdown, evaluation and other academic responsibilities have been going on as per schedule, including internal evaluations and final assessment of non-teaching credit courses, he adds.
Skill Test
To shift to virtual learning, BML Munjal University, Gurgaon, has been using several information and
EDUCATION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY TECH -HEAVY, WITH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES MAKING USE OF DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND ONLINE COURSE MATERIALS