The pandemic and its resultant lockdown have forced many universities to transform their teaching methods. The pandemic itself came as a disaster where the authorities and leaders were unaware of handling the unseen and unknown virus that has no cure. Initially, many countries thought that it would last for a few days or a month and continued their activities as usual. It all got upside down when the whole world started to boom with cases of COVID-19 and thousands of deaths in a day. The only solution that authorities came up with to contain the virus was a lockdown and ceasing everything.
The businesses and educational institutes were pacing with worries of continuing and carrying on life in a lockdown. Thankfully, we exist in a digital era where the internet and gadgets helped people connect with their loved ones. The concept of work from home or e-learning was only in our imagination and that too for upcoming years. But it took a pandemic to turn our imaginations into reality and showed the world that anything could happen. The workforce industry shifted online and set their employee bases remotely, allowing workers to work from home. The education industry looked for ways to get parents, teachers, and students on the same page.
The education policymakers suggested starting online classes through videoconferencing or Google classrooms. The higher education institutions had to find a way as students were waiting for their final exams to get a degree before the lockdown happened. These graduates had another task of finding a job amidst lockdown on their plates. Education is one of the indispensable factors of human life. Many people enroll in online EdD programs to get hold of the means and methods to contribute towards the betterment of education and making it easier for the upcoming generations.
The higher education institutes are moving towards a “new normal.” Still, they are yet to overcome challenges to make the learning experience for both teachers and students trouble-free. The following are some aspects that the educational institutes are trying to cope with while transitioning to online education.
1. ENABLING STUDENTS
Every university has on-campus and off-campus students. The off-campus students here mean those who have enrolled in the university’s online programs while the rest were studying as on-campus students. With a lockdown imposed, the universities now had to accommodate their on-campus students as remote or off-campus students. Usually, the number of on-campus students is higher than those studying remotely. The first challenge that is on hand is to enable students to return safely to their live study routines. They also have to ensure the social distancing while accommodating students in their classrooms and considering their safety. Many universities offer alternate days of teaching through physical and online classes, distributing students in two or more than two groups. Many digital tools are there that can help the university management to design classrooms with social distancing and readable screens for the students.
2. PICKING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY
With socially distanced students, some studying in live classrooms while others attending remotely, the visual technology must be appropriate. Students learning in live classrooms might not face any issues with their visual aids. Still, those learning remotely will need to see clear visuals on their screens. While choosing the visual technology, consider the viewing and learning requirements, look for the laser technology equipment to provide the best visuals on screen. Also, look for professional touch screen displays with wide viewing angles to enhance online learners’ visual quality.
3. MANAGING AND SHARING CONTENT
Students attending physical classrooms do not struggle much with the resources as they can provide them right away. When it comes to sharing the content with students learning online, it may require a thoughtful strategy. Not to forget that students learning online or in other time zones might need a constant availability of resources. It is wise to create presentation-based lectures and content to overcome this hurdle and share it over emails. Recorded lecture videos and quizzes can reduce the burden of teachers and students both.
4. PLANNING ASSESSMENTS
The equipment and lecture management are not that difficult. Still, when it comes to assessments, you will need a strategy that fits both on-campus and off-campus students. We need to assess students’ learning and understanding of the concepts before deciding about their further grades. It would be unjust to judge students that are on-campus with traditional pen and paper exams while the online learners are enjoying the quizzes. You can generalize the assessments for both learners, giving them quizzes that will judge their understanding of the lessons and grade them based on their understanding.
CONCLUSION
Whether the world has a pandemic or not, education is an ongoing process. We are still not free of COVID-19. But we can smartly plan our moves and play a significant role in facilitating the youngsters to have hopes for the future. The “new normal” has changed the definitions for many people and industries, including higher education. Choosing the right technology and devising effective strategies can facilitate students’ and mentors’ learning and teaching experience.
Speak Your Mind