By: Sajjad Hussain Nekokara
Online learning has become the need of the hour owing to its efficiency in this testing time. A virtual classroom is a digital replica of a traditional classroom. The teachers teach, and the learners learn in real-time, face-to-face via internet-enabled technology devices. Educational institutes all over Pakistan have announced to continue the academic sessions during lockdowns, using the virtual classroom platforms.
Similarly, The possible virtual classroom platforms during this pandemic period are zoom, Microsoft teams, Skype, Google classrooms, Google meet, LMS, YouTube, different social media apps like whatsapp and facebook etc in which the course material, pre-recorded lectures and homework are shared with students. Moreover, different institutes have developed their own Academic management systems and Digital Libraries which are also very helpful for the students during the lockdown. The government has also launched “Tele-school” through PTV as another tool for distance learning; it is for primary, higher or higher secondary classes, as well as for corporate learning.
In this grim situation, there is a dire need for developing National Knowledge Bank (NKB).
During the present pandemic and lockdown period, it’s a testing time, for teachers to bring in newer methods of designing content line with the approved online courses from OAC or university constitutional body. It is foremost duty of teachers to guide the students about the online systems. From online tools to encourage learning through gamifications actualizing real-time assessments; making record of progress; having separate room for online teaching to providing conducive environment in homes is an arduous job.
It is prerequisite for students to be at a place free from any noise and to learn new ways of tapping into content and producing work in digital spaces; discovering intrinsic motivation with their books following online guidelines; participating in the virtual class room discussion, not simply concentrating on the lecture and background chatter.
Furthermore, schools, colleges and universities would have to flex their muscle to develop digital system very effective after deliberation and testing for culminating ideas into action. They must monitor the smooth conduct for online learning of students; sharing policies for assessment; avoiding threatening and coercing in the visiting room and disallowing anyone in wrong ID, preparing/ buying internet learning packages and the allies issues etc.
Undoubtedly, There are difficulties in the new ways of online learning, probably three things are important in running this online teaching system. These are Content delivery, Course management and evaluation. Due to the inefficiency in these three aforementioned things, following difficulties occur such as lack of understanding among the students regarding the pertinent courses, dissatisfaction due to vague evaluative process and poor learning.
In this grim situation, there is a dire need for developing National Knowledge Bank (NKB). For this purpose, the government and respective managements are in process of drafting policy guidelines for the government owned and privately run educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities as well as madras’s with regard to academic activities during the lockdown period. The constitution of National Knowledge Bank (NKB) will provide online access to academic materials, including curricula, syllabuses lists of textbooks, links to digital libraries video lectures, PPTS (power point presentations). The provincial education departments are reportedly formulating the policies and overseeing the material relating to the provision of online courses, pedagogy and assessments for learning outcomes.
In this turbulent time, it has proved to be a reality that the online education has a potential to undo the possible rust that the lockdown may cast on the kids and the students. This is a high time to work together to make it successful in order to meet the desired objectives. One must appreciate the advantages of science and technology that made it possible. The best thing is that you can play these lectures as many times as you want. Some international organizations are also uploading some free of cost content for ‘Online summer camps’. You can subscribe to these as well for a better exposure. Though, these online lectures cannot replace real classroom learning experience, yet these are helpful to a great extent in these testing times. You need to make best use of these hours to make them constructive and fruitful. Secondly, some of the students are launching a regressive campaign against the online system and want to be promoted without exams. They should shed their irrational approach and must cooperate with the HEC.
The writer is a lawyer, he can be reached at [email protected]