Corona Outbreak: Time For Indian Institutions To Continue Via Online Learning

Dilip Puri Apr 11, 2020

The world stood thunder-struck when the news of the Corona Virus pandemic broke out and the beginning of 2020 was never the same. The whole nation turned into an emergency ward, packed with panicking individuals and patients, people being diagnosed, quarantined, stocking up on medical supplies, not just in India but the world came to a standstill. All the activities involving a large public gathering or interaction of a large number of people had to be brought to a halt overnight. Schools, colleges, workplaces had to be closed down temporarily to prevent large public interaction to avoid further spreading of the disease. This pandemic hit many industries and brought down the whole tempo of the world economy. Where other industries were preparing for this crisis, the education sector had already set a plan in action.

Ever since the situation of Corona intensified all around the world, schools and colleges have been trying to prevent academic losses of the students by either conducting classes online or partnering with edtech industry to make better of the situation. Indian School of Hospitality in Gurugram, ever since its establishment in 2018, had invested very wisely and effectively in technology. It has spent nearly 20 per cent of its capital cost on technology investing in Zoom, Samsung flipboards, projectors, 4000 Lumen Cameras, mikes on every desk in all classrooms including a virtual classroom. From the beginning, all the classes were video recorded and the data put on learning management systems (LMS). This smart investment enabled the institution to shift their curriculum online seamlessly without hampering the education of the students. The students can access their online classes or video lectures via clicking on a link shared by their teachers. Till today, not a single day of classes as been missed for even a single student.

Due to the inculcation of these online classes, there has been an increase in attendance as students are able to smoothly access their lectures and classes online. The students have been instructed to be in their formal uniform during the time of their classes, with their uniform being a part of their attendance criteria, to maintain a formal streak for sustaining the decorum of a classroom for better concentration and learning. This mandatory requirement of conduction of online classes along with proper execution will not only put to test Indian education institutes but also push them to be creative in their approach towards learning and education. It will also ingrain a lifelong capacity of online learning in the students which will help them in adapting to newer methods of learning and make them flexible to changes.

In the time of rapidly advancing technology, online learning has become a very usual method of promoting and encouraging education where it is difficult to provide proper facilities. A number of educational institutions have created their own directories and libraries, are offering distance education programmes through online platforms, in addition, associating with EdTech startups to provide a variety of courses online for students to learn more and access new academic opportunities. Institutes have started conducting and sharing online lectures through video conferencing through various online platforms. As providing students with the accessibility and skills to learn through online platforms has become the need of the hour, it is becoming imperative for academic institutions to invest in technology to protect the academic growth of the students. During this time there should be a constant effort from teachers and institutions to stir curiosity and willingness to learn in the students so as to encourage them towards success through even the most unfavourable of times.