We had a unique inauguration of the new batch of MBA students a couple of days ago. Almost 600 incoming students joined the programs online, probably a first in many institutions due to the COVID pandemic.
This puts a lot of our assumptions about higher education-or maybe all education- to the test. Physical connections were always thought to be the USP of any class, particularly where interaction was part of pedagogy. So what do we do until "normalcy" returns? People are fond of talking about Convergence, including that of technologies. But is this the point where Distance Learning and Classroom education converge?
What do students think about this mode of learning? What do faculty feel? And administrators, promoters of educational institutes? Will it impact the future of students who miss out on the obvious benefits of the human side of learning..getting to know peers, networking, forming friendships with seniors, or bonds with faculty members? How will faculty cope with loss of feedback from faces of students in F to F classes? How will participation be affected? Assessed? What about other forms of testing like exams?
Certainly, life is not going to be the same for this academic year. Hope we will all cope, think about this and come back stronger for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment