Unfading relevance

A nation's economic development is vastly reliant on the advancement of the education sector. In the context of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), this article aims to present a bird's eye view around various issues, opportunities and challenges concerning the traditional physical mode of teaching and learning vis-à-vis the virtual one which has lately come up at a large scale in view of prevailing circumstances.

The pandemic ushered in unprecedented transitions, or disruptions, in all sectors, including education which witnessed trailblazing transformation in dealing with fresh challenges on the board. Globally, tech platforms have been quick to adapt to the transition by putting in place e-learning and blended learning in a seamless manner. Faculty members and students across the world were also quick to acquire and develop their competencies in teaching and learning through the online medium. In the context of India, the country has recently come up with its National Education Policy 2020 which emphasizes on extensive usage of technology in teaching and learning. While reviewing the current teaching-learning framework, considering online or digital platforms as crucial to moving ahead, various aspects attract attention and also call for a relook to consider strengthening the system. Obviously, despite the pandemic disrupting education to a substantial extent, the sector did not stop functioning, thanks to these tech platforms in place that offered tools and techniques to conduct classes comparable to the offline mode. But crucially, virtual classrooms are no match to the physical ones wherein interactions and communications occur in real sense of the term. It is true that while numerous students are eager to assimilate everything being taught in the virtual classrooms in the same manner as it is in the physical setup, there are various difficulties or challenges in terms of technical glitches, especially in areas with limited network connectivity, absence of hands-on or experiential learning, inconveniency in working in groups on projects and assignments etc. A major impediment is faced by the faculty as students tend to lose interest in virtual classes due to the aforementioned concerns, or can take advantage of the online platforms for easily skipping the sessions — the consequence being degradation in their aptitudes and skillsets. This is highly detrimental when the world today faces unremitting evolution in all spheres of activity, and cutthroat competition calls for acquisition of knowledge, expertise, new skill sets on a continuous basis and command over proficiencies. It is now not only about acquiring insights and information from books and other study materials prescribed for the courses, but also going beyond that to have comprehensive awareness, capacity to apply the acquired knowledge appropriately in addressing various scenarios and problems, thereby developing acumen and competence to have an edge over peers.

Again, when we look at e-learning, digital or online learning, we feel the glory of democratisation of knowledge and expertise where students in the remotest areas of the country can also have access to world-class teaching by faculty across the globe, with easy access to the internet in an immensely cost-effective manner.

Next, coming to the examination format, a proctored examination in a virtual classroom is not expected to be as effective as in the offline mode. If that needs to be carried out, then the entire structure still needs to be bolstered to a substantial extent with various tools and tactics. Or else, the outcomes are unlikely to be what is expected — the aim of carrying out examinations that guide students through their career path.

Again, if we think about the positive sides of the online or digital platforms, now it is possible to effortlessly and effectively organize and conduct seminars, workshops, summits, conferences and lectures at HEIs, with eminent academicians, researchers, business practitioners, industry experts from across the globe. It becomes much more convenient for the HEIs to arrange such events or sessions from the logistical and financial points of view. These sessions are crucial to professionally groom and develop students in a holistic manner. Nevertheless, events like competitions and contests where students can participate to exhibit their aptitude, expertise, athletic capabilities and team spirit are majorly superior on the physical mode. We are in a time when it is not just about academic progress in terms of marks or grades but stress is on all-round development to face stiff competition on a continuous basis. Thus, our existing education framework places a strong emphasis on co-curriculars, extracurriculars and projects/internships that provide hands-on experience and practical exposure — and these are surely most effective in a physical milieu.

As the Ministry of Education, Government of India, recognizes and accentuates the need and significance of developing a start-up and entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country for sustainable growth and progress, entrepreneurship education assumes a crucial role, and this entails experiential learning and real-world engagement for its efficacy. Hence, the physical mode is most beneficial in this case.

Finally, I digress a bit on a different aspect. When interview for selection of candidates for admission in HEIs is considered, it is obvious that the physical mode is undeniably better from the perspective of comprehending the seriousness of students in terms of their willingness to appear for the interview and seek admission to the respective institute. It offers an opportunity to judge domain knowledge, acumen and other traits effectively and to also ward off any manipulative behaviour. From the placement perspective too, physical mode should be a preferred choice of organizations to select and recruit candidates to comprehend their sincerity, attitude, aptitude and disposition precisely.

To conclude, in view of the contemporary world and the existing circumstances, though integration of online learning in higher education is essential to a great extent, the traditional physical mode of teaching-learning is superior still and will be in the years to come from various perspectives. The blended format is also here to stay, looking at the pros and cons of both the approaches.

The writer is Assistant Professor (Finance), International Management Institute, Kolkata. Views expressed are persona