Panelists

1. Uma Kanjilal, Head, Faculty of Library and Information Science and Director, Center for Online Education, IGNOU

2. Vimal Kishor, Dean School of Education, Central University of Jharkhand

3. Raksha Singh, Principal Shri Shankaracharya Mahavidyalaya Bhilai

4. Saroj Nayak, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar

5. Rishikaa Sajeev, BA History, Economics and Political Science Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru

6. Sudhin Dutta, President, CITECASU LLC, Houston

Chair: Ram Ramaswamy, IIT Delhi

Moderator: V Madhurima, CUTN

Main Points Shared:

1. The online mode of teaching-learning has made the teachers into learners at a fundamental level. Students were pushed into the waters of online learning and had to master it to survive.

2. In the online teaching-learning mode, the geographical outreach is much wider. Students can attend classes of teachers from any place. Also, in the case of institutes such as IGNOU with campuses across the country, online mode has enabled faculty at the headquarters to communicate with students in remote areas.

3. Asynchronicity of the classes has reduced stresses such as those due to travel. Also, they have given the students the opportunity to understand their own learning styles such as when and in what form they learn the best.

4. Gender equity in classroom participation has been observed across the globe in online classes. Students (and typically girls) who are shy in physical classrooms, feel comfortable participating in online discussions.

5. IGNOU started exploring online teaching in 1999, but real success was seen from 2008. They have also been successful in using social media such as Facebook for teaching.

6. Delivery of question papers in the online mode is effective, especially when they have to be distributed across the country.

7. Students who were provided with orientation to online classes seem to enjoy the classes more than those who have not.

8. Online mode enables the creation of a variety of teaching aids - and thus helps the student to pick what is suitable to their learning style.

9. Among the three domains of learning, namely affective, cognitive and psycho motor, cognitive domain is best suited for the online mode.

10. Self-motivation of students is crucial for making the best use of online learning.

11. Online teaching-learning is economical, especially in conducting small group meetings. Also, there is less wastage of time in online classes.

12. Online classes have also enabled display of copyrighted material without violation of laws.

13. The prime requirement of online teaching-learning, and ensuring that there is the last-mile connectivity, is good internet . Both the Government in some states and private ventures such as Starlink are taking steps forward in this direction.

14. There is an urgent need for capacity building among teachers for them to make the best use of online teaching by understanding that their role in online teaching is that of a facilitator only.

15. It is time to think of co-teaching and cross-listing -i.e., for a network of teachers across many institutes to offer courses.

16. Even after a complete return to physical classrooms, a hybrid mode of teaching-learning would be most effective. Some courses such as programming are best done online while laboratory based courses need physical presence.