Virtual Laboratories and Online Field work:

Practicals during the Pandemic

Can computers replace hand on experiences?

(Note 1: This PD focussed on field-work and labs that could be handled in a virtual mode such as electronics, parts of Physics, Geology etc. We will have another PD focussing on wet-labs, Chemistry, LIfe Sciences etc.

Note 2: Links to online resources shared by the panelists can be seen here.)

Panelists:

1. Aarushie Sharma, Department of Sociology, Hindu College, University of Delhi

2. Aditya Vaishya , School of Arts and Sciences,

3. Ahmedabad University.

4. Venkatesh Choppella , Department of CSE and Vlabs, IIIT, Hyderabad.

5. B Chandan Kumar , Department of Geology, Central University of Kerala.

6. A Shahin Sultana , Department of Social Work, Pondicherry University.

Chair: Ram Ramaswamy, IIT Delhi

Moderator: V Madhurima, CUTN

Major Points Shared:

1. Teachers across the country have put in tremendous efforts to ensure that online education of students continues, with or without institutional support.

2. The concepts of "laboratory" and "field" have to be redefined to include the virtual space.

3. Pedagogy for teaching in these new "laboratories" and "fields" have to be well formulated and the students apprised of the same. There is a strong need to develop pedagogy for each subject for conducting laboratory and field-work based courses online.

4. In addition to pedagogy, the syllabus for online virtual labs and field work has to be redesigned so as to ensure meaningful delivery of subject matter.

5. Many resources such as apps to use all sensors in a mobile phone, sites to perform online experiments etc., were shared.

6. Gifs created from video clips of experiments performed in the laboratory can be shared with students.

7. There is a pressing need to develop pedagogically sound, low cost experiments for each laboratory based course to enable students to get a hands-on feel.