During the COVID crisis, most of the Schools quickly shifted to education delivery from traditional class mode to online learning mode. Different Education Systems have adopted, different Learning Management Systems, Many of them use the learning portals available from the Govt. systems like “SWAYAM”, and DISHA that are currently upgraded to meet the requirements of the NEP Pandemic all schools, colleges, and universities have switched to doing online learning, meaning, using Google or MS Teams. How effectively re these model are questionable and it takes training, a while for the teachers to understand and get used to this new way of delivering education at all levels. Education effectiveness of online learning is a mandatory measure.
While the first version of online learning was on, many schools, colleges have made dedicated efforts to designed pedagogical models for different subjects in differing contexts. Since the pandemic has been stretched out in timelines, It is getting clearer, that we probably will get into a blended model of education. Work (learn from home), an occasional days of the week go the school to meet their teachers face to face, gives them time review what they have learned, remedies, assessment, advise and suggestions until the next session. They could get meet a few of their class students and peers to have a chat, with all the protections in place.
This is the current model, while some organisations are continuously working towards making the process more effective, by improvising and inventing new tools and approaches.
Learning at home could happen in the kitchen areas, couches, etc. The parent’s engagement is important. If they are working parents, they will have a limitation on the number of hours of being able to devote to their children, while at home.
I was wondering if small local learning centres were established, where parents take their children, fewer children, but more diversity. No of students depending on how big the learning spaces are, and hence the social distancing norms can be maintained.
The parents also converge, obviously come to the centre along with their children. A group of parents who are good in subject areas can interact with the children of a group of classes, who could be from different schools. This approach will help connect students with some real-world situations that the parents (working professionals) or experts, businessmen.
It is also a place where parents get to socialise, also for the students to interact and develop better social skills. Because most parents are professionals, learning from them the diversity and the perspective that they definitely need.
In the new Normal, Post-COVID, I would expect that we will eventually Arrive at this blended model.
The advantages are learning while sitting at home – it may be the living room, kitchen. the study, it gets monotonous, and it is usually a busy time for parents catching up with their office works and meetings. However, once they go to the small neighbourhood centre, students will regroup around a parent.
They can have time off for children could work on their projects, while the parents can socialise and learn from each other, and also pick up some books for reading and learning more.
Assuming the schools will run in shifts and that the children come from various par.s of the city. The neighbourhood family learning centres can provide the Universalisation, and inclusivity objectives.
I would think this an optimum model given the COVID situations are uncertain.
Even after vanquishing of COVID, online learning is here to stay, time at school will be reduced, and here a model that I am suggesting will be safe and give students the extra perspective. The families are in the same place, and the family members also get an opportunity to learn via interactions, reading books.
In India, many pre-school and KG schools are closed due to COVID pandemic. many of them are shut. There are numerous centres in almost every neighbourhood.
I feel it will work, we will try out a couple of centres like this.
