You will find a few similar posts here at RG platform, for example:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_technology_empower_students_to_improve_their_educational_skills

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_e-learning_satisfy_students_at_all_levels_of_their_studies_in_these_difficult_circumstances_around_the_word

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Online_classes_COVID-19_How_will_the_pandemic_affect_teachers_and_teaching

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Technology_and_Distance_Learning_in_Higher_Education_during_the_Corona_lockdown

Hello Abigail Lalnuneng. You are not alone in this quandary. I am a Lecturer at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe and the lockdown was imposed by the government on the 20th of March for 21 days which is subject to review. We proposed the virtual learning model as well and from my personal experience so far the challenge is both ways from the Lecturer side and student side. The context of Zimbabwe currently is that Electricity is a major challenge many areas including the University hardly have electricity 5 hours a day and as such it is a tall order to succeed. The internet is a challenge and the students in rural areas are faced with very tough challenges to try and get access to virtual facilities. But that being said, life have to go on and therefore learning and we have to do what we have to do. We post material on elearning platforms and the students registered for the module get access wheever they log on they can download the material and evaluate it. They log on to the platform and make their contributions be it questions or suggestion. Thus day by day we are moving. When the COVID-19 madness is over we will be somewhere.

On a personal note I see India have not tested much people given that you are a populous country, what's happening?

Well COVID-19 is changing academic life on multiple fronts. As a university teacher, my role has been changed to teach students virtually instead of face-to-face. This made me to think multiple scenarios for fair evaluation of the students such as taking quizzes and exams.

For lectures, I am using the EverLec tool to record audio based lecture slides.

The university designed the rules and regulations of attendance as to watch videos upto certain percentage.

This is a good alternative but not a replacement for face-to-face teaching.

We all are at the beginning and will be able to comment better after conducting mid-term exams.

Well, the online lecture can be considered an alternative in this pandemic situation. However, Classroom environment is much more productive.

it is very much essential for universities to conduct the classes , in that respect online classes are veru much beneficial to students and best use of technology too

The best learning management software I like most is coursera. Although, its not free but, it engage both teachers and students even more than face-to-face. On the alternative, I think, google classroom and moodle could be helpful at least they are free.

The best learning management software I like most is coursera. Although, its not free but, it engage both teachers and students even more than face-to-face. On the alternative, I think, google classroom and moodle could be helpful at least they are free.

SAGE has provided free access for 90 days to support with online teaching. You can check out the materials here: http://freetrials.sagepub.com/sagevideo

Hello Abigail,

My experience as a student with the shift from the classroom teaching to a virtual teaching has been hasn't been too bad.

It hasn't changed my role as a student because I still get my reading materials and Lecture slides from the university's online platform. Quizzes keep coming as usual and this time around I am doing more of online submission. Lecturers have moved their lectures online. But for some of us internet connectivity is bad in our locality and that recorded lectures are being sent to us.

The disadvantage is that I don't get the opportunity to ask questions like I should to do in the classroom. Also I do more internet bundle these days and I have to walk several distance for a good internet connectivity to download these lecture videos

Now I can sit comfortably at home and enjoy my lecture videos and forward my questions to my lecturers.

As a student Eric Mensah , comes with such feedback gives the quest for virtual learning a thumps up. Deborah Ikhile thanks for the Sagepub free access information, it's very hand.

Hi.,

Universities,colleges,Schools have tried to ensure that academic continuity is maintained through virtual classes, but technical glitches, unstructured lessons, ... Amidst the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that has led to a lockdown leading to educational institutes... that since online teaching is quite different from a physical classroom...Some tools is very helpful Google Class Room,Zoo,Moodle ,NPTEL and etc

I currently participate in a 100% online delivered 2-year masters programme. COVID 19 has had little impact on course delivery. The impact is more the change in circumstances of the students. The majority work full time and are now remote working. The challenge is the lack of differentiation between workspace/study space and family life. The University has been accomodating by pushing out deadlines and creating specific COVID 19 guidelines, to account for certain circumstances. I would highly recommend virtual learning, but the challenge now for institutions is managing the emotional/technological/communication challenges faced by traditional F2F students adapting to this new form of learning.

Martin Waters That is a great contribution and many people are caught on that one. 3 in one Home (Family), Work and Learning, the lines are so blurred. Hope many are able to navigate the terrain. C K Gomathy thanks for sharing the tools.

Class room allows the better interaction between a teacher and his students but online classes will let the students to learn from home without traveling to universities. This will save their time to spend that time on other activities or give more time to understand the same lectures and practice as well.

During this time when the whole world is suffering through this pandemic it is essential for me as a teacher to engage my students but as we all are at home so online and virtual classes are the most supportive technology which enhances the opportunity of teaching and learning both. At this hour we all need to stay safe and stay home. Tough, I agree there are few challenges like internet connectivity, understanding the new tools in the application and students don't get personal attention and also low attendance. But I personally think that online learning is bringing an innovation in the learning pattern and its a welcoming change.

Given the current situation, all of us educators must equip ourselves with the tools & techniques in order to create content and delivery courses online. It is a transition all of us must go through.

In my experience, I observe that students are more engaging, involved in online classes. It is recommended to have shorter duration classes of maximum of 45 minutes as the attention span is lesser due to absence of cohorts in online classes. It is easy to monitor attendance from participant list who have logged in online through tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Moodle etc. These tools are ubiquitous as they can be accessed through mobile as well.

Challenges are internet connectivity, teaching using board (tools are available) if one is used to writing on the board, teaching using software etc. Advantage is that the session can be recorded and can be accessed multiple times by the students.

Well said there Muhammad Waqar & Lakshmi Shankar Iyer & Deepal Mehrotra as well. We as Lecturers need to come on board and deliver what we can under the circumstances. We need to appreciate and accept our environmental circumstances and the capacity of our institutions. Lets record lectures and upload so that students can download from elearning. Lets have discussion forums. Lets take advantage of such tools as Google docs, Dropbox. I know that Old habits die hard and some may find it a bit challenging to try and learn to use these tools but, guys you never know where we are going. This could be the new world order and we may have to adapt fast. Lets take advantage of this lock down to learn to use these tools if we are not well acquainted with them.

We have just started to use this application at our University and it looks like a great application. Abigail Lalnuneng try it

https://edu.google.com/products/classroom/?modal_active=none

Does the transition from virtual to online class change your role as an educator or as a student?

Due to my little experience in Distance Learning, online, I think that the "teaching role" is reinforced, for the following reasons:

a) Distance Learning is based on the study of the "student-centered learning" approach, since it is the student himself who must learn and develop his skills of knowing, doing, being and living together and with others.

b) The teacher becomes a facilitator in the acquisition of learning by the student, by giving the tips and controlling what the student should look for and do. Who should explain what he perceived about theories, concepts, principles and other content on the basis of the readings made is the student. The teacher assesses the extent to which the student was able to fulfill, with what quality, the recommended tasks; and

c) The entire teaching-learning process is personalized, that is, oriented towards the student, individually.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of teaching and learning online?

Some answers to this question can be found in the previous point. However, the following should be noted:

a) Advantages:

• In common agreement, teachers and students agree on the necessary and appropriate time and time to interact on the virtual platform;

• Both teachers and students can search for relevant and current material on the internet, in digital libraries or academic websites;

• The progress and setbacks of each student, the teacher accompanies them in an individualized way, thus being able to give specific and precise help in what the student must do to evolve;

• The teacher has full control of the qualitative and quantitative assessments he makes to students; and

• There is a new (alternative) teaching-learning interaction, at a distance (online), in a virtual classroom;

b) Disadvantages

• The intermittent operation of the University Internet, although it is the most secure one has;

• The costs of megabytes to access the virtual platform;

• The instability of the internet provider's network, depending on the location where each user accesses it;

• Some students do not have electronic devices with which they can access the internet; and

• Difficulties or weak dominance in the use of distance learning virtual platforms.

What online teaching apps are most effective or least useful?

For five years, I have been using the University Moodle application or platform, in Distance Learning. For the past two weeks, I have been using the ZOOM, Distance Learning platform, for on-campus students. In both cases, the resources or tools available are not being used in their entirety due to my limitations, since I have very little command of ICTs. I don't know of other platforms used for Distance Learning.

Each of the applications mentioned above has its advantages and disadvantages.

a) In Moodle, the teacher-student interaction is not self-visual, that is, digital, with the support of other tools such as files for posting texts, assessment tests and other documents for each class; and

b) In ZOOM, the teacher-student interaction is audiovisual, like a “conference room”. Teachers and students interact directly, but virtually.

What activities or tools are most effective to ensure students participation and making them engaged?

The applications, each with its own characteristics, provide the student with different skills. Moodle develops written argumentation skills in students, while ZOOM develops rhetoric.