The adversities of the global pandemic, COVID-19 did not stop educationalists and teachers from across the globe to motivate young minds to keep learning and staying positive during this crisis. With travel ban for study abroad program and physical graduation ceremonies along with suspension of the traditional classroom teachings; several schools and universities across the world are now shifting to a new model of teaching called ‘Study from Home’ through virtual classrooms and online education mediums.
Prominent global schools and universities such as NYU, MIT, and Harvard University are now taking their lectures online with the help of virtual platforms. The students have the option to study and attend their classes from their home. Let’s have a look at what the experts from the education industry have to say about this:
In its community notification, Harvard University mentioned that
“Our top priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our community, on and off-campus,”. Therefore, the university is currently relying on remote teaching, learning, and research. One of the key benefits of studying from home is that it provides a safe environment by maintaining social distancing that reduces the risk of disease transmission to a great extent without hampering the learning in any manner.
Another top institute MIT and The Cambridge Institution, announced the virtual commencement of its graduation ceremony.
The MIT President, L. Rafael Reig, stated that conducting online events to celebrate the tradition would be “in the best MIT spirit, in ways that make sense in this most unusual time.”
The contribution of teachers towards maintaining a sustainable delivery of education has been commendable over the past few months. They continue to work round the clock to prepare modules for students at both elementary and secondary levels, especially in this new setting, when elements such as physical communication and face-to-face interaction are missing.
Dr. Mara Huber, the director of the Experiential Learning Network at the University of Buffalo, stated that “Universities have relationships with communities all around the world, and I think it’s time to use technology to give students access to these experiences.”
Teachers are also providing guidelines for students for creating a suitable study area by adhering to the home study checklist, such as setting temporary-arrangements for attending the class, with supportive furniture and equipment. Students who are missing out on campus life and socializing are encouraged to be active on their institutes’ discussion forums or set up informal study groups through Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.
Education is the backbone of the society, and under any circumstances, there should not be any hindrance in imparting knowledge to the young minds, who will become our future leaders. Therefore, several educational institutes are trying to mitigate the challenges posed in the education sector due to COVID-19 by adopting a home study approach based on virtual teaching methods and pedagogies.
