‘Covid-19 crisis reviving the need to explore online learning opportunities’
Speakers say during a webinar on off-campus teaching
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is reviving the need to explore the opportunities in online teaching and learning at a time when physical distancing is recommended, speakers said during a webinar.
The Foundation for Learning, Teaching and Research (fLTR) organised the webinar titled "Moving from Classroom to Off-campus Teaching: Hope, Expectations and the Way Forward" on Monday, July 27, with the aim to explore how to get the most out of online education in present scenario.
Online education, a new method of learning for students across the world, is a welcome move amid the pandemic situation when remote learning maintaining physical distancing is recommended, speakers said during the discussion.
The pandemic has not only affected all of our lives significantly, but it is also challenging our ability to continue education process, they said.
While online shopping and social networks are not new to us, there is much need to explore online teaching and learning processes, the participants also said.
"Teachers and students are suddenly faced with the challenge of how to continue their education. As per the WHO's suggestion, we have to be careful next two years. So, we have to prepare ourselves in the field of teaching and learning sector to cope up with the pandemic crisis," said Prof Rozhan M Idrus of Open and Distance Learning and Technology at the Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Prof Rozhan stressed on different issues like digital learning management systems, communication tools and e-learning platforms, computers and library facilities, creation of question bank, video of lectures, and different types of online learning process.
He also discussed the aspects of on-campus and off-campus jobs for faculty members in higher education.
Prof Rozhan M Idrus was present as the keynote speaker of the seminar. Other participants of the discussion included: Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb, former vice chancellor of BRAC University; Professor Imran Rahman, former vice chancellor of ULAB; and Professor Yousuf M Islam, former vice chancellor of Daffodil International University.
Prof Md Golam Samdani Fakir, vice chancellor of Green University of Bangladesh, moderated the seminar.
Faculty members from different universities in Bangladesh and abroad also joined the webinar virtually.
A question and answer session was held after the discussion.