The silver lining

The fallout of the pandemic powered the much-needed systemic change in education. The time is ripe for innovation

- PRATIBHA JOLLY

EDUCATION HAS FOR long been considered the hardest sector to reboot. Covid-19 changed that in one fell stroke. It pushed students and teachers into the future of education. A future that had long been talked of but largely disregarded.

But, though the pandemic forced educational institutions to rush to digital platforms and enter the virtual classroom, there was minimal familiarity in its use. The result was the transfer of the ongoing teaching routine to the virtual space. What followed was a string of montages, snapshots of written notes, doodles and derivations, PowerPoint presentations, old and new, and collation of information from web resources. However, even as interactive learning and personal connect was fragmented, frugal innovation and effective transition to the virtual mode was commendable. More importantly, perhaps, the strongest critics of online education discovered its power, picked up digital skills and developed new competencies.

The pandemic highlighted the value of open distance learning and open educational resources. Large populations of students, faculty, and public at large have benefitted from the state-of-the-art course materials made freely available by diverse entities. The virtual academic landscape is now abuzz with a broad range of webinars with global outreach, masterclasses, engaging extramural events, and social and cultural festivals.