Blended mode of Teaching
AIFUCTO’S RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC NOTICE D. NO. 1-9/2020 (CPP=II) OF UGC DT. 20.05.2021 ON THE DRAFT CONCEPT NOTE ON BLENDED MODE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
It is extremely disturbing that the UGC has brought out a draft notification on 20.05.2021 on the Blended mode of Teaching and Learning when the entire country is struggling with the unprecedented situation created by the Corona virus. In the Concept note the Higher Education Institutions were directed by the Government to shift from class-room teaching to 60% class room and 40% online mode of teaching. This move is not only unacademic but also erode the autonomy of the Universities and the Higher Educational Institutions. On one side UGC talks about the autonomy of the Universities on the other side thrust upon them even the mode of teaching. They instructed the teachers and students to move to online classes without taking cognisance of changes needed in infrastructure, internet penetration, training etc.
The Blended Teaching in Higher Educational Institutions effectively means replacement of face-to-face teaching with on-line teaching. The massive on-line open course or MOOCS were seen as a potential replacement of Physical campuses. But MOOCS failed to persuade Universities even in USA. They said that they do not want to replace Professors, dismantle Departments and provide diminished education for students in Public Universities. Moreover Higher Educational Institutions are not only about students. They are also meant to be a space for Teachers. They do have a responsibility to introduce students to all sources of Knowledge. What happens on the campuses is dialogue. By interacting with generations of students and colleagues, one learns to think. Thinking does not happen in isolation. Further, currently in the pandemic period, it is noticed that more than 40% of the students have been experiencing difficulties in following the on-line classes due to the lack of required infrastructure, poor internet connectivity etc. Even without studying in depth the difficulties currently experienced by the students from poor background and rural areas, the Government pushes its own agenda in haste. Given the differences in students access to digital education, their performances are bound to differ. This will lead to chaos and anxiety among the students.
If the Concept note is implemented the entire education system will be at the mercy of market forces making the role of teacher reductant. The academic autonomy of the institutions and the teacher will be at great jeopardy. The note freely uses the fancy phrases like “Frame your courses”, “Design your Degree”, Student Centric”, “Pick Teacher and timings” etc., to push its own agenda of dismantling the public funded educational system. Online classes can never be a match for class room teaching. Class room teaching cannot be replaced. Without allotting the required fund of at least 6% of GDP and without developing the required infrastructure, the Government tries to direct the attention of the students and the public with fancy phrases. In the name of student centric education National Education Policy (NEP) tries to make it digital centric approach reducing the teachers role. The statement that the teacher’s role will be changed from knowledge provider to coach, confirms our apprehension.
The concept note added that the Blended mode will keep students focused for longer, provides student autonomy, instill a disposition of self-advocacy, promote student ownership, enables students to learn at their own pace, prepares students for the future. These statements are utterly imaginary and without any basis. The document talks about many things which are not related to Blended mode of teaching and learning.
The document lists various infrastructural facilities like LMS, ERP, Bandwidth, Wi-Fi and Campus internet, Electronic devices (Computer), Data centre services, Smart classroom, Studio facility, Software support etc. which require liberal funding.
The move to online mode of teaching came at a time when there are lot of vacant faculty positions in Universities and Higher Education Institutions. There are about 1000 Universities, 40,000 Colleges, around 4 crore students and 15 lack teachers in India. If such a drastic and major decision was to be taken, there should have been wider consultation between the Government and all the academic stake holders. Such notifications should be subjected to wider scrutiny and consultations and not be thrust upon the educational institutions in this manner. Instead of interfering and dictating terms in the day to day academic affairs of Universities, Government should ask the Universities to come out with their approach in handling the present challenges.
When the majority of students in India are struggling even for proper Internet connections, and a large number of Educational Institutions and Universities are without required funding, the document is prepared as if all the 40,000 colleges are in the standard of Elite Institutions. In this context, the implementation of the proposals given in the concept note is highly impracticable and may prove to be a counter productive exercise. During the last one year, students are suffering from mental agony due to the fractured learning through online classes.
AIFUCTO strongly feels that these proposals are brought forward by the Government of India to ultimately dismantle the public funded Educational system. Further, this move towards online teaching will deny access to quality education to a large number of students from rural areas or underprivileged families.
Hence, AIFUCTO strongly urges the UGC to withdraw the concept note on Blended mode in Teaching and learning and initiate meaningful dialogues with all the stake holders of Higher Education and allow them to come out with their approach in this regard.
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