Transforming education with online learning
14 May 2020
Global threat of Coronavirus infection, COVID-19, has come as a health disaster issue and challenged educational institutes across the world. Decision to close the campus- based education process of schools and universities in UAE came as a challenge to schools and universities to use technology for education by distance mode and innovate ways for effective teaching-learning.
Fortunately, BITS Pilani Dubai campus had a system and capability to handle the same, as BITS Pilani in India is running technology-based degree programmes for about 20000+ students (working professionals) sponsored by big industries in India, by using high end technology. The Institute has invested a lot on several online platforms, Virtual Lab and remote lab etc., and switched to imparting education in distance mode immediately upon receiving the guidelines from KHDA and Government of Dubai, from 8th March 2020.
The regular Lecture classes are scheduled through different online platforms like “Impartus”, Google Classroom, WebEx etc.; Also, Practical classes/ Laboratory based classes are conducted with the online platforms “Platify”, Virtual Lab and Remote Lab. Several evaluation components have already been conducted by faculty, using the online platforms like Impartus, Google Classroom, Google form, Socrates Pro etc. The Comprehensive exams this semester are also conducted online maintaining the sanctity in the conduct of examinations intact.
This was possible because of huge effort from the teachers and the administration combined with the Institute’s commitment and readiness in arranging online lecture delivery platforms, tests and assessment platforms, virtual labs, remote labs, license purchases, bandwidth issues, IT management, hardware arrangement, etc. The students have adapted well to the new mode of online lectures. The response rate of students is overwhelming and the attendance of students on an average is more than 75% on a day for all the courses.