UGC proposes 40% teaching online

UGC proposes 40% teaching online

Open-Book, On-Demand Group Exams Among Plans

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.05.2021

The University Grants Commission (UGC) proposes that higher educational institutions be allowed to teach up to 40% of the syllabus of every course through online mode even after the pandemic. However, the examinations for both 40% online (other than SWAYAM course) and 60% offline portions can be conducted offline. The proposals were contained in the draft concept note on guidelines for blended mode of teaching and learning put up on the UGC website.

Among other key recommendations were open-book examinations, oral examinations and on-demand examinations. There was also a proposal to introduce group examinations even for conventional theory exams to improve average performance of a class by sharing knowledge and to improve general understanding.

In the internal assessment, the UGC expert committee wanted to introduce e-portfolio, online quiz and proctored assessments. The e-portfolio would be a comprehensive tool in which students would be asked to compile their best assignments, activities, experiences and challenges faced while working on these assignments.

It also prescribes minimum basic facilities needed for online teaching including setting up virtual labs, smart classrooms, studios for recording lectures, learning management systems (LMS), internet with 1 Gbps bandwidth, Wi-Fi facility on campus and feedback systems. The online learning will include approaches such as face-to-face video lectures, internet-based learning and project-based learning, It also proposed that teachers who wish to implement the hybrid or blended system follow the IPSIT model -- Identify resources, learner-centred activities, Provide resources and announce activities on LMS; Scaffolding and support to learners; Identification of learning gaps and feedback; and Testing.

“There was a lot of resistance to the blended learning from the faculty, students and regulatory bodies. The resistance has evaporated due to the pandemic and national educational policy,” said Sandeep Sancheti, vice-chancellor of Marwadi University and member of the committee that drafted the concept note on blended teaching. “After the flooding of new technologies to the market, the cost of conducting online exams is less than pen-andpaper mode,” he said.

“The implementation must be done after analysing the learning outcome of existing 40% SWAYAM online courses allowed by UGC. However, this new concept will encourage building of internal capacity rather than relying on outsourced courses,” said S Vaidyasubramaniam, vice-chancellor of Sastra. Creative teaching, learning ecosystem by default necessitates a creative assessment, he added.