Moving from online to offline: overcoming teaching challenges

In the coming academic year many countries are moving from online to offline teaching which can also be called as traditional teaching. In the beginning of online teaching the major factors like adaptability, self-motivation, time management, computer knowledge and technical issues are almost of all covered to most of the teaching staff. Now once again the adaptability plays very important role in going back to traditional system of teaching. It is not difficult but little concerned to both teachers and students. In offline teaching examinations are better than online teaching.

During online teaching, teachers mostly face challenges like lack of IT support, continuous technological changes, unequal access for all students, un-optimised software for mobile devices and security issues.

But now while moving from online to offline, teachers have to face motivational issues. For the first few days, students are very enthusiasts to come to the classes since longtime they are in the houses and missing the opportunity to meet their friends and feel free. After that they start the comparison of two different types of system. Here the teacher has to use sociological and psychological methods of education and concentrate more on motivation rather than the content transfer.

Mathematics, Engineering and IT teachers may face little difficulties comparing to language and business teachers. Here the content transformation is to be done so technically.

Educational administrators have to think about this transition period so seriously and should not pressurise to complete the huge syllabus.

In fact, in the first year of transition period the syllabus may be reduced to make the students feel comfortable. Students should feel that we got an opportunity to listen to our teacher in person and study with our friends.

Creation of this feeling is the main responsible of the teachers. Educational psychologists’ role also increases during this period. Counselling is the most important issue in this transition period.

It is better to the educational institutions to make the first week as the counselling week and knowing the issues of the students and problems faced by them during the epidemic period.

In online teaching, teachers are busy in learning the new technology and implementing the technology in their teaching but when they turn in to offline teaching then the problems are differing and they are hidden.

Now assessing socio-psycho condition of the student is an important issue. Teaching methodologies may help here but before the methodology let us assess the receiver status.

(Dr Mohammed Shafiuddin, Educationist, [email protected])