In the system of education, the teacher
is the pivotal person to play vital role in imparting education to his students
from the depths of his devotion towards the profession of teaching. Education, imparted by the teacher, leads
students to civilization, as it is the invaluable treasure of the most
essential factors of life--knowledge and wisdom to shape them into perfect
citizens. As Dr. S. Radhakrishnan said, "The teacher is the pivot of
civilization." Thus, the teacher of all generations played a significant
role in teaching their students face-to-face in the open-air beneath the trees
earlier and in the classroom for many years now. In the age of science and
technology, the systems of teaching and learning have taken a different turn as
a mark of novelty and variety.
Brief History
of the Teacher and the Learner and their Relationship:
The
students joined ashrams and lived with their sages, obtaining education for
shaping their character and moral education. They had face-to-face, direct
contact or interaction with their teacher. It was lively education, the most
welcome system of education. They deified their teachers for imparting
education, shaping them into perfect disciples in the ashrams. They treated
their teachers as Lords: Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara,
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishunu Gurur Devo Maheshwarah
Gurusakshathparam
Brahma Tasmai Guruvenamah
. There were a few disciples with
the sage participating in their lively interaction. Once a sage-teacher asked a
disciple, expecting a reply from him, "I adore God" to his question,
"Whom do you adore?" For that, the disciple replied, "I adore my
teacher as he is seen and heard everyday, teaching me with commitment and
wishing me my enlightenment and welfare." That was the devout relation of
the disciples with their sage-teachers.
In the later stages, in the
institution like Shantiniketan, eight to ten students in quest of learning, sat
with their teachers in the open-air under the trees. There were a few books,
used. Their teachers were their books. The greatest part of education imparted
was through lively conversation in the lovely environments. They had
face-to-face contact with their teachers and so they had all-round development,
marking a striking contrast with the on-line education today especially in the perilous
times of Corona Virus.
Increase in
the student-teacher ratio, introducing technological devices
The
system of teaching and learning has undergone various changes from time to
time, increasing the number of students to a hundred and ten students and
giving no scope for individual attention. Off late, the process of teaching and
learning ushered in newest trends and methods, latest tools and materials to mark
the importance in the arena of technological advance and scientific progress. What
all of these presented was not able to replace the teacher and his teaching of
students face-to-face in the class. The changes off late ushered in have tended
to lose the classroom atmosphere. This situation continues to prevail in the
twenty-first century. The reverence for the teacher has been on the wane later.
The crowded classes have become a curse on the part of students to lead to
indiscipline in the class and standards of students are on the decline. It is
not surprising to say that the standards of education touched the lowest ebb.
Due to scientific development and
technological progress, electronic gadgets like "smart" phones,
laptops and computers have been in the hands of all especially students in the
shaping of their future. In the class, the teacher finds them chitchatting,
sending mails, sending SMS and WhatsApp messages, resorting to the ways they
like. God alone knows whether they listen to the lectures or not. The teacher
who gives lessons feels delighted when he finds his lessons recorded, thinking
that they are very keen on studies. Mobile phones divert the attention of
students to do all such things or the other. The students are smart enough to
keep the mobile smart phone in the silent mode. This system, though welcome or
unwelcome, prevails everywhere. When such system is prevalent, the pandemic
Corona Virus worsens the situation in all respects especially in the system of
education in the present scenario.
Difficult
Times of Covid-19 to Disrupt
Such disrupting situations and
difficult times were also prevalent in the past. The history knows how the
people suffered during the difficult times
of Guru Nanak's times in 16th century, Guru Govinda Singh- Shivaji
Maharaj-Aurangjev of 17th Century, Guru Govinda Singh-Shivaji-Aurangajev of the
18th Century, Banda Singh Bahadur-Peshwa-Yipu Sultan, and Bahadur Shah
Zafar-Galib, Mir Taqi Mir of 19th century. The world-war periods also witnessed
the difficult times. The prevalent Corona Covid-19 situation makes humans fear
humans in every field.
To mar the classroom situation, the
corona virus, the deadly pandemic-Covid-19 disrupts the normal life and
jeopardizes all systems across the world. It has enveloped the entire world
with the fear of death. In the whole world, humans fear to meet other humans.
Due to the deadly disease of Covid Virus pandemic situation, the whole system
has become topsy-turvy. In the changed circumstances, online education has
become a "smart" alternative to the traditional system of classroom
teaching.
What Is Online
Education? When Is It Inevitable?
Online
education is the transformed system of face-to-face education imparted through
internet facility with the wireless connectivity or accessibility to the
electronic gadgets or devices like smart phones, laptops and computers. The
teachers teach online and the students view their teaching on the screen and
listen through the speakers of electronic gadgets. In dreadful times of
pandemics, humans fear humans. There are instructions, imposing bans on social
gatherings and social interactions. In such perilous situations, online
education is mandatory especially in pandemic times, perils and so on.
Online
Education as the Smart Alternative in Times of
In the field of education, the online
teaching has become the "smart" alternative to the art of teaching
and learning in the wake of Corona Virus. Smart phones or some other electronic
devices to function with the internet facility are the concomitant means of teaching
and learning. How smart is the online system of education! How genuinely the
students are attentive to their lessons. The Online system of teaching and
learning can be successful when the teachers are technically competent and
technologically perfect in handling the electronic gadgets, apps, and others and
the students in the rural and remote places have the devises for them to watch and
listen to the lessons in the on-line system. All of them should have an
opportunity to attend the online classes. Both the teachers and the students
have a challenge on their part in doing the needful for teaching and leaning online
in Corona Covid-19 pandemic times.
New Online
Teaching Vs Traditional Face-to-face Teaching
. Teachers accustomed to traditional face-to-teaching,
are novice to online technology. They at schools, colleges and universities
need to have to promote their skills as per the arisen need and advance. They
as teachers are to keep a breast with the new trends and latest methods. It is
a challenge on their part by undergoing training in imparting education in the
online system, carrying out the curricular requirements.
i) Subject Knowledge (SK)
First, the teachers of traditional
way of teaching are well versed in their subject as they have command over subject
knowledge. They are successful in their conventional classes for they know how
to teach their respective subjects and research theories. Their command over
the subject is in full use for enlightening their students. One should know
what matters much as John Morley says it clearly. “Three things matter in
speaking; who says it, how he says it and what he says. And of the three the
last matters the least.”
ii) Pedagogical Skills (PS)
Secondly, the teachers have professional
expertise and pedagogical skills in imparting the subject knowledge to the
students in the traditional classroom. Moreover, they have well training under the
guidance of their seniors in handling their subjects in face-to-face
traditional classes. They have well-known techniques and strategies and so they
never fail to impress their students. They are good at the use of right style
and right word that are important for a right expression for right
comprehension of the subject.
iii) Soft Skills (SS)
Thirdly,
the teachers feel soft skills play a significant role in teaching as soft
skills speak volumes as they make their art of teaching more effective to
facilitate the students' understanding of their subjects. They employ soft
skills to maintain harmonious relations with others in concern. They should
"get in touch with the way the other person feels. Feelings are 55 percent
body language, 38 percent tone and 7 percent words".
iv) Aids and Materials (AM)
Fourthly, the teachers are fully
equipped with teaching aids like charts, maps, pictures and so on, and materials like notes, handouts and so on
essential pertaining to their respective subjects to be successful in the art
of teaching for teaching. The teachers present their subjects to the students
as per their pedagogical skills, providing them with materials in their
respective subjects. Practical experiments are done in the laboratory teach
more than theories. Similarly, pictures, illustrations, maps and so on
facilitate the students in understanding the subjects.
v) Testing and Evaluation (TE)
Fifthly, the art of testing and
evaluation proves to be one of the most essentials in the teaching. Without
being a good examiner and paper setter, one cannot be a perfect teacher. The
teachers must be good at evaluation. When they are not good at evaluation, they
cannot guide the students for their improvement. To do justice to the art of
evaluation, they must not make the mistake of under valuation, or over
valuation.
First, teachers with the command
over subject, the subject knowledge (SK) must be able to express or communicate
its salient features and in-depth details. Secondly, they must have pedagogical
skills (PS) to present the subject knowledge (SK). They should employ soft
skills (SS) in their teaching in addition to Subject knowledge (SK) and employ
pedagogical skills (PS) to make their teaching more effective and more
impressive to the students. They just use teaching aids and materials (AM) in
teaching but they do not have subject knowledge (SK) and employ the techniques
and strategies of pedagogical skills, soft skills (SS) and the skills of
testing and evaluation (TE). In such cases, their students fail to understand
the subject thoroughly. The complete blend of these skills including
technological skills (TS) helps them achieve their goal of teaching and the one
of leaning on the part of students especially in the present perilous times of Coving
-19 pandemic.
vi) Technological Skills (TS)
Finally, the technological mode of teaching
or online teaching has become inevitable due scientific advance and
technological progress especially in the Times of Covid-19 pandemic. There
falls the bounden responsibility on the shoulders of teachers the necessity of learning
the modes of online teaching. They feel that they should have the innovative
technological skills for online teaching. They have to learn them as a
challenging task on their part as per requirement in online teaching:
The departments concerned are to give training
on the lines of teaching online especially in times of Corona Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the trainer-trainee program, teachers are to upgrade their skills to suit
the online system of teaching in addition to their subject knowledge,
pedagogical skills and pedagogy tools and materials keeping in view the latest
methods of teaching to facilitate their students in the domain of learning:
The curriculum makers take up the
task of designing the syllabus, suggesting alternative technological methods
for the course. They introduce lessons, keeping in view the targets of students
for learning and the teachers for teaching online.
The teachers have to update their knowledge
in using pedagogical methods and techniques to have access to software and
hardware modes to be competent in online teaching, keeping in view the horrible
situation of the pandemic. In this way, they are to upgrade their skills to be
up-to-date rather than to be outdated in teaching.
The teachers have to keep abreast
with modern times by being innovative students forever in learning new trends
and methods in the field of teaching. They have to understand the online course
to be competent in online teaching.
As a result, the teachers have to
develop their course platforms. They have to inform their students the details
of particular software of LMS platforms and tracks in use so that the students
can have access to online education by using zoom or any other.
The teachers have to perform their
duties effectively by displaying subject knowledge (SK), pedagogical skills
(PS), soft skills (SS), using teaching aids and materials (AM) along with
technological skills (TS) to be successful in imparting education to students.
Their responsibility is complete when they maintain the bountiful blend of all
these essential needs to be successful in online education. As a result, they complete
their portions as per the time limit in the new system of online teaching. They
meet challenges as teachers.
Apart
from these duties, the teachers, mark the attendance of students, conduct tests
for the evaluation of their answer scripts, quizzes, correcting students'
homework and so on to be successful as in the traditional, face-to-face
classrooms.
The teachers of online teaching can
form groups and post their views in their app for enriching their subjects and
promoting their skills for their effective teaching.
The teachers must be prepared to
welcome new trends and systems as a challenge on their part in their welfare
indirectly to promote students' welfare. In this way, they prove to be worthy
teachers.
Governments may lay emphasis on
online education through internet even after they find normal conditions
restored, creating congenial atmosphere for conventional classroom teaching.
New Online
Learning Vs Conventional learning in the Classroom
The students have to get ready for
the online system of learning. It becomes inevitable on their part to learn
online especially during Covid pandemic times. They should get ready with smart
phones, laptops or computers with internet facility to receive their lessons or
academic information online.
The students must be quite aware of
the platform and the time-schedules to facilitate themselves for successful
online learning.
When internet connectivity is
compulsory for online learning, the students must be able to pay to have
internet connectivity in their places. At villages and remote places, to have
the internet facility may not be possible. In fact, it is not possible to get
internet connectivity in villages and remote areas. In such cases, they fail to
get online education when they are not able to buy smart phones even, as they
are economically very poor.
Moreover, there are power cuts in
villages and remote areas. Though they arrange the internet facility, the
students face the problem of disturbance resulted in power cuts.
Students have to be present to listen
to the online lessons, paying full attention. They can ask questions to get
their doubts clarified by the teachers in the online system, learning to
continue their education.
Students of online learning can form
groups and post their views in their app for their effective learning.
Students have to complete their
assignments and take online tests to answer them. They attend quiz and other competitive tests.
Teachers let the students know the result of their performance in the tests in
the form of marks or grades.
Students need to be ready with a
notebook and a pen ready in hand to note down the important points when they
attend the lessons.
Anyhow, the students in online
system of education do not have the facility of offline, traditional or
face-to-face classroom teaching.
Demerits of Online Education
Face-to-face
teaching and learning is natural and is convenient in a nation like
During
Teachers cannot have direct contact
with the students. They cannot pat on the back of their students to encourage
them in their studies. They cannot shake their shake the hands of students when
they want to applaud their laudable laurels on their victories. They cannot hug
their students when they have unrivalled success. They cannot see the smiles of
each other or one another as they mask on. There is no chance on their part to
share the warmth of their love and affection to their students except to raise
their eyebrows or clap in a lighter vein from distance. That is the clash
created between the teachers and their students by Covid-19 pandemic.
The online teachers are like those
who speak on the smart phones to the kith and kin abroad after making a video
call. They see each other; they see their smiles, expressions, feelings and so
on. They can see and listen to them but they cannot hug them and shake their
hands. It is only visual and auditory pleasure when we make the video calls to
others. The speakers on the gadgets are like teachers in online teaching and
the kith and kin to listen to them are like students in online learning.
The traditional systems of social interactions become topsy-turvy
against the wishes of the people across the globe.
Students and
Teachers in Times of Covid-19 Pandemic
. During Covid-19 pandemic, the teachers
received instructions to attend schools, colleges and universities, they braved
to do so but some became victims to the pandemic by losing their lives. During
lock down periods, the institutions remained closed down. They gave lessons
online not to disturb the education of students.
In the online system, the teachers
completed the portion in a hasty manner as not to disturb the academic year,
upgrading their online teaching skills. Students failed to get proper academic
atmosphere and comprehensive understanding of the subject.
The private managements closed down their
institutions along with Government institutions. The teachers working under the
private managements suffered a lot, as they did not pay the salaries to them.
Some teachers ended their lives when they were not able to afford livelihood
for their families. This situation still prevails in most of the places during
Corona Virus.
In some institutions, the private
managements collected fees from the students but they did not pay salaries to
the staff--teaching and nonteaching. They did great injustice to them, saying
that the students did not pay fees to them.
There is rampant deception, corruption and
exploitation in all departments to reverse the development, the key promise in
the election manifesto.
In such circumstances, Governments
should come to their rescue. In the states like Telangana, Government lends
their financial support to the employees of private sectors by giving two
thousand rupees and twenty-five kilograms of rice each every month.
.
The governments fail to conduct
public examinations. They are simply promoting them to next classes. Without taking
any examination, they get promotion to the next class. In every system, there
is an irreparable loss. Consequently, standards fall down to the lowest ebb.
The students in the apprehension of
the Covid-19 pandemic lose their interest towards studies.
Conclusion:
The
teachers in general have multiple responsibilities in
The online teachers have the
responsibility of teaching their students, advising them to take care of themselves
and their families in times of Covid-19 times. They prove to be the custodians
of everybody's future.
References:
1. Rizvi,
Ashraf. M. Effective Technical
Communication, Tata Mc Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
2.
Sunitha, Misha & Muralikrishna. C (Quote John Mortley) Communication Skills for Engineers, Pearson Education Pvt. Ltd. New
Delhi 2004
3. Meenakshi
Raman, Sangeeta Sharma, Technical
Communication Principles and Practice,
Published
EDUTRACKS
March 2022 Vol. 21 No. 7
