Challenges On Higher Education During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The novel corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), originated in Wuhan city of China, has spread quickly to the whole world, sending billions of people into lockdown. Corona virus is the epidemic pandemic declared by World Health Organization (WHO). After the declaration of the World Health Organization The world is facing pandemic because of the Corona virus is sweeping its manner round the globe and its impact is just beginning to be beginning to be visible. This corona virus pandemics has brought in many deaths, thousands are quarantined and has led to dangerous situati0on to the whole world .Every individual must need of the social distancing and excellent and proper medical care for the better health, as this pandemic spread rapidly around the whole world, a large no of universities, schools either postponed or canceled all the events, such as exams, workshops, conferences, sports and many other activities. Governments and universities are taking intensive measure to stop and protect all students, teachers and staff members from the extremely infectious disease. The closure of the education establishment has led to several apprehensions among the students, and teaching fraternity. But the teaching fraternity has been adopting innovative strategies to communicate with the students and specializing in the information. In this paper the author will highlight the potential impact of the dangerous COVID-19 irruption on the education, students and academic staff. The researcher has been trying to analyze the challenges of higher education during COVID-19.

Introduction

World Health Organization (WHO) declared The COVID 19 pandemic in India , which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2( SARS-CoV-2) . The first case of COVID 19 is found in Wuhan city of China was reported on 30 Jan 2020. After that some measures were taken in other places, later on the cases of COVID-19 were found in some other countries , and now it become a global threat. COVID- 19 is declared epidemic pandemic by the WHO dated 29 march as this virus had spread 177 countries or more and infected more than 722,435 patient and there are more than 33,997 deaths. There are some other Countries severely affected by this major outbreak which includes Europe, Iran, South Korea, and the United States. to reply COVID-19, most of the countries have decided to follow travel restrictions (both inward and outward) with the intention to stop and spread of this epidemic Government and Public health expert are taking lots of measures together with social distancing, self isolation, or quartile and strengthening health facilities to manage and control the disease; and ask to people to work from home, and declared total lockdown. Most countries declared the closure of gyms, Movie Theater, swimming pools, and places having a large no people come together, educational institutions, to fight with this pandemic which is our invisible enemy.

Preliminary proof indicated that only elder people were getting infected and small children are less liable to this virus later on doctors declares a few cases of this virus among children and youngsters also The virus should be keep far away from the pediatric population for the result of its troublesome to prevent and protect a sick kid to play with friends and siblings to hug his/her mother. Efforts to minimize the spread of the COVID 19 virus among the younger and adult populations have prompted the widespread closure schools, colleges’ universities, and various academic institutions in many countries. As of March 25, 15 countries have declared to closed schools and academic institutions nationwide, impacting over 80% of the world’s student population. Many countries have enforced to localized school closures, colleges and people closures are expected to be nationwide. An outside body of literature exists on the closure of schools, colleges, academic institutions to minimize the spread of dangerous and infectious disease within the community by breaking necessary chains of transmission

Challenges

Followings are the challenges that universities across the world are facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The first challenge was to assessing the student’s access to internet connectivity. Specially, especially for those students which are from rural and backward category. For all the students it is necessary to have a smart phone having the 4G compatibility to alter the streaming of the live class teaching. .

The second challenge was having the good and proper network connection even in urban areas, to avoid buffering and insulation of the live stream. This will be happen once the internet speed is insufficient and this will to accommodate the encoder’s bitrates or if there is excess load on the serve which will able to build the appliance to crash.

The third and also one of the vital challenges is that the live streme focus solely on the theoretical convenience of the topics while not actual use of the laboratory, as technical education is lot of practical based rather than theoretical. From the student’s perspective the challenges were, the student had depart the flat or pg or hostel straight off just because of the lockdown and they was not able to carry their text books, notes, to their hometown some students are stuck there because of lockdown .as such it had been impossible for them to take a part in the online learning. and all students are very worried about their exams and practical, there are some students who are thinking to take admission in foreign universities and some students wants to continue their higher education in India are scared due to this lockdown they might think that they loss one year because of this pandemic.

Some other challenges

Shifting from face-to-face learning

Worldwide, most of the teachers and students are excited by the move to the web/ e-learning delivery mode. Many academic institutions have already begun to ready for taking lessons to plan to deliver online teaching. Online teaching it’s not a new brand. /mode of teaching for any university. Many schools or colleges members get coaching to use online learning platform either because of solely delivery mode or as a face-to-face teaching. Still there are continuously an opportunity for some faculty who don’t seem to be techno-savvy won’t be able to cope with this mode. For such faculty there are few questions in their mind to deal with the existing or ongoing technology. Moreover, computers, laptops, IT instrumentality are demanded from parents, children and other who have to compel to work from home. Thus working from the home is somehow difficult task for the individuals. Also, most of the universities do not have enough infrastructure or resources to facilitate e-learning teaching with immediate impact. What about those students who do not have access to laptops and internet facilities at home? Is it potential to show practical and labs, music and art courses online? What is going to be happen to those students whose courses can’t be teach online? The standard of online education may be a essential issue that wants correct and perfect attention

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Assessment and evolution

Most of the universities have already suspended the semester-end final examinations, whereas continuous assessment can go with along with online classes. The transition from face-to- face teaching to online teaching has very serious impact on assessments and analysis although technology has been used earlier to support teaching and learning, the assessment facts is commonly under-developed. When we compare online and face to face learning, the result is face to face learning is more difficult task than online learning. Students have to present physically for the face to face learning and have to pay attention but in care of online learning students don’t have pay attention they just log in and busy their own work. Faculty members have to take extra efforts they have to change the assignment types, to fit the assignment mode. It is very difficult for them to monitor how they are taking it online it is difficult to watch them however as they are taking online and to confirm that students are not cheating throuout online tests. One more science lab test, practical and performance tests are not conducted online mode. Because students which do not have laptops and other facilities can suffer huge disadvantages adversely it results to have the effect on their grade average.

Foreign Students

There are many international students learning in universities for whom travel to their hometown is hardly impossible because in this critical condition. Whereas universities are closing campuses, so it is the biggest problem for lots of students do not have the other accommodation facilities. Outside those campuses. So it’s become the challenge for the directors to confirm food, accommodation and safety services for those non- national students. Students needs the advice from the expertise as how to safe -themselves from any person-to-person contact and board self-isolation till this critical situation over or minimize. Extension of keep because of the delay of examinations might cause a financial drawback. Some students want to go home but as the airlines has completely close down so they are not able to go home. And face many problems; all academic schedules has collapse due to this pandemic COVID-19.

Travel Restrictions

the COVID-19 pandemic has created worldwide chaos for airlines. Nations across the world are closing international borders to mitigate this pandemic. University administrations are advising their employee’s members to hold over till there is a come back to normal, participation in any event that may need them to travel overseas. It is obvious that a lots of employees members have already paid conference registration fees and air tickets from study and travel or the other university funds. It offers rise to a state of confusion among the employees whereas addressing such things. Universities across the planet are asking international students to not to travel overseas and continue their studies from hostels. Students traveling overseas are put themselves in danger of in risk of getting infected

Measures and mechanisms to overcome this challenge

This is the perfect time for schools, colleges, students and teachers to find out from this important scenario and to beat these challenges. Online learning may be a bigger chance as a result of this crisis. Students are young and energetic and that they are capable of learning through the web platform. School will encourage the young minds and draw them into active participation .universities are encourages to the students and colleges to remain connected to web or social media platform and move forward along through this extraordinary critical time.

To overcome with this challenge the students and the faculties may use the e-learning or e-teaching app. Such as Google meeting, zooms app, easy class, Go To Meeting, Remind, Slack and many others have been adopted to reach the students for better education. Currently this challenge was to pick associate app in among the ocean of application assessable on the internet catering to each and every one necessities to consume the low data but having better and perfect stability during the live streaming. Because of this on line learning students are encourage and they can learn online. In this critical situation everyone is scared and they want to face this situation. In education sector online learning is the solution till lockdown.

Along with the prevailing challenges in managing teaching and analysis throughout COVID-19 outbreak, universities have to prepare a road map to accommodate admission for recently coming academic session. Admission officers should have accepted the admission forms the students and offer them flexible and perfect admission process.

Conclusions

In the rising and dynamic COVID-19 context, universities have to implement several of measures to slow and minimize the virus. Students and academic staff have to receive regular data and information through emails and university intranets. The health and safety of the students and academic staff must be the highest priority, international students also be safe as they are far away from their homes. Correct subject matter services should be out there to support the mental state and well being of the students. Authorities must be take take the responsibility of availability of food and accommodation for international students. Academic members have to embrace technology and pay careful attention to student experience to create the educational rich and effective till the lockdown period.

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