Pub Date : 2021-04-21DOI: 10.1177/23476311211007261
Sanaa Ashour, G. A. El-Refae, Eman Zaitoun
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink higher education. This study focused on analysing experiences from three higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the onset of the crisis and explored how university leaders and professors in these institutions imagine post-COVID-19 higher education. The study aimed to find out whether the pandemic has been a factor that has helped to legitimize online teaching and learning as a universal mode of delivery across different fields of studies, or if the Zoom fatigue has shown its limitations. In addition, the research investigated what transformations university experts predict and their vision for the future of higher education. The study found that many lessons learnt during the period of forced adoption of distance education will be used by universities to enhance and expand online learning provisions. This shift will be driven by the investments the universities have made in distance education and the increased familiarity of the students, staff and institutions with e-learning. The study participants foresee that more sophisticated forms of hybrid campuses will be a more appropriate model for the future, if face-to-face (F2F) classrooms do not return.
{"title":"Post-pandemic Higher Education: Perspectives from University Leaders and Educational Experts in the United Arab Emirates","authors":"Sanaa Ashour, G. A. El-Refae, Eman Zaitoun","doi":"10.1177/23476311211007261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/23476311211007261","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink higher education. This study focused on analysing experiences from three higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the onset of the crisis and explored how university leaders and professors in these institutions imagine post-COVID-19 higher education. The study aimed to find out whether the pandemic has been a factor that has helped to legitimize online teaching and learning as a universal mode of delivery across different fields of studies, or if the Zoom fatigue has shown its limitations. In addition, the research investigated what transformations university experts predict and their vision for the future of higher education. The study found that many lessons learnt during the period of forced adoption of distance education will be used by universities to enhance and expand online learning provisions. This shift will be driven by the investments the universities have made in distance education and the increased familiarity of the students, staff and institutions with e-learning. The study participants foresee that more sophisticated forms of hybrid campuses will be a more appropriate model for the future, if face-to-face (F2F) classrooms do not return.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"219 - 238"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/23476311211007261","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49321516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631120980549
Afzalur Rahman
The COVID-19 episode has left the institutions worldwide, which were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approaches, with no choice than an emergency shift to virtual learning, creating several arguments associated with digital infrastructure, digital divide, digital literacy, technical and pedagogic skills of teachers, digital contents and so on. With this background, this study intended to assess the implementation mechanism of COVID-19-lockdown-induced emergency online learning at undergraduate level in Assam, its effectiveness, and finally the problems faced therein, from the perspective of students’ experience and satisfaction. Primary data were collected from 132 undergraduate students drawn at random from different provincialized colleges in Assam through using a questionnaire in Google Form structured on the basis of available literature. The result revealed that 46.21% students perceive emergency online learning partially effective, 34.09% as effective, and 19.70% as ineffective. Poor Internet connectivity, irregular electricity, high cost in data plans, lack of compatible devices, lack of conducive environment at home, lack of technical and pedagogic skills of teachers, insufficient students’ engagement and so on, turned out to be the main challenges of online learning. Thus, the findings sufficiently yield the need of collaborative effort to improve digital infrastructure, reduce cost involvement and well-structured teachers’ training on pedagogical and technical skills. Creating, adopting and evaluating innovative techniques and tools, student-friendly contents, and above all a positive attitude are next to none measures to be accelerated for inclusive and effective online delivery of higher education in India in coming days.
{"title":"Using Students’ Experience to Derive Effectiveness of COVID-19-Lockdown-Induced Emergency Online Learning at Undergraduate Level: Evidence from Assam, India","authors":"Afzalur Rahman","doi":"10.1177/2347631120980549","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120980549","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 episode has left the institutions worldwide, which were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approaches, with no choice than an emergency shift to virtual learning, creating several arguments associated with digital infrastructure, digital divide, digital literacy, technical and pedagogic skills of teachers, digital contents and so on. With this background, this study intended to assess the implementation mechanism of COVID-19-lockdown-induced emergency online learning at undergraduate level in Assam, its effectiveness, and finally the problems faced therein, from the perspective of students’ experience and satisfaction. Primary data were collected from 132 undergraduate students drawn at random from different provincialized colleges in Assam through using a questionnaire in Google Form structured on the basis of available literature. The result revealed that 46.21% students perceive emergency online learning partially effective, 34.09% as effective, and 19.70% as ineffective. Poor Internet connectivity, irregular electricity, high cost in data plans, lack of compatible devices, lack of conducive environment at home, lack of technical and pedagogic skills of teachers, insufficient students’ engagement and so on, turned out to be the main challenges of online learning. Thus, the findings sufficiently yield the need of collaborative effort to improve digital infrastructure, reduce cost involvement and well-structured teachers’ training on pedagogical and technical skills. Creating, adopting and evaluating innovative techniques and tools, student-friendly contents, and above all a positive attitude are next to none measures to be accelerated for inclusive and effective online delivery of higher education in India in coming days.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"71 - 89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120980549","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42532638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631120983481
S. Pokhrel, R. Chhetri
The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries. Closures of schools, institutions and other learning spaces have impacted more than 94% of the world’s student population. This has brought far-reaching changes in all aspects of our lives. Social distancing and restrictive movement policies have significantly disturbed traditional educational practices. Reopening of schools after relaxation of restriction is another challenge with many new standard operating procedures put in place. Within a short span of the COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers have shared their works on teaching and learning in different ways. Several schools, colleges and universities have discontinued face-to-face teachings. There is a fear of losing 2020 academic year or even more in the coming future. The need of the hour is to innovate and implement alternative educational system and assessment strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to pave the way for introducing digital learning. This article aims to provide a comprehensive report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online teaching and learning of various papers and indicate the way forward.
{"title":"A Literature Review on Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning","authors":"S. Pokhrel, R. Chhetri","doi":"10.1177/2347631120983481","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries. Closures of schools, institutions and other learning spaces have impacted more than 94% of the world’s student population. This has brought far-reaching changes in all aspects of our lives. Social distancing and restrictive movement policies have significantly disturbed traditional educational practices. Reopening of schools after relaxation of restriction is another challenge with many new standard operating procedures put in place. Within a short span of the COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers have shared their works on teaching and learning in different ways. Several schools, colleges and universities have discontinued face-to-face teachings. There is a fear of losing 2020 academic year or even more in the coming future. The need of the hour is to innovate and implement alternative educational system and assessment strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to pave the way for introducing digital learning. This article aims to provide a comprehensive report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online teaching and learning of various papers and indicate the way forward.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"133 - 141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120983481","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44676111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631120980272
Mayengbam Nandakishwor Singh
Technology has become an integral part of human life, and it has made inroads in the sphere of education. Digital technology is largely reshaping the nature of learning in classroom. Digital classroom is one clear manifestation of this emerging trend. There is a burgeoning academic culture of digital classroom today. It is increasingly incomprehensible for the larger academic community to quench their thirst for knowledge without computer technology. The blending of traditional classroom and digital classroom becomes almost imminent. But it is also equally important to understand the inherent merits and demerits of digital classroom. Use of computer technology can enhance the quality of education, but technology alone cannot be sufficient. The basic challenges lie in entrenching the proper use of benefits provided by digital technology. This article seeks to examine the pros and cons of digital classroom along with the major challenges it poses. The methodology applied for this study is explanatory approach. A theoretical-based research, coupled with practical experiences, through critical analysis of existing literatures on digital classroom is carried out.
{"title":"Inroad of Digital Technology in Education: Age of Digital Classroom","authors":"Mayengbam Nandakishwor Singh","doi":"10.1177/2347631120980272","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120980272","url":null,"abstract":"Technology has become an integral part of human life, and it has made inroads in the sphere of education. Digital technology is largely reshaping the nature of learning in classroom. Digital classroom is one clear manifestation of this emerging trend. There is a burgeoning academic culture of digital classroom today. It is increasingly incomprehensible for the larger academic community to quench their thirst for knowledge without computer technology. The blending of traditional classroom and digital classroom becomes almost imminent. But it is also equally important to understand the inherent merits and demerits of digital classroom. Use of computer technology can enhance the quality of education, but technology alone cannot be sufficient. The basic challenges lie in entrenching the proper use of benefits provided by digital technology. This article seeks to examine the pros and cons of digital classroom along with the major challenges it poses. The methodology applied for this study is explanatory approach. A theoretical-based research, coupled with practical experiences, through critical analysis of existing literatures on digital classroom is carried out.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"20 - 30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120980272","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48933025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, most of the higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe have replaced conventional teaching with online teaching. However, the technological preparedness of countries of varied nature differs significantly. In this context, the purpose of the study is to answer the following research question: how are the HEIs mitigating the difficulties that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate online teaching–learning process? The study is carried out based on a cross-sectional study from 281 academic professionals who are employed in HEIs in India and Ethiopia. The findings from this comparative study highlight that digital divide and lack of institutional preparedness are found to be major problems that constrained the effective implementation of online teaching/learning. Besides, this study also found that training programmes for the faculty members to utilize web resources and facilitate online teaching were found to be limited in both the countries. The article concludes by offering suggestions and policy advice to minimize the digital divide and for successful implementation of online teaching in HEIs.
{"title":"Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Its Effect on Teaching and Learning Process in the Higher Educational Institutions","authors":"Harshavardhan Reddy Kummitha, Naveen Kolloju, Prakash Chittoor, Venkatesh Madepalli","doi":"10.1177/2347631120983650","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983650","url":null,"abstract":"In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, most of the higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe have replaced conventional teaching with online teaching. However, the technological preparedness of countries of varied nature differs significantly. In this context, the purpose of the study is to answer the following research question: how are the HEIs mitigating the difficulties that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate online teaching–learning process? The study is carried out based on a cross-sectional study from 281 academic professionals who are employed in HEIs in India and Ethiopia. The findings from this comparative study highlight that digital divide and lack of institutional preparedness are found to be major problems that constrained the effective implementation of online teaching/learning. Besides, this study also found that training programmes for the faculty members to utilize web resources and facilitate online teaching were found to be limited in both the countries. The article concludes by offering suggestions and policy advice to minimize the digital divide and for successful implementation of online teaching in HEIs.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"90 - 107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120983650","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42867986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631120986281
Poloko N. Ntshwarang, T. Malinga, N. Losike-Sedimo
Information communications technology (ICT) is currently a highly sought component of every higher learning institutions, especially universities and colleges gravitate towards eLearning mode of instruction and knowledge acquisition. eLearning encompass multiple technology and Internet-based learning platforms that requires computer literacy from both learners and instructors. eLearning has been upgraded such that it offers more flexibility and comfort as instruction and learning occurs any time and at the users’ preferred environment. However, for most African Universities, the challenge in the use of eLearning is expedited by excess number of students, poor infrastructural development and poor access to the Internet off campus. At the University of Botswana, the need and urgency to address aforementioned difficulties was exposed in the era of COVID-19 pandemic where the use of eLearning was a dare situation for both instructors and learners. In this article, the authors discuss the background of eLearning tools at the University of Botswana, types of eLearning tools, their relevance, use, advantages and the challenges encountered. Prospects are also discussed. The article is based on the experiences of the authors, their observations, as well as the literature review and the use of the social constructionism or social constructivism theory.
{"title":"eLearning Tools at the University of Botswana: Relevance and Use Under COVID-19 Crisis","authors":"Poloko N. Ntshwarang, T. Malinga, N. Losike-Sedimo","doi":"10.1177/2347631120986281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120986281","url":null,"abstract":"Information communications technology (ICT) is currently a highly sought component of every higher learning institutions, especially universities and colleges gravitate towards eLearning mode of instruction and knowledge acquisition. eLearning encompass multiple technology and Internet-based learning platforms that requires computer literacy from both learners and instructors. eLearning has been upgraded such that it offers more flexibility and comfort as instruction and learning occurs any time and at the users’ preferred environment. However, for most African Universities, the challenge in the use of eLearning is expedited by excess number of students, poor infrastructural development and poor access to the Internet off campus. At the University of Botswana, the need and urgency to address aforementioned difficulties was exposed in the era of COVID-19 pandemic where the use of eLearning was a dare situation for both instructors and learners. In this article, the authors discuss the background of eLearning tools at the University of Botswana, types of eLearning tools, their relevance, use, advantages and the challenges encountered. Prospects are also discussed. The article is based on the experiences of the authors, their observations, as well as the literature review and the use of the social constructionism or social constructivism theory.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"142 - 154"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120986281","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43274491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631121989478
Rajan Gurukkal
Technology and tools have always been integral to teaching, but solely as auxiliaries and largely optional. Now, they have become central with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic disruption turning online teaching as the only alternative and learning under information communication technology (ICT) environment a new normal. This has already been there over the last two decades as part of distance learning run by open universities. Online learning, widely hailed as a less expensive, quick, self-directed, personal, flexible and autonomous system offering plenty of choices, goes well with the tang of juveniles. Naturally, online technological industry has been growing steadily due to the mounting demographic pressure, commercialization of education, market-driven social expectations, needs of the career hungry youth and above all the demanding knowledge economy. Registering a phenomenal expansion during the pandemic lockdown, online technology is heading towards a big boom worldwide. We deem it appropriate to consider the technology factor of higher education in this editorial.
{"title":"Techno-Pedagogy Needs Mavericks","authors":"Rajan Gurukkal","doi":"10.1177/2347631121989478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631121989478","url":null,"abstract":"Technology and tools have always been integral to teaching, but solely as auxiliaries and largely optional. Now, they have become central with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic disruption turning online teaching as the only alternative and learning under information communication technology (ICT) environment a new normal. This has already been there over the last two decades as part of distance learning run by open universities. Online learning, widely hailed as a less expensive, quick, self-directed, personal, flexible and autonomous system offering plenty of choices, goes well with the tang of juveniles. Naturally, online technological industry has been growing steadily due to the mounting demographic pressure, commercialization of education, market-driven social expectations, needs of the career hungry youth and above all the demanding knowledge economy. Registering a phenomenal expansion during the pandemic lockdown, online technology is heading towards a big boom worldwide. We deem it appropriate to consider the technology factor of higher education in this editorial.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"7 - 19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631121989478","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43844908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-12-08DOI: 10.1177/2347631120970177
B. Gopinath, R. Santhi
In this article, Fishbone-based advanced computational thinking (FACT) pedagogy is proposed by fusing fishbone pedagogy and computational thinking pedagogy for enhancing teaching-learning process while teaching engineering and science courses, for engineering and science students respectively. The proposed FACT pedagogy has been implemented using the concept of X-ray machine in biomedical instrumentation course and biomolecules, in biochemistry course. Using fishbone approach, various components of X-ray machine in biomedical course and the components of biomolecules in biochemistry course are visually explained as ribs and riblets of a fishbone diagram, without coining the keywords X-ray and biomolecules in an engineering institution and science institution respectively. Finally, the targeted concept is arrived and explained. Similarly, the same concepts of X-ray and biomolecules are coined among students and they are asked to divide or decompose the concepts into sub-concepts separately. To implement and evaluate the proposed pedagogy, an engineering institution and a science institution have been selected and evaluation results have been published in this article. In this pedagogical approach, the same complex concept is taught as a backward thinking by the teacher using fishbone pedagogy and forward thinking by the students using computational thinking pedagogy. This combined approach helps students to understand any complex concept in science courses. Also, it helps the teachers to easily convey and embed the same among the student community while teaching science courses.
{"title":"Development and Evaluation of Fishbone-Based Advanced Computational Thinking (FACT) Pedagogy: A Teacher-Student Collaborative Learning Environment in Engineering and Science Education","authors":"B. Gopinath, R. Santhi","doi":"10.1177/2347631120970177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120970177","url":null,"abstract":"In this article, Fishbone-based advanced computational thinking (FACT) pedagogy is proposed by fusing fishbone pedagogy and computational thinking pedagogy for enhancing teaching-learning process while teaching engineering and science courses, for engineering and science students respectively. The proposed FACT pedagogy has been implemented using the concept of X-ray machine in biomedical instrumentation course and biomolecules, in biochemistry course. Using fishbone approach, various components of X-ray machine in biomedical course and the components of biomolecules in biochemistry course are visually explained as ribs and riblets of a fishbone diagram, without coining the keywords X-ray and biomolecules in an engineering institution and science institution respectively. Finally, the targeted concept is arrived and explained. Similarly, the same concepts of X-ray and biomolecules are coined among students and they are asked to divide or decompose the concepts into sub-concepts separately. To implement and evaluate the proposed pedagogy, an engineering institution and a science institution have been selected and evaluation results have been published in this article. In this pedagogical approach, the same complex concept is taught as a backward thinking by the teacher using fishbone pedagogy and forward thinking by the students using computational thinking pedagogy. This combined approach helps students to understand any complex concept in science courses. Also, it helps the teachers to easily convey and embed the same among the student community while teaching science courses.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"108 - 122"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120970177","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44405306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-12-08DOI: 10.1177/2347631120972064
U. Useh
Purpose and Significance: Education is regarded as the key to economic development, and COVID-19 has provided all universities the unique opportunity to urgently address their fitness for purpose. Universities can play a significant role in contributing to a more sustainable world by mainstreaming Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at postgraduate levels. The opportunity to utilize United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as the framework for postgraduate projects in solving real world’s challenges in our communities after the COVID-19 pandemic was explored. Main Body: One way of ensuring concomitant attainments of the SDGs with community development is that post-COVID-19 postgraduate projects should be purposively driven to address UN SDGs to make positive social impact in our communities. Through this, higher education institutions (HEIs) will be contributing in no little measures to human capital and social development with sustainable developments driven through interdisciplinary approach. Conclusion: The research products upon the completion of master’s and doctoral studies from our different universities should be purposively designed in accordance with the UN SDGs and universities’ visions to solve real-life challenges and therefore make social impacts in our communities. All HEIs should embrace an integrated approach by designing courses with learning objectives that are clearly focused on holistic approaches to sustainable societal development.
{"title":"Sustainable Development Goals as a Framework for Postgraduate Future Research Following COVID-19 Pandemic: A New Norm for Developing Countries","authors":"U. Useh","doi":"10.1177/2347631120972064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120972064","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose and Significance: Education is regarded as the key to economic development, and COVID-19 has provided all universities the unique opportunity to urgently address their fitness for purpose. Universities can play a significant role in contributing to a more sustainable world by mainstreaming Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at postgraduate levels. The opportunity to utilize United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as the framework for postgraduate projects in solving real world’s challenges in our communities after the COVID-19 pandemic was explored. Main Body: One way of ensuring concomitant attainments of the SDGs with community development is that post-COVID-19 postgraduate projects should be purposively driven to address UN SDGs to make positive social impact in our communities. Through this, higher education institutions (HEIs) will be contributing in no little measures to human capital and social development with sustainable developments driven through interdisciplinary approach. Conclusion: The research products upon the completion of master’s and doctoral studies from our different universities should be purposively designed in accordance with the UN SDGs and universities’ visions to solve real-life challenges and therefore make social impacts in our communities. All HEIs should embrace an integrated approach by designing courses with learning objectives that are clearly focused on holistic approaches to sustainable societal development.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"123 - 132"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120972064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47803565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-12-01DOI: 10.1177/2347631120970757
N. Kapilan, P. Vidhya, Xiaoping Gao
The engineering students understand the engineering concepts effectively when they conduct the experiments in the laboratory. Hence, laboratory is as important as theory; however, the ill-equipped laboratory facilities affect the students’ learnability. The virtual laboratories may help the students overcome the problems faced by them in the conventional laboratory. In India, educational activities during the middle of the semester were affected due to lockdown related to COVID-19. However, the theory classes were conducted online, and educational institutions are finding it difficult to complete the laboratory experiments due to closure of colleges for the students due to COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, we have conducted a faculty development programme for the engineering college faculty members on mechanical engineering virtual laboratories. Similarly, we have trained the mechanical engineering students on fluid mechanics virtual laboratory. We have taken feedback from the participants of these virtual laboratory training programme and analysed it. From the analysis we have observed that more than 90 per cent of the participants were happy about the virtual laboratory and they expressed that their learning process improved with virtual laboratory experiments. Also, they felt that the virtual laboratories can be used till the COVID-19 pandemic issues are solved. Since the vaccine for COVID-19 is not available yet, the virtual laboratories will help the mechanical engineering students to conduct the laboratory experiments for the academic year 2020–2021.
{"title":"Virtual Laboratory: A Boon to the Mechanical Engineering Education During Covid-19 Pandemic","authors":"N. Kapilan, P. Vidhya, Xiaoping Gao","doi":"10.1177/2347631120970757","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120970757","url":null,"abstract":"The engineering students understand the engineering concepts effectively when they conduct the experiments in the laboratory. Hence, laboratory is as important as theory; however, the ill-equipped laboratory facilities affect the students’ learnability. The virtual laboratories may help the students overcome the problems faced by them in the conventional laboratory. In India, educational activities during the middle of the semester were affected due to lockdown related to COVID-19. However, the theory classes were conducted online, and educational institutions are finding it difficult to complete the laboratory experiments due to closure of colleges for the students due to COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, we have conducted a faculty development programme for the engineering college faculty members on mechanical engineering virtual laboratories. Similarly, we have trained the mechanical engineering students on fluid mechanics virtual laboratory. We have taken feedback from the participants of these virtual laboratory training programme and analysed it. From the analysis we have observed that more than 90 per cent of the participants were happy about the virtual laboratory and they expressed that their learning process improved with virtual laboratory experiments. Also, they felt that the virtual laboratories can be used till the COVID-19 pandemic issues are solved. Since the vaccine for COVID-19 is not available yet, the virtual laboratories will help the mechanical engineering students to conduct the laboratory experiments for the academic year 2020–2021.","PeriodicalId":36834,"journal":{"name":"Higher Education for the Future","volume":"8 1","pages":"31 - 46"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2347631120970757","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44032394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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