MUMBAI and PUNE, India, : The country had the biggest online gathering of faculties in a five-day Faculty Development Program (FDP) that culminated with a Valedictory Session on May 21. Organized by ASM Group of Institutes and ASMA, the program was attended by over 7,600 faculties across 1,500 Indian cities. The chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe addressed the faculty, along with a message from the Union Minister of State for HRD, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Sanjay Dhotre.
With COVID-19 disrupting the academic calendar, admissions and overseas education of Indian students, the FDP is the first big attempt at kick starting the virtual teaching era in India. The program titled ‘Online Learning Pedagogy and Effective Use of Case Methodology’ had a panel of experts discussing online education, remote, virtual classes and teaching techniques. The resource faculty had eminent academicians and leaders in Directors of IIM Raipur, IIM Sambalpur, BIMTECH, SIBM Hyderabad, and ASM Group of Institutions who discussed the collection and feedback of performance data, guidelines and process for successful adaptation of case study methodology. The panel discussed the modalities of implementing ASM’s 360 degree approach to starting a new era of online education post COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chief Guest, Union Minister of state for HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre in his message to the gathering of faculty said, “The coronavirus has posed before us certain challenges, but also has given many opportunities in this hour of crisis. Online education is one of them and teachers are one of the most important stakeholders in this activity. I am quite sure that the teachers who participated in this programme must have benefited in the field of online learning Pedagogy and would use it further in their day-to-day teaching.”
In an advisory for the faculties on adoption of technology and newer methods during the pandemic, Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Chairman of AICTE said, “It’s just not about pandemic, faculties need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum. Post COVID-19, everybody needs to be great learner and adapt new technologies as it changes now and then. First, faculties need to be lifelong learners, then only they can preach our students to be lifelong.”
The lead organiser, Dr. Sandeep Pachpande, who is also the Chairman of ASM group of Institutes said, “Worldwide the pandemic has disrupted academic calendars, admissions and students’ travel abroad for higher studies. Thousands, perhaps lakhs, of students have been stranded in between academic sessions. While we deal with the pandemic itself, the situation demands that the Indian education system hastens up the digitisation of education. At ASM, we took the initiative to develop and prepare the teaching faculty for a digitized education imparting system. Over 7,600 faculty delegates from 1,500 Indian cities show the urgency educationists allot to this need.”
“The FDP was kept free of any registration fees and was aimed at discussing and familiarising online education, remote, virtual classes and digital teaching techniques. The five-day event brought together teaching fraternity from 2,000 institutions who familiarised themselves on the modalities of virtual teaching, and on how virtual teaching can be implemented on a war footing right away,” Dr. Pachpande added.
