Virtual learning is here to stay — Let’s make it better?
Abdul Nasir Shaikh
Founder | CEO | Entrepreneur | Curating Success Stories with Purpose | TEDx Speaker | 3X Top LinkedIn Voice | Golfer
“There’s been more experimentation and innovation with education in the last few months than in the last 100 years.” - Nasir Shaikh
The world continues to grapple with the ever-widening coronavirus pandemic. At the imminent start of the 2021-22 academic year, families are again working to adjust to virtual learning from home. Last year was a year of experimentation, was a year of engagement, was a year to set the foundations for the future to come... and did we? Over 2020-21, new relationships were made, shared and built on. Whilst, many including me are waiting for us to do knowledge sharing in person and interact with each other in the person, virtual learning has been that teacher which has equipped all age groups to be digitally equipped to tackle the future and is here to stay and be the 'Ace Up Our Sleeves' to excel.
“The day-to-day life will soon return to ‘normal’ at some point but for education there will be a new normal. “Students by now are expected to be able to seamlessly switch between in-person and virtual formats, be adaptable, be ready to handle the unseen which will really hold them in great stead when they enter the corporate world. I feel they will be more corporate ready and Day Zero Professionals, than ever before. 'Important positives will emerge for the students and all stakeholders because of this pandemic' - How?
Virtual learning “increases flexibility for students and thereby increases student ownership” of their logical and executional development, where students are “not just given more tasks, added responsibility for developing what they’re learning and [for] sharing that in a more cooperative exercise.
The transition from the old-school, “Sage on the Stage” model to virtual teaching long preceded the onset of the pandemic. Universities all around the world are promoting the idea of the “flipped classroom” for years. Herein, students absorb online content forwarded by their teachers for homework and teachers use follow-up classes for related activities. Blended-learning instructional methods — flexibly combine online and traditional methods. Moving towards virtual instruction has enhanced.
I have always believed that 'It is the Fast that Eat the Slow, and not the Big that Eat the Small,' and I believe that at Lexicon Management Institute of Leadership & Excellence we examined and updated its teaching approaches with extraordinary speed and assurance. As an institution we were always technology friendly and savvy, this pandemic worked as a catalyst for us to scale new heights and take virtual and digital engagement to the next level.
We realised change and the speed of change will be the game changer and... enhanced our processes, trained our faculty on virtual delivery, set up a professional recording studio, a grooming studio, mental health experts, recorded reflections, introduced unique examination mechanisms, Tri-2 Internships, Online and Offsite Induction Programs, Parent Engagement Programs whilst staying dedicated to the what we believe is the most important reason for us being there - 'Delivering Quality Education' and 'Making Our Students Believe in Themselves'... to achieve and go beyond their true potential.
As India moves toward superior reliance on remote learning. We must continue allocating sufficient public resources to districts in need. Whilst adding virtual tools and skills we need to reinforce that no matter what virtual tools a teacher has at his or her disposal, learning cannot be effective without considerate design planning and the nurturing of mutual and positive associations in the classroom (virtual/physical). We need to stay focussed on the outcomes from each learning module and continue find new methods to measure learning, ensure desired outcome and at the same time hope an 'Attitude of Gratitude' develops to understand the efforts being put in to ensure successful leaders of a vibrant and growing India.
“Best learning has always been interactive.” - and interaction is not defined by physical presence... virtual interaction can be innovative and advantageous which really makes the world a smaller, together place.
The Author - Nasir Shaikh is the Chief Executive Officer - Lexicon Management Institute of Leadership & Excellence
Life Leadership Coach | TEDx Speaker | Trainer | Motivational Speaker | Passion Catalyst | Board Member - Rising Star Outreach of India
Winner | Debbie Marriott Harrison Take Care Award of Excellence 2017 | Asia Pacific Take Care Award 2019 | BW Hotelier - General Manager of the Year 2017 | Best Business Council of the World – Marriott International 2019
Expert in Training Interventions & Leadership Development. Helping Organisations Achieve Excellence
3 年Well said. For engaging the organ responsible for learning... Brain Manual: https://youtu.be/SxFFBXyZjE0
Vice President-Human Resources | Global HR | CHRO | Strategic HR Business Partner | Talent Architect | M&A | Transformational Leadership | Strategic HR | Thought Leader | HR Tech Evangelist | Culture Specialist |
3 年Well said Abdul Nasir Shaikh that the key to learning is the interaction and not necessarily the four walls of a classroom and all that we need is to enhance the infra to be able to engage the learners virtually, build curriculum that is not a replica of what was taught in the physical classrooms; one that promotes the virtual medium and the paradigm of "Learn Anywhere, Anytime". All the best to you, to the Lexicon Management Institute & the students.. these are truly exciting times !
Director at Pune mirror
3 年It is rightly said “necessity is the mother of invention.” With the right intent, the urge for doing things and with the belief that you can do it, a person can build and create the unimaginable. Virtual learning is the new normal. I firmly believe all that happens, happens for the good. What virtual learning does for students is, it gives the ease of learning from where ever they are in the world and that too from the best of teachers and trainers of their choice. It is not very expensive and the infrastructure requirements are also hardly any. Companies like #Educrack, started recently, which is a company of the Lexicon Group, is into e-learning for competative exam preparation. This venture was started in so called the most difficult times the mankind has ever seen or faced. The sole aim of Educrack was to give back to the society and specifically to those students who were facing trouble learning during this #pandemic. The company has integrated #artificialintelligence to make the learning better and more effective. A perfect example of necessity is the mother of invention. Last but not the least change is inevitable, what is constant is change.
FCIARB, FIITARB, FIE, FIV, LLM( Pro), PGD NALSAR , Diploma in Arbitration Practice, MA Mediation, A construction contract and ADR expert
3 年Very true, well said Nasir Bhai