We have experienced reverse mentoring as students help us to explore and operationalise online learning, says IES Prof.

COVID-19 outbreak has had a great impact on various businesses and industries. However, certain sectors that have emerged winner and one of them is education. This is because many educational institutions have been investing in technology which has come to their rescue in these testing times. Professor Minu Mehta at IES Management College and Research Centre , in a conversation with Shiksha, explains how the current situation has had an impact on the education sector also, how the society will change once the lockdown is over. Minu has over 26 years of the rich academic experience across various management programmes.

Here is the edited excerpt of the conversation

Q: How has today’s scenario of lockdown and global pandemic impacted your education system?

A: We, at IES MCRC see the COVID-19-induced lockdown as a unique period in our business evolution. We are using this period to reinvent ourselves as a tech-driven education provider. The enforced confinement has spurred our creative and innovative responses to all aspects of management education right from admissions to curriculum design. We have successfully integrated digital learning processes with our existing instruction and delivery modes and noted with satisfaction, the quick adaptability and agility of our faculty, staff and students. The lockdown period has positively impacted us. We are using this period for introspection, reflection and constructive critique followed by changes where needed. We are mindful of the trust our stakeholder's repose in us and we are determined to be at the forefront of management education in the post-pandemic times.

Q: What are some of the interesting initiatives your institute has taken to make it easy for your students and also contribute to eradication of this pandemic?

A: The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown since mid of March has offered IESMCRC a unique opportunity to test its nimble footedness. We were able to understand early on, that the lockdown might get extended and accordingly, we quickly rolled out a new regimen of online initiatives for as many regular activities as possible. Thus almost overnight, our faculty and students geared up to the new reality of virtual classes and evaluation. With able handholding and support from our IT department, our transition to the digital mode was smooth. Google classroom, Zoom, Webex, Skype, gotomeeting and other platforms were used for a variety of functions ranging from digital mentoring to placement related preparations and even online consultations with our counselor for anyone undergoing stress, given the involuntary isolation of the current times. Most of the faculty and students reported higher levels of engagement and interaction while in the virtual mode, not only during our curriculum-based sessions but also during webinars organised by industry bodies such as CII and FICCI. We tapped into our rich alumni pool and arranged webinars for our students on interesting topics such as digital marketing, Linkedin talent solutions and Google ad words. Taking a leap of faith, we opened these sessions to all our students, faculty and staff. We were richly rewarded by the wholehearted participation of all our stakeholders who freely interacted, commented and offered insights. Thanks to COVID-19, we feel liberated from the boundaries of our functions and designations and have rediscovered the joy of lifelong learning.

Q: How is the institute planning to conduct exams, evaluate and declare result online?

A: Since the lockdown announcement came close to the end of our academic term, the bulk of the syllabus had already been completed. We have taken the digital route to complete as many components of assessment as possible. Our students have been evaluated for their management projects through presentations and viva voce taken virtually by faculty and industry panels. Internal assessment components ranging from group assignments to class tests have been taken virtually. As we await guidelines from the University and regulators, for conducting the final exam, we are exploring our options of completing the entire assessment cycle including the declaration of results, online. Apart from managing our ongoing term and results, we are also giving a concrete shape to our admission strategy so that we are able to maintain timelines not only for onboarding the new students, but also starting the new session as per schedule.

Q: How are students responding to new initiatives?

A: In this period of unprecedented change, our students have exhibited remarkable agility and maturity. Being more tech-savvy and more accustomed to digital platforms, they have smoothly transitioned to virtual classrooms. In fact, we have happily experienced instances of reverse mentoring when our students have helped us to explore and operationalise our instruction, assessment and training on the alternative platforms available. Right from attendance to involvement, our students have ensured that our virtual interactions are lively and engaging. Despite the nagging challenges of reduced internet speeds and erratic connectivity, they have respected deadlines, especially in times of online assessment. Making use of work from home requirement during their summer internships, many of our students have taken up additional research projects and are busy with literature survey and data collection using online tools.

Q: What impact will it have on students’ interpersonal, team management skills?

A: Our experience with group assignments and virtual mentoring sessions have shown a positive side of the lockdown period. Our students have become more open, more cooperative and more resourceful. They help each other more and are willing to reach out more often to their mentors for concerns ranging from placement prospects to family finances. One distinct trend that is emerging is that of our students becoming more compassionate, more open-minded and more friendly. They are able to overlook personal differences and work towards the common goal which is highly commendable given our trying times. Our online interaction with the applicant pool aspiring to join us in the next academic session shows us a similar picture. The corona crises are making our students more mature and more resilient.

Q: What are the best practices that the college is adopting to ensure seamless online learning?

A: IESMCRC has ensured continuous engagement with students through various platforms. While the industry webinars are keeping our students updated with current business trends and projections, there are additional skill-based sessions organised for them by our faculty, visiting faculty and alumni. Right from providing e-newspapers to research portals such as Proquest, we have ensured that there is no dearth of access to information for any student. Regular discussions on current topics such as the prevailing crude oil fiasco, quick assessments through MCQs after online sessions, submission of summary after webinars and assessment through viva voce and presentations are regularly used by faculty to ensure conceptual clarity and understanding of applications.

Q: How will today’s situation revolutionize online learning in India and abroad?

A: Corona Virus is set to disrupt the education sector and usher in the era of blended systems. As social distancing becomes a requirement, current college infrastructures will begin to heavily depend on a hybrid arrangement where synchronous and asynchronous mass-based online instruction is supplemented by small tutorial classes that are physical. Post COVID-19, time will see a plethora of ed-tech solutions for functions as diverse as admission to evaluation. Online learning will see colleges integrating MOOCs from top-line Universities, within their existing curriculum. With prolonged restrictions on travel and uncertain immigration policies, there will be a drop in the number of students applying to foreign universities. With the government nod to online degrees, new players ranging from course aggregators to full-fledged virtual universities will dot the education sector in India. It is possible to see in the near future, a new regulatory body that is tasked with offering degree equivalences to students who have completed a certain number and type of credit-based courses offered by different universities. The degree programmes in the coming times are set to be shorter, cheaper and more choice-based.