REPORT
ON
PANDEMIC PEDAGOGY: ISSUES, CHALLENGES
& OPPORTUNITIES—Theme of One-Day National Seminar cum Webinar
Organized by School of Education, Central University of Kashmir,
Ganderbal on 11 Nov 2021
thCUK Celebrates National Education Day
Ganderbal: 11. Nov. School of Education, Central University of Kashmir (CUK) organized a One-Day Seminal-cum-Webinar on Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues, Challenges & Opportunities on the eve of National Education Day. The National Education Day is celebrated across the Country on 11 Nov. each th
year, since 2008, in honor of the Birth Anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education
th th
Minister of India. On 11 September 2008, Govt of India decided that the nation will celebrate 11 November as the National Education Day to acknowledge the huge contribution of the first Education Minister of Independent India, who is none other than Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, towards the field of Education in India.
In Inaugural Session, Prof Syed Zahoor Ahmad Geelani, Hon'ble Dean, School of Education, CUK, delivered the Welcome Address. In his opening remarks, Prof Geelani revealed that, “Education does not mean only to read and write or to explore the literature but, to develop into a personality who is ready to get adjusted according to the demands of the situation at hand”. He further observed that, “CUK kept its flag, of academic activities, flying very high despite the challenges and problems associated with the restrictions imposed by post Article 370 abrogation and Covid-19 Pandemic”. Finally, he welcomed all the participants in his address.
Fig. 1. View catching Prof Farooq Ahmad Shah, Honourable Vice Chancellor, CUK, Prof Fayaz Ahmad Nika, Finance Officer, CUK, Prof Nighat Basu, Sr. Prof, School of Education, CUK & other participants observing
the speeches being made on the eve of National Education Day
In his Presidential Address, Prof Farooq Ahmad Shah, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor, CUK observed that, “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was a visionary who primarily gave great importance to the education for the common man and emphasized that 'basic education need to be a made fundamental right of every child in India'. Without education a man gets reduced to a 'Half Citizen'. Prof. Shah said that, “it took our nation almost five decades to give legal binding to the vision of Maulana Azad in terms of making 'Right to Education a Fundamental Right for Children from 6 to 14 years of age in 2009”.
Fig. 2. View capturing Prof Farooq Ahmad Shah, Honourable Vice Chancellor, CUK, delivering the Presidential Address
Prof Shah also remarked that, “Information Communication Technology was very handy in terms of being responsive to the requirements of the unique scenario like Covid-19 Pandemic”.
In her online Keynote Address, Prof Saroj Sharma, Chairperson, National Institute of Open Schooling, New Delhi, commented that, “India was lucky to have Maulana Abul Kalam Azad its First Education Minister at National Level as he was instrumental force in establishing the first IIT of the nation at Kharagpur besides establishing many other institutions at national level”. She further said that, “Maulana Azad served the nation well in many capacities and roles as Freedom Fighter, Philosopher, Writer, Educationist, Journalist, Extension Worker, Education Minister and so on”. Prof Sharma also remarked that, “Dealor's Commission, University Education Commission, Secondary Education Commission were highly influenced by the ideological imports from Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad”.
Fig. 3. View catching Prof Farooq Ahmad Shah, Honourable Vice Chancellor, CUK, Prof Syed Zahoor Ahmad Geelani, Dean, School of Education, CUK, Prof Fayaz Ahmad Nika, Finance Officer, CUK, Prof Nighat Basu, Sr. Prof, School of Education, CUK, Dr. Mohammad Syed Bhat, Sr. Asst. Prof, School of Education, CUK &
other participants observing the speeches being made on the eve of National Education Day
Prof. Sharma also observed that, Maulana used to say that 'Wealth of a Nation does not lie in its central banks but actually, in its Primary Schools who are responsible for shaping the future of India”. She further told that, “the existing NEP is basically reflecting many interests and aspirations of Maulana Azad”.
Prof Fayaz Ahmad Nika, Finance Officer, CUK, in his Programme Remarks told that, “available online technology is not panache for all the problems/diseases which affected the whole humanity as a result of Covid-19 Pandemic. Online teaching has been a great answer to many questions posed by Covid-19 scenario but it cannot possibly be a replacement for in person interaction between the teacher and the taught”. He also observed that,
“National Education Policy 2020 suffered a setback as a result of Covid-19 Scenario but, at the same time the stakeholders need to gear up to successfully resolve the issues and meet the challenges”.
Prof Nighat Basu, Sr. Prof, School of Education, CUK, noted that, “Maulana Azad was a champion of Secularism and Humane values. He was a great institution by himself who championed the cause of Girls' Education, Universal Education, Adult Education and Citizenship Education. He was an extension worker who extensively tried to reach the unreached and build a knowledge-based society”.
Fig. 4. View catching Prof Nighat Basu, Sr. Prof, School of Education, CUK, delivering the Inaugural Address Prof Parveen Pandit, Consultant Academics, CUK, introduced the Theme of the event and described in detail the biography of Maulana Azad with special reference to his contributions in freedom struggle, education, journalism, morality, Philosophy, Gender Education, Nationalism etc.”.
Fig. 5. View catching Prof Parveen Pandit, Consultant Academics, CUK, introducing the Theme of this Seminar cum Webinar in front of the programme participants
The Programme proceedings in Inaugural Session was facilitated by Dr. Firdous Ahmad Sofal, Asst. Prof, School of Education, CUK and Vote of Thanks was proposed by Ms. Saima Bashir, Asst. Prof, School of Education, CUK. The Programme proceedings of Inaugural Session were covered by Mr. Reyaz Ahmad Wani, Asst. Prof, School of Education, CUK, as its Rapporteur.
The Seminar also witnessed two parallel business sessions for presentation of a number of research papers on the selected theme of the Programme.
Parallel Business Session I: 2.30-5.00pm
Theme: Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities
Technical Session I was chaired by Prof. NighatBasu, Senior Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir. The session began with a formal introduction to the said theme 'Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities by Dr Gawher Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir. Ms S. Arokia Mary, Assistant Professor, School of Education, was the rapporteur for Parallel Session I.
Five relevant papers were presented in the session. MrBushan Kumar gave the first presentation on SWOC Analysis of E-learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The paper was co-authored
by Prof. S.Z. Geelani, MrGh. Jeelani Bhat and MrBushan Kumar. The presentation meticulously brought forth the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges posed by the shift to E-learning during the COVID pandemic.
It provided a wholesome perspective of all the components duly collected from the critical analysis of the related literature.
Following this, Dr Sajad Ahmad Mir, Assistant Professor (C), School of Education at the Central University of Kashmir, deliberated on Student accountability amid Pandemic: Challenges and Responses. The paper was co- authored by Dr Sajad Ahmad Mir, Ms Saima Bashir and Dr M. S. Bhat. The presenter detailed how pedagogical shift in teaching-learning during the Pandemic impacted the accountability that was placed on the students. The presentation attempted to capture the pedagogical changewhere the teacher was considered the sole person accountable for the teaching-learning processesto the current student-centric mechanism.Now the student has to be active and responsible members of the pedagogical processes.
Teacher Mentoring During Institutional Closure amid COVID-19 Lockdown: Significance and Scope in the Higher Education Academia was presented by Dr Firdous Ahmad Sofal, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir. The paper was co-authored by MrRavees Ahmad Rather, Mr Ashiq Hussain Hijam and Dr F. A. Sofal. The discussions set forth by the presenter brought forth issues related to mental health and student suicides that were prevalent during the Pandemic. Contextualising the mental health issues and concerns that had become rampant, the presenter rightly highlighted the need, scope and importance of teacher mentoring in higher education institutions. Further, the presentation layparticular focus on the mentoring service offered by the University during the Pandemic.
The fourth presentation was on Online Classroom Transaction at Senior Secondary Level: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities, co-authored by Prof. NighatBasu and MsZaika Manzoor. MsZaika presented the various challenges and difficulties experienced by the senior secondary students in the online classroom transactions. The presenter argued and urged for diverse modalities, systematic training initiatives, a blended approach and a shift in pedagogical aspects to address the issues and challenges reported by the students at the senior secondary level.
The final presenter MsAroosaAnayat elaborated on the Traumas inflicted by the Pandemic Pedagogy on Children living in the Vulnerable slums. The paper was co-authored by Dr M. S. Bhat and MsAroosaAnayat. MsAroosa rightly emphasised the digital divide issues, usage gap, limitations in access rooting from the economic divide amongst the people in the society and specifically amongst people residing in slums. She furthered her arguments to deliberate on how the limitations further get aggravated by the unfamiliarity of usage and bear psychological impacts on students, such as stress and anxiety.
Post the presentations; the Chair opened the floor for questions and further deliberations. Mr Amir Iqbal, M.Ed.
Student as a commentary on all the five presentations highlighted the need for establishing and strengthening the links between morality and education in the current scenario. The chairperson concluded the session by commenting on all the presentations and felicitating the presenters.
Parallel Business Session II: 2.30-5.00pm
Theme: Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities
Technical Session I was chaired by Dr. Mohammad Sayid Bhat, Senior Assistant Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir. The session began with a formal introduction to the said theme 'Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities by Ms. Saima Bashir, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir. Mr. Arun T. Christopher, Assistant Professor, School of Education, was the Rapporteur for Parallel Session II.
Four research papers were presented during Parallel Session-II. The first one was jointly presented by Prof Nighat Basu and her Ph.D. Scholar, Ms. Sumaya Majeed Badam on the topic: Online Teaching Learning Transaction at Higher Education Level: Issues, Challenges & Opportunities. The 2 Research Paper was jointly presented by Dr. nd
Firdous Ahmad Sofal, Assistant Prof, School of Education, CUK and his two Ph.D. Scholars, Ms. Sunober Rashid
& Mr. Waheed Ahmad Ahanger on the topic: Online Teaching and Learning in Covid-19 Pandemic: A Review of Latest Research Trends and Studies. The 3 research paper was again jointly presented by Dr. Firdous Ahmad rd
Sofal, Assistant Prof, School of Education, CUK and his two Ph.D. Scholars, Ms. Ruqia Mohi-ud-Din & Ms.
Sobiya Jan on the topic: Online Teaching & Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: problems, challenges and way forward.
The fourth research paper was jointly presented by Dr. Gawher Ahmad Bhat, Assistant Prof, School of Education, CUK and two scholars, Ms. Aasifa Akhter & Ms. Surieyah Ashraf on the topic: Internet Accessibility: a Challenge in Online Learning amid COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Rapporteur General of this One-day National Seminar cum Webinar was Mr. Reyaz Ahmad Wani, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Central University of Kashmir.
