Online Learning the New Normal Post Covid-19

Before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, there was a big debate about whether on-campus learning was good quality or whether online learning could ever replicate on-campus learning; suddenly all of those questions became irrelevant as all academic institutions have no other option than to deliver their teaching and learning online. All universities now have to teach remotely. This happened right in the middle of the academic year, with no warning, everybody had to quickly adjust, close the physical campus and try to teach the curriculum online. Now the focus is going to be on the quality of the e-learning experience. In that sense, something quite positive could come out of this because all the educational institutions have been forced to use this medium, and a lot more attention is being paid to how we do this. How do we provide proper, really high-quality education online? One consequence is going to be that if we are to do this properly, we are actually going to create educational institutions that are much more resilient in the future. More specifically, the conference aims to discuss and explore various approaches and different ways planned by governments which can contribute to enhance and support the implementation of online learning and education across the world.

During the conference, in addition to learning from world distinguished speakers about the various concepts, methodologies, strategies, applications, platforms and technologies, Dr. Petru Dumitriu (keynote speaker) will present the findings of the recent (August 2020) United Nations Joint Inspection Unit report entitled “Policies and platforms in support of learning: towards more coherence, coordination and convergence“.

Developing Countries Perspectives

Although the impact of Covid-19 pandemic is affecting countries across the world, but developing countries (DCs) are facing more additional challenges and difficulties.

• First, teaching and learning content is not readily available in most DCs and therefore several government have started various initiatives to ensure that e-content is available.
• Secondly, given their limited experience with online learning, most DCs are not very familiar with the appropriate and most effective teaching and learning methods methods or platforms to be used online.
• Third, the online infrastructure availability in most DCs is a big issue facing their countries to ensure an uninterrupted Wi-fi supply as well as the availability of electricity particularly in Africa.
• Fourth, most of the e-learning platforms and application in DCs are not very advance and mostly are Beta platforms and/or applications.
• Finally, the capacity building and training for staff in most DCs is a very critical issue facing teachers and students when using an online learning technologies and applications.