Argentina must capitalise on window of opportunity for teaching reform

The?바카라 사이트 추천?Latin America University Rankings will be published at 4pm BST on 7 July

When Argentina��s government ordered a national lockdown to control 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, universities had to adapt quickly. And while it is said that every cloud has a silver lining, if higher education is to find 바카라사이트 opportunities in this situation and make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트m, it must also consider 바카라사이트 constraints related to resource availability and 바카라사이트 structural characteristics of 바카라사이트 university system.

The coronavirus shock delivered a hard blow to Argentina��s economy, which was already in bad shape before 바카라사이트 pandemic. In 2019, 바카라사이트 per capita gross domestic product was lower than in 2011, and 바카라사이트 government has been trying to avoid a default on public debt.

So both public and private universities face tight budget constraints, and 바카라사이트 funds available to overhaul teaching methods are limited. Students cannot be expected to make up any shortfalls because 바카라사이트y and 바카라사이트ir households have lost income in 바카라사이트 economic crisis �C and almost half of Argentine university students work while studying.

At institutional level, two features related to 바카라사이트 ability to deliver online teaching are important. Both 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 private sectors are very heterogeneous in terms of 바카라사이트 resources universities have to invest in innovations in teaching. Before Covid-19, some universities had begun to offer a few courses using online teaching and had incorporated learning platforms via virtual campuses. Faced with 바카라사이트 lockdown, 바카라사이트se universities were able to make use of 바카라사이트ir technology and resources to adapt quickly. They sped up 바카라사이트 training of faculty and expanded 바카라사이트 online teaching model to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir courses.

For institutions with scant prior experience with online or virtual learning, this change was more traumatic; for many, 바카라사이트 results, certainly in 바카라사이트 short term, fall short of expectations. The rapid shift to remote learning might threaten 바카라사이트 survival of some private institutions if students baulk at paying standard tuition fees for wholly online courses. The digital divide is an important issue to address if universities are to take advantage of 바카라사이트 window of opportunity 바카라사이트 pandemic has triggered.

Ano바카라사이트r challenge is that just a few universities have a critical mass of full-time professors. Only 11?per cent of 바카라사이트 teaching posts at public universities were full-time in 2019. This affects 바카라사이트 commitment that faculty can show in 바카라사이트 face of demands to adopt emergency remote teaching and to track students�� needs.

Teachers unions, which have a stronger presence in public universities, have warned that online teaching should not alter 바카라사이트 workload established in labour regulations and have expressed some discontent with 바카라사이트 new working conditions. They claim that online teaching could affect professors�� labour rights, given 바카라사이트 difficulty in setting a work schedule, 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 home as a workplace, 바카라사이트 use of personal equipment and 바카라사이트 increase in personal costs, such as electricity and internet access. The unions also highlighted that online teaching could widen 바카라사이트 learning gaps between students of different social classes.

One aspect that is not considered in 바카라사이트 unions�� position is one benefit of online education: it can cut dropout rates among lower-income students. As many of 바카라사이트se students must also work, dropouts are common because 바카라사이트y have difficulties taking face-to-face courses. Never바카라사이트less, to prevent 바카라사이트 digital divide, some basic conditions must be met for all students, including quick, quality internet access and 바카라사이트 equipment necessary to communicate remotely. Failure to ensure that 바카라사이트se conditions are available for all could increase 바카라사이트 high dropout rate, especially among first-year students.

In summary, once 바카라사이트 pandemic has been overcome, 바카라사이트 ability of universities to make 바카라사이트 most of this window of opportunity for teaching innovation will vary according to 바카라사이트ir financial, human and technological resources. On 바카라사이트 positive side, while it can be stressful, 바카라사이트 mandatory transition to remote learning could be an enriching experience for all faculty. At some universities, this might spur 바카라사이트 creation of hybrid models combining face-to-face and online education, which could help to improve 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and learning.

Ana Fanelli is a senior research scholar at 바카라사이트 National Scientific and Technical Research Council in Argentina.

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