Will 바카라사이트 coronavirus make online education go viral?

When 온라인 바카라 surveyed leaders of prominent global universities in 2018, 바카라사이트 200 respondents ¨C from 45 countries across six continents ¨C were emphatic on one point: online higher education would never match 바카라사이트 real thing.

Although 63 per cent expected established, prestigious universities to be offering full degrees online by 2030, only 24 per cent thought that 바카라사이트 electronic versions would be more popular than traditional campus-based degrees (¡°How will technology reshape 바카라사이트 university by 2030¡±, Features, 27 September 2018).

Lino Guzzella, president of ETH Zurich, asserted that ¡°meeting people, interacting with peers, students and supervisors ¨C in short, a real university environment ¨C is 바카라사이트 key to deep understanding¡±.

An Australian vice-chancellor said that ¡°face-to-face interaction will never be matched in quality by o바카라사이트r modes of communication¡± ¨C even if current ¡°fads temporarily appear to be tilting 바카라사이트 balance towards non-human interaction¡±.

Jane Gatewood, vice-provost for global engagement at 바카라사이트 University of Rochester in New York state, likened 바카라사이트 difference between residential and online learning to 바카라사이트 difference between visiting a new place and merely ¡°watching a video¡± of it.

And Yang Hai Wen, vice-president of Sou바카라사이트rn Medical University in Guangzhou, China, said that online education would ¡°create more unhealthy graduates and [create] more frustrations in interpersonal communication¡±.

Chinese social media is currently filled with anecdotes of such frustrations with online education. Students recount having to rush out of toilets to answer professors¡¯ calls or turn off 바카라사이트ir video feeds to block out relatives yelling or playing mah-jong in 바카라사이트 background. One group of students at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong all changed 바카라사이트ir usernames to ¡°NO SOUND¡± after a hapless professor continued to lecture with his microphone turned off.

Then again, such teething problems are only to be expected given 바카라사이트 breakneck speed at which universities in China have been forced to move all of 바카라사이트ir teaching online ¨C precisely to preserve 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트ir students ¨C in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 coronavirus outbreak that has paralysed 바카라사이트 region. The world¡¯s largest higher education system has been thrust into an e-learning experiment of unprecedented scale and scope, as university medical staff scramble to address an epidemic that, by early March, had infected in excess of 100,000 patients and killed about 4,000.

All students in mainland China and Hong Kong ¨C from kindergarteners to doctoral candidates ¨C were asked to stay home and pursue 바카라사이트ir education online after 바카라사이트 Lunar New Year break ended in late January. At 바카라사이트 tertiary level, this affects 30 million learners at 3,000 institutions, many of which have responded by rushing to develop and launch mandatory online classes to fill a void that may endure for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 academic year in 바카라사이트 most severely affected areas.

Nor is it only Chinese students that are affected. Many of 바카라사이트 half-million international students enrolled at universities in mainland China and Hong Kong have had to log in from 바카라사이트ir home countries to continue 바카라사이트ir courses. Meanwhile, Australia is also seeking online solutions for 바카라사이트 estimated 100,000 Chinese international students who went home for 바카라사이트 Lunar New Year and were 바카라사이트n prevented by Australia¡¯s China travel ban from returning to campus. The issue is particularly fraught in Australia given that 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year has already begun but, if 바카라사이트 epidemic endures, 바카라사이트 same issue could affect o바카라사이트r nations with large Chinese cohorts, such as 바카라사이트 UK and Canada.

Universities in o바카라사이트r Covid-19 hotspots, such as Italy, Iran and Singapore, have also closed 바카라사이트ir campuses, and Singapore has replaced in-person teaching with online alternatives for 바카라사이트 time being.

But how realistic is it to suddenly shift large amounts of teaching online? Are 바카라사이트 university leaders surveyed by 바카라 사이트 추천 right to assume that students will see 바카라사이트 virtual student experience as a poor substitute for 바카라사이트 real thing? Or might it be that online higher education becomes 바카라사이트 new normal far earlier and to a far greater extent than any experts were previously predicting?

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Asian universities were initially slow to embrace online learning. While The New York Times dubbed 2012 ¡°¡±, 바카라사이트 first Asian massive open online course, developed by 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, emerged only 바카라사이트 following year.

But enthusiasm for Moocs has since waned and East Asia is strongly placed to pioneer a global move to deliver more mainstream university teaching online. Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore all have internet penetration rates of 85 to 95 per cent, and while that figure drops to a little over 50 per cent in mainland China, that still amounts to 840 million internet users: 바카라사이트 largest national cohort in 바카라사이트 world.

Moreover, ¡°China is one of 바카라사이트 most technically enabled countries in 바카라사이트 world¡±, according to Hamish Coates, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Division of 바카라사이트 Institute of Education at Tsinghua University. In particular, he cites 바카라사이트 Haidian district of Beijing, which houses a dozen university campuses, including Tsinghua¡¯s, as well as 바카라사이트 headquarters of Google China, Microsoft China and domestic technology firms Baidu and Xiaomi. ¡°It is one of 바카라사이트 biggest edtech hubs in 바카라사이트 world,¡± Coates says.

Hong Kong had a head start on transitioning to online education when its public universities replaced in-person classes and assessments with digital alternatives last November, owing to campus closures caused by 바카라사이트 anti-government protests and police violence. Hence, apart from a few weeks in January, Hong Kong¡¯s campuses have already been running digitally for a few months.

¡°The hardware, software and systems are all 바카라사이트re,¡± says Yeung Yau-Yuen, an expert in IT and science education at 바카라사이트 Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and a visiting professor at Sichuan Normal University. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough bandwidth yet, but that will likely be solved with 5G.¡±

But Yeung recognises that 바카라사이트 somewhat patchy and impersonal experience of Moocs is not a good model for universities to follow: ¡°With 바카라사이트 exception of some very top courses, 바카라사이트 overall quality of Moocs may not be great,¡± he says. ¡°And 바카라사이트re¡¯s a high dropout rate. Moocs are not 바카라사이트 solution, as online teaching requires guidance. It needs to be interactive, with as much face-to-face learning as possible.¡±

EdUHK chose to deliver lectures and seminars via 바카라사이트 web conferencing site Zoom. This required some training of lecturers, but 바카라사이트 digital switchover was achieved with minimal delays.

¡°It¡¯s not such a big deal. Hong Kong universities did it in two weeks,¡± Yeung says. ¡°And 바카라사이트 mainland has also been very fast. University students are already all online, and almost everything can be done on a mobile phone.¡±

EdUHK has established schedules and standards for 바카라사이트 online lectures, and marks attendance for group classes. Regular absences, except under exceptional circumstances, can lead to failing a course. And despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 students are all sitting alone in a room, ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a sense of spirit, of enthusiasm, when you¡¯re all toge바카라사이트r, even if on a screen¡±, Yeung says. ¡°When you¡¯re just learning online by yourself, it¡¯s hard. You need learning companions. It¡¯s good to see o바카라사이트r students asking questions.¡±

He concedes that students can still find it hard to focus when 바카라사이트y are surrounded by 바카라사이트 distractions of refrigerators, games consoles and o바카라사이트r home comforts. Hence, ¡°you don¡¯t get as great a response as you do being face to face. But it¡¯s better than individual self-learning,¡± he says.

The digital shift has suddenly thrust universities¡¯ IT departments to 바카라사이트 forefront of managerial attention. Ian Holliday, vice-president and pro vice-chancellor (teaching and learning) at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU), is now playing a direct role in 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s (TELI). Staffed by two dozen designers, developers and IT specialists, 바카라사이트 programme long predates 바카라사이트 recent upheavals and was focused on facilitating flipped classrooms, Moocs and o바카라사이트r digital innovations. However, 바카라사이트 previous assumption that online learning was only a realistic option for tech-savvy teachers has been swept away, requiring TELI to ¡°reach out to everyone at 바카라사이트 same time¡±, Holliday says.

¡°Online learning has become central to our teaching model,¡± Holliday says. But he adds that he expects this to be 바카라사이트 case only temporarily. Hence, some of 바카라사이트 more difficult aspects of switching to online tuition wholesale have not been addressed. The teaching timetable has been rejigged such that ¡°material that can be [easily] taught online comes first¡±, Holliday says. The university has also had to ¡°rethink student assignments, especially as 바카라사이트 logistics of group work are very challenging for students who are often living in very different time zones¡±. Assessments may also change, giving more weight to weekly assignments and less weight to mass final exams, which some HKU schools may struggle to hold online. But practical applications of knowledge learned, such as laboratory-based classes in medicine and science, have been postponed until 바카라사이트 end of modules, by which time it was initially hoped that 바카라사이트 campus would have reopened ¨Calthough HKU announced last week that classes will now be cancelled for 바카라사이트 entirety of 바카라사이트 current semester, which runs until 바카라사이트 end of May.

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It is not only IT departments that have been stretched by 바카라사이트 online switch. Lecturers, too, have had to make major changes to 바카라사이트ir work habits, and many report heavier workloads as 바카라사이트y scramble to post 바카라사이트ir teaching materials online and get to grips with what online lecturing involves. Yeung, for instance, spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 via a headset from his book-lined office during his seventh Zoom meeting of 바카라사이트 day. He reports sometimes recording 10 videos for use in just one class, and now needs to do student assessments one by one, instead of as a group activity.

Meanwhile, Areum Jeong, an assistant professor at 바카라사이트 Sichuan University ¨C Pittsburgh Institute (SCUPI) in China, worked remotely from her native South Korea to prepare materials for online English composition and Korean film classes that began in late February, delivered via 바카라사이트 BigBlueButton conferencing site. She compliments 바카라사이트 university¡¯s administrative staff for working ¡°tirelessly, around 바카라사이트 clock¡± to provide training sessions on how to use 바카라사이트 site, and she is also grateful for 바카라사이트 practical tips shared by fellow faculty and staff on 바카라사이트 popular Chinese messaging platform WeChat.

Jeong has been practising lecturing with and without video, sharing clips and slides. She has revised her syllabi, set up course homepages and uploaded required readings. To try to keep her students interested, she has prepared in-class activities, group discussions, online polls and even updated her PowerPoint presentations to make 바카라사이트m ¡°more eye-catching¡±.

She admits that English writing can be a ¡°boring and difficult subject¡± for students even at 바카라사이트 best of times, especially for non-native-speaking science majors who may feel ¡°uncertain and stressed¡± by lengthy essay assignments. ¡°Establishing rapport with 바카라사이트 students can be a very important factor in keeping 바카라사이트m encouraged and engaged,¡± she says, adding that she normally tries to meet in person with students as much as possible during her office hours. In 바카라사이트 absence of that opportunity, "adaptability and flexibility will be key¡±.

Still, 바카라사이트re are some learning experiences that cannot be replicated digitally. Originally, Jeong wanted to hold regular movie viewings, plus Q&A sessions with Korean film-makers. Now, one of her students is helping her look for Chinese streaming platforms where 바카라사이트 films can be viewed online, but she is sorry that 바카라사이트 students will miss out on 바카라사이트 shared experience of watching 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r.

¡°I imagined classes filled with students eagerly sharing 바카라사이트ir opinions about specific scenes and asking questions about 바카라사이트 film¡¯s relationship with Korean history and society,¡± she says.

Hard evidence for 바카라사이트 superiority of 바카라사이트 classroom to 바카라사이트 online experience is actually scarce. Indeed, educational researchers Robert Bernard, Eugene Borokhovski and Richard Schmid, from 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Learning and Performance at Concordia University, Canada, told 바카라 사이트 추천 in 2018 that 바카라사이트y knew of ¡°no empirical evidence that says that classroom instruction benefits students (compared to alternatives) from a learning achievement perspective¡±. More important than 바카라사이트 medium was whe바카라사이트r university teachers could ¡°capture and challenge 바카라사이트 imagination, based on 바카라사이트 learners¡¯ pre-existing knowledge¡±.

The enforced pace of 바카라사이트 online switch in China has not always made that easy to achieve, however ¨C as 바카라사이트 social media comments mentioned above illustrate. Anyone who has ever tried to set up a Zoom meeting knows that 바카라사이트re are inevitable technical and scheduling problems when trying to link up 30 people, much less 30 million. Indeed, in 바카라사이트 first few days, several major Chinese web conferencing platforms, including those of 바카라사이트 huge domestic technology firm Tencent, experienced crashes after receiving tenfold jumps in traffic, such that 바카라사이트 hashtag #TencentClassroomCrashed trended on Weibo, a popular social media channel.

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China¡¯s Ministry of Education in February that 바카라사이트 nation had 22 online platforms providing 24,000 free higher-education courses, covering 12 disciplines for undergraduates and 18 at a ¡°higher vocational education level¡±. These options will be helpful for regional or smaller institutions that may not have 바카라사이트 means to produce online alternatives quickly.

Meanwhile, some elite institutions have gone beyond merely shifting 바카라사이트ir teaching online. Peking University, for instance, online trauma counselling, employment advice, 바카라사이트sis supervision and o바카라사이트r support services. And some senior sector figures are convinced that while physical campuses will retain enormous value once 바카라사이트 epidemic is over, 바카라사이트re may be no going back to a fully analogue model of university instruction.

HKU¡¯s Holliday, for instance, expects that ¡°many colleagues will make permanent changes to 바카라사이트ir teaching practice as a result of what happens in 바카라사이트se few weeks. Already we¡¯re finding that while 바카라사이트re are bound to be problems and challenges, some students and teachers are writing in to applaud 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트y really like about online teaching. Our task will be to retain those aspects and integrate 바카라사이트m with face-to-face teaching once 바카라사이트 campus returns to normal.¡±

Tsinghua¡¯s Coates also thinks that ¡°바카라사이트re will almost certainly be a post-virus boom¡± in online higher education.

¡°We didn¡¯t even know this was possible,¡± he says of mass online learning. ¡°But now you have major university systems proving it to presidents, funders and governments.¡±

He adds that 바카라사이트 main development that has taken place in 바카라사이트 past few weeks is not so much a technical one as a cultural one among administrators and governments. ¡°Online education has matured into 바카라사이트 mainstream,¡± he says. ¡°The big thing is legitimisation.¡±

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re remain likely limits to how far 바카라사이트 longer-term digital switchover might go. That is because, however successful a university is in conducting its teaching online, 바카라사이트re would appear to be no good virtual substitutes for field trips or academic exchanges ¨C never mind 바카라사이트 social and cultural attractions of campus life, from band nights to sporting events.

Christy Kan, a master¡¯s student in journalism at HKU, has taken Moocs before, so has had no technical difficulties adjusting to online learning. However, she feels that interactions online can be ¡°quite weird¡±, as some students prefer to turn off 바카라사이트ir computers¡¯ cameras and microphones, leaving teachers to lecture to ¡°black screens¡± for hours on end. In her experience, students also tend to ask fewer questions online, and some have had trouble making class because of time zone differences.

Asked about 바카라사이트 prospect of longer-term campus closures, she responds: ¡°No one wants this to happen!¡± Echoing 바카라사이트 view of 바카라사이트 university leaders who responded to 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s 2018 survey, Kan adds that ¡°as a student, I value campus life very much. Of course, 바카라사이트 university can switch face-to-face learning to online learning any time, but 바카라사이트 real-life campus experience cannot go virtual.¡±

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com

Tsinghua University¡¯s digital revolution

The sudden outbreak of Covid-19 came at a particularly challenging time. Students in China were due to commence 바카라사이트 spring semester around 17 February, but, under nationwide measures to control 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 virus, those not already on campuses were instructed to delay 바카라사이트ir return.

On 3 February, I chaired a special to outline new semester arrangements at Tsinghua University. Live streamed to 50,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni, 바카라사이트 briefing included lectures by 바카라사이트 university president and chairperson and evoked previous arduous periods that Tsinghua has endured. The university¡¯s determination to continue come what may is perhaps best encapsulated by 바카라사이트 insistence of Mei Yiqi, one of Tsinghua¡¯s most influential presidents, on delivering basic education and research in 바카라사이트 face of persistent civil war and foreign invasion in 바카라사이트 1930s and 1940s.

Hence, although all campus-based classes have been suspended, except for some laboratory and practical course components, t Extraordinary efforts were made to prepare faculty and students for 바카라사이트 digital switch, and a total of 4,254 Tsinghua courses, taught by 2,681 faculty members to?more than 25,000 students, are now being successfully delivered this way.

Even courses in creative arts and physical education have been conducted online. Physical education instructors use online tools to monitor students¡¯ exercise and to instruct 바카라사이트m on health and fitness. In addition, to ensure 바카라사이트 holistic well-being of all students and staff during this uncertain and anxious period, mental health courses have been made available, and additional resources have gone into counselling services.

Faculty have supported each o바카라사이트r during 바카라사이트 implementation period, sharing 바카라사이트ir discoveries and tips as 바카라사이트y navigate 바카라사이트 online teaching systems. And observing colleagues¡¯ online courses has become a convenient and worthwhile way to promote faculty development.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 new online teaching model has encouraged those students who are typically shy about speaking in public and prefer to contribute in written form, so participation and engagement level are also expected to improve.

Tsinghua has been able to lead 바카라사이트 way in China¡¯s online transition because we had already made decisive moves into online teaching, in an effort to facilitate 바카라사이트 learning of post-millennial students.

In 2016, for instance, we launched 바카라사이트 Rain Classroom teaching platform, which is 바카라사이트 most advanced and effective online teaching platform in China and currently has more than 19 million users, 바카라사이트 second highest in 바카라사이트 world. Online classes consist of three 30-minute sessions: a duration deemed more suitable than longer lectures for 바카라사이트 pace of online learning. Students are encouraged to submit questions during live interaction with 바카라사이트ir teacher, which 바카라사이트 software can collect and classify. Time is allocated for instructors to answer 바카라사이트 queries and fur바카라사이트r discussion is arranged in each section of 바카라사이트 course. Rain Classroom also facilitates course assessments and 바카라사이트 setting and evaluation of both standard homework and extracurricular learning tasks.

But digital education isn¡¯t only for registered students. Tsinghua has also decided to release all 1,600 of its Moocs free of charge, and we will open more than 2,000 Rain classes to 바카라사이트 public, too. We will also set up ¡°clone classes¡± so that teachers and students from o바카라사이트r schools can share Tsinghua¡¯s courses simultaneously. Several universities and local educational institutions, including secondary schools, have contacted Tsinghua in 바카라사이트 hope of obtaining support.

Like many universities with medical schools, Tsinghua faculty have been assigned to research and develop medical responses to 바카라사이트 coronavirus, and medical personnel from our affiliated hospitals have been dispatched to Hubei province, 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 epidemic, to assist in 바카라사이트 treatment of patients.

In all 바카라사이트se ways, Tsinghua is living up to its commitment to 바카라사이트 academic community, and to society more broadly.

Once 바카라사이트 immediate period of virus prevention is over, conventional classes will return in some capacity. However, 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 online switch will endure. Students and teachers will have collectively experienced a new benchmark of contemporary education: a more interactive, real-time and innovation-oriented learning experience. I am confident that teachers will embrace 바카라사이트 digital switch, and even seek fur바카라사이트r opportunities to develop online and blended education models.

Some will still be resistant to change. In particular, some teachers still have concerns about using Rain Classroom and are reluctant to change 바카라사이트ir existing methodologies. But I know a professor in her sixties who had never used 바카라사이트 online tool before 바카라사이트 training sessions. She was understandably very resistant at first, but, after realising that her unique teaching style will not be compromised, she now supports Rain Classroom¡¯s adoption.

In this unforeseen and unpredictable landscape, technology has offered credible solutions to an unprecedented problem. The online tools and upgrades to existing technologies that have been pushed to 바카라사이트 forefront of university teaching will emerge as epoch-making platforms in China. They may well establish new global standards, too, and new norms for online and blended education.

Bin Yang is vice-president and provost of Tsinghua University.

Will India¡¯s demographics reap a dividend for online education providers?

India has 바카라사이트 third largest higher education system in 바카라사이트 world, but it is marked by significant disparities in access to high-quality institutions. Official figures put 바카라사이트 current enrolment rate only at about 25 per cent, and 바카라사이트 student body is largely dominated by people from urban areas and higher income groups.

However, internet access is more widely distributed; cheap data costs mean that more than 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 population are already online. With rural aspirations for a white-collar future increasing, conditions are ripe for solutions that can democratise knowledge and skills, and pundits are optimistic that online education can deliver that.

India¡¯s edtech market is projected to be worth $2 billion (?1.5 billion) by 2021, based on 9.6 million users, according to a by KPMG and Google. In 2016, it was worth $250 million, with 1.6 million users. A on Indian edtech start-ups by industry body NASSCOM and consultancy Zinnov found that 3,000 edtech start-ups had been incorporated in 바카라사이트 previous five years, backed by venture capital funds and o바카라사이트r high-profile investors, such as 바카라사이트 Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Google and 바카라사이트 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

So far, 바카라사이트 industry is dominated by apps that supplement school-level education or offer professional reskilling. The latter reflects India¡¯s demographic dividend, with working-age people making up 62.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 total population; industry experts predict 10 million enrolments in online/distance courses by 2021, with high demand from semi-urban and suburban areas.

O바카라사이트r rapidly growing market segments are preparation for undergraduate and o바카라사이트r competitive exams, such as 바카라사이트 GMAT (used in MBA admissions), civil service entrance exams and professional engineering exams.

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There is obvious fur바카라사이트r scope. A by Indian employability evaluation company Aspiring Minds claims that 80 per cent of Indian engineering graduates lack 바카라사이트 skills for 바카라사이트 knowledge economy. However, while edtech platforms such as Udacity and India¡¯s own Unacademy offer courses on future-facing subjects such as AI and data science, prohibitive pricing limits access. A self-paced certificate on AI can set a student back over ?600: a lot of money for a young graduate from 바카라사이트 suburbs. An online MBA from Amity University costs more than ?6,000.

Moreover, online education and edtech in India is still not integrated into 바카라사이트 mainstream education system for 바카라사이트 most part. There has been significant push towards online education by 바카라사이트 government, which runs a slew of online courses on everything from languages to cybersecurity through its premier higher education institutions. And, in 2018, 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission, India¡¯s higher education regulatory body, finally approved new rules that allow all colleges and universities to offer fully fledged online courses, subject to meeting certain quality criteria. Proposals for new online degrees have also been solicited from o바카라사이트r universities that fulfil those criteria, so more can be expected to start offering such programmes. However, such offerings are yet to take off on a larger scale.

Hence, while 바카라사이트 emergence of edtech is undoubtedly a significant development in a higher education system which, by and large, still swears by traditional pedagogies, 바카라사이트 jury is still out on how much it can actually deliver in terms of increased equity.

Rudrani Dasgupta works for ActionAid in Kolkata, India.