CLASSES GO DIGITAL! : TUTORIAL

THE speed and scale of educational tumult has left millions of teachers and students at the mercy of online learning - a method that is mostly unfamiliar and untested in the developing world.

In a bid to ensure that learning is not compromised around the closure of schools, the following ''e-learning'' platforms  must be experimented with and considered.
Zoom, Google classroom, Hangout, Edmodo, Facebook live, and WhatsApp messenger.

ZOOM is a web conferencing software that allows synchronous class sessions, in which students can log in at a pre-scheduled time. The platform allows up to 100 people to meet online within 40 minutes for free.

GOOGLE HANGOUT also supports video conferencing up to 250 people with an Enterprise package that costs $25 a month.

To help bridge the gap between educators and students, Google is rolling out free larger meetings with up to 250 participants per call, live streamings to 100,000 viewers with a domain, and the ability to record and save calls to Google Drive until July 1.

A VIRTUAL SCHOOL
A day in the life of a digital student starts with notifications instead of an alarm. There is a timetable for live streaming, and attendance is marked when a student ''logs in'' a class room.

''Earlier when schools were closed, we were at complete loss of resources. With online learning, I am in touch with my teachers 24/7.
In fact, this way they are more responsive..........so it is very convenient,'' says student Sawera.

''We are doing all we can to ensure learning does not stop,'' shares Sarah Tanweer, a Beaconhouse School System (BSS) teacher in Karachi, Pakistan.

''At Beaconhouse, we have have scheduled a daily timetable where teachers upload lectures for up to 2 hours. Students are kept on 'unmute' and allowed to share  verbal and written feedback during the lecture,'' she adds.

To further augment file sharing tutors have created course groups on Facebook and WhatsApp.

Digital Learning is not limited to college students.

The honor and serving of this latest operational research on solutions, continues. The World Students Society thanks author, Ramsha Jehangir.