PU troubleshoots curfew with online classrooms

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28

Acting on online-teaching guidelines charted out by Panjab University’s (PU) Dean University Instructions, PU’s teaching departments are now troubleshooting academic inactivity during the Covid lockdown by making common WhatsApp groups for classrooms and disseminating study material through e-mails.

Department Computer Science and Applications Chairperson Jasleen Kaur Bains said department heads and subject teachers were now communicating with students through a common e-mail. The department chairperson has shared the common email address with the faculty members concerned. “We are sending e-material, comprising notes, presentations and programme codes, along with step-by-step instructions to operate them, including video links (YouTube) and e-books. We are also giving e-assignments to students.”

For attending queries related to study material, Bains said: “Students have been encouraged to either e-mail the queries or WhatsApp them to the faculty number.”

She added: “In addition, a common WhatsApp group for classes has been formed. Both teachers and students are part of the group. Some faculty members have uploaded e-material on their personal webpages.”

UIET gets interactive

Prof Savita Gupta, Director, PU UIET, said faculty members were using online platforms like Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Google classroom to schedule and conduct interactive classes. Talking about study material, she said all coordinators have been requested to prepare a comprehensive plan for engaging students in online-learning mode and to explore the possibility of conducting tests and quizzes online. “The overall response of students to online teaching technologies is quite encouraging,” she added.

Skype, PPTs for microbiology

Department of Microbiology Chairperson Prof Kusum Harjai said PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) assignments are being given to students through email, along with teaching material such as chapters, journals, articles and the link to YouTube lectures is also being submitted. “Topics are then virtually discussed and queries related to each topic are submitted and solved either through Skype or WhatsApp video conferencing. Also, links of the study material available on Swayam course of the MHRD is also being shared with students through email or WhatsApp groups,” said Kusum.

Google Classrooms

Dr Kuldeep Singh, Chairperson at PU Centre for Police Administration, said department’s faculty members created online lectures on Google Classrooms, Zoom Cloud Meeting App and WhatsApp. More than 70 per cent students have registered so far for these classes. Teachers have delivered online lectures and PowerPoint Presentations, e-learning videos and discussions have been uploaded through Google Classroom, WhatsApp and other e-learning modes to cover the syllabus for the current semester.

The students’ queries have been addressed through messenger, telephone call and WhatsApp messages. Both teachers and students have actively participated through these e-learning mediums, he added.