The current COVID-19 pandemic has invited the learning community with an invitation to rethink education and learning. This invitation has given birth to not only review the educational practices, pedagogical frameworks and thinking about ways to be accessible, but how this all could be institutionalized and sustained. We all are aware that COVID-19 is going to be a part of our lives for atleast two years or till the vaccine has been invented, tested and made available to the entire world community.

In February 2020, the entire education and learning community including K-12 schools, vocational educational institutions, higher education institutions and colleges were pushed to convert their face to face classes to online. While not many institutions were ready, everyone has been experimenting with different ways and means to deliver the curriculum and ensure that it is accessible to a majority of students. There were also few assumptions made, one of which was that every student out there has got access to internet and technological devices. Another strong assumption was that all the faculty members and teachers are highly well equipped to teach online.  In reality, that may not be the case. Since the shift was sporadic, not many institutions got time to plan or may be reflect upon the possibilities, assumptions, challenges and experiences.

The situation according to government health agencies is getting normalized and the lock down is expected to get over soon. The educational institutions may start resuming their classes from September 15, 2020. However, a number of higher education institutions are thinking about how to actually go about it. Before reopening, institutions are considering various options of implementation which may include blended learning, face to face or Hyflex models. Off course, there is no one right answer or one size fits all solution especially keeping in view the size of institutions and other realities including the digital divide.  Whatever the model may be, the assumption that faculty is equipped to teach online has to be carefully reviewed. A long term plan and vision for faculty development has to be put in place to meet the learning challenges of 21st century and these kinds of outbreaks.

One of the possibilities is establishment and strengthening of Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) or Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). According to InsideHigherEd website these centers “increasingly serve as hubs of pedagogical innovation, influenced by but not dependent on flashy digital technology. They allow instructors to ponder new teaching approaches and experiment with new formats. Institutions also position centers to disseminate campus-wide strategies and to actively pursue and encourage projects that improve classroom experiences for students.[1]” The key features and services of CTLTs include:

  • Develop and Implement Instructional Skills Workshop
  • Execute Certificate Programs
  • Provide Instructional Technology Consultation
  • Establish Faculty Peer Support and Mentoring programs
  • Provide frameworks for Assessment of Educational Technology Tools and Resources
  • Provide Support in Developing Instructional Materials and Sources
  • Initiate and Manage Research Grants for Innovative Teaching and Learning using Technologies

The current higher education institution’s landscape in Pakistan informs us that there are 177 universities and degree awarding institutions (DAIs), out of which 103 are public and rest have been owned and managed by the private sector[2].  There is no systematic data available about Learning Management Systems and Centers of Teaching, Learning and Technologies, their availability and their capacity. Out of these HEIs, very few have Center for Teaching and Learning which include Habib University, University of Management and Technology, Forman Christian College, Iqra University, Barret Hodgson University, Karakorum International University and Aga Khan University.

The need of time is to think about the policy implications which have to be brought to table, deliberated, reflected and then finalized. Some of the recommendations and considerations for educational policy makers are mentioned below.

  1. Establishing a collaborative forum of existing CTLs in Pakistan. Their experiences, insights, challenges and expertise should be made available for the education and learning community. A task force or committee should be formed by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan to seek recommendations for developing a long term strategy for faculty professional development vis-à-vis technological innovations.
  2. A scorecard to be developed by HEC which provides as a self-assessment tool to review the existing state of technology integration initiatives, programs, institutional readiness and effectiveness. This score card should be made publically available on the portal.
  3. A learning resource portal should be made available at the national level. The resources already identified by universities should be made a part of this portal after careful review. The portal should also act as a central hub for documenting best local, regional and international best practices. There is a plethora of tools out there which requires careful review and selection to meet the contextual needs of our institutions. This portal can serve as a hub for these tools.
  4. A team of Instructional Designers should be made available as an integral part of Center for Teaching and Learning at the universities. This team would serve as a strong support to faculty members for developing and implementing innovative pedagogical practices and curriculum to build proficiencies of existing faculty members. HEC should provide learning and professional development of Instructional Designers for their ongoing professional development as well. The scorecard should also emphasize this as one of the key ingredients of CTLs.
  5. Strengthen the online learning management systems (LMS) already available with majority of the institutions. The institutions which may require support for their Learning Management Systems should be invited to share their concerns and appropriate solutions could be made available to them.

The pandemic has taught us many important lessons one of which is to challenge our creative abilities and devise innovative solutions to equip our future generations with tools and ways through which they could enter the real world well prepared with the core competencies including problem solving abilities, creative confidence, experimental and data analysis techniques, collaborative and team work experience, effective interpersonal skills and advance IT skills.

[1] https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2018/02/28/centers-teaching-and-learning-serve-hub-improving-teaching

[2] technologyreview.pk/mapping-higher-education-in-pakistan/