After suspension of physical classes till 31 March, University of Delhi has further allowed professors to work from home as a precautionary measure against coronavirus, reported Hindustan Times.
According to HT, the decision was taken after the academic council wrote to DU’s Vice Chancellor asking for professors to be allowed to work from home – a social distancing practice implemented by many organisations in India.
“The teachers have the option to work from their homes... the teachers may use this period to complete their pending research work and publish it. Libraries will also be closed for students until March 31.”DU in a statement to Hindustan Times
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Hurdles in Moving Classes Online
On 12 March, DU had issued a statement saying, “teachers of the respective courses shall remain available as per the timetable through E-Resources,” avoiding any direct reference to the suspension of physical classes.
Several professors, however, say college authorities have put the onus of moving classes online entirely on them. A teacher from St Stephen’s College said, “The college has asked us to make use of online resources but it hasn’t provided us with any infrastructure or technological aid.” She added she’s trying to upload lectures she had recorded earlier and has asked students to submit assignments on a WhatsApp group created for the same.
Abha Deb from Miranda House said since E-learning is new to a lot of teachers, everyone is taking a little bit of time to understand how it can be used. “Some teachers have spoken about using Zoom – video conferencing app that helps teachers address up to 100 students – but it’s not been used yet,” she said.
She added that Miranda House is has an online portal where faculty members can upload study material can accessible to intended students. However, she feels E-learning cannot compensate for physical classrooms and that the university may have to extend classes by 15 days to make up for the time lost.
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