IGF 2021 Day 0 Event #50 Internet Governance Challenges in Crisis Periods; Covid 19

Educational institutions (schools, colleges, and universities) in Uganda are currently based only on traditional methods of learning, that is, they follow the traditional set up of face-to-face lectures in a classroom. Although many academic units have also started blended learning, still a lot of them are stuck with old procedures. The sudden outbreak of a deadly disease called Covid-19 caused by a Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) shook the entire world. The World Health Organization declared it as a pandemic. This situation challenged the education system across the world and forced educators to shift to an online mode of teaching overnight. Many academic institutions that were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approach had no option but to shift entirely to online teaching–learning. The article includes the importance of online learning and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Challenges analysis of e-learning modes in the time of crisis. This article also put some light on the growth of EdTech Start-ups during the time of pandemic and natural disasters and includes suggestions for academic institutions of how to deal with challenges associated with online learning. Several arguments are associated with e-learning. Accessibility, affordability, flexibility, learning pedagogy, life-long learning, and policy are some of the arguments related to online pedagogy. It is said that online mode of learning is easily accessible and can even reach to rural and remote areas. It is considered to be a relatively cheaper mode of education in terms of the lower cost of transportation, accommodation, and the overall cost of institution-based learning. Flexibility is another interesting aspect of online learning; a learner can schedule or plan their time for completion of courses available online. Combining face-to-face lectures with technology gives rise to blended learning and flipped classrooms; this type of learning environment can increase the learning potential of the students. Students can learn anytime and anywhere, thereby developing new skills in the process leading to life-long learning. The government also recognizes the increasing importance of online learning in this dynamic world. The severe explosion of Corona Virus disease can make us add one more argument in terms of online learning, that is, online learning serves as a panacea in the time of crisis. Online Learning or E-Learning Rapid developments in technology have made distance education easy (McBrien et al., 2009). “Most of the terms (online learning, open learning, web-based learning, computer-mediated learning, blended learning, m-learning, for ex.) have in common the ability to use a computer connected to a network, that offers the possibility to learn from anywhere, anytime, in any rhythm, with any means” (Cojocariu et al., 2014).Online learning can be termed as a tool that can make the teaching–learning process more student-centered, more innovative, and even more flexible. Online learning is defined as “learning experiences in synchronous or asynchronous environments using different devices (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, etc.) with internet access. In these environments, students can be anywhere (independent) to learn and interact with instructors and other students” (Singh & Thurman, 2019). The synchronous learning environment is structured in the sense that students attend live lectures, there are real-time interactions between educators and learners, and there is a possibility of instant feedback, whereas asynchronous learning environments are not properly structured. In such a learning environment, learning content is not available in the form of live lectures or classes; it is available at different learning systems and forums. Instant feedback and immediate response are not possible under such an environment (Littlefield, 2018). Synchronous learning can provide a lot of opportunities for social interaction (McBrien et al., 2009). Amidst this deadly virus spread such online platforms are needed where (a) video conferencing with at least 40 to 50 students is possible, (b) discussions with students can be done to keep classes organic, (c) internet connections are good, (d) lectures are accessible in mobile phones also and not just laptops, (e) possibility of watching already recorded lectures, and (f) instant feedback from students can be achieved and assignments can be taken (Basilaia et al., 2020). Online Teaching Is No More an Option, It Is a Necessity The major part of the world is on quarantine due to the serious outbreak of this global pandemic Covid-19 and therefore many cities have turned into phantom cities and its effects can be seen in schools, colleges, and universities too. Betwixt all this online teaching and online learning can be termed as the panacea for the crisis. The Corona Virus has made institutions to go from offline mode to online mode of pedagogy. This crisis will make the institutions, which were earlier reluctant to change, to accept modern technology. This catastrophe will show us the lucrative side of online teaching and learning. With the help of online teaching modes, we can sermonize a large number of students at any time and in any part of the world. All institutions must scramble different options of online pedagogical approaches and try to use technology more aptly. Many universities around the world have fully digitalized their operations understanding the dire need of this current situation. Online learning is emerging as a victor ludorum amidst this chaos. Therefore, the quality enhancement of online teaching–learning is crucial at this stage. Online education in Chinese universities has increased exponentially after the Covid-19 outbreak. There was an overnight shift of normal classrooms into e-classrooms, that is, educators have shifted their entire pedagogical approach to tackle new market conditions and adapt to the changing situations. During this tough time, the concern is not about whether online teaching–learning methods can provide quality education, it is rather how academic institutions will be able to adopt online learning in such a massive manner (Carey, 2020). Resistance to change will not help any educational unit across the world. They will be judged on their pace to adapt to the changes in such a short period and their ability to maintain the quality. The reputation of educational units is on stake and under scrutiny. How well they behave and how well they maintain their quality of education amidst this crisis shows their adapting capabilities. The shift from face-to-face lectures to online classes is the only possible solution. Indeed, academic institutions would not be able to transform all of their college curricula into and online resource overnight. Distance, scale, and personalized teaching and learning are the three biggest challenges for online teaching. Innovative solutions by institutions can only help us deal with this pandemic (Liguori & Winkler, 2020). There is a requirement of a quick shift to online learning mode; therefore, the products by Google can be really useful under such problematic situations; they are (a) Gmail, (b) Google Forms, (c) Calendars, (d) G-Drive, (e) Google Hangouts, (f) Google Jam board and Drawings, (g) Google Classroom, and (h) Open Board Software (not a Google product, helps in recording meetings in the form of files). These tools can successfully be used as an alternative for face-to-face classes (Basilaia et al., 2020). Problems Associated With Online Teaching and Learning There are number of technologies available for online education but sometimes they create a lot of difficulties. These difficulties and problems associated with modern technology range from downloading errors, issues with installation, login problems, problems with audio and video, and so on. Sometimes student finds online teaching to be boring and unengaging. Online learning has so much of time and flexibility that students never find time to do it. Personal attention is also a huge issue facing online learning. Students want two-way interaction which sometimes gets difficult to implement. The learning process cannot reach its full potential until students practice what they learn. Sometimes, online content is all theoretical and does not let students practice and learn effectively. Mediocre course content is also a major issue. Students feel that lack of community, technical problems, and difficulties in understanding instructional goals are the major barriers for online learning (Song et al., 2004). In a study, students were found to be not sufficiently prepared for balancing their work, family, and social lives with their study lives in an online learning environment. Students were also found to be poorly prepared for several e-learning competencies and academic-type competencies. Also, there is a low-level preparedness among the students concerning the usage of Learning Management Systems (Parkes et al., 2014). Possible Solutions for Problems A lot of issues are attached to online education but we cannot ignore the perks of it in times of such crisis. We can always have solutions to fix these difficulties. Technical difficulties can be solved through prerecording video lectures, testing the content, and always keeping Plan B ready so that the teaching–learning process cannot be hampered. Online courses should be made dynamic, interesting, and interactive. Teachers should set time limits and reminders for students to make them alert and attentive. Efforts should be made to humanize the learning process to the best extent possible. Personal attention should be provided to students so that they can easily adapt to this learning environment. Social media and various group forums can be used to communicate with students. Communication is the key when it gets difficult to try reaching out to students via texts, various messaging apps, video calls, and so on—content should be such that enable students for practice and also hone their skills. The quality of the courses should be improved continuously and teachers must try to give their best. Online programs should be designed in such a way that they are creative, interactive, relevant, student-centered, and group-based (Partlow & Gibbs, 2003). Educators must spend a lot of time in making effective strategies for giving online instructions. Effective online instructions facilitate feedback from learners, make learners ask questions, and broaden the learner horizon for the course content (Keeton, 2004). Institutions must focus on pedagogical issues and emphasize collaborative learning, case learning, and project-based learning through online instructions (Kim & Bonk, 2006). The challenge to educational institutions is not only finding new technology and using it but also reimagining its education, thereby helping students and academic staff who are seeking guidance for digital literacy. Objectives of the Study To explore the growth of EdTech Start-ups and online learning. To conduct an Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Challenges analysis of online learning during the Corona Virus pandemic and natural disasters. To give some suggestions and recommendations for the success of online mode of learning during a crisis-like situation. Impacts on Digital connectivity, Data Storage/Security gobally Unprecedented demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted major weaknesses in the resilience of the global economy, from the delivery capacity of national healthcare systems to systemic stresses on digital support systems. The virus response has reinforced state powers to enable massive economic interventions to replace lost income, and securely monitor personal movements to achieve lower curves for healthcare demands; but this also magnified leadership challenges to resolve healthcare equipment and personnel shortfalls and maintain public support on isolation, testing and contact tracing regimes. The importance of digital connectivity, especially residential broadband capacity has also been highlighted by the nearly 2 billion workers directed to commute digitally and adopt new software and data technology solutions from their homes. The COVID-19 crisis also stressed existing market rules on delivery of health care supply needs, amplified by nativist calls for the national re-shoring of big data analytical support and access concerns over national data stored abroad. This reality only increases the potential digital disruption of 5G, multi-cloud data storage and big data analytics. In 2020, un-collaborative stances of large trading nations have already created access, tax and rent allocation strains which cannot be mediated solely via global competition policy and IP patent regimes. These include attempts to create dominance in global data services and cloud storage, with emerging trade and jurisdictional tensions over contested global rents, further stressed by geo-political powers and financial/economic distortions. In this new digital age where data increasingly drives economic growth, the traditional tariff-focused management of trade flows, has been upended by new digital services, including financial transfers, and cloud data storage capacity with new security layers of block chain secure encryption and cloud access security brokers. The severe stresses of COVID-19 reinforce this requirement for a systemic governance response that builds resilience to these global challenges of natural or environmental disasters and level access to the online retail world which may reach 30% in Asia before 2025. Such a framework would need to include data governance obligations and issues arising from anti-competitive behaviours under the guise of relief from pandemic and other disruptions. Therefore they can advance a uniform set of controls,market framework as well as competition policies for a digital cloud world. We consider the political will and discipline to accept institutional mediation and contain future conflicts awaits leadership consensus and multilateral collaboration. An example that highlights the importance of these considerations is the recently announced UN high-level panel, chaired by Melinda Gates, and Jack Ma, to report on digital interdependence. This panel highlights “permanent platforms of co-operation, multi-stakeholder approach“ to flexibly engage governments, companies, research centres and NGOs to exchange best practices or set boundaries for new tech capabilities like multi-cloud storage, AI, computing and the internet of things.