Modes Of Education Delivery Research Articles

Expanding faculty development through capacity-building: An institutional case study

The global pandemic highlighted the need for diverse faculty development partners to ensure student and faculty learning was supported, particularly in intensive modes of educational delivery. Our paper presents an institutional case study of how educational technology, in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning and subject matter experts, served as untapped providers of faculty development. We detail the decision to shift to an intensive 7-week module system rather than our traditional 15-week semester in response to COVID-19. Although challenging for both faculty and students, this shift in educational delivery facilitated innovative approaches to faculty and student learning that are present on our campus today. This institutional case study highlights the role that capacity-building plays in capability development and professional learning for faculty and students alike to support effective teaching practice across diverse delivery modes.

The application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to nursing practice: A national survey of United Kingdom pre-registration nursing students.

To assess student nurses understanding and skills in the application of antimicrobial stewardship knowledge to practice. Quantitative. Cross-sectional survey. Five hundred and twenty three student nurses responded across 23 UK universities. Although students felt prepared in competencies in infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice, they felt less prepared in competencies in which microbiological knowledge, prescribing and its effect on antimicrobial stewardship is required. Problem-based learning, activities in the clinical setting and face-to-face teaching were identified as the preferred modes of education delivery. Those who had shared antimicrobial stewardship teaching with students from other professions reported the benefits to include a broader understanding of antimicrobial stewardship, an understanding of the roles of others in antimicrobial stewardship and improved interprofessional working. There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved, and a need to strengthen knowledge in pre-registration nurse education programmes pertaining to antimicrobial management, specifically microbiology and antimicrobial regimes and effects on antimicrobial stewardship. Infection prevention and control, patient-centred care and interprofessional collaborative practice are areas of antimicrobial stewardship in which student nurses feel prepared. Interprofessional education would help nurses and other members of the antimicrobial stewardship team clarify the role nurses can play in antimicrobial stewardship and therefore maximize their contribution to antimicrobial stewardship and antimicrobial management. There is a need to strengthen knowledge from the basic sciences, specifically pertaining to antimicrobial management, in pre-registration nurse education programmes. No patient or public contribution. What Problem Did the Study Address? Nurses must protect health through understanding and applying antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2018); however, there is no research available that has investigated nurses understanding and skills of the basic sciences associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which they are involved. What Were the Main Findings? There are gaps in student nurses' knowledge of the basic sciences (specifically microbiology and prescribing) associated with the antimicrobial stewardship activities in which nurses are involved. Problem-based learning, and activities in the clinical setting, were reported as useful teaching methods, whereas online learning, was seen as less useful. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact? Pre-registration nurse education programmes. The relevant reporting method has been adhered to, that is, STROBE.

Problems with Students' Mental Health in the Context of Online Learning

The 21st century has witnessed a profound transformation in education, accelerated by global events and fueled by the emergence of online learning as the predominant mode of educational delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has played a pivotal role in expediting this shift. This paper explores the intricate relationship between online learning and the mental well-being of students, dissecting five key factors that influence this dynamic. These factors encompass the complexity of navigating information in the digital age, the diminishing face-to-face interactions, dissatisfaction with academic performance, the historical backdrop of the pandemic, and the profound influence of students' personality traits. In response to these challenges, the paper offers a set of comprehensive suggestions. Digital literacy education equips students with the skills to navigate the online world responsibly. Enhancing communication and interaction fosters a sense of community in the virtual classroom. Providing academic support and setting clear learning objectives alleviates anxiety and bolsters motivation. Finally, mental health support services are essential for addressing the emotional toll of these changes on students.

E-Learning and Students Academic Performance in Cameroon’s State Universities

Purpose: The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted traditional modes of education delivery, leading to concerns about students' poor academic performance in Cameroon state universities. This study examines “E-learning and its effects on students' performances in Cameroonian state universities.” The research questions focus on the extent to which e-notes, e-assignment, e-collaboration, and video conferencing affect students' performance.
 Materials and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive survey design and employed a quantitative approach to collect and analyze data. A sample size of 310 master's students from the Faculty of Education in the University of Yaoundé 1 and University of Buea was selected through simple random probability sampling. The instrument for data collection adopted in this study was a structured questionnaire. Data was presented using tables and frequencies.
 Findings: The findings of the study on the effects of e-learning components, including e-notes, e-collaboration, e-assignments, and video conferencing, suggest positive impacts on students' performances. E-notes and lectures provided easy access to course materials and contributed to students' understanding, although some students still preferred traditional handwritten notes. E-collaboration enhanced learning experiences by promoting knowledge sharing and critical thinking, but challenges such as unequal participation and a preference for physical collaboration need to be addressed. While e-assignments facilitated timely submissions, most students did not believe they improved their performance compared to traditional methods, emphasizing the importance of effective feedback. Video conferencing-maintained classroom community and interaction, positively influencing students' attitudes, although its effect on academic performance was relatively low.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that educators and policymakers in Cameroon should design e-learning courses that are engaging and interactive, and provide support to students to ensure they are able to succeed in online environments. A balanced approach accommodating diverse learning preferences is also recommended, along with promoting effective e-collaboration practices and providing constructive feedback.

Expanding faculty development through capacity-building: An institutional case study

The global pandemic highlighted the need for diverse faculty development partners to ensure student and faculty learning was supported, particularly in intensive modes of educational delivery. Our paper presents an institutional case study of how educational technology, in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning and subject matter experts, served as untapped providers of faculty development. We detail the decision to shift to an intensive 7-week module system rather than our traditional 15-week semester in response to COVID-19. Although challenging for both faculty and students, this shift in educational delivery facilitated innovative approaches to faculty and student learning that are present on our campus today. This institutional case study highlights the role that capacity-building plays in capability development and professional learning for faculty and students alike to support effective teaching practice across diverse delivery modes.

Critical social theory, inclusion, and a pedagogy of hope

In recent years, issues of inclusion within the field of adult education have garnered increasing attention and have expanded to consider various equity and social justice concerns. Frequently, however, these concerns are considered in a piecemeal fashion, either with a narrower focus on a particular equity issue, or as a simplified add-on to wider debates about educational design, delivery modes, or policy structures. To deepen the discussion around inclusion in lifelong learning, it is important to draw upon critical social theory to explore not only particular circumstances and challenges faced by different groups seeking equity and inclusion, but also to consider the broader frameworks in which adult teaching and learning happens. Despite challenges such as neoliberalism, adult educators need to retain Freire’s belief in the possibilities offered by a pedagogy of hope and the belief that humans have the capacity to make positive changes.

Teacher support of non-native language students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-national comparison

The COVID-19 pandemic created a great deal of disruption in all segments of life across the world, including for education. There is evidence to suggest that these disruptions may have been particularly damaging to students from marginalized communities, including those whose native language is not that of the test. During the pandemic, schools were forced to change the mode of educational delivery from in person to largely online. In an effort to ease this transition they took a number of additional efforts to support teachers, parents, and students in meeting the challenges that arose due to the pandemic induced disruptions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of these efforts on student perceptions of teacher support during the pandemic. Results demonstrated that when school support to non-native langue parents increased, non-native langue students were more likely to perceive that their teachers supported them in a variety of ways. Implications of these results are discussed.

Exploring the E-learning experiences of students during Covid-19: a case study of the Khushal Khan Khattak University, Karak, Pakistan

In Pakistan, E-Learning was never a part of the regular mode of education delivery in any institution. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all educational institutes, including colleges and universities, now offer online learning programs. E-Learning is internet or web-based learning now widely used in Pakistan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the experiences of university students during COVID-19, and the case study is of Khushal Khan Khattak University in district Karak of Pakistan. A descriptive qualitative design was used by using a purposive sampling technique. Data was collected using semi-structured, face-to-face in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to devise different themes based on the interviews taken. The study results revealed six major themes: Difficult in accessing E-Learning, Reservations about the shift to E-Learning, Learning Issues, Personal views and issues, Completion and comprehension of coursework, and challenges related to E-Learning. The study concluded that the abrupt remote online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted students at all stages of education.

Specialist Palliative Care and Dementia: Staff Challenges and Learning Needs.

Objective: This study explored the perspectives of specialist palliative care (SPC) teams in Ireland, in relation to personal learning needs and education regarding dementia care. Methods: This mixed-methods study involved a survey and focus group. SPC staff were recruited through a professional palliative care society and via hospices in 4 regions. Survey items included challenges in clinical care, personal learning needs, and preferred modes of educational delivery. Quantitative data analysis was descriptive; open-answer survey questions and the focus group transcript underwent thematic analysis. Results: In total, 76 staff completed surveys and rated the following as most challenging: timely access to community agency and specialist support; and managing the needs of people with dementia (PwD). Respondents volunteered additional challenges around the timing/duration of SPC involvement, prognostication, and inadequate knowledge of local services. Staff ranked learning needs as highest in: nonpharmacological management of noncognitive and cognitive symptoms; differentiation of dementia subtypes; and pharmacological management of cognitive symptoms. The focus group (n = 4) gave deeper perspectives on these topics. Overall, 79.2% of staff preferred formal presentations by dementia-care specialists and 76.6% preferred e-learning. Conclusion: Several dementia-care challenges and learning needs are identified by SPC staff, as above. These can inform the design and delivery of tailored education programs for SPC staff. There is also a need for closer working between dementia services and SPC services to provide integrated, holistic care for PwD. One aspect of achieving this is greater awareness of local dementia-care services among SPC staff, and vice versa.

Medicaid expansion and risk of eclampsia

Eclampsia is an indicator of severe maternal morbidity and can be prevented through increased prenatal care access and early prenatal care utilization. The 2014 Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allowed states to expand Medicaid coverage to nonelderly adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Its implementation has led to a significant increase in prenatal care access and utilization. This study aimed to assess the association of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act with eclampsia incidence. This natural experiment study was based on US birth certificate data from January 2010 to December 2018 in 16 states that expanded Medicaid in January 2014 and in 13 states that did not expand Medicaid during the study period. The outcome was eclampsia incidence, the intervention was the implementation of the Medicaid expansion, and the exposure was state expansion status. Using the interrupted time series method, we compared temporal trends in the incidence of eclampsia before and after the intervention in expansion vs non-expansion states with adjustments for patient and hospital county characteristics. Of the 21,570,021 birth certificates analyzed, 11,433,862 (53.0%) were in expansion states and 12,035,159 (55.8%) were in the postintervention period. The diagnosis of eclampsia was recorded in 42,677 birth certificates or 19.8 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval, 19.6-20.0). The incidence of eclampsia was higher for Black people (29.1 per 10,000) than for White (20.7 per 10,000), Hispanic (15.3 per 10,000), and birthing people of other race and ethnicity (15.4 per 10,000). In the expansion states, the incidence of eclampsia increased during the preintervention period and decreased during the postintervention period; in the nonexpansion states, a reverse pattern was observed. A statistically significant difference was observed between expansion and nonexpansion states in temporal trends between the pre- and postintervention periods, with an overall 1.6% decrease (95% confidence interval, 1.3-1.9) in the incidence of eclampsia in expansion states compared with nonexpansion states. The results were consistent in subgroup analyses according to maternal race and ethnicity, education level (less than high school or high school and higher), parity (nulliparous or parous), delivery mode (vaginal or cesarean delivery), and poverty in the residence county (high or low). Implementation of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion was associated with a small statistically significant reduction in the incidence of eclampsia. Its clinical significance and cost-effectiveness remain to be determined.

Teaching and learning delivery modes in higher education: Looking back to move forward post-COVID-19 era

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the education sector to adapt rapidly to online and blended learning modes. This systematic literature review examines the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning in higher education, including management education and other disciplines. The review of 68 studies reveals that blended teaching, combining the benefits of face-to-face and online teaching methods, has emerged as a promising approach for higher education in the post-COVID-19 era. However, further research is needed to fully understand the dynamics of this mode, particularly in the context of business management education. The review highlights the importance of flexible and adaptable learning modes in higher education, with a need for institutions to continue promoting and creating diverse learning modes that meet the needs of all students. The use of technology is expected to continue to be integrated into teaching and learning, with a greater focus on blended learning modes. As the pandemic has emphasized the importance of effective and accessible education, future research should focus on analyzing the effects of blended learning in diverse nations and addressing issues such as access to technology and digital literacy.

Pharmacy student perceptions of remote learning and wellness during the pandemic: Lessons learned from a metropolitan commuter city

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to assess pharmacy student perceptions of remote learning experiences and personal well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in a metropolitan commuter city. MethodsA survey was developed and sent to pharmacy students from the three pharmacy colleges in New York City in January 2021. The survey domains consisted of demographics, personal well-being, classroom experiences, and pandemic and post-pandemic preferred learning modalities and reasons. ResultsFrom a total of 1354 students from professional years one, two, and three across the three colleges, completed responses were received from 268 students (20% response rate). More than half of the respondents (55.6%) reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their well-being. More than half of the respondents (58.6%) reported more time to study. When students were asked their preferred mode of pharmacy education delivery during the pandemic and post-pandemic, a quarter (24.5%) preferred remote learning for all courses during the pandemic, and only a quarter (26.8%) preferred traditional classrooms for all courses post-pandemic. Approximately 60% of the respondents preferred some type of remote learning post-pandemic. ConclusionsPharmacy student learning has been and continues to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for pharmacy students in New York City. This study sheds light on the remote learning experiences and preferences of pharmacy students in a commuter city. Future studies could assess pharmacy student learning experiences and preferences after return to campus.

Changes to teaching and learning about medication administration within a diploma of nursing course due to the Covid-19 pandemic: A staff and student multi-method evaluation

AimThis project aimed to evaluate student and staff satisfaction with, and perspectives on, changes to delivery and format of the Medication Unit of Competency within a Diploma of Nursing Program. BackgroundMedication safety is an integral component of learning for pre-registration nursing students. The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid changes to be made to the medication competency unit being taught to students within a Diploma of Nursing, pre-registration course. Changes to sequencing of theory, mode of education delivery, class sizes, available resources and learning support were required. DesignA multi-method evaluation process was conducted. The project is reported as per SQUIRE-EDU guidelines. MethodsFocus groups and survey data were obtained from staff and students in December 2020, to evaluate responses to the changes. Student exam results and the number of learning support consultations accessed were also assessed to identify impact of changes. ResultsStaff and student evaluation identified mixed responses but overall, the change in sequence of theory and mode of delivery was positively received. Crude comparisons of final assessment results revealed improved marks compared to the previous cohort. The addition of an online medication resource was utilised by most students. The agility of staff in responding to the challenges was highlighted in the staff focus group and additional, flexible learning support was favourably received by students. ConclusionsDespite the need for rapid changes being made to the course, positive responses were received from both staff and students. Some students preferred the traditional sequencing of learning as they felt it matched their learning style. An added online resource and extra learning support supported student self-efficacy development of medication competency; however further research is needed to ascertain any associations. The online resource is still being utilised within course curriculum.

Health Research and Education during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Australian Clinician and Researcher Perspective.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented global effect on teaching and education. This review discusses research, education and diagnostics from the perspectives of four academic clinicians and researchers across different facilities in Australia. Materials and methods: The study adopted a literature review and an Australian researcher's perspective on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health education, research and diagnostics. Results: At the start of the pandemic, medical facilities had to adhere urgently to major work restrictions, including social distancing, mask-wearing rules and/or the closure of facilities to protect staff, students and patients from the risk of COVID-19 infection. Telemedicine and telehealth services were rapidly implemented and adapted to meet the needs of medical education, the teaching of students, trainee doctors, nursing and allied health staff and became a widely accepted norm. The impact on clinical research and education saw the closure of clinical trials and the implementation of new methods in the conducting of trials, including electronic consents, remote patient assessments and the ability to commence fully virtual clinical trials. Academic teaching adapted augmented reality and competency-based teaching to become important new modes of education delivery. Diagnostic services also required new policies and procedures to ensure the safety of personnel. Conclusions: As a by-product of the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional, face-to-face learning and clinical research were converted into online formats. An hybrid environment of traditional methods and novel technological tools has emerged in readiness for future pandemics that allows for virtual learning with concurrent recognition of the need to provide for interpersonal interactions.

Current status of undergraduate orthodontic education in Canada.

This study evaluated teaching hours and mode of instruction of undergraduate orthodontic education dental students in Canada receive, changes implemented by each educational dental institution (EDI) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and plans for mode of orthodontic education delivery post-COVID-19. An electronic survey was administered to the program directors of undergraduate orthodontics at each EDI to reveal details regarding the (i) time and details of didactic, preclinical, and clinical experience provided to students and (ii) perceptions of undergraduate program directors about the adequacy of the current curricula. All 10 Canadian EDIs participated in the survey during the year 2021. Most EDIs deliver their orthodontic curricula beginning in the second year of the program (7, 70.0%), continuing through third (7, 70.0%) and fourth (6, 60.0%) years. The number of hours of didactic, preclinical, and clinical instruction varied by as much as 50 h per academic year across different EDIs. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all EDIs (9, 90.0%) maintained the same amount of didactic lecture time yet most switched to synchronous (5, 50.0%) or asynchronous (3, 30.0%) online delivery format. Most EDIs (8, 80.0%) indicated the quality of education was maintained during the pandemic. There exists significant variation in undergraduate orthodontic time allotment among Canadian EDIs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most Canadian EDIs maintained a consistent amount of teaching hours while transitioning to some form of online course delivery. Most program directors indicated they believed students received the same quality of education after the change in mode of course delivery. The future of undergraduate orthodontic education will likely continue the accelerated trend toward online education.

Google Classroom as a Teaching Tool for Undergraduate Embryology.

Context and aim Modern teaching of medicine has evolved into a beyond-the-classroom experience. Learning management systems (LMSs) have made this possible because of easy accessibility and user-friendliness. The COVID-19 lockdown further accentuated the need for this mode of education delivery. General embryology (GE) is a subject under human anatomy that does not rely on "touch-and-feel" as much as other medical subjects.Assess Google Classroom (GC) as a teaching tool to deliver an online undergraduate-level general embryology (GE) course. Settings and design A cross-sectional study involving 211 undergraduate medical students across India. Methods and material A pre-and post-quiz model was adopted to evaluate the efficiency of a five-lecture course on GE. The course content was delivered via 20-minute YouTube video lectures, uploaded on GC. Lastly, student feedback regarding gadget preferences and the overall learning experience was collected. Statistical Analysis: The confidence interval was set at 95%, and a p-value </= 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Data were analyzed using SPSS software v.23. Results We observed a significant increase in mean quiz scores of all quizzes with increased perceived confidence in the subject, yet a high attrition rate (74.8 %). GC scored a 4.3/5 for user-friendliness, and 83.7% of students preferred cell phones for accessing GC. Conclusion GC, with its limitations, poses a significant challenge to teaching GE online. Software updates in the future might prove it to be a competent alternative to other LMSs in the market. GC falls short in terms of providing optimum levels of assessment and interaction for learning complex topics like embryology.

Comparison of simulation-based interprofessional education and video-enhanced interprofessional education in improving the learning outcomes of medical and nursing students: A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundUse of interprofessional education has greatly expanded and is widely used to foster interprofessional collaborative practice competency in health professionals, especially during medical emergencies. Identifying the interprofessional education delivery mode that can maximize learning outcomes within available resources is crucial for achieving the sustainability of an interprofessional education program. ObjectivesTo examine the learning outcomes of simulation-based interprofessional education and video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education modules and to analyze the variable costs between these two interprofessional education modules. DesignA prospective quasi-experimental study. SettingA medical university in Northern Taiwan. Participants24 medical students and 48 nursing students enrolled in a 4-week simulation-based interprofessional education or video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education program. MethodsStudents' medical task performance, critical medical task performance, team behavior performance, and interprofessional collaboration attitude were examined at the pretest and posttest by using an objective structured checklist and team performance rating scale with a hands-on simulation model and structured questionnaires. The variable costs for simulation-based interprofessional education and video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education were estimated upon the completion of the course. ResultsAll learning outcomes significantly improved for both the groups from the pretest to posttest. After the intervention, the simulation-based interprofessional education group exhibited significantly higher scores in medical task performance, critical medical task performance and team behavior performance than the video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education group at the posttest. No significant difference was noted in interprofessional collaboration attitude between the groups. Cost analysis revealed that the simulation-based interprofessional education program was approximately two times more expensive in terms of staffing costs and required 1.3 times greater space charges than the video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education program. ConclusionBoth simulation-based interprofessional education and video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education modules effectively improved medical and nursing students' medical task performance, critical medical task performance and team behavior performance. The simulation-based interprofessional education group had more favorable learning outcomes, but the associated costs were higher. Educators should consider both learning outcomes and cost when choosing a design strategy simulation-based interprofessional education vs. video-enhanced interactive discussion interprofessional education for interprofessional education module development.

P091 Assessing Level of Interest in In-person and Virtual Nutrition Education Among SNAP-Ed Eligible Utahns

<h3>Background</h3> In response to SARS-CoV-2, Utah's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) pivoted from in-person to virtual nutrition education classes. Virtual nutrition programs have been found to be effective among certain demographics. Additionally, virtual classes may be a preferred mode of SNAP-Ed nutrition education delivery. <h3>Objective</h3> The objective of this needs assessment was to compare the level of interest in in-person and virtual nutrition classes, as well as several online platforms among SNAP-Ed eligible Utahns. <h3>Study Design, Settings, Participants</h3> An electronic survey was sent to eligible Utahns through a listserv of current SNAP recipients, a SNAP-Ed e-newsletter, and links posted on SNAP-Ed social media platforms. Survey respondents were asked to report demographics, preferred frequency and duration of classes, and electronic device use and access barriers. Respondents also ranked six preferred modes of delivery including in-person, Facebook Live, YouTube, Zoom, Canvas, and other. <h3>Measurable Outcomes/Analysis</h3> Descriptive statistics were collected and analyzed. Responses to questions about class duration and frequency, virtual platforms, and electronic device use were compared among age groups, ethnicities, gender, and rurality. Respondents ranked six modes of delivery on a scale of 1-6 (1 = most preferred; 6 = least preferred) and mean scores were calculated. <h3>Results</h3> Two-hundred sixty-nine individuals completed the survey. In-person classes were ranked as the most popular mode of delivery (mean = 2.57) followed by Facebook Live (2.77), YouTube (2.84), Zoom (2.97), Canvas (3.89), other (5.73). In-person classes were ranked highest among most subgroups, however virtual classes were most popular among respondents aged 18-24 & older than 35. Respondents most selected weekly (49%), 45-minute classes (33%) as the preferred frequency and duration. Seventy percent reported no barriers to internet access. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The results of this assessment suggest that virtual education may be a valuable tool to reach certain subgroups of SNAP-Ed eligible Utahns. However, given the expressed preference of in-person classes, virtual education should be used as a supplemental approach to traditional group classes. <h3>Funding</h3> Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education

The digital divide, gender and education: challenges for tribal youth in rural Jharkhand during Covid-19

When analysing the Covid-19 pandemic potential consequences on education, it is evident that it had adverse effects on the existing educational inequalities worldwide. However, little is known about how the digital divide have worsened the conventional educational system and reinforced pre-existing gender inequalities among the historically marginalised communities. This research paper explores how the pandemic, along with digital divide, deteriorated the educational system among the socially deprived groups (i.e. tribals also known as indigenous or Adivasis) and place them in a disadvantageous position. The paper reflects on how the Covid-19 pandemic re-configured the pre-existing issues of educational inequalities and how the digital dived have been manifested in a way that has particularly affected the young tribal girls. For this study, semi-structured interviews with tribal students, their parents and teachers residing in a remote area of Jharkhand, India, were conducted to understand their experiences of shifting to online education mode. Other than accessibility and infrastructure issue, the findings reveal that the elements of cultural and social issues (related to perceived benefits of education for girls and mindset or beliefs parents and teachers towards effectiveness of digital mode of education delivery) create and reinforce the digital divide for the tribal girls in the hinterlands. Based on the information collected from the interview, the study emphasises on re-thinking the digital learning ecosystem and provide policy recommendations to counteract the worsening digital divide and educational inequalities among socially deprived groups.

Coming to Terms With COVID-19 Reality in the Context of Africa’s Higher Education: Challenges, Insights, and Prospects

This perspective paper aimed at elucidating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on African institutions of higher education. With specific reference to Kenya, the paper exposed the state of the country’s unpreparedness in terms of instructional technologies, a situation that had contributed to an almost total shutdown of institutions following the outbreak. It was notable that whereas Kenya—like most African countries—had not borne the brunt of COVID-19 infections in comparison to other countries outside the continent, its education sector was adversely affected. This followed the social distancing requirement that limited in-person gatherings—the low rate of infections notwithstanding—implying that its learning institutions, most of which operated on in-person mode, had to close. Since most universities in Africa had hitherto operated on this mode, the shift to online learning was not easy. Save for a few universities that had digital infrastructure, the rest encountered difficulties in moving to remote learning. Many had to quickly assemble digital curricula, the quality of which could not be guaranteed. Even if an institution managed to do so, not all students could be brought on board. Digital exclusion became more pronounced than ever before, with learners who were economically, technologically, and geographically disadvantaged missing out. Inequalities in education were laid bare and exacerbated. All this notwithstanding, Africa learnt lessons. The whole experience prompted various stakeholders—university management, faculty, and government—to rethink their modes of education delivery, with quality and access in mind. In retrospect, the pandemic could serve as a catalyst for digitalization in Africa’s higher education system.