Hybrid Learning at Universities: UGC finalises draft

The University Grants Commission (UGC) yesterday finalised a draft  policy on hybrid learning for the universities. Hybrid learning will combine different media or instructional methods, including in-person and online learning, an UGC official said.

The draft was finalised after a virtual meeting of a committee that is working on developing the learning method.

The final draft will be sent to the Ministry of Education soon for government approval, said a statement of UGC yesterday.

If a student is deprived of the opportunity of in-person classes, they will be able to recover the loss -- availing recorded classes. They will also have access to multimedia content.

UGC member Prof Biswajit Chanda said after introduction of hybrid learning, studying will be more participatory.

Students will be able to participate in the learning process, and this will have a positive impact.

This should prevent students from dropping out, he said.

Biswajit advised the universities to prepare for the implementation of the method, increase capacity and develop technical infrastructure.

Prof Muhammed Alamgir, another UGC member, said this method will  be helpful in facilitating quality education  not just in the pandemic, but in general as well.

Universities  will determine how many classes will be taken in-person and online. Recordings of online classes will be uploaded to respective websites.

"This system  will be helpful for many new universities that are dealing with a shortage of  teachers," Alamgir said.