Q: How has digitalisation affected education since the emergence of COVID-19?
A: Since the outbreak, most institutes and universities needed to devise innovative ways to engage students in teaching and learning through online modes since physical lectures were no longer allowed.

 

In Sri Lanka, we were prepared before the pandemic emerged. As most faculties obtained a World Bank grant in 2019, portions of the funds went towards revolutionising teaching and learning methods through ‘blended learning.’

This includes adapting to modern ‘smart classrooms’ while bringing in the latest technologically advanced learning tools to enhance the experience of higher and tertiary level learners in Sri Lanka.

The University of Kelaniya has had a positive outcome as the adoption of digital education was readily accepted and it was among the first universities here to conduct lessons online. Apps such as Zoom were used before the pandemic among our faculties as we began to revolutionise and develop classes on-site to introduce ‘flipped classrooms.’

Lecturers were assisted with adapting to the new methods of teaching. The university provided the right tools to enable them to work from home comfortably, providing students with the details they needed for this novel form of e-learning.

The way we see it, having been accustomed to the changes in technology, and privy to the various ‘smartboards’ and smart classroom tools, this shift in digitalising the sector has been smooth during the pandemic.

Q: How do smartboards impact student engagement and benefit teachers – particularly where remote learning is concerned?
A: Since the university had been planning ahead of the pandemic, we began implanting our smart classrooms and tools gradually in a more traditional class setting.

This was achieved by either providing more interactive lecture materials using smartboards or sharing online videos and tutorials in classrooms.

There were also instances where we had students engage in activities in classrooms to enhance their ability to learn independently through presentations or speeches with the use of smartboards.

By doing so, we were able to help both teachers and students adapt to the newer technologies.

The management faculty has two smart classrooms and is in the midst of developing another six. The existing classrooms have been used by undergraduates and postgraduate students, who’ve come to understand that smart classroom learning has a higher recall rate and is more effective than our traditional lessons.

Q: Why is the digitalisation of education vital – and what impact will it have on the sector’s future?
A: Parttime employment for students has become important. Initially, many sought parttime jobs after lectures to earn incomes of their own. However, there are now instances where students work during the day and are unable to physically attend classes.

As such, lectures become an inconvenience to their modern lifestyles. This is also why we had already pursued the digitalisation of lessons to offer final year students the ability to engage in internships and jobs while participating in recorded lessons later or watching them online.

Continuous assessments were also made available with our Computer Assisted Learning platform where students can upload their assignments 24/7.

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INTERVIEWEE DETAILS
Dr. C. N. Wickramasinghe
Senior Lecturer
Department of Commerce and Financial Management
COMPANY DETAILS
Telephone:2903903
Email:nalakacw@kln.ac.lk
Website:www.kln.ac.lk