Top 9 Ways to Revive the College Experience in an Online Era

It’s no secret that the pandemic hit us when we least expected it. Fortunately, we are successfully learning to cope and reap the benefits of a more digitally-driven world. But the pandemic has also created a huge gap between student and college life. Yes, staying at home helps in mitigating the risk of coronavirus, which is a plus, but it has also made the college experience less interactive.

A large part of our learning has transitioned from face-to-face to online for safety reasons. But this model has impacted students’ learning patterns and participation in class. It has also curbed social interaction and learning outside the classroom, making learning monotonous and taxing for some. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way.

UpGrad campus is a new-age college focused on improving employability in students and also equipping students with numerous skills from the safety of their homes amidst the ongoing pandemic.

UpGrad offers the best curriculum taught directly by industry experts, with live classes to increase engagement and create a better learning environment. It helps people to continue on the path of life-long learning and overcome the challenges of the pandemic through interactive learning tools.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of online learning:

• You have access to the best courses at your fingertips
• Distance learning from the best colleges from around the world is possible
• Access to lectures by industry experts

So, colleges can leverage these benefits and make learning fun and interactive for students. Here are a few tips to bring the college experience back in the online Era:

• Virtually reliving the classroom

  The best part about being in college is the social interaction between students. Teachers might feel hesitant to adopt newer ways of engaging with students but it is imperative to recognize that the old ways of learning and teaching cannot survive anymore. Teachers must help students virtually relive the classroom experience by making learning fun and engaging. They should encourage discussion and dialogue so that everyone feels involved.

• Interactive fresh activities for students

  To boost morale and energy after a long period of doom and gloom, teachers must incorporate some new activities in classes. This can be done through activities such as interactive games, quizzes, conversations, and much more. It will make students get comfortable with their batch mates through the screen and create a bond with the faculty, as well as bridge the gap between the students and the college.

• Interactive live classes with the lecturers

  Students have argued that they find recorded lessons less interactive and engaging, while live classes with real-time talk with the lecturers are much more beneficial and educational. Live classes help students remain aware and attentive, and it gives them a holistic classroom experience. UpGrad campus’s live classes are one of the best ways to ease into online learning while learning from experts from the comfort of your home.

  

• Interactive debates and events to keep online learning interesting

  Conducting numerous online debates and events for the faculty and the students can boost student participation in online learning. Looking at your professor through a screen can get very monotonous and boring. However, if teachers actively include the students in debates between each other or a group of students, it helps break the monotony and the classroom can be more fun for students.

• Mentorship to help students cope better with the online Era

  Not being able to talk to your professors face-to-face can leave students feeling a lack of support and mentorship. Online mentorship can reduce this feeling in students and help them feel more confident about their future in a post-pandemic world. UpGrad campus also provides online mentorship to students who feel a bit lost during this pandemic and may require expert help to understand the post-pandemic world better.

• Group projects

  Group projects can be a great way to encourage students to make friends with their batch mates. It can enhance a sense of belonging in students with others and the school. Learning and making projects with your classmates is one of the best activities to get students to open up during online classes.

  

• Colleges must adapt to the students' interactive platforms

  As students have made the effort to adapt to online learning, and have adjusted to the new environment, it is also the responsibility of the colleges to join popular social platforms to keep students engaged with college activities.

• Colleges can conduct site visits or face-to face-lectures once a week

  Once a week or every other week, colleges can conduct offline lectures or site visits to help students understand the college environment better.

• Students’ suggestions

  Online learning is a new experience for both teachers and students. Taking students' suggestions into consideration is vital at this point to help students get the best education they can. As long as colleges cannot open for offline classes, supporting students through this crisis is crucial for their mental well being.

  Digital learning or a hybrid model of offline and online is the new reality of learning. There are pros and cons to both, but adapting to the new normal and offering a supportive and constructive learning environment will go a long way in recreating the classroom experience at hom