The Role of Online University Teaching and Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic

Amidst the worldwide prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, there has been an abrupt transition to online teaching and learning. Among students of various age groups, students pursuing university education have been one of the most drastically affected by this sudden change. Responding to this critical predicament adapting completely and rapidly to online education that ensures effective learning, has been the need of the hour. It is imperative to also investigate the ways in which Information and Communication Technologies affect the learners, teachers and supporting staff members during the lockdown of COVID-19. This paper proposes to evaluate the challenges faced by instructors across universities in India. Through this exploratory research, an attempt will be made to understand through an exhaustive literature review, the measures that have been deployed to overcome the challenges that hamper effective learning among university students and online pedagogies. The paper concludes with insights to focus on students’ experiences of learning online. As a part of this prescriptive research, it also aims to propose effective best practices of teaching and learning as well as pedagogical innovations that can improve distance education.