NOVEMBER 20238 IN MY VIEWClassrooms have traditionally been the backbone of teaching and learning. And in the context of a college or institute of higher education, there is more value from the physical interactions between individuals within the classroom space ­ whether lecturers, tutors, or peers. When there is hands-on demonstration and training sessions or there is a lively discussion with quick exchanges of ideas and possibilities of novel applications, this is where the magic happens - learning becomes fun, lived, and experienced.In 2020, the world changed dramatically. Classrooms all over the world were shuttered for fear of spreading what was a potentially fatal plague. We had to find new solutions overnight.Prior to COVID-19, there were online classes or distance learning classes, but mainstream institutions like ours were in no big rush. We were all slowly integrating online elements into learning, cherry picking which elements would work best. It was a remarkable watershed in that we no longer had a choice, nor did we have the luxury of time to decide what would work best. In Singapore, our equivalent of a lockdown meant that we had to pivot all classes, whether lectures or tutorials, almost overnight to virtual sessions.I can say that the experience chastened us as educators. We had to rethink teaching and learning ­ and yes, we ourselves had to learn lessons the hard way. Simply appearing on screen and rattling off a lecture did not translate well. If you cannot demonstrate how something works in real life, showing it on a screen requires one to think of camera angles, what exactly to show, and how to concentrate young minds on critical functionalities.Remote Learning Enables Flexibility and Convenience Three years on. I can say that we have learnt much. At my institution, we experimented with animations and 3D VR images to show the workings of chemical plants. We gamified our lessons, created quizzes and crafted escape rooms so that complex concepts would sink in through play. We experimented with software which would let us do real-time mark ups on drawings, co-create code online, among others.All this because we learnt that with teaching and learning in the virtual space, there must be more interactivity that is targeted planned and managed. It cannot happen by chance, and the learning objectives must be front and centre of the planned virtual experience.Remote learning ­ which I define as both synchronous and asynchronous sessions that are delivered online ­ is a mainstay for the education industry today. It is a big part of our lesson plans and it has proven popular with learners. The proverbial door can no longer be shut and how we teach and learn has irrevocably changed. Learners are given the time and space to complete their modules in their own time. This means that students can rewatch lectures to revisit portions that they are struggling to understand, at their own pace. They may also view these lectures at any time, even while taking the public commute to go home. This also allows for more detailed note-taking.Our adult learners have to juggle various commitments, both at work, and at home. And while they've set aside time for synchronous classes, unforeseen circumstances might still limit their face time in class. We have hence made available a live video streaming option for learners who are unable to come onto campus for synchronous classes, whether due to work or family exigencies. Through two-way REMOTE LEARNING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION BY SOON KEOW TAN, DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, NANYANG POLYTECHNIC (NYP) Soon Keow Tan
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