Topic: Dealing with Online and Blended Education in Modern Challenging Times

Greetings.

In cooperation with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Flagship Journal Decision (springer Nature), IIM Calcutta is pleased to announce the 1st Conference of Decision on "Dealing with Online and Blended Education in Modern Challenging Times".

The one-day online conference offers a global venue to discuss issues, challenges, and impacts of online teaching-learning alongside the consequences of using hybrid education systems in a pandemic-affected world. The conference shall focus on themes related to multiple stakeholders and educational outcomes across all levels of education: pre-schooling, primary and secondary schooling, vocational and technical education, and tertiary education and engage in debates around education for practitioner scholars.

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has challenged the education system across the world and forced the educators to shift to an online mode of teaching. The main question that arises is whether online learning and, in recent times, hybrid as well as blended learning acts as a panacea during the COVID-19 crisis or not? Both the initiatives of blended and hybrid learning are similar educational approaches, but they differ in the sense that blended learning involves a ratio and combination of both offline and online learning whereas hybrid learning focuses on seeking an individual’s preference of participation either online or in person, thus promoting the best experience for the learner and maintaining a flexible balance as per the learner needs. The challenge is greater in times of crises, as it becomes crucial to simultaneously address students’ learning gaps, as well as their socio-emotional needs with the help of holistic approaches in education. According to the Education at a Glance Report (2020), policies and programs that cater to the needs of vulnerable students during school closures and re-openings must be ensured so that the pandemic does not hinder student equity and inclusion. Teachers have also faced myriad challenges during their adaptation to the digital mode of teaching, new pedagogical concepts, and their requirement to come up with innovative ways of meeting student learning needs. The issues related to teachers have compounded where they do not have proper access to digital learning resources or have not received adequate training and support to shift to online or hybrid models. Overall, if educational institutions are unable to return to their pre-pandemic levels of performances, then the slower growth from the loss of skills in students will have a proportionately higher impact on future economic growth.

The webinar will start with a keynote Speech and end with Panel Discussion on: Educational challenges faced in a pandemic-ridden world, role of Online and Blended Education, and essential policies/programs used to curb them.

Selected Papers will be published on the special Issue of our Journal "Decision" June 2022 Issue (Springer Nature). Authors of the accepted papers will get the invitation form to express their wish to publish it in Decision, Special June issue in quick mode.

Important Dates: Submission Deadline: 31st January 2022
Information on Final Decision: 15th February, 2022.
Conference: 5th March, Saturday.
Revised paper submission for publication: 30th April.

Best Paper award will be announced after the conference.

Submit your paper now