Entering 2022, India is booming with disruptive development in every possible industry and is accelerating towards establishing a strong foundation for growth and overall digitalisation across the country. A fast growing sector in recent years, edtech is a crucial piece of the future of education in the country, and the proposed budget for the financial year reflects the deliberations towards the same. Taking into account the unpredictable nature of businesses, the globally connected economy and the course towards what comes next.

In online teaching, classroom management is undoubtedly the toughest part. Finding the right classroom management strategies is one of the top professional development needs of a teacher. In regular classroom-based education, experienced teachers can establish routines early. But, a virtual classroom is a new concept for even experienced teachers. Are you a teacher facing difficulties with the management of a virtual classroom? It is better to learn some classroom management techniques. Here are some classroom management tips for effective virtual classroom management.

Online teaching offers many benefits to teachers and even to students. Particularly, it offers convenience and flexibility both for learning and teaching. Teachers can teach from their places and are relieved of commuting to campus. The same holds for students as well. Anything can have both positive and negative aspects. Of course, online teaching is beneficial in many ways. Nevertheless, it forces teachers to face some challenges as well. If you are new to online teaching, it is better to be aware of the challenges in online teaching. Knowing the challenges alone is not enough. It is better that you know how to overcome those challenges.

Children need to have a strong support system to navigate through major life events and the challenges they will face whether it is related to their academic or social life. As teachers strive to ensure every student is provided with the resources and support to perform their best, it is necessary to ensure that this support is present even at home. Studies have shown that the level of parental involvement is the foremost predictor of academic success, having considered all other factors. The degree of parental engagement plays a crucial role in determining the success of a child in their educational journey.

The pandemic has compelled educational institutions to shift almost all aspects of learning online. Examinations and other assessments are now being conducted virtually. While this has allowed students to undergo their academic evaluations in a safe manner, it has led to a significant increase in instances of cheating. Many students have exploited the limitations of the remote monitoring capabilities of schools and colleges to gain an unfair advantage when taking their examinations. The most common methods of cheating during online exams include impersonation, using external resources, screen sharing, and colluding with friends and other individuals. This poses a huge threat to an institution's academic integrity, which in turn has huge ramifications for students, in terms of the veracity of their marks and for the institution, in terms of its accreditation and standing.

More educational institutions are focusing on building student-teacher relationships as a crucial aspect of the online learning experience. Building a rapport with students online is on every educational institution’s agenda since the virtual modes took over traditional forms of schooling. The involvement of faculty is a key aspect of providing the experience but not the only one. Right from enrollment, the conversations with academic counselors, documentation submissions and other formalities need to be intuitive and responsive to every student’s journey. This includes having a solid digital infrastructure in place as most students are digital natives and the thrill of the learning and education experience begins on their screens.

A few years ago, nobody would have imagined that a public health crisis would be the reason for digitization of what was considered a rigidly traditional sector - education. But true to the concept of the word, educators have ‘learnt’ how to keep learning going and have taken great strides in ensuring inclusive learning. Most student learning patterns are different from the other and with the pandemic, more focus has been placed on suitable learning methods for each type of learner and their pace. Online schooling has now become the norm, after moving on from the newness phase that we saw in the early pandemic days. Efforts to transition the learner and the teacher on virtual platforms came with its own teething troubles. Classroom management, inclusive education and time management were tricky issues to deal with, even extending to external factors like poor internet connectivity and infrastructure, data plans and others. While most opted out of an education in Tier 2 and 3 cities, the others grappled with a new medium of instruction, hoping that the pandemic would soon come to an end and conventional schooling would take over.

Frequent assessments of learning progress by each student in a classroom delivers on the promise of quality education. By doing so, educators can keep a check on students that require more active interventions and those that can perform with the standard methods of teaching. This enables timely course corrections and offers a more hands-on experience of learning. Before the pandemic changed things for the education sector, the physical classroom was a ground for enriched learning by way of interactions with peers, faculty and available resources like libraries and study spaces. A holistic education was ensured through these ‘default settings’ and student progress was clear to see for the educator and parent. With digital learning, tracking a student’s progress has become a bit challenging largely due to the impermeability of physical experiences in a virtual world. Despite this, most institutions have managed to cover course syllabus in the most effective manner possible. Support from parents is key to measure student involvement and helps the teacher track student progress online.

Online applications for admissions are going to be the new norm for educational institutions given the pandemic-induced transition to virtual operations. Managing admissions might seem a daunting task considering the various digital marketing approaches and tools to be used to bring leads into the customer funnel. Given this predicament for institutions that have largely depended on offline media to garner applications for their course offerings, a host of admissions management softwares can alleviate the anxiety tied to the admissions season. It is imperative, however, to continue planning for the intakes just as in an offline preparatory mode. The process to be set up doesn’t look different for both offline and online modes. Readily available information to the student prospects, the availability of academic counselors to resolve queries and provide guidance, application form payments, real-time notifications on strong leads are some parts of the admissions workflow that need to be planned with meticulousness. 

The flow of finances in any organization needs to be recorded and managed well in order to save time, cost, and labor. The availability of software platforms to cater to users who have shifted to transacting online helps bring structure to accountants and finance professionals as well. Having a good financial management system (FMS) software will help simplify the entire accounting process and modernize traditional business functions. An FMS in an educational institution performs functions like recording transactions, making and receiving payments, reducing accounting errors, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards. The main types of financial management systems can be categorized into financial accounting, managerial accounting, and corporate finance. Every educational institution differs from the other and the needs for some systems might not arise unless expansion in terms of institution size or region is on the management agenda. The pandemic-set norms of digitization have led to an uptick in the number of financial management systems out in the market. We explore some in this article:

Frequent absenteeism is a problem with online learning. The reasons are manifold. Poor network connectivity, inadequate digital infrastructure leading to disconnections, student fatigue, and more. Most students now hold the power to “leave” a classroom since that action has been reduced to the pressing of a button. With the online learning system, educational institutions are also finding it a challenge to “mark a student present”.

School management system refers to the management software that can digitise all aspects of school management activities, using a single platform. School and higher educational institutions have begun to implement school ERPs to digitise their operations. School ERP features assist in streamlining all aspects of day-to-day educational management.

The primary purpose of providing education is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to attain success in the path they choose to take. A key factor in achieving this objective is to give students a wholesome and enriching learning experience. In an increasingly competitive education industry, schools and universities have to show students why they are the best option for them.

It is certain that technology will drive the future of education. The new teaching tools that have come up in the wake of the pandemic have proven to be effective for the new generation of learners and educators. With an education that fits in the palms of a student’s hands, it’s now a matter of gaining mind space, in the form of effective lesson retention. Interesting trends have risen in the months that followed the sudden shift to digital education. We explore some of them in this blog.

Faculty management is probably an overlooked aspect in the digital transition of education. Traditional educators have had to find their way in a maze of learning platform features, all while balancing lesson preparations and class management.

After almost 18 months into the compelled online transition of education, educators are figuring out what makes online learning successful. Sure, there are ample tools and resources to bring knowledge to the student but how should it be tied together to deliver a unified experience, like in a traditional setting? There are plenty of factors to consider while creating successful online learning strategies, for example, the individual styles of learning, class management, concept retention, methods of effective assessment, and examinations, to name a few.

Online learning refers to any kind of learning content that is delivered in a virtual environment. Online learning can be video-based, either live or self-paced, taking place in a one-on-one or group setting. No longer outdated and dreary, rapid technological advancements have aided in the adoption of new-age modes of learning like e-learning, mobile learning, and blended learning and gamification.

The role of parents in delivering education is more crucial than ever. Owing to the shift online, they are key to helping their children develop healthy learning behaviors. Educating your child at home comes with a few challenges that if managed properly, can maximize learning opportunities within restricted environments. As parents find themselves adopting a more immersive role in their children’s studies, educational institutions must extend support in the joint mission of lesson delivery and retention. Parents educating children is a new dimension to lesson delivery and it must be aligned with curriculum goals.

An online training management platform helps you not just deliver content, but plan lessons, manage, assess and maintain your students’ learning records.

Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP is a key software for institutions and the uses of ERP are manifold. ERPs help companies and institutions manage, control their operations and all activities regardless of their periodicity. This software type is most useful when institutions have a lot of data points from various channels and need distilled information to take key decisions and implement correction measures. Schools, Colleges, and Universities deal with a lot of data pertaining to admissions, fees, online classes, assessments, final exams, grading, and certifications which require a level of automation to eliminate manual errors. Processing and storing all this information and easy retrieval makes ERP necessary for educational institutes.

Post pandemic, and perhaps here to stay permanently, the virtual classroom has increasingly become the building block of the educational experience. When choosing the best virtual classroom for your institute, it is essential to investigate the various features virtual classrooms offer and make your decision accordingly from the top virtual training platforms today. What you’re likely to be looking for is instructor-led virtual classroom software, that is built around live classes taught by an instructor present, and not necessarily self-paced or pre-recorded classes commonly being offered by many courses today. This raises the need for several must-have features.

There are many LMS offerings that have sprouted over the last year, trying to keep up with the rising demand from educators and other institutions. There are numerous colleges and higher education institutions in the country, serving Tier 1 - 3 cities, ensuring reach of quality education and in some cases, meeting basic education needs for the population.

A Learning Management System is a basic need for education institutes today. In fact, the LMS market was predicted to be worth over $15.72 billion in 2021. With a growing percentage of internet users, and unstable post pandemic world, and an expectation of education that is moving away from facilities and campus, and more towards affiliations, method of delivery and the quality of teachers, the possibilities have never been so vast and the landscape so intimidating.

An interview with Dr. M. Venugopal, Director- NITTE School Of Management In 2020, education faced its biggest challenge. With urban institutes more equipped to tackle a new normal, many institutes that cater to students in remote areas struggled with technology and integration. We spent time with Dr. M. Venugopal, Director- NITTE School Of Management, for insights in to how a management institution tackles uncertainty from the point of view of the pandemic, as well as industry needs.

Learning Management Systems or LMS is a buzzword in education today. With classrooms going online and the UGC’s recommendations for blended learning, turning to an LMS is no longer a choice for institutions that are committed to their students' learning and educational experience.

In 2020, preschools grappled with an unfamiliar situation of online lesson delivery to preschoolers, a group that had no idea why they were being forced to stay home when they should have been out playing.

Blended online learning is a fast-growing innovation taking the education industry by force. Blended learning is an approach that combines online education resources for online interaction alongside conventional classroom methods. It is defined by the physical presence of both teacher and student and allows the student some autonomy over the learning pace, process, place, and time. Blended online learning is a variation of blended learning that includes concurrent online learning via web conferencing to enhance otherwise asynchronous online learning.

While online learning resources have proved to be a boon, especially during these unprecedented times, e-learning has its challenges.

E-learning refers to any structured learning content that is delivered electronically and is typically administered through a learning management system (LMS). It includes e-learning courses, quizzes, activities, videos, games, simulations, and lecture content that is either live or pre-recorded. e-learning is broadly categorised into synchronous and asynchronous e-learning. Asynchronous e-learning is self-paced and includes pre-recorded learning content, quizzes, games, etc. Synchronous e-learning takes place live, is led by the instructor, and taken at the same time as other learners, who happen to be in different locations. This online learning or live online training usually uses a virtual classroom or web conferencing platform that offers interactive features like chat, polling, and screen sharing.

Even as digital tools abound and online marketing is everyone’s secret sauce, educational institutes continue to experience the power of word-of-mouth, or customer evangelism. While building a great product continues to remain at the center of consumer willingness to recommend your product, there remains a lot more coaching institutes can do in order to remain front and center of the consumer mindspace and occupy market share. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the need for an avenue for students to avail tuitions from home, coaching institutes should invest in technologies to ensure they can meet the digital demand. In this article, the Ken42 team outlines some such digital strategies that centres can leverage to grow their student base post COVID-19.

In India, coaching classes are of extreme importance, buoyed by a commitment to high marks and entry to reputed institutions, as well as a robust admiration for education. Digital adoption can turn coaching institutes into collaborative learning spaces with more room for creative thinking. In addition to facilitating a holistic mixture of theoretical and practical knowledge, digital content tools will allow coaching institutes to promote critical thinking.

What does education in the new normal look like for forward-thinking Indian schools? Clearly, schools are creating a long-term vision, focusing on adaptability and always keeping their strategies learner-centric. The Ken42 team had the privilege to interview the dynamic principal of Deccan International School, Ms. Anuradha Anekal to understand and outline how one of the premier schools in the city is ensuring that children are able to make the most of their online education.

Coaching Institutes in India are highly sought after to help students train for competitive exams such as CLAT, UPSC and IIT-JEE. These classes work in tandem with students’ regular classes and help enhance students’ understanding of key concepts.

How have leading institutions pioneered the shift from offline to online classes? Clearly, they need to create a long-term vision, focusing on adaptability while keeping all stakeholders in mind. The Ken42 team interviewed the COO of Vijay Kiran Group of Institutions, Ms. SunaliniBenjamin

Industries and corporates are not alone in the number of challenges they face. Educational institutes continue to face adversity and change with increasing regularity. With a potentially higher cost of change due to the vulnerable nature of the stakeholders. 

Education in the new normal takes vision, adaptability and most importantly, the decision to always keeping the learner in focus. The Ken42 team interviewed the dynamic Principal of Vidyaniketan School, Ms. Lalitha Desikan to...

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