Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 24: To enhance educational practices, a policy dialogue on “Developing Inclusive Blended Learning Practices for Universities and Colleges in Jammu and Kashmir” was organized here today at the University of Jammu.
This first-of-its-kind initiative was organized by the PG Department of Education JU, in collaboration with the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Jammu.
Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, JKUT, who was chief guest on the occasion, emphasized the necessity of access and equity to achieve the goals of blended learning as outlined in NEP 2020. He advocated for a balanced approach, with 40 percent of content delivered through blended methods focusing on instructions, while the remaining 60 percent should involve experiential learning methods like problem-solving, project work, and field visits. He also recommended adopting the flipped classroom model and redefining teachers as mentors.
In his presidential address, Prof Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellor JU, highlighted the critical role of adaptive learning technologies, teacher training, and infrastructure development in facilitating impactful blended learning across disciplines. He highlighted the need to cultivate a broad spectrum of skills among students, including life skills, soft skills, teamwork, analytical capabilities, digital and technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, mathematical skills, and critical and creative thinking.
Earlier, Dr Ana Bali, Lecturer, PG Department of Education, outlined the day’s activities. Dr Sayantan Mandal, Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator of the Integrating Teaching and Learning with Digital Education Project, presented an overview of the policy document. He emphasized the research project’s depth and the collaboration between IIT Jammu and JU, led by Prof Renu Nanda, Head of the PG Department of Education.
Prof Pankaj Srivastava, Director, Directorate of Distance and Online Education, JU, pointed out two major barriers to digital teaching: non-uniform syllabus and the need for robust digital infrastructure to bridge the digital divide. Dr Shashi Prabha, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, JU highlighted the challenges faced by rural students during harvest seasons and the importance of blended learning in such contexts.
Other notable speakers included Ashima Kaul, founder of YAKJAH NGO; Rajeev Khajuria, President, National Development Foundation; Dr Alka Sharma from the School Education Department and Prof B B Anand, Principal, MAM College. Vote of thanks was proposed by Prof Renu Nanda.
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