The paper titled "From the Normal to the New Normal: Reflecting Metamorphosis in Pedagogies" by Md. Mostaq Ahamed and Sharmin Siddiqui examines the shift from traditional classroom learning to fully online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary focus is on the impact of this transition on pedagogical practices and the social and emotional well-being of both teachers and students.
The purpose of the study is to explore the challenges and opportunities that arose from the sudden move to virtual learning environments. The scope of the research includes the effects of this shift on teaching methodologies, the social interaction skills of students, and the stress experienced by educators as they adapted to new digital tools and platforms.
The methodology employed in the study is qualitative, involving focus group discussions with thirty faculty members who taught online courses at the tertiary level. These discussions provided insights into the experiences and challenges faced by educators as they navigated the new demands of virtual education.
Key findings from the study reveal that while the transition to online learning offered flexibility and reduced the time spent on commuting and socializing, it also introduced significant challenges. Teachers reported stress related to mastering new technologies and adapting their teaching methods to suit online platforms. Additionally, the study found that the lack of face-to-face interaction in virtual classrooms negatively impacted the development of social skills in students and created difficulties for those with kinesthetic learning preferences.
In conclusion, the study suggests that while virtual learning can offer benefits such as increased teacher-student contact and the potential for innovative teaching methods, it also poses significant challenges. These include the need for substantial IT investments, the difficulty of catering to diverse learning styles, and concerns about the long-term effects on students' social and emotional development. The authors highlight the importance of considering a blended approach that combines the advantages of both traditional and virtual learning environments to address these challenges effectively.