“Iqra Bismi Rabbikallazi” is the first verse of the Holy Quran revealed on Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) through Gibrael Ameen. The word Iqra means “Read” to explore the hidden truth behind our Creator’s creation and distinguish between good and evil. Reading is a part of education and a means of acquiring knowledge for which we are advised to travel miles if required. The assimilation and dissimilation of knowledge in the early centuries began by establishing educational institutions with the onset of a unique pupil-teacher/Guru-Shishia/Ustad-Shagirth relationship. Over time, the field of education has been experiencing various challenges, transformations, and upgrades to satisfy the demands of today’s technologically dependent societies, nations, and world. During these journeys, the teachers/lecturers are upgraded to the latest teaching methodologies through short and long-term programmes such as FDP(Faculty Development Programme), RC (Refresher Course) Orientations, workshops, and Seminars. Most of the teachers of yesteryears were self-trained, skilled, energetic, updated with the passion of grooming, shaping, and mentoring the students to their level best. They used to take utmost interest in clarifying doubts, rectifying mistakes, and guiding them on the path that leads to success, prosperity, and bliss of achieving their goals in life. The teachings used to be natural and a divine experience embedded with the concern for the future of their students.
The cropping up of technology and related gadgets are replacing offline teaching with online modes in “Digital Education.” In my two decades’ education journey towards teaching, I have experienced both the ways of knowledge sharing, ie. Offline and Online. I am herewith putting forward the merits and demerits of the modes as mentioned above of teaching. The merits of offline teaching are eye contact with the students, face-to-face interactions, observing the students’ body language, asking questions and clearing their doubts, rectifying their mistakes, giving impositions, Diagnosis, and counseling them. Physical monitoring during tests and exams lacks in online teaching. On the other hand, the merits of online teaching are that students can refer online resources, browse net for downloading text books, study material, research articles, and update themselves with the latest knowledge of the education system. With the advent of the National Education policy-2020, higher education has decided that teaching and learning will be through a blended model comprising both offline and online methods.
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