Positive impact of Covid-19 on higher education

The sudden outbreak of a deadly disease called COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) shook the entire world. More than 30 crore learners stopped attending schools/colleges and educational establishments. The outbreak of COVID-19 has taught us that change is inevitable. It has worked as a catalyst for educational institutions to opt for platforms with technologies, involving various ICT modes which have not been used before. Many academic institutions that were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approach had no option but to shift entirely virtual mode of teaching. The article includes the importance of online learning. The Research paper will attempt to analyze its positive impact on education, mainly on resource persons, role, and importance of the Internet as a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. The crisis is a significant driver of innovation, and, even early in the pandemic, there was an expectation that it would drive innovation and long-lasting change in Higher Education. As a source of research data, the author examines documents in the form of text, news, journals, and newspapers. Although the pandemic had many negative consequences, it had a positive impact on the world of education. This positive impact will inspire the community to be resilient in the face of adversity to achieve more advanced educational goals. This retrospective case study research tries to highlight the various positive implications in terms of advancements in learning and pedagogy.

1. Title: Positive implications of covid-19 on higher
education-
A retrospective case study research
Author: Dr. Syed Valiullah Bakhtiyari
Designation: Principal
Organization: Presidency School of Management & Comp.Sc
Falaknuma Hyderabad
Contact: 8686626964
Email: [email protected]

2. Abstract
The sudden outbreak of a deadly disease called COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus (SARS-
CoV-2) shook the entire world. More than 30 crore learners stopped attending schools/colleges
and educational establishments. The outbreak of COVID-19 has taught us that change is
inevitable. It has worked as a catalyst for educational institutions to opt for platforms with
technologies, involving various ICT modes which have not been used before. Many academic
institutions that were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approach had no
option but to shift entirely virtual mode of teaching. The article includes the importance of
online learning. The Research paper will attempt to analyze its positive impact on education,
mainly on resource persons, role, and importance of the Internet as a medium for the
dissemination of knowledge. The crisis is a significant driver of innovation, and, even early in
the pandemic, there was an expectation that it would drive innovation and long-lasting change
in Higher Education. As a source of research data, the author examines documents in the form
of text, news, journals, and newspapers. Although the pandemic had many negative
consequences, it had a positive impact on the world of education. This positive impact will
inspire the community to be resilient in the face of adversity to achieve more advanced
educational goals. This retrospective case study research tries to highlight the various positive
implications in terms of advancements in learning and pedagogy.
Keywords
Educational transformation, online learning, Pandemic, digital and blended education, Remote
learning
Introduction
Impact of Covid 19 on higher education: The Coronavirus that originated in China, spread at an
alarming rate throughout the world, took the lives of thousands, and its adverse effects on
millions. Every country has felt the tremors. The endeavors of every developed country in terms
of health systems have failed. The trauma can be solved only by establishing modern equipped
systems with scientific technologies and scrupulous teachers. This will yield paramount
mountains and help in the solidification of the education system. Without investing there will be

3. no change and if done it should be utilized properly. Although the Covid-19 pandemic had many
negative consequences, it also had positive implications for the world of education. This positive
impact can inspire the community to be resilient in the face of adversity to achieve the goals of
more advanced education (Martoredjo, 2020), and it accelerates educational transformation.
Despite many challenges, several positives also emerged from the analysis of retrospective case
studies mainly the resource person's perception of flexibility and convenience accorded by online
learning. The pandemic fostered increased collaboration between Staff and students which is the
basic bond for sustainability in the academic world. Educational Institutions have found a way to
overcome this immensely challenging series of events. Classes have begun again, thanks to
technology. Online classes have become the new norm for educational institutions and it has
come with varied benefits too. Institutions can save on the operational costs and as a result, the
students needn't bear the brunt of the costs, making it more affordable. Moreover, parents will
get first-hand knowledge about how classes are taught and can directly understand how their
ward perceives concepts. More parents have a lot of chances to learn the various scholastic
concepts along with their children. And it is amazing for the parents to know various scientific
concepts that they are never aware of. Some parents also felt very curious to know the newer
ideas taught by the teachers. As the online education system grows, we can expect an increase in
the reach and accessibility of education within every section of society. The need for further
advancements in online communication technologies has resulted in a surge in the number of
products available to meet the various needs of users. When it comes to online learning in
education, several programs and products have been employed at various levels of the
educational sector to provide learners with the chance to study from locations other than
educational institutions, such as the comfort of their own homes. According to Kou & Liu
(2020), learning new online technologies is linked to and influences students' overall satisfaction
and perceived quality of their educational experiences. Many products are available, including
Zoom, Cisco's WebEx, and even Google's own Google Meets. In terms of their ability to meet
the needs of educational institutions and students, the advantages of each of these goods range
greatly. Similar to shifting a university's classes online, the sheer scope and difficulty of doing so
could create severe disruption to many elements of the institution's infrastructure. Online
teaching allows teachers to have greater influence over their performance by allowing them to

4. reflect on their work utilizing all available online tools. On the other hand, the interaction
between instructors and students impacts the success of online learning (Bao, 2020).
Literature Review
Educational environment in India
Education is the progression of erudition or getting of knowledge, skills, values, and habits of
essential needs of life (Bhattacharya 2015). Education normally takes place under the instruction
of an educator but not necessarily under one formal system, one can also adopt self-
learning(Arora et al. 2021a; Welsen et al. 2020). Thus, education can be formal or informal, but
the predominant objective should be the developmental effect on the way one thinks and feels, or
actions regarded as education (Ali 2020). The education environment is a multi-dimensional
domain that includes colleges, students, academic content, teachers, and extracurricular activities
(Lawrence et al. 2021). India is the land of opportunities; many multinational companies want
Indian caliber to operate for them not only because Indians are assiduous but have the skill
exactitude in them (Tilak 2020). India is the second-largest education system in the world, and it
has significant history. The Indian educational environment's journey right from Gurukuls to IITs
has faced many ebbs and flows. The "Right to Education Act" has played a predominant role in
the educational environment of India, and it has expanded the number of enrollments in higher
education in India (Fallatah 2020). The number of universities has also increased in the last 50
years, from 20 universities in 1950 to 1,113 in 22021(AISHE. https://pib.gov.in/PressRelease)
As the number of universities increased and diversified in terms of courses offered by colleges,
society is more concerned about the quality of programs, internal rankings, and public
evaluations. This process focuses attention on research-oriented evaluation, but if it fails to
measure the quality of the educational environment, then it is inevitable because measuring the
quality of the educational environment is a complex process (Lawrence et al. 2021; Srimathi and
Krishanmoorthy 2019). The success of the Indian educational environment depends on the
contributors of education structure such as administration, students, and teachers.. Students
opined that due to COVID-19 pandemic, the role of teachers changed from teaching to facilitator
to learning, and they also believed that learning became self-centered. As study of Liberman et
al. mentioned online class teaching is better than classroom teaching as it provides more

5. opportunity to interact. Due to this, students also increased their expectation from teachers,
especially in this crisis. The study found that the students agreed that teachers are helpful in their
assignment work, learning concepts, conducting classroom activities, and enhancement of
knowledge. Though Covid-19 pandemic created many negative impacts on education
system but it has certain positive impacts also. Some positive impact of Covid-19 pandemic on
higher education are
1. Covid-19 gave golden opportunity to the teachers for enhancing the digital literacy. All
educational institution moved towards the digital learning from conventional pattern
2. This pandemic has created a massive rise in teleconferencing. Many webinars
organized online by various universities and colleges which help the learners to gain
knowledge.
3. It helps to induce digital library, induce people learn and use digital technology and increasing
digital library.
4.This pandemic has significantly helped higher educational sector to use global data or
knowledge as there was no other option to gain knowledge
5. It raised collaborative work as educators from various countries get opportunities in
various webinars, Faculty development program, and special talk to discuss with each other
through virtual mode.
6. COVID-19 has compelled institutions to pursue virtual/online education. In response to this,
most studies examined the adoption/emergence of digital learning and its impact on educational
institutions
Around six of the analyzed retrospective case study researches show that digital learning has a
beneficial influence. Improves staff technical and digital skills, for example, education systems
have been better restructured, courses have been rapidly transformed, because of advancements
in technology and the virtual environment, there has been a rise in multifaceted e-learning
techniques there have been better opportunities to provide feedback to students, there has also
been progress in the fields of information technology literature, digital creativity, digital
research, digital identity management, and students' digital competences connected to

6. experiences that are also relevant to ordinary digital life. Students who believe themselves to
have high levels of digital competence in their everyday lives are more likely to perceive
themselves to have high levels of digital competence in their educational lives.
The Research Methodology
Methodology: In this retrospective case study research the data for the present study is collected
mainly through secondary sources the objectivity of historical and current writings has been used
to develop a frame work of the study and to arrive at an unbiased conclusion. The data collected
with a view to identify and analysis the positive impact of Covid-19 on education in India.
Research Questions
What are the pragmatic implications on teaching staff of higher education sector due to
covid-19?
What way the online teaching platforms acted as catalyst and supported teaching staff
What were the various online platforms utilized to disseminate knowledge to the students
What efforts do the resource persons apply to equip with ICT?
Does the pandemic affect the outcome of teaching and learning?
Significance of the study
Higher education a path to fulfill individual dreams or careers always plays an important role in a
student's life. All want to get higher education not only for knowledge but also to secure a
satisfactory career. Because of this sudden arousal of Covid-19 Corona Virus all
educational institute are closed. Covid-19 spread quickly around the world and was declared
as pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020 (Global Survey Report, 2020). In this
perplexing situation each and every person needs some backup plan to combat the situation.
Online or virtual learning takes the place of traditional learning during this crisis. But these
changes affect the whole education system. Higher educational institutions must be ready for a
tough road ahead post-pandemic where their decisions will shape and steer the future of their
students (Rashid et al, 2020). Reviewing some study related to literature finds investigator

7. attention towards the topic and feel the lack of study on this topic, so that, this paper will help
the society directly or indirectly to improve our education system and adjust to the new world
of educational technology. This research may be a paradigm shift from impact of COVID-19 to
positive influence of covid-19
Analysis and Interpretations
Affordability and digitization: The very cognizable and positive impact is the education
became not only digitized but affordable too. The pandemic had posed a threat to the
whole education system. Schools, universities, and colleges have been shut down. Yes, it
is saddening but have we looked at the brighter side yet? Educational Institutions have
found a way to overcome this immensely challenging series of events. Classes have
begun again, thanks to technology. Online classes have become the new norm for
educational institutions and it has come with a few benefits too. Institutions can save on
the operational costs and as a result, the students needn't bear the brunt of the costs,
making it more affordable.
Move towards Blended Learning: COVID-19 has accelerated adoption of digital
technologies to deliver education. Educational institutions moved towards blended mode
of learning. It encouraged all teachers and students to become more technology savvy.
New ways of delivery and assessments of learning opened immense opportunities for a
major transformation in the area of curriculum development and pedagogy. It also gives
access to large pools of learners at a time.
Rise in use of LMS-Learning Management Systems: Use of learning management
systems by educational institutions became a great demand. It opened a great opportunity
for the companies those have been developing and strengthening learning management
systems for use in educational institutions.
Enhance the use of soft copy of learning material: In lockdown situation, students were
not able to collect the hard copies of study materials and hence most of the students used
of soft copies materials for reference which ultimately advocates the appeal for
deforestation by protecting the environment.

8. Improvement in collaborative work- There is a new opportunity where collaborative
teaching and learning can take on new forms. Collaborations can also happen among
faculty/teachers across the world to benefit from each other.
Rise in online meetings- The pandemic has created a massive rise in teleconferencing,
virtual meetings, webinars, and e-conferencing opportunities, the best part is the
participants can be in n number without limitations and it is also interactive in nature
Enhanced Digital Literacy: The pandemic situation induced people to learn and use
digital technology and resulted in increasing digital literacy.
Improved the use of electronic media for sharing information: Learning materials are
shared among the students easily and the related queries are resolved through e-mail,
SMS, phone calls, and using different social Media like What’s-App or Facebook.
World-wide exposure: Educators and learners are getting opportunities to interact with
peers from around the world. Learners adapted to an international community.
Better time management: Students and teachers were able to manage their time more
efficiently in online education during pandemics.
Better hygiene and personal care: Entire Lifestyle Changes to Practice Better Hygiene
Being hygienic is no longer just a good habit, but the very skill you need for survival.
The times have changed, and people are now aware of how important it is to keep
yourself clean. As social animals, the very engineering of humans is the ability to connect
with fellow beings. That’s not going to change, and that’s something we cannot change.
But these recent times have made us all aware of how to do that more hygienically. From
shaking hands to waving hands, we all have had a lifestyle change for the good.
The positive Societal Impact of The Covid-19 S
Stay Connected & Help Each Other: The quarantine welcomed ideas, hacks, tips, & tricks
to beat the lockdowns & help our communities. Companies across the world have started
thinking about coming up with product & service ranges that enable us to be as connected
with our teams and also our loved ones. This has opened a new way of thought. This may
as well lead to breakthroughs & innovations. We see, innovation happens for nothing, but
when the environment demands it.

9. Coming closer to family. · Forming a bond of love and affection among the family
members. · Developing the nature of selfless devotion towards humankind. · Dwelling
virtues of humanity and empathy at early stage of life. · Developing new horizons beyond
home and schools. Spending time with their family could help some children to develop
closer relationships with them and being aware of the impact of the pandemic could also
help children to develop more humanity and empathy, as they realize the value of human
life. We all have been so busy in living the „life, many of us have lost those real,
‟
genuine moments we have with our loved ones. It could have been the busy schedules,
running around to make ends meet, & rushing to be in urgent meetings. Now, the
COVID-19 situation has positively impacted the way we emote and maintain
relationships. We have a lot of time to spend with our family and plan our work better.
This actually helped us to build a better future for both our work and family. As life
slowed down, we have found ways to stay connected with people, even if it’s virtually
reconnecting with our loved ones and retrospect. Learning nature's value Pandemic
situation has made us start valuing and caring for the mother-nature. Less traffic has led
to reductions in overall pollution and noise, and there is anecdotal evidence that this has
led to changes in our natural environment and provided more opportunities for children to
see, and appreciate, wild life
Suggestions
1. India should accept the technology in Toto for knowledge dissemination in higher education
2. The Indian government should enact sound laws for private institutions so that there will be
no exploitation of the teachers
3. The Internet is a fundamental right of citizens so it should be open for all without any
discrimination. 4. India must invest more and more in digitization of education.
6. The teachers should be trained for the effective use of various educational soft wares and ICT
in education
7. The curriculum across the higher education levels must include software based technology
related subjects

10. 8. There is a need to redesign and revamp of syllabus every two years for bridging the gap
between what is offered and what is needed for both students and resource persons
Limitation and future scope
This research has highlighted the teachers' experiences in home environment settings during a
COVID-19 lockdown in India. Firstly, because of the newness of the addressed topic and issue, it
was difficult to find the related literature in the Indian context. However, the researcher tried to
include literature that has affected other countries' education systems for online teaching and
assessment during the pandemic situation. Retrospective case study research methodology has
been used in this study. These techniques have some limitations such as there is possibility that
participants might have not disclosed their true intentions and rather have responded in a more
socially acceptable and desirable way. It is a possibility that other researchers' perspectives may
vary and they might draw different inferences and carve out varied conclusions. Furthermore, the
study has been conducted amongst academic staff/professionals from the education sector;
therefore, the results cannot be generalized to the professionals of other fields. The present study
has involved the teachers working in the higher education sector In the future, a similar kind of
study can be replicated and the findings can be extended to various walks of life, and the
conclusions can be drawn by using the triangulation techniques and methods to get more valid
and reliable results which then can be generalized
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