Blessings of COVID-19 Lockdown on Virtual Learning: A Higher Education Faculty Perspective

Background: Academic iansare experiencing immensere formsglobally during lock down in COVID-19out-break.Thisstudywasintended to check how COVID-19 outbreak became blessings for higher education institute’s faculties on virtual learning and skill developmentprogramme.ItbringshowtheIndianeducationsystemhasreacted toCOVID-19pandemicsituationin thelight of E-learning. Methodology: The research methodology used was primary in nature and descriptive research design has been made use of with the review of the literature. The research was conducted among 213 academicians of higher education universities and colleges across India through structured questionnaires. This questionnaire measures the achievements of academic excellence of higher education academicians. Results: The empirical result of the study reveals that, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 many of the academician has attended and Participated in various webinars, conferences, courses, workshops, research, orientation programs, faculty development programs, etc. related to his subject for skill development. Some of the academicians have paid fees for attending virtual learning programmes. Conclusion:


INTRODUCTION
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to gather extensive international attention.The pandemic has resulted in significant changes in the world economy.India Janata Curfew involvement is more than the regular class engagement.The"JanataCurfew"wasapositivestepforfurtherawarenessandpreparednessaboutthequarantine and provided the doorway for implementation of lockdown in several states of India in its fight against the coronavirus.Prime Minister NarendraModi announced the nationwide shutdown, as the nation of 1.3 billion people shut down, the World Health Organization (WHO) said India s COVID fight could make or break the globalwar.COVID19pandemicisfirstandforemostahealthcrisis.Whenitcomestotheeducationsector,many countries have closed down schools and universities.(VeenaShenoy,2020).This circumstance tested the education system across the nation and constrained educators to shift to an online modeofteachingovernight.Itisthecreativenessandbrainsofpolicymakershowtheycanovercomeanissuefor this positively or adversely.Numerous education institutions that were prior hesitant to change their traditional teaching methodology had no alternative but to move altogether to online learning teaching.However, we have someofthehighereducationinstitutionsinIndiasupportedbymanagementandfacultytogoforvirtualeducation.Hence learning is moving online not only for the students but also for faculties on a huge scale.(VeenaShenoy, 2020) During this lockdown apart from students, teachers are also getting time to enhance virtual learning and skill development while working from home.This scenario poses not only a unique challenge but also a potential opportunity and becomes blessings for faculty members in higher education across nation.
LITERATURE REVIEW (Amit Kumar Arora, 2020), attempted to study the impact of lockdown on the teaching learning process.The objective of the study was to assess the adoption rate for virtual classes and to determine the various benefits, challenges, and reasons for non -adoption of virtual classes.The study considered responses from 341 teachers of higher education institutions (HEIs) of Ghaziabad region.The study was divided into two parts.One set of respondents were those who adopted virtual classrooms and another set that did not adopt virtual classrooms.Descriptive statistics and t -test were performed to analyse the data collected through primary sources.Among those who adopted virtual mode, the mean of actual benefits was significantly less than the mean of expected benefits.Network issues, lack of training, and lack of awareness were stated to be the major challenges faced by them.
(Lokanath Mishra, 2020), portrayed online teaching-learning modes adopted by the Mizoram University for the teaching-learning process and subsequent semester examinations.The paper employs both quantitative and qualitativeapproachtostudytheperceptionsofteachersandstudentsononlineteaching-learningmodesandalso highlighted the implementation process of online teaching-learning modes.The value of this paper is to draw a holistic picture of ongoing online teaching-learning activities during the lockdown period including establishing the linkage between change management process and online teaching-learning process in education system amid the COVID-19 outbreak so as to overcome the persisting academic disturbance and consequently ensure the resumption of educational activities and discourses as a normal course of procedure in the educationsystem.(Amit Joshi, 2020), The study was conducted among the teachers working in the government and private universities of Uttarakhand, India.Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among 19 teachers to collectdataregardingthebarriersfacedbythemduringonlineteachingandassessment.Thefindingsofthestudy can be helpful to the regulatory authorities and employers of higher education institutions who are planning to adopt online teaching as a regular activity in the future.The insights gained from the findings can help them to revisittheirexistingpolicyframeworksbydesigningnewstrategiesandtechnicalstructurestoassisttheirteachers in successfully embracing the EdTech to deal with any crisis in thefuture.(Johannes König, 2020), conducted a survey of early career teachers conducted in May and June 2020.They analysed the extent to which they maintained social contactwith students and mastered core teaching challenges.Second, we analysed potential factors (school computer technology, teacher competence such as their technological pedagogical knowledge, and teacher education learning opportunities pertaining to digital teaching and learning).Findings from regression analyses show that information and communication technologies (ICT) tools,particularlydigitalteachercompetenceandteachereducationopportunitiestolearndigitalcompetence,are instrumental in adapting to online teaching during COVID-19 school closures.Implications are discussed for the field of teacher education and the adoption of ICT byteachers.(Ms.VeenaShenoy,2020),concentratedtocomprehendtheinnovationadoption,learningandteachingmeasures, student'sengagementandfacultyexperiencetowardsvirtualclassroomsduringLockdownbecauseofCOVID19 inIndia.Inductivereasoningutilizedinthisexaminationandsubjectiveexplorationstrategiesareutilizedtogather the information from the sample of 20 faculties related with Higher training organizations in Bangalore and showingteachingcourseslikePGDM,MBA,M.Com,MCAandsoon.Thefindingoftheexaminationproposes that during the lockdown time faculty have gone through the process of innovation adoption and students are engaged with different online methods of learning.There were heaps of dear, consciousness and anxiety among students and faculties with respect to COVID 19.Because of the circumstance, the greater part of the higher education institutions in Bangalore has greatly adopted the innovation and student's inclusion is more than the regular classengagement.(Brenner, 2020), demonstrated feasibility of virtual learning for disseminating best practices in tracheostomy, engaging a diverse, multidisciplinary audience.An international multidisciplinary panel of experts convened to buildavirtuallearningcommunityfortracheostomycare,comprisingawebbasedplatform,fivedistancelearning (interactive webinar) sessions, and professional discourse over 12 months.Structured pre-and post-webinar surveys were disseminated to global participants including otolaryngologists, intensivists, nurses, allied health professionals,andpatients.Datawerecollectedonaudiovisualfidelity,demographics,andpre-andpost-tutorial assessmentsregardingexperienceandskillacquisition.Learningofcomplextechnicalskillsprovedahurdle, however,suggestingneedforhands-onexperiencefortechnicalmastery.Whileinteractivevideoconferencingvia webinar affords an engaging and scalable strategy for sharing knowledge, further investigation is needed on clinical outcomes to define effective strategies for experiential online learning and virtual inservicesimulations. (Dhawan,2020),investigatedthedevelopmentofEdutechandOnlinelearninganddirectedaSWOTexamination of Educational organizations (schools, universities, and colleges) in India during the Covid pandemic disaster.is distinct and attempts to comprehend the significance of online learning in the time of an emergency and pandemics.Theresearchtoolusedforanalysing thedatawhichcollectedfromvarioussourcesforthisstudywas substance analysis and the research method was descriptive in nature.This study was completely based on the secondary data.This article put some light on the development of EdTech Start-ups during the hour of pandemic disasters and incorporates recommendations for scholastic organizations of how to manage difficulties related with online learning.(Brett T. Comer, 2020), investigated that the pandemic has resulted in significant changes in clinical practice for otolaryngologists in the United States; many changes have been implemented to mitigate risks identified by otolaryngologists in other countries.COVID-19-induced limitations include social distancing and triaging of patient acuity.Additionally, a recent publication by Stanford University has drawn attention to the risks that otolaryngologists may face with regard to manipulation of the upper airway and mucosal disruption.The result has been a rapid and significant change in resident education at most academic institutions.This commentary outlines the development of the otolaryngology resident education consortiums, with implications for future education within and outside of otolaryngology.(Duraku, 2020), studied to explore and describe the concerns of students, parents, and teachers related to the circumstances caused due to social isolation, and the perspectives of teachers and parents with regard to remote or online learning.This study adopted the qualitative research design.In the framework of this study, the case studyresearchstrategywasused.Fordatacollection,semistructuredinterviewswereused,whichwereconducted with parents and teachers.Study participants are an active part of pre-university public institutions within municipalities from regions of Kosovo.The findings from the study confirm the common concerns of the two reportinggroupsinthestudyinrelationtostudentassessment,worriesandoverload,aswellasevaluationsofthe incompatibility of the learning conducted so far.The findings of this study confirm the readiness and motivation of teachers to advance their knowledge and skills, as well as to contribute with the aim of advancing the quality ofeducation.(Rajhansa,2020),meanttocapturetheenablingandimpedingfactorsofreforms,withanemphasisonoptometry traininginCOVID-19out-break.Across-sectionalsurveywasdesignedtofindchangesinoptometrytrainingand adaptations of Indian optometry educators amid COVID 19 lockdown.An online survey was conducted using structured questionnaire in the most recent last week of April 2020.73 out of 78 optometry teachers (93.58%) have changed to e-learning mode in a brief period with great certainty.Most teaching learning and appraisal exercises was done using multi-gadget supporting video conferencing tools, devoted instructive gateways and web-based media applications.The COVID-19 pandemic is ending up being a valuable disruptor, permitting and rebuilding the present traditional, classroom-based educationsystem.(T.Gonzalez,2020),analysedtheeffectsofCOVID-19confinementontheautonomouslearningperformanceof students in higher education.Using a field experiment with 458 students from three different subjects at Madrid (Spain), the study differences in assessments by dividing students into two groups.The first group (control) corresponds to academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019.The second group (experimental) corresponds to students from 2019/2020, which is the group of students that had their face-to-face activities interrupted because oftheconfinement.TheresultsshowthattherewasasignificantpositiveeffectoftheCOVID-19confinementon students' performance.Additionally, an analysis of students' learning strategies before confinement shows that studentsdidnotstudyonacontinuousbasis.Basedontheseresults,itwasconcludedthatCOVID-19confinement changed students' learning strategies to a more continuous habit, improving theirefficiency.(Luis Espino-Díaz, 2020), This study analysed the current situation of education in the context of the pandemic caused by COVID-19.Faced with these facts, teachers have had to adapt at a dizzying pace not only to new methodological approaches, but also to their own confinement, presenting high levels of stress.The purpose of this study is to offer a proposal that optimizes the work of education professionals in the current context of a pandemic through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) under the novel approach of the contributions of neuroeducation in the field of managing emotions and motivational processes, contributing to meaningful learning in students.(Kumar,2020),ThispaperhighlightssomemeasurestakenbyGovt.ofIndiatoprovideseamlesseducationinthecountry.Both the positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on education are discussed and some fruitful suggestions are also pointed to carry out educational activities during the pandemicsituation.(LisbethAmhag, 2019), aimed to identify teacher educators' use of digital tools and subsequent need for digital competenceinhighereducation.Methodically,adigitalsurveywasdistributedviae-mailto405teachereducators representing two faculties at the two universities; in total, 105 teacher educators responded.The survey included 16 questions, with closed-and open-ended varieties.Two theoretical foundations were used: the TPACK model and, as a complement, computer self-efficacy.Through analysis of self-reported use, competence, and need for professional training in digitalization in teaching, results show that teacher educators do not use digital tools primarily for pedagogical purposes.Thus, they need extensive pedagogical support in creating digitalteaching.(Jo Tondeur, 2016), The research literature reports many examples of successful TPD but there remain many challenges to wider and deeper success in the variety of different contexts.Discussion by the thematic working group on TPD at EDU sumIT 2015 in Bangkok identified several challenges to successful TPD.This paper discusses those challenges, describes four cases of successful TPD from varied contexts, and derives a model for TPD based on observed commonalities in the cases.(Bao, 2020), This paper focuses on a case of Peking University's online education.Six specifics instructional strategies are presented to summarize current online teaching experiences for university instructors who might conduct online education in similar circumstances.The study concludes with five high-impact principles for online education: (a) high relevance between online instructional design and student learning, (b) effective delivery on online instructional information, (c) adequate support provided by faculty and teaching assistantstostudents;(d)highqualityparticipationtoimprovethebreadthanddepthofstudent'slearning,and(e) contingency plan to deal with unexpected incidents of online educationplatforms.(ChrysiRapanta, 2020), With this article, authors provide some expert insights into this online-learningrelated PCK, with the goal of helping non-expert university teachers (i.e., those who have little experience with online learning)tonavigateinthesechallengingtimes.Ourfindingspointatthedesignoflearningactivitieswithcertain characteristics, the combination of three types of presence (social, cognitive and facilitatory) and the need for adaptingassessmenttothenewlearningrequirements.Weendwithareflectiononhowrespondingtoacrisis(as best we can) may precipitate enhanced teaching and learning practices in the post digital era.(ArfanShahzad,2020),proposedatheoreticalframeworkbasedonliteratureandmodeltodeterminedE-learning portalsuccess.ThestudycomparedmalesandfemalestoE-learningportalusage.Theobjective wastocheckthe difference between male and female E-learning portals' accessibility among the students' perspective.The empirical data of 280 students participated from the different universities of Malaysia through google surveys analysed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling.The study further divided the full model into two domains, which are female and male.In the male model, information quality and system quality have directrelationshipswithusersatisfaction.Informationqualityalsosupportedtherelationshipwithsystemuse.At the same time, there is a positive relationship between user satisfaction and E-learning portals.Likewise, in the female model, E-service quality and Information quality both are supported by system use and usersatisfaction.
(Muhammad Adnan, 2020), examined the attitudes of Pakistani higher education students towards compulsory digital and distance learning university courses amid Coronavirus (COVID-19).Undergraduate and postgraduate weresurveyedtofindtheirperspectivesaboutonlineeducationinPakistan.Thefindingsofthestudyhighlighted that online learning cannot produce desired results in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan, where a vast majorityofstudentsareunabletoaccesstheinternetduetotechnicalaswellasmonetaryissues.Thelackofface-toface interaction with the instructor, response time and absence of traditional classroom socialization were among some other issues highlighted by higher educationstudents.
(NicoleJohnson,2020),conductedasurveyinvestigatingtherapidtransitiontoemergencyremoteteachinginthe early weeks of the pandemic at public and private postsecondary institutions in the United States.Participants consisted of 897 faculty and administrators at 672 U.S. institutions.Findings reveal that with few exceptions nearly all reporting institutions transitioned to emergency teaching and learning approaches.Administrators reported that faculty with and without online teaching experience pivoted to online teaching, and nearly all administrators indicated that those who did not have online teaching experience were in the process of learning howtoteachonline.Regardlessofwhetherfacultyhadpreviousexperienceteachingonlineornot,manyfaculties reported that they were using new teachingmethods.
2. To study the engagement of higher education faculties for skill development through online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design:
The study was based on descriptive research design.

Population and Sampling:
The total number of faculties working at a higher education level in South Gujarat wasthetargetpopulation.Thus,samplingframewouldbeHigherEducationalinstitutescomprisesofUniversities andcollegesofIndia.Forthisstudytotal,213facultiesworkingathighereducationinstituteshavebeencontacted throughconvenientsamplingtechnique.Duetopaucityoftimeandresourcesavailableaswellascoronapandemic Lockdown the data was collected through onlinemode.

Source of Data Collection
Primary data was used, it collected using the structured questionnaire as the instrument.Therespondentswereaskedtofilltheprovidedquestionnairewithoutbriefingthepersonalprofileof respondentsthishelpedresearcherstoavoidbiasesinresponses.TheDatawerecollectedduringthelockdownin India.
DATA ANALYSIS The collected data have been analysed with the help of SPSS.

How about their engagement?
(Fig. 1 -2: Engagement Level) Out of the 213 respondents, 53 have achieved more than 10 certificates by virtual learning during lockdown and 65respondentshaveachievedlessthan3certificates.However,18respondentshavenotgotanycertificateduring Covid-19 lockdown (Fig. 1).17.4% of respondents spent 17-30 hrs on virtual learning during lockdown while 54.5% of respondents spent less than 8 hrs on virtual learning during.However, 3.8% of respondents spent more than 32 hrs on virtual learning during lockdown (Fig. 2).

Impact of Skill development activities
(Figure 3. Impact of Activities) Out of the total 169 (79.3%) were responded 'YES' and they believe that there is a positive impact of skill development activities during lockdown on career growth, only 7 (3.3%) were responded 'NO' and they believe thatthereisapositiveimpactofskilldevelopmentactivitiesduringlockdownoncareergrowthwhile37(17.4%) were responded 'MAYBE' on career growth (Fig. 3).IntheLockdowntime,didyouwanttoparticipateinmoreprofessionaldevelopmentprogrammesthanyou did? 156 (73.2%) responded 'YES' and they believe that they could have more professional development programmes than what they did, while 57 (26.8%) responded 'NO' and they believe that they have enough professional development programmes during lockdown.Nature of activities in terms of paid or free (Fig. 4: Nature of activities in terms of paid or free) Out of the total 26(12.2%),academicians have paid fees for attending various skill development programmes during Covid-19 lockdown and 125(58.7%) of academicians have paid some fees for attending various skill development programmes while 62(29.1%)attended free virtual learning programmes during the lockdown (Fig. 4).Hypothesis: H0: There is no statistically significant difference in the perceived importance of various motive to attend various E-Programs among various age groups of higher education faculties.H0: There is a statistically significant difference in the importance of various motive to attend various E-Programs among various age groups of higher education faculties.The Kruskal Wallis Test in the above table shows that for all the motives to attend the online programs pvalue is greater than 0.05 (at 95% Confidence level), therefore failed to reject the null hypothesis. it means there is no statistically significant difference in the perceived importance of various motive to attend various E-Programs among various age groups of higher education faculties.
H0: There is no significant difference in the perceived importance of various e programs among various higher education faculties belonging to different categories of Institutes.H1:Thereissignificantdifferenceintheperceivedimportanceofvariouseprogramsamongvarioushigher education faculties belonging to different categories ofInstitutes.

Table 1 : Participated in various Professional Activities] Data
shows that out of the total for multiple tick options regarding various learning program 197 (95.6%) respondents of higher Education institute have attended Webinar/ Seminars for virtual learning during Covid-19 lockdown.136 (66%) respondents of higher Education faculties attended FDP (Faculty Development Programme).157(76.2%)respondentsofhigherEducationfacultieshaveattemptedonlinequizonCovid-19.120 (58.3%)respondentsofhigherEducationfacultiesdidCertificationCoursestoachieveacademicexcellence.120(58.3%) respondents of higher Education faculties have worked on Building your course / Lectures to achieve academicexcellence.62(30.1%)respondentsofhigherEducationfacultieswereResearchpaperPresentationandPublication in national and international conferences.25 (12.1%)respondents of higher Education faculties did online Refresher Course duringlockdown.