31 pc teachers still not proficient in digital tools after 2 yrs of rapid digitisation: Report

Even after two years of rapid digitisation, a report has revealed that around 31 per cent of teachers are still not highly proficient with digital tools.

According to a report by TeamLease EdTech titled ''Digital Transformation of the Teaching Community'', noted that because of the sudden transition to online teaching, majority of teachers (close to 79.34 per cent) learnt by practice or doing.

''It has been over two years since we witnessed a sudden, unplanned, overnight shift to digital learning.

''Back in September 2020, six months into the pandemic, when we did a survey for our study on 'The use of Technology in Teaching and Learning in Indian Higher Education Institutes' more than 80 per cent of the teachers were uncomfortable with online teaching,'' TeamLease EdTech Founder and CEO Shantanu Rooj said.

He said, after two years, 30.58 per cent of teachers are yet to gain complete proficiency.

The report was done through a survey with over 1,000 teachers pan India.

Interestingly, the report also found that 90.08 per cent of teachers foresee a use for the technical and pedagogical skills that they have acquired over the last two years.

In fact, 66.94 per cent of them felt that these new skills have opened better career opportunities for them.

''Digital learning is here to stay and with a continual increase in the integration of digital mechanisms with conventional learning, upskilling and reskilling the teaching community on a regular basis will be crucial. More and more Higher Education Institutes have realised the value of having formal training,'' TeamLease EdTech co-founder and president Neeti Sharma said.

Currently, 79.34 per cent of teachers are undergoing some form of training conducted by the institutes or taking Online/MOOC courses, she said.

The report also found that there are challenges in the digital learning space.

Over 75.04 per cent of educators feel that students tend to lose interest during online classes and 44.63 per cent of teachers feel that both students and teachers are still uncomfortable with digital integration.

From an infrastructural point of view, 65.29 per cent of teachers feel internet connectivity is a challenge and 50.41 per cent of them feel that there is a shortage of dedicated laptops or smartphones with students, the report added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)