Why universities still prefer in-person classes to virtual

At the height of the Covid-19 crisis when universities closed and resorted to online classes, some students took a trip to Nairobi. Reason? To sit the exams from one place so that they could copy from each other.

The confession of some University of Nairobi (UoN) students seems to lift the lid off the rushed manner in which institutions effected online classes, resulting in gaps that experts say diluted the quality of education, even as universities say they have sealed the loopholes.

The students had three hours, instead of the usual two, to handle each paper. The extra hour was meant for them to scan their written exam and send it for marking. But when the results came out and most students had unusually passed, the School of Engineering was displeased and the dean, Prof Ayub Gitau, reportedly banned online exams.

“He said over his dead body will they dispense online exams again in the department,” one of the students said.

The country’s oldest university has since resorted to a blended mode of online and physical teaching, except for the practical courses that call for face-to-face interaction with learners.

University of Nairobi Director of Corporate Affairs John Orindi, however, says the institution is successfully offering lessons and credible exams through the online platform. “Students have to apply the knowledge they have studied, one cannot copy,” he said.

In some courses, UoN lecturers give students a timed exam, while in others, the answers provided by students are tested for plagiarism to ensure they have not copied from the Internet.

“For master’s and PhD students, their defences are also being conducted online; students are being allowed to present before a panel. During the presentation, the students’ camera must remain on for the panel to monitor their attention and focus,” he said.

While online classes are opening up learning, they are also raising the question of integrity of exams, access to equipment and their structure. The dynamics have also played out at Maseno, Chuka, Kenyatta, Jomo Kenyatta, Embu, among other universities, where blended mode of teaching has been adopted after the closure directive was lifted.

Students in these institutions largely prefer face-to-face model to the virtual, noting that as long as most of them remain unequipped with critical infrastructure like electricity and internet, online classes remain ineffective.

“Physical learning is still a better choice at the moment as much as online learning is a step in the technological world. Maseno University has always offered IT alongside all its courses, hence including online learning is ultimately a good call for students as they prepare for the professional world,” says Ms Loveline Kaari, a former vice president of Maseno University Students’ Union.

Tracking class attendance

Chuka University Students Association treasurer Gabriel Mutiso notes that only about 20 percent of the students attended classes during the Covid-19 lockdown as 40 per cent faced technical problems. “We urge the government to put in place enough and fully equipped infrastructure so that we do away with minor hiccups in online classes in the near future,” Mutiso added.

Before the Covid-19 crisis, Dr Bengat Kipyegon, a lecturer at the University of Embu, would interact physically with more than 200 business students, gauge their participation in class and offer personalised guidance whenever they needed it.

But with half of Dr Bengat’s undergraduate lessons and most of the postgraduate ones having gone online, things have changed.

Like all his peers, he had to quickly learn to use crucial digital applications to have the cohorts running and tailor content to a newly adopted online learning management systems for students to access. The problem with e-learning, however, came when a number of students failed to attend classes during the lockdown, citing lack of laptops, internet, or electricity to power the gadgets. The same issues affected students across the institutions.

With the reopening, however, Embu had to ensure accessibility of free Wi-Fi network within the school precincts so that learners do not miss their virtual lessons. Only then was it sensible to start tracking class attendance that compels every learner to attend a least 65 per cent of classes to proceed to the next stage.

“Initially we had challenges, but we have navigated with the use of IT. Our university also partnered with Makerere University where our members of staff were effectively trained in generating and uploading e-content,” Mr Bengat told the Sunday Nation in a phone interview.

Another problem, however, is that online classes of more than 100 students tend to reduce interactivity and some students take advantage to just be present and not participate. “To counter that, a lecturer has to be creative and randomly ask or post questions for students to respond. It’s also possible to generate a digital class attendance list and note the time each student logged in,” Dr Bengat explained.

Engaging students online

They also set up a department of quality assurance to monitor learning, including e-content development.

Multimedia University lecturer Onesmus Mutio said online learning provided an opportunity to engage students remotely but also presented challenges that universities have been addressing progressively.

“In most cases, lecturers are unable to tell if the students are actively involved in the class or have just logged in and left for other activities. Some students log into the class while in public places and matatus, while others lack enough internet and relevant devices to enable them to attend to class,” said Mr Mutio, who is also the Universities Academic Staff Union organising secretary.

He said sometimes students log into the class portal and leave, making bit difficult for lecturers to know who exactly is in class.

“Although at times lecturers can be creative enough and try engaging students online by calling their names, one cannot monitor student’s concentration,” he said.

The Maasai Mara University Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic and Students’ affairs, Prof Godrick Bulitia, said universities have put in strict measures to ensure that despite offering blended learning, the quality of education is not compromised.

“Physical learning resumed officially since last year and universities have been keen to ensure the education being offered is high quality. For instance, in Maasai Mara, online learning is only offered in common courses where more than 700 students have registered for a course,” he said.

Even with that, Prof Bulitia said, students must have attended more than 80 per cent of each course sessions. “Those who do not attend class, fail to do class assignments and projects are not allowed to sit for examinations,” he said, adding all exams at the university are done physically.

Prof Bulitia said those presumed to have attended class must have logged into the system using their official names, and a list of attendance is generated. 

Meanwhile, the institutions are busy enriching their digital libraries for better online learning outcomes.

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