Dr. Jayashree Shinde is currently Director of the Teaching Learning Centre at SNDT Women’s University (SNDTWU), India. For the last 25 years, she has been teaching graduate courses in Educational Technology, eLearning, Instructional Design, and Open and Flexible Distance Learning in the Department of Educational Technology, SNDTWU. She is currently supervising four PhD scholars in the field of M-Learning, co-operative learning strategies, Online and Blended learning. The Department, under her leadership, has so far developed about 600 hours of interactive eContent. Dr. Shinde served a Standing Committee member of ePG Pathshala and National Mission on Education through ICTs of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Got of India. Education of Indian Ministry. She is currently on the Advisory Committee of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for Massive Open Online Courses and Institutional Advisory Board of Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT. Dr. Shinde has worked as an EdTech expert in Bangladesh, Singapore, Slovenia and Mauritius and Canada
Q1. What is the nature of your work in your current job?
I am a faculty at the Department of Educational Technology, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, India. Ours is the first women’s university in South-East Asia. I am working in this department as a teaching faculty since last 25 years.
We offer master’s programme in eLearning and doctoral in educational technology, where I teach graduate courses and supervise doctoral students. We also offer short-term online course in Instructional Design since 2007. Government of India has initiated several schemes for professional development of higher education faculty. Government approved my proposal in 2017 and funded the establishment of Teaching Learning Centre. We organise faculty training workshops in blended, online and face-to-face mode through this centre with the focus on educational technology, learner-centred pedagogies, Open Educational Resources and eLearning.
I am also a member of technology committee of our University which is formed to assist Vice Chancellor in enhancing technology and educational technology related infrastructure at the university. I coordinate Moodle Learning Management System of the University.
Q2. How did your education and previous professional experience shape your current work?
My basic education was in humanities. I was determined to teach literature while studying in college. After my master’s degree in literature, I completed my Bachelor and the master’s degree in Education with specialisation and research in Educational Technology which led my career path.
Though my career path changed from regional literature, knowledge of humanities and now educational technology helps me succeed whenever such blend of creative writing and technology is required. People think educational technology is for science and technology experts and literature students can only dream poems; but my literature teacher and mentor Dr. Pushpa Rajapure-Tapas first taught me how to think and write logically. Skills, both in logical and creative thinking became important in life. It helped me in my creative storyboarding and now helps me while guiding my students towards a logical path. I had aesthetics as a specialisation at Master of Arts, which still helps me appreciate and strive for aesthetics in every aspect of work.
My education at Master of Education, my M.Ed. dissertation and Ph.D. research are directly related to my today’s work. My knowledge-base was formed and shaped at this stage of education and is immensely contributed by my teacher and research guide Prof. Vasudha Kamat. She is the visionary who coined the term “Zero Lecture” way back in 1996 which is similar to today’s blended learning and flipped classrooms. She started the first masters programme in India with amalgamation of education and computer in 2000. I was fortunate enough to contribute in both the initiatives and could continue on the progressive path after I took over in 2007. My passion and love for creative work came as a cream on the milk and made me enjoy my work to the fullest.
Q3. How do you hope your work on Technology-Enabled Learning will change the learning landscape?
Though I fully understand that the field of Technology-Enabled Learning will grow with the systematic research, most of my time is currently being devoted to faculty training in TEL. The very reason of my commitment towards faculty training and skill development lies in the trust in TEL as a tool for change. The change visualised by me is not an overuse of technology or use of TEL to prove that we are ‘ahead’ of non-technology users. The issue is never technology and non-technology enabled learning. The issue is about the difference between active and passive learning, one-way versus two-way communication in the teaching-learning process and individual vs collaborative learning.
If we want our learners to be ready with the skills such creative thinking, co-creation, collaboration, exploration; then our teaching-learning environment must be changed. We need to make such instructional designs our passion, our practice and our habit.
Technology-Enabled Learning is the key to such an ethos. TEL will enable learners to ‘learn’, ‘work together’ and ‘create’. Learners need to love their learner-hood. Education and evaluation will, then, no more remain a formality, but the mentorship of their tomorrow’s citizenship. TEL should not increase digital divide but should reach education and knowledge to the unreached.
Q4. What broad trends do you think will have the most impact on learning in the years ahead?
Online learning, digital content, flipped learning will impact on learning in the years ahead.
Truly speaking, the impact will differ from country to country, from institute to institute and between different teachers. The overall positive impact requires training and grooming of masses. A higher level of motivation towards meaningful, rich, active blended environments and self-readiness for this environment will set the right path towards impactful learning environments. I am not sure exactly what kind of form of eLearning will impact tomorrow’s learning. It is the matter of concern for me. I get scared at the quantity of video lectures getting produced and I certainly do not see impact of such video–based learning.
mLearning mode needs to be explored more considering financial constraints for owning other devices. Low cost access devices are not so popular and do not support creation, cocreation and collaboration.
Q5. How do you visualise the role of a Community of Practice Platform like TELCOP?
While teaching during the initial years at the department, I was fascinated by the concept of EPSS used in the corporate sector. The interesting part of EPSS is not only static job-aid modules but on-demand troubleshooting and online assistance. Why can teachers not avail of any EPSS in their job?
Platforms like TELCOP are visualised by me as a hosting pool of several micro-learning modules for integrating TEL in day-to-day teaching-learning. The contributory repository of OER modules ‘by teachers for teachers’ need to grow as the new ICT tools increase. During this pandemic, I have been seeing many enthusiastic teachers coming forward to develop modules for using different ICT tools simply by using screencast. A platform to host such supporting material is needed.
Apart from the static repository, we certainly need a network of educational technologists. I do not visualise a group of assistants, but a pool of expert colleagues for the teacher fraternity to encourage, help and to provide scaffolding.
Q6. Apart from your current job-related tasks, what else are you working on?
Currently Teaching Learning Centre has become an additional responsibility apart from teaching, leaving almost no time for other work. One can say planning different strategies for TLC has become my side-hobby! But yes, I am working on eLearning related modules for today’s higher education learners.
Early Childhood Education is not my area of work, but I am developing my interest in the field. I am associated with an NGO working in tribal region, so keeping myself updated with the field. I am also coordinating Smt. Kamalatai Kakodkar Endowment Fund activities, which involves research and outreach in early childhood education. It is a challenging responsibility and I have not yet succeeded speed up the activities.
Q7. Who are some of the most interesting people you follow on social media?
I have been following Curtis Bonk, Zaid Ali Alsagoff, Carl Hooker, and others, but not on regular basis though.
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