Anand Prankur
Information
and Communication Technology is accepted universally as a blessing for the
teaching-learning process. Studies in this field give evidence that it enriches
the learning outcomes of the students. In contrast, some scholars suggest it is
only the elitist idea that failed to answer the underprivileged section's
issues. Whereas online teaching methodologies rapidly increased in the past
decade, favoured by modern students. In this coronavirus pandemic, we are
forced to opt for online teaching and learning methods, which posed
opportunities on the one hand and on the other challenges to integrate it in
rural areas. The central aim of the study is to highlight decisions taken by
the District education officers in the state of Uttar Pradesh for implementing
online teaching-learning in rural areas and challenges that occurred during the
process. The result of the study highlighted the centralized decision-making
pattern of the officers, and decisions were made when problems arose instead of
prior planning. This made us ask where we are standing? Are we ready to
implement the online teaching-learning mode? Or are we just promoting
white-collar ideas? Further, the study posits future research direction to
compare rural and urban decision making during pandemic situations and
comparison with other states is needed to address the problems that were arisen
in rural Uttar Pradesh for implementing online teaching-learning.
Online
Learning, Beyond Face to Face interaction, Decision-Making, Corona Pandemic,
District Education Officers, District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Basic
Education Officer/Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA).
VOL.14, ISSUE No.1, March 2022