Distance Learning Experience During Covid-19 Period in Higher Education for Space Application

Distance learning is the process of creating an educational experience of equal qualitative value for the learner to best suit their needs outside the classroom. Distance Learning Program (DLP) offered by Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has witnessed steady growth in the last thirteen years benefitted more than 2.65 lakh participants from 2650 network institutes distributed across the country. Under this program, IIRS has successfully established a network of academic and professional Institutions in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected higher education severely. India was under complete lockdown during April and May 2020. In this scenario, to ensure uninterrupted and safe access to learning, IIRS has responded to the crisis by tapping into its existing DLP. During the lockdown and post-lockdown period, IIRS conducted 11 Live and Interactive course/workshop/webinars focusing on Basics and Advanced topics related to Geospatial technology. During this period, IIRS DLP witnessed an exponential growth in terms of number of participation, number of participating institutes and also the percentage of working professionals. IIRS DLP witnessed a fivefold growth in participation benefitting around 57,000 participants from across the country. The number of network institutes also grew by 50% during April–June 2020. Statistics indicate that during January–June IIRS outreach program witnessed 22-fold growth in number of professionals joining the courses. Also, the overall feedback of the course by participants was very encouraging. Even though there are times when nothing can replace the personal attention of a teacher, in the current situation the focus is on utilizing technology effectively for uninterrupted learning.