Webinars as Forms of Ubiquitous Learning Devices

Due to Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent to the Lock-down by the Government for close to 60 days, social media is a buzz with numerous webinars (Web based Seminars) given by institutions and even individuals.

What i am elaborating is In the Indian context; how number of universities, business establishments, professional associations and even media houses started offering webinars at local, regional, national and even international levels. i became part of number of them being into academics and here are some of my observations:

Objectives of such events:

1.       Promotion of programme, service, people

2.       Show on paper that work is going on while everything stopped physically

3.       Creating databases by providing free registrations

4.       Cultivating subscriber base for the page or You Tube Channel

5.       Networking Opportunities

Outcome of Such Events:

1.       Lot of Learning for everyone associated with it

2.       Information and idea exchange opportunities

3.       Filling up of Time-Space divide

4.       Visibility for people/institutions/issues

5.       Fulfillment of Work From Home Report

Experiences of Such Events:

1.       Passive viewer of streaming where no live chat was present

2.       Live chat was not integrated in the aural discourse so audiences become namesake  

3.       Receipt of Certificate even when the webinar was not attended due to digitized processes

4.       Live poll in few of them had half of the audience not polling means connected technologically but not attentive to the poll

5.       Technological discomforts as in to how to mute oneself or how to disconnect one’s physical environment with  the digital presence

Many Indian institutions especially under public ownership (State Universities, Public Schools) wanted their teachers to undertake online classes, attend online webinars, conduct video lectures, become part of panel discussions and creating dialogues amongst educational and other leaders. Webinar became new device that while creating avenues for ubiquitous learning reaped many other benefits for the presenters as well as attendees. Undoubtedly most importantly it created revenue generation for technology companies.