Challenges of Practical Skill

development in Online
Education
Prof. K. Pathak
IIT Kharagpur

Teaching practical skills requires using very precise

instructions to enable the learner to follow the process and
to repeat the skill
9/09/21 at 3.00 pm Assam Textile Institute
A practical is an examination or a lesson in which you make
things or do experiments rather than simply writing answers to
questions.

• Practical learning is a task in which students

observe and do things by themselves. 
• Practical Learning is achieved through doing things
and is based on real-life undertakings and tasks.

When studying, it's important to get a hands-on understanding of your subject and how the
theory you learn applies to real-life situations. Practical learning allows you to learn quick
adaptations needed for daily challenges and scenarios and allows you to get a better
understanding of your course topic.
 WHY PRACTICAL COURSES

• In academic programs of medical, engineering, health, languages, and gastronomy etc, practical
courses are compulsory.
• Imparting education online, there is a major challenge for the universities and institutions to
design and deliver application or practical works.
• Practical courses are essential for these courses because:
o They contribute to building the knowledge of the students and their practices in the field
study;
o The students can’t graduate and join the labor/service market without getting the key skills
for their future career;
o Most of these courses may be prerequisite for other courses students need to register, so
they are necessary for students’ profiles.

Reference: Walkington, J., P. Pemberton, and J. Eastwell, Practical work in engineering: A challenge for distance education. Distance
Education, 1994. 15(1): p. 160-171. 23. Zhu, A., Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation 4.0 Cookbook. 2010: Packt Publishing Ltd
 ISSUES INVOLVED IN DESIGNING A PRACTICAL COURSE
• Diversity of current and potential learners
• Multiple options for their engagement
• Availability of flexible delivery modes
• Possibilities of multiple pathways and opportunities for those seeking further education
• Delivery of content to students in a form that is considered suitable for all
• Students full engagement and participation
• For online skilling, requirement of higher levels of technological competency and
proficiency to be an academic staff on top of their regular academic workload.
• “one size fits all approach” of F2F teaching learning may not work in online teaching
• Orlando and Attard (2015) stated that “teaching with technology is not a one size fits all approach as it
depends on the types of technology in use at the time and also the curriculum content being taught”

Orlando, J., & Attard, C. (2015). Digital natives come of age: The reality of today’s early career teachers using mobile devices to
teach mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 28, 107–121. doi:10.1007/s13394-015-0159-6 (p. 119).
 • A good practical course link technological incorporation, learning
enhancement, and student engagement mutually and inextricably.
• In creating individually tailored Differentiated Instruction (DI) for
each learner within and across each cohort, additional workload
pressures exist to engage with the online environment as
teaching staff seek to respond, often reactively, to the individual
learning and engagements needs of each cohort.

Kirkwood, A., & Price, L. (2014). Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: What is
‘enhanced’ and how do we know? A critical literature review. Learning, Media and Technology, 39(1), 6–36.
doi:10.1080/17439884.2013.770404
 How students should accept practical classes

To make learning by doing an easier and more practical part of the routines and work habits
a student should:

1.Read Widely and Wisely. Sometimes, the best way to be introduced to a new topic
is to pick up a book.
2.Don't Be Afraid To Ask. ...
3.Stay Curious and Be Open Minded.
4.MAKE Time.
5.Accept That It's a Process.
Objectives of Practical Classes
                                                                                 
Aim For Practical Classes is to enhance students’ understanding of methods of scientific
enquiry. It aims at (Allison, 1995)

• Consolidate subject knowledge

• Introduce disciplinary methods and procedures
• Develop technical skills
• Develop cognitative skills
• Promote teamwork skills
• Increase motivation

https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/lli/developing-learning-and-teaching/enhance/strategies/practical
How to achieve the aims?

Consolidate subject knowledge

In practical classes students will have the opportunity to:
• Consolidate highly and complex scientific knowledge.
• Explore principles through concrete or simplified examples.
• Revisit material taught in lectures.
• Simulate conditions in research and development laboratories.
• Develop skills in communicating technical concepts and solutions.
• Learn about theoretical material not included in lectures.
How to achieve the aims? contd.
Introduce disciplinary methods and procedures
The hands on experience in practical classes will help students:
• Appreciate the methods and ethos of practitioners in a discipline and thus
contribute to the shaping of professional attitudes.
• Become motivated to acquire specific knowledge.
• Learn to become independent thinkers.
• Maintain and deepen their interest in the subject.
• Learn the principles of experimental work in the subject.
• See the use of labs as a process of discovery.
 How to achieve the aims? contd.

Develop technical skills

During their practical classes students will:
• Learn how to use scientific equipment.
• Develop their technical, observational and motor skills.
• Keep a day-to-day laboratory diary.
• Make notes to help them write reports on experiments.

https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/lli/developing-learning-and-teaching/enhance/strategies/practical
How to achieve the aims? contd.

Develop cognitive skills

In practical classes students will have the opportunity to:
• Develop problem formulation and analysis skills.
• Classify data; explain results and prediction responses skills.
• Learn aspects of experimental design.
• Make deductions from measurements and to interpret experimental data.
• Develop skills in problem solving.
• Use experimental data to solve specific problems.
• Foster critical awareness by avoiding systematic errors.
How to achieve the aims? contd.

Promote teamwork skills

During their practical classes students will:
• Work in groups which can lead to an appreciation of the value of working with
others.
• Work collaboratively which can develop an insight into the skills needed to work
effectively.
• Develop teamwork skills when designing experiments; setting up experimental
equipment; checking observations; sharing possible interpretations from results;
compiling group reports.
How to achieve the aims? contd.

Increase motivation
In practical classes students will have the opportunity to:
• Work with other students which can lead to a greater motivation toward and interest in
the subject.
• Become familiar with learning aims of the practical class.
• Receive focused and constructive support from their demonstrator.
• See the full range of ways in which a given exercise is potentially useful.
Demonstrating in practical classes

Let the students have the opportunity to

• undertake experiments
• tackle problem-solving exercises
• carry out survey and project work
• experience at first hand how the theory and principles of their discipline are applied
What you will do as a practical teacher?

As an effective demonstrator of practical classes you will:

• Be approachable.
• Show good knowledge of the theory, as well as techniques and skills.
• Give clear explanations of what is expected of students.
• Set a good example for students in their preparation for the session and their
behaviour in the session.
• Be able to link the material presented in the class with theory presented in their
lectures.
• Give clear explanations, when asked.
• Mark without bias towards individuals and are consistent with other markers
• Provide feedback to students, including constructive criticisms and suggestions for
future improvement.
 Induce Student-led learning
                                                                                
 Student- or peer-led learning is where students themselves facilitate their learning, often
by students in the year above guiding students in group activities to discuss materials with
their peers and solve problems.
This helps them to think through what they have previously been taught and encourages
collaborative learning.
Peer assisted learning.

The deep learning of practical classes allows your students to organise

content into a coherent whole rather than seeing tasks as an external
imposition.

https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/lli/developing-learning-and-teaching/enhance/strategies/practical
How to actuate practical classes in
online mode?
WHY WE NEED TO BE CRITICAL WITH ONLINE EDUCATION

• As per a survey, approximately 400 college students, who recently

switched to remote learning - 60% of them stated that they were
somewhat prepared for the change and expressed their concern
about staying focused and maintaining self-discipline.
• At the same time, another survey showed that 77% of 800 college
students found online learning much worse than in-person classes.

https://edtechreview.in/e-learning/4513-major-challenges-facing-online-education
Major Challenges Facing Online
Education
• Boredom. In this highly-digitized era, online learning is meant to
provide a solution to the boredom of classroom-based learning.
Technical Issues.
• Gadgets Shortage.
• Digital Literacy.
• Virtual Classroom Engagement.
• Security Issues.
• Self-Motivation.
• No Practical Knowledge
Challenges With Online Learning
Solution
 To keep learners interested and engaged, find an online course that is
interactive, dynamic and fun.
• Boredom
 You may also take help from interactive e-learning resources as there are
currently multiple providers offering all types of interactive study materials,
with challenges and ventures, videos, gamified solutions and more.

Solution
 The only solution to this problem is choosing online courses that do not require
advance technology, high-speed internet connectivity or much internal memory, and
comes with a solid and simple script.
 Look for courses where you do not have to download any course material and check
• Technical Issues whether the courses run smoothly on different smartphones, browsers, and operating
systems.
 Furthermore, be sure that the online course picked has a simple and comprehensive
forum for help and a FAQ section to sort all kinds of difficulties then you can be
certain that technology will not be a problem will not make the learning process
problematic.
 Solution
• Many institutions have provided a laptop to its teachers and students for
remote learning
• Gadgets Shortage • no strict deadlines are defined for submitting the given assignment.
• Furthermore, in many countries, lectures are broadcast on TV to make it
accessible to a wider audience.
Solution
• Digital Literacy  To overcome this issue, provide access to a full range of support services,
including technical support by phone, email, and live chat,

 With chat you can access when you have any tech-based questions or provides
basic courses in digital literacy to enhance students' knowledge in the field.
 pay attention to the instructions provided by your teacher about logging in, files
• Virtual Classroom submission, etc.
 Knowing the netiquette is also vital. This includes avoid typing in all caps (that's
Engagement perceived as yelling), be respectful, contribute thoughtfully and avoid sarcastic and
witty replies.

Security Issues
You may take help from the National Cyber Security Alliance recently launched the COVID-19 Security Resource Library to
get up-to-date information concerning privacy and security safely.
 Solution
• Firstly, learners have to find the motivation to follow this new education
mode and equip themselves for future challenges.
• Self-Motivation • It is hard to practice, but they need to adopt a positive attitude to overcome
eLearning challenges.
• They need to understand that it is necessary to reap the eLearning's benefits
in the future.
 Solution
No Practical Knowledge
One solution to this problem is to use useful and
In online learning, there are some practical courses with simulators to practice. Simulators
limitations; not every subject can be have been used for decades (mostly, by pilots and
mastered. For instance, subjects like science surgeons) to recreate real-life situations. This should be
brought into use so that students can practice and
(Biology, chemistry and physics) has shown
experiment in safe and controlled environments. With its
that the best way to learn something is by
incorporation in learning courses, learners will solve this
practicing it. problem and put their new knowledge and skills to
practical use.

The more you practice, the better you learn. It is the experiential learning through which we can
internalize and recall the content and skills we learn. However, several online courses neglect this part
and focus solely on theoretical content and external lessons. Students do not get to practice, and the
learning process does not give the desired outcome.
 Solution
• select and prioritize the best courses
• Use free online courses and powerful platforms such as 
Wikipedia, YouTube and Google, the course content
Course Quality sounds interesting and must be excellent and of the
highest standard but not all are up to the mark.
• Faculty should be smarter before students discover that
they can learn more independently, without needing
their institutions' simple, mediocre courses.
Roles of practical teachers
As an effective demonstrator of practical classes you will:
• Be approachable.
• Show good knowledge of the theory, as well as techniques and skills.
• Give clear explanations of what is expected of students.
• Set a good example for students in their preparation for the session and their behaviour in the
session.
• Be able to link the material presented in the class with theory presented in their lectures.
• Give clear explanations, when asked.
• Mark without bias towards individuals and are consistent with other markers
• Provide feedback to students, including constructive criticisms and suggestions for future
improvement.

Worth considering: The deep learning of practical classes allows your

students to organise content into a coherent whole rather than seeing
tasks as an external imposition.

https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/lli/developing-learning-and-
teaching/enhance/strategies/practical
Adjustment of online courses for differently-abled students
With the worldwide closure of schools and a shift to remote teaching, the differently-abled students(deaf
and hard of hearing) are transferred from their offline classes with interpreters and put at home with poor
ability to adjust the remote learning to their needs amplifying these adjustments.
The online learning mode has already been a kind of challenge for the students; those differently-abled
have to face a double problem and increasing the chances of falling behind.

Solution
• These students can be provided with the lesson script, made by teachers as supportive material
catering to each lesson's requirement. Providing video transcription is another way to reach out
to the deaf or hard of hearing students.
• Motion-picture based material can also be used; it will help keep all students engaged. Last but not at
the least, using AI-powered personal assistants may also be of great help to the students with special
needs.
How to provide Practical Class Online?

Virtual Lab
1. To provide remote-access to simulation-based Labs in various disciplines of Science and
Engineering.
2. To enthuse students to conduct experiments by arousing their curiosity. This would help them
in learning basic and advanced concepts through remote experimentation.
3. To provide a complete Learning Management System around the Virtual Labs where the
students/ teachers can avail the various tools for learning, including additional web-
resources, video-lectures, animated demonstrations and self-evaluation.
Tips for Adult Students for Online Study
1. Choose the Best Online Program. There are now many good online degree programs.
2. Develop a Consistent Schedule. ...
3. Take Advantage of Interactive Tools. ...
4. Connect with Other Students. ...
5. Keep Your Study Materials Organized. ...
6. Find Your Ideal Study Environment. ...
7. Incorporate Offline Study Tactics.
Power of mistakes
• Making mistakes is the norm for many students, especially during skill-based activities. As Wenzel (2002)
suggests, if students take time to engage in mistakes and use them as a part of a discovery process,
student engagement can increase, and they move into a deeper level of understanding. In a schooling
context, little or no mistakes generally indicates something was well learnt. The more mistakes made
often reflected lower grades. This can trigger negative emotions like anger and fear or embarrassment,
resulting in potential learning from those mistakes being lost and students to give up. To enhance
mistakes in learning, Wenzel (2002) proposes that they need to be thought of as a part of the pedagogic
process, suggesting that when incorporated and accepted into the learning process, mistakes and
responses to them become an important problem-solving mechanism.
• The fear of making mistakes or asking for help could be significantly reduced with the use of video
tutorials, as it allows students’ flexibility and control of their learning, however there is a risk if they don’t
get it right and help is not at hand that may give up. Mistakes Based Video Pedagogy (MBVP) is a strategy
that can engage and motivate students to actively participate in their learning to successfully gain
practical skills. This is a teaching approach developed for practical skill acquisition based on a student-
centred learning approach. The key pedagogical perspectives are the use of video as a teaching tool,
modelling common mistakes and their remedies within the demonstrations.
Conclusion

1. Keep all labs well equipped and all instruments in working conditions
2. Develop demonstrating staff
3. Let the demonstrators perform the experiments and explain in front of video camera
4. Let there be discussion with the teacher and instructors
5. Develop questionnaire for each practical
6. Make the videos and forms available online to the students asynchronous way
7. Make the students to interact amongst themselves and practice reporting results of their discussion
8. Practice differentiated instructions as much as practicable
9. Maintain a schedule and regularity in monitiring and feedback
10. Have open forum, discussion board and periodic online meeting