Dr. C. Manohar, Senior Director, Association of Indian Management Schools, Bangalore emphasizes on hybrid learning

“If we want to really create confidence in the students we have got to first upgrade ourselves,” says Dr. C. Manohar, Senior Director, Association of Indian Management Schools, Bangalore in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan

We welcome you at today’s forum Dr. C. Manohar.

I must compliment you congratulate you and admire the way you have taken this initiative forward the New Normal Leadership Summit. New Normal has remained just a concept and is changing every day what is normal today is old tomorrow so I think it’s a continuous journey in the flow it’s like river is always flowing we need to integrate ourselves with the changes that are happening, the mindsets of the youngsters. As learners and as teachers we need to adapt, adopt and also change, so there’s a learning curve we have to keep ourselves on the high side so this kind of events what you are organizing I must appreciate is helping the teaching community, the owners of businesses, the educational institutions and all that to update ourselves the EdTech companies that are there. In fact, I have participated, have attended couple of such events in the last two years, I find if the same company comes again, so in the next event they are coming with something new. I mean that is the kind of development and progress that we would like to witness. This gives us a confidence that India is on the right path of growth when it comes to education we can be among the top leaders in education, in the world, definitely in Asia. I think these events are very meaningful for us.

How do you think the hybrid learning or a blended learning will take the shape now?

There is no escape, it has to be that way, there is nothing like only classroom sessions and face to face are only the online kind of a thing, it has to be integrated, blended and in the concept of blending also it keeps on changing because everything should be learner-centric. Today we find learners are much more dynamic and more educated when it comes to operational efficiency of learning even as compared to teachers, of course many teachers are upgrading themselves and they are good. If we want to really create confidence in the students we have got to first upgrade ourselves so that is very important. So, hybrid learning is going to be the order of the day so because we don’t have now the frontier, there are no borders, no classroom the whole world is your classroom today obviously hybrid has to be there and we have to adapt ourselves.

What has been the outcome of this event or what are your takeaways from this event?

My take away is, what is coming up again today I’m sure if I come to the next event I will see from now on to next event there will be a lot more changes. So, my takeaway is an update of what is happening in the EdTech space and also the experimentation, the new case studies which are good to replicate in other institutions. So, one good practice in one institution can be replicated and we can bring back with a new context from the same institution again. So, my takeaway is a good networking, and I could meet some new friends in the education field plus I could participate in the sessions, some new knowledge also acquired and that way it’s good, that gives me the energy and I would say that gives me confidence that yes at this phase of life we are also learners and we have to be continuous learners, lifelong learners I would say.

Any message would you like to give to ArdorComm Media Group?

You’re doing a good job, keep going, maybe you have to reach out to, like today you had a session on digital divide and urban and rural, I think these events should go to rural areas they are no more called the rural area they are the emerging new cities and the new knowledge hubs in fact in one of the recent events that happened in Bangalore, over 40,000 students participated and who emerged on the top 10 or 70 percent were the rural students. Imagine now if that is a kind of a reach, if it’s there we should not miss recognizing the fact that today even in rural area there is the talent, that is available we need to nurture it. It’s very important that we do that, so my message to ArdorComm Media is keep doing, keep going, outreach has to be much more, I would say even go to international level, regional levels, you can go to South Asia, Asia Pacific.