NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, APRIL 16
Facebook has launched an online resource guide on how to collaborate and continue the learning process using its products and programmes during the coronavirus pandemic.
Facebook has partnered with UNESCO to help the guide titled ‘Supporting Education Communities: An Online Learning Resources Guide’ reach learners and educators across India. UNESCO will also help in updating and curating the guide with relevant resources. Currently, the guide is available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Kannada.
The guide will help the education communities use Facebook products, tools and programs including Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, Facebook Live, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram to collaborate and continue the learning process, the release added.
Also, it has modules from Facebook’s digital literacy programme – “We Think Digital ” to help people think critically and share online thoughtfully. The guide will also provide vital information about COVID-19 from authoritative and credible sources such as Government of India’s advisory, WHO India Situation Report Page, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Coronavirus Resource Hub on Facebook, and Guidance from UNICEF on COVID-19 prevention and control in schools and help them in dealing with anxiety and bust misinformation surrounding the ongoing pandemic.
Speaking about the launch, Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India said, “In these difficult times, it is even more important for people to stay connected and have access to credible information about COVID-19. Through our online learning resource guide, we want to equip teachers, parents and relevant government officials with ample resources and tools to help them stay connected and collaborate digitally to facilitate remote learning. We sincerely hope they can leverage these resources and continue the learning process.”
Eric Falt, Director and UNESCO Representative, UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka said, “The COVID-19 outbreak has caused not only a health crisis but also a learning crisis. More than 90% of the world’s learners are affected by the school and university closures. In line with the global efforts, UNESCO New Delhi will focus on mobilizing the national and state-level actors and resources to develop an effective and unified response avoiding overlaps for maximum impact. Further, the on-ground needs will be matched with context-appropriate solutions to provide education remotely, leveraging hi-tech, low-tech and no-tech approaches with a special focus on ensuring access for women learners. Technology will be the key enabler for all such efforts. The partnership between UNESCO New Delhi and Facebook will, therefore, play an important role in providing an online platform for all stakeholders to come together and act in tandem to end the learning disruption.”
As more and more schools are advised to transition to a virtual model, Facebook remains committed to supporting communities and users to ease this process of virtual learning and enable educators with information about COVID-19.
