While schools and other educational communities have been asked to remain shut amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, they are now transitioning to a virtual model to ensure the continuity in the process of learning. And to support these communities and ease the process of virtual leaning, Facebook has launched an online resource guide titled, ‘Supporting Education Communities: An Online Learning Resources Guide’.
The online resource would help educators to collaborate using Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, Facebook Live, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. The guide will also provide vital information about COVID-19 from 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.
Currently, the guide is available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Kannada.
Facebook has also partnered with UNESCO to ensure the guide reaches learners, educational institutions and teachers across India. The partnership would also update the guide with relevant learning resources.
‘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 are able to leverage these resources and continue the learning process,’ said Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India.
‘Over 90 per cent 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 mobilising the national and state level actors and resources in order to develop an effective and unified response avoiding overlaps for maximum impact,’ said Eric Falt, Director and UNESCO Representative, UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
Earlier, the social media giant announced a Coronavirus Information Center, which provides the latest news and updates from MyGov Corona Hub, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and global health organisations. It is featured at the top of the News Feed.
