Facebook launches resources for educators to continue teaching online

In partnership with UNESCO, Facebook is trying to ensure learners and educators stay connected despite the lockdown.

To ensure continuity in the process of learning in the wake of COVID-19, Facebook has launched an online resource guide. The online resource will guide educators on how to collaborate and continue the learning process using Facebook products, tools and programs while also providing information related to COVID-19 from authentic sources.

In its first phase, Facebook has partnered with UNESCO who will support in ensuring the guide reaches learners, educational institutions and teachers across India besides supporting with the updation and curation of the guide with relevant learning resources. Currently, the guide is available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Kannada.

The online resource will help and guide education communities on how to collaborate by using Facebook’s products and tools like Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, Facebook Live, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. In addition, it has modules from Facebook’s digital literacy program to help people think critically and share online thoughtfully.

The guide will also provide vital information about COVID-19 from authoritative and credible sources and help them in dealing with anxiety and bust misinformation surrounding the ongoing pandemic.

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Speaking about the launch, Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India said, “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.”

Eric Falt, Director and UNESCO Representative, UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka said, “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 in order 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. This partnership 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," he added.