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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the “Goce Delchev” University was amongst the first higher education institutions in the country that quickly adapted to the new situation.

Owing to the fact that there was a previously established information system base, UGD adapted to and started with online classes shortly after the closing of schools and universities.

As might be expected, the Faculty of Computer Science together with the IT sector at UGD were leaders in this, which is why we talked to Aleksandra Miteva, PhD, a professor at this Faculty. There are other professors from other faculties at UGD who previously and of their own volition used the computer technology to be more accessible to their students, such as professor Fidanka Trajkova, PhD, from the Faculty of Agriculture, with whom we talked as well about the challenges of online classes.

The applications Microsoft Teams and Office 365 are the basis on which the university based the classes. Professor Trajkova says that she had been using this application even before the crisis caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

I started using Microsoft teams by creating a team as a PLC (Professional Learning Community) on my own volition and out of curiosity in the moment when the application became accessible. When I created the team I believed that such a team will be compatible with my needs.

- I made the first attempt for online classes with the created team on October 7^th 2019 with the students from the Dispersed Studies in Agriculture in Prilep. The possibility for online classes and consultation hours in the time before the coronavirus crisis was a good opportunity for the students at the Faculty of Agriculture in Prilep. Because of the physical distance, sometimes a holiday is celebrated on the day designated for the classes, or I am absent because of other work commitments or there isn’t enough time for a certain activity, which is why the online classes and consultation hours via Microsoft Teams were a great addition to the standard ex-cathedra classes. In March the COVID-19 crisis began and the schools and universities were closed. On March 17^th 2020 I began online classes without any problems because the method of organization of this type of classes was well known and clear to me. Soon, Microsoft Teams became the official medium for online classes at UGD, says professor Trajkova, PhD.

The Microsoft applications were implemented throughout the whole University through the Faculty of Computer Science and the Department of information technology, which had the knowledge and the resources and they solved part of the problems that appeared.

- In our conversation with the colleagues from the UGD IT Centre (we are especially grateful to the colleague Jordan Tikveshanski for his endeavours), we realized that the Microsoft Teams application was our best choice because we could use it for free, we could create as many teams as we needed as virtual classrooms with different numbers of students, without worrying about technical support. We were not obliged to buy expensive servers and multimedia equipment. The simplest solution was right in front of us, we were only supposed to install the application on our computer systems and mobile phones or even not do that, we could simply use it via any web browser. Of course, all of this was possible because our University had already been using the package of services by Microsoft Office 365 and all employees and students had already had their own University account through which they could access Microsoft Teams.

At the end, there was supposed to be a microphone and a camera and with a solid internet connection and an enthusiasm for work, the lessons could continue. The adaptation was quick. For example, I held my last classroom lesson from Computer Networks on March 17^th and the following Tuesday, on March 24^th I continued with online lessons, says Aleksandra Miteva, PhD from the Faculty of Computer Science.

All lessons, tutorials and similar activities that are held online are taped and are accessible for the students who couldn’t access the online lesson while it was ongoing or from different reasons want to see the same lesson twice.

Objective grading in online conditions is possible

According to the two professors, the greatest challenge that they faced was grading their students’ work, but they say that with good organizing that should not be a problem. In their experience, grading was objective to the maximum, similar to grading students in the classroom.

- One of the problems in online lessons is the substantial and objective grading. There were many critics on social media who criticized online lessons, exams, and grading because of their supposed lower quality or lower credibility. In my opinion, these allegations are only partly true. Why? Because the quality of lessons and the objectivity in grading in regular conditions depend on the professor and the students. The teaching process is a two-way process – the quality and sincerity depend on both sides, and students can easily recognize when you are on their side, when you are righteous, and when you are rightfully strict. When it comes to grading objectivity – it is always possible to achieve it, regardless of the carrying out of this process, but it requires a greater level of engagement on the part of the professor. For example, the principle “open notes, open books” is applied in many countries for a large number of exams and tests, which means that students can bring their books, notes, and aids on the exam. But, that means that the professor has to work a lot more in order to give individual tasks to each student so that students cannot cheat or copy the answers. We all think that the Internet has the answers to all questions, but it is not like that – the Internet has the answer to particular questions – but analysis, synthesis, and deduction can only be made in the human brain. My students were tasked with this sort of problems for the first mid-term exam and it was shown that it is not at all easy and simple for them to win the maximum of 20 points, even though they had more than a week to work independently on the problems for a week. For the second mid-term I chose a milder approach in the selection of testing, so the students received a typical online multiple choice test. And here it was proved what is correct - those who studied achieved success, whereas those who did not study won the minimal number of points, even though they were giving their answers from home and without direct supervision, says Professor Fidanka Trajkova, PhD, from the Faculty of Agriculture at the “Goce Delchev” University.

Professor Aleksandra Mileva from the Faculty of Computer Science shares the same opinion. At the beginning, she was sceptical regarding the objectivity of the grading process, but later on an appropriate methodology for fair grading was established.

- I personally postponed the mid-terms, hoping that the situation would get better by June. However, in the end we administered online mid-term and final exams and with slightly more effort put in by the professors it was proved that the mid-terms can be objective. For example, I used Cisco Packet Tracer for the subject Computer Networks, as well as more tools from the operative system (Windows as an option) which are necessary when working on a network administrator. The students had a practical part of the exam as well in which each and every one of them was supposed to share his or her screen with the given applications and demonstrate in practice what has been learned. That mid-term lasted longer because the students, after a timetable  was previously established, were supposed to wait for their turn, but it was worth it because I think that they gained more practical knowledge, and I gained a more objective grading process, says Professor Mileva.

Online lessons have certain downsides

The two professors point out certain problems and downsides in online lessons.

It is impossible to have a process without certain downsides. Professor Trajkova says that physical contact gives the sense of belonging to the community.

-The greatest downside of distance learning is the absence of personal contact. To study and to work at the Faculty is to belong to a community. There is a term used in Academia – “alma mater”, which has the meaning of “ the University I graduated at” or “the University I belong to”. Belonging or “alma mater” is possible only if we feel as a part of that community – by being present and sharing, helping, competing each other, showing fellowship – building all the positive and less positive human emotions… Sometimes, the most important part of everyday life for the students and the employees is the coffee they drink together with their colleagues, says professor Trajkova.

For professor Mileva the greatest challenge is to select the appropriate methodology to maintain the attention of students online.

- Age has its influence when it comes to the usage of new technologies and I believe that, like all other IT technologies, this platform as well would be more difficult for usage by the older professors who have their own established methods and ways of teaching and it is difficult for them to adapt to novelties. Actually, it is a great challenge to carry out online lessons and online exams properly, to decide what methodology to use, how to maintain the attention of the pupil or the student throughout the whole lesson, how to activate them more in the teaching process, how to provide more objective grading, etc. these questions are a prevailing research problem which concerns a lot of educators, psychologists, and researchers from other areas in the whole world, professor Mileva points out.

The system which has been built by UGD throughout the years is offered to other higher education institutions

In any case, UGD provides a solid example for the fact that the engagement of a lot of people can bring to the proper response to the greatest challenges that we face. The creation of a system which is used nowadays is a result of a long-term devoted work of many people previously, which is why today everyone can adapt to the system quite fast.

- From the conversations with the colleagues and the students, one can come to the conclusion that everyone adapted to this new way of work without any difficulties because of the fact that UGD uses a lot of digital tools in its everyday work from the very beginning. In my opinion, the lessons did not “suffer” in terms of their carrying out and their quality. I have to mention the vision of the first rector of UGD, professor Sasha Mitrev, who set up the base for these digital tools and built a system of a University digital service since its formation, Professor Trajkovska points out.

Not only is the University a model for online teaching, but also the professors, especially those from the Faculty of Computer Science and the IT Sector put at service their knowledge and experience to other education institutions with the goal to help in the process of establishing a better system which undoubtedly will be used in the future.

-The Faculty of Computer Science can provide instruction lessons for professors and teachers when it comes to the organization of successful online teaching and creating good online teaching contents in different subjects. Moreover, in collaboration with the Faculty of Pedagogy at UGD, help can be provided in the defining and testing of new methodologies in online teaching, professor Mileva from the Faculty of Computer Science points out.

All professors agree that the crisis caused by the coronavirus put not only the education institutions, but all other segments of life to a test. The “Goce Delchev” University, even though it is a large and complex institution, has proved in this corona crisis that it is an institution which is ready to welcome the changes and quickly adapt to them.