A New Path in Online Islamic Education
Khairabadi Institute's Pedagogical Breakthrough
Why introduce a new teaching methodology?
At Khairabadi Institute (KI) we are acutely aware of the tendency of some to simply adopt a piece of technology or teaching style because it is what others are doing. We are also aware of the tendency to ignore any pedagogical or technological developments unless the teacher or institution is forced to use them. What we proposed is a measured and considered approach to online pedagogy. One might wonder, however, why does KI place such a strong emphasis on pedagogy? The answer is simple: how ideas are taught affects their reception. We thus reason that if we are able to ensure reliable transmission, we are ever closer to developing better students.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, many were forced to adopt online learning which addressed a number of issues, such as:
Providing Sunni communities in distant lands with access to orthodox high quality teaching in their language of choice.
Makes Islamic education more widely accessible and scalable.
Provides teachers with a platform to teach that is independent of committee interference.
However, those teaching and studying online faced many challenges. Examining online teaching practically, issues included but were not limited to:
Internet connectivity: although high-speed internet is widespread, a momentary lag can cause a student to miss part of a lesson. This can lead to major misunderstandings if the teacher was, for instance, quoting an opposing view but the call froze or lagged when the teacher indicated that they were quoting. This might cause the student to mistake a quote for their school’s actual position. This has additional effects when lessons are recorded as these types of lags may make their way into recordings as well.
Timezone and lifestyle differences: an evening class for those in the UK may be in the middle of a workday for those in North America or in the early hours for those further east. In addition, teachers may have specific hours during weekdays where they are able to deliver lessons and that may or may not align with student availability.
Availability of time: teachers may aim to complete a particular lesson within a certain length of time in order to complete the course as scheduled, students will have questions that they wish to have answered, and the class may lead to discussions as well. As a result, teachers may not complete courses as scheduled, students may have unanswered questions, and discussion may even be entirely left out.
As a result, online teaching can work but the issues outlined above need to be addressed. We are not suggesting this approach replaces face-to-face tarbīyah but rather provides an option to those who are unable to attend live-classes. With these points considered, the team at KI developed a teaching strategy that we hope to fully implement (In Shā’ Allāh) for subsequent courses as part of the Dars i Niẓāmī syllabus.
What does the method entail?
Modularisation and Unit Formation
A course is divided into a series of units that may correspond to chapters of a book that is being studied. Each unit contains a series of modules, a live tutorial class, a question submissions page, any additional readings, and an assessment. The modules are in the form of short videos that reflect a concept or idea that can be understood from that specific point in a book’s broader discussion. One way that this may practically manifest is that each module corresponds to one mas’ala. As a result, modules may usually range from 5-7 minutes each and gradually explain the concepts in a given unit.
Diagramming
A module is delivered in the form of a pre-recorded video. This will contain the teacher’s lecture (takrīr) in audio format with the visuals being a clear diagram that represents a summary of what is being taught. It is expected that the student will add-in the details from the teacher’s takrīr in their own notes. When viewed collectively, the diagrams represent a visual summary of how the various concepts in a particular unit are linked.
Asynchronous Learning
Students are given a window of time to complete their study of the modules in a unit, usually two-weeks per unit after which they will complete an assessment and attend a tutorial class on a weekend or at another pre-scheduled time. This provides students with the flexibility to study when they are able while still maintaining live contact with the teacher.
In addition, students will be provided with a Google Form link for a particular unit at the start of that unit. This form will act as a submissions portal for questions the student has regarding a particular module (which they must select in the form). This allows the teacher to see all the students’ questions grouped by module and allows the teacher to identify overlaps between questions in order to provide single answers that address multiple questions clearly. Furthermore, identifying which modules have more questions than others informs the teacher of potential areas of review in tutorials.
Regular Assessments
An end-of-unit test forms the assessment for the tutorial which allows the student to apply what they have learned in an assessment setting while also providing the teacher an opportunity to see how students have understood the material. As this precedes the tutorial, this provides another way to identify potential areas of discussion for the tutorial.
Live Seminar-Style Discussions
Live seminar-style tutorial discussion aim to address a number of goals:
Provide the student with live contact with the teacher.
Provide the student with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge by providing a takrīr of their own.
Discuss how concepts in the preceding week’s unit relate to discussions and issues in contemporary domains of study.
Provide the opportunity for the students to clarify and review concepts with the teacher.
Develop the student’s ability further by completing live-exercises either on their own or in pairs/groups.
What does the method enable?
Multimedia Muṭālaʿah
If we were to extend the meaning of reading (muṭālaʿah) to include engagement with multimedia content, then this method enables the student to experience Darsī material in a new way while refining their understanding of bodies of knowledge that taught over centuries. It provides the student time to engage with the concepts in a structured way that has clear starting points and ends.
Virtual Mudārasah
This method is interactive and allows students to learn together in a manner that reinforces and refines what was taught. It encourages asking questions intelligently and taking initiative in pursuing a line of inquiry.
Re-Implementation of Takrīr/Takrār Teaching
This method allows the student to demonstrate their knowledge in a setting where the teacher has multiple chances to observe their progress: initially from the questions they ask, to the assessments they take, to finally their performance during tutorials.
