Speakers at a workshop on Monday called for adopting and promoting modern teaching methods based on technological support at par with international standards in order to refurbish the God-given skills of the students in enabling environment.

The one-day workshop titled Strategic use of Digital technology in University Instruction was arranged by US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at News Senate Hall. The session was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while experts from University of California USA including Dr Thomas Rost, and Dr James R Carey gave the training about modern teaching to the participants. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that in the modern era of global village, it is the need of the hour to adopt the technology for the teaching purpose that ultimately raises the interest of the students in the studies. He said that the University has kicked off massive open online courses mechanism and the lectures were being put on the internet. He was of the view that technology improves the teaching component by putting the life to the topic. He said that the students must feel free to ask the question in the classroom that creates a healthy learning process. He stressed upon the need to learn from the developed world experiences in this regard. He said that the UAF had established two lecture theaters and three more lectures theaters were being set up to meet the demand of increasing students . The UAF was working on introducing the hybrid courses, he said, adding the Department of Entomology would take the lead in the hybrid teaching. Dr Thomas Rost said that education enables one to value the humanities, arts and culture of other nations. He said that blended learning has a positive impact on the active participation of the students. He said that with technology in the teaching, we can effectively convey our message. Dr James R Carey said that our children will grow up in a world where the largest thing in the universe wont be universe, it will be digital universe. He said that higher education is facing seismic shifts that present formidable challenges and unprecedented opportunities. He informed that a picture speaks the 1000 world. He instructed the participants about the production of videos for the learning in their teaching methods.Dr Nancy J Alien from University of California, USA also spoke on the occasion.