DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2021.v09i07.004

Pages: 323-327

The shift from conventional teaching method to the technology-driven virtual mode of teaching due to COVID 19 pandemic has provided a lot of opportunities with challenges to academic stakeholders. With this background the study has been designed with an objective to analyze the outcome of the virtual mode of teaching and learning on the knowledge building and performance of the students of higher education in the north-eastern region of India. The study's design is descriptive and has drawn a sample from the region's universities that constituted 209 students. The study period was April 2020 to April 2021. Primary data has been collected using Google form when journals, reports, and websites are secondary data collection sources. The analysis has been done on micro soft excel and presented through tables and charts. The results of the study indicated that 46.9% of the students found virtual teaching useful. 49.7% of students shared that academic programs conducted in virtual mode (webinars, training programs, workshops) significantly contributed to knowledge building, but subject-specific virtual teaching could not impact students' performance. Excess pressure of assignments, online exam phobia, Lack of Technical know-how, poor internet connectivity; has been identified as causative factors of poor performance. In-spite of having such challenges, 42.85% of the female and 38.14% of the male shared their overall learning experience in online mode as satisfactory. The study suggested that the Universities of North Eastern Region requires developing technological infrastructure, initiating discussion with teachers on the mental health issues of students, and organizing programs on technical aspects which will lead to performance development of the students.