Reimagining Education in the Digital Age: CDOE Hosts National Seminar on Transformative Pedagogies

Chandigarh, March 13, 2026: The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), Panjab University, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Department of Education, organised a one-day National Seminar on “Education in the Era of Digital Transformation: Redefining Teaching and Learning.” The seminar brought together scholars, educators and policy-makers to deliberate on the rapidly evolving relationship between technology and pedagogy. Welcoming the distinguished guests and participants, Prof. Harsh Gandhar, Director, CDOE, contextualised the theme and underscored the transformative potential of digital tools in expanding learning opportunities while maintaining academic integrity and human engagement in education. The Guest of Honour, Dr Radhika Singh, Director Higher Education, Chandigarh, appreciated the relevance of the seminar. While acknowledging the advantages of digital learning, she expressed concern about the excessive exposure of young minds to digital media and stressed the need to balance technology with conventional pedagogical approaches. Dr Rajni Jassal, Seminar Coordinator, introduced the theme of the seminar.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Rattan Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University, Patiala, observed that education is itself a life process rather than merely a preparation for life. Reflecting on the post-COVID era, he discussed how digital pedagogy has enabled unprecedented access to knowledge while also raising challenges such as the digital divide, fake data generation, privacy concerns, lack of socialisation among students, and the need for continuous technological training for teachers and assisting staff. Prof. Yojna Rawat, Dean of University Instructions, emphasised that digital technology must remain a means rather than an end, cautioning against reducing human beings to mere tools of technological systems. Prof. Jatinder Grover, Chairperson, Department of Education, shared valuable insights.
The valedictory session was graced by Chief Guest Prof. Meenakshi Goyal, Director, Research and Development Cell, who emphasised the need to cultivate a digital research culture and promote collaborative knowledge building. Dr Santosh Panda, former Professor, IGNOU, spoke on the democratisation of access to digital education, while Prof. Kuldeep Puri, former Professor of Education, CDOE, remarked on the real challenges confronting education in the digital era. The seminar featured 12 parallel technical sessions in both online and offline modes, where 167 research papers were presented and discussed. The event was successfully coordinated by Organising Secretaries Dr Rajni Jassal and Dr Ravinder Kaur and supported by Dr Anil, Dr Kamla, Dr Parveen Kumar and Dr Sucha Singh, with Dr Ravinder Kaur and Dr Rajni serving as Seminar Secretaries. The collective efforts of faculty members and organisers ensured the seminar’s resounding success.