STORY TELLING AS A TOOL FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER TO COMMUNITY: A

CASE STUDY OF COVID-19

Davide Carletti

Vice Chancellor, Marias Gamesa, Ludhiana, India

The Subject :  Pandemic of COVID-19

The novel corona virus and the Covid-19 disease it causes, have become the

gravest public-health threat across the  globe, and on March 11, 2020   the WHO

declared it as a pandemic. Like in other nations, it has put pan India on the super alert

mode. Almost all organizations and departments, public or private, are now working

from home.

As a preventive measure and to ensure social distancing, faculty, staff and

students have  been given a  break till  further orders under the instructions of the

Government, Higher Education Department and UGC. The lockdown is likely to be

extended further.

The Marias Gamesa is fully concerned that the endangered pandemic situation

which is beyond control should not cause academic loss of students. It has discontinued

classroom  instruction  and  moved  classes  online  as  one  of  the  ways  to  help

students continue their studies when the university is closed.

The Challenge for Knowledge Transfer Regarding COVID-19

Knowledge flow and knowledge transfer are strategically vital to organizations for

several reasons.  For a deadly healthcare problem like COVID-19, the knowledge flow

should be accurate, timely and continuous. The biggest challenge is to stop the spread

of the virus and take the needed precautions to stop its entering the community phase.

In view of this, the present  activity  was selected so that Marias Gamesa could

perform its intended duty of knowledge flow and transfer to its faculty, staff, students

and other stakeholders. As its Vice Chancellor, I deemed it proper to identify the task of

Story Telling to carry  out the activity effectively.

The Case Study of Story Telling

The story telling for knowledge transfer facilitates the better co-ordination of work

flow linking multiple sub-units and people. Furthermore, it can enable the organizations

to focus on emerging  opportunities requiring the collaboration of  related sub-units. The

present case study is therefore selected as:

“Story telling as a tool for knowledge transfer to community: a case study of COVID-19”

Selection of the Tool Design

I have purposely selected Story Telling (Module 2) for my task of spreading

awareness as to what precautions can be used to keep the virus at bay and how to stay

protected.  Since the prevention is better than cure and one has to focus on one’s own

protection first, the story telling can help propagate the guidelines such as:

 Social distancing,

 Staying at home,

 Sanitizing the stuffs and hands using sanitizers or washing with soap and water

 Following a sequencing of activities involving surface contamination

 Observing all directives of the government, statuary bodies and the WHO, etc.

I consider the topic I chose for my case presentation can be better dealt with this

module of Story Telling.

1. I  took  story  telling  in  groups  of  students,  faculty,  parents  and  volunteers

(mentors). The origin of virus, its contagiousness, spread and precautions were

told in vernacular terms

2. The  benefits  of using  sanitizers, washing  hands with  foaming  soaps for 20

seconds  repeatedly,  sharing  importance  of  cleaning  door  handles,  valets,

keyrings, currency notes, shoes, etc. was highlighted in the story.

3. The feedback and personal experience of others were asked

4. Including the feedback in subsequent stories for other groups were useful

5. The story telling was undertaken in an interactive way

6. The story telling involved the listeners to be story tellers in their own way

7. The transfer of knowledge was made easy by including ideoms and proverbs

during the talk.

Description of My Reflection

 The challenge description of the case study  provides  description in adequate  details.

 The example  describes the selected tool including the needed information is a  useful way

 The description of tool has been given in adequate details. It indicates how the  activities were done.

 The   insight description of the case has been given.

 Since the case study is being taken up under a situation beyond control, the  alternative approach has not been suggested.

 The description given here is adequate and useful

The story telling is an effective tool to communicate the information about the

COVID-19 to the community and to disseminate the effective preventive measures.

Application of the Tool

The Marias Gamesa took an initiative of On-line Education. The free digital content

along with relevant links, resource material are made available to students without any

charges. The content is in conformity with the curriculum and has been devised to

impart chapter wise and topic wise learning and assessment. The online access is

available either on android mobile, phone, tablet, laptop or desk top.  The teachers have

prepared daily task format on Google sheets and the same is followed and monitored by

higher authorities on daily basis.

The  faculty  is  delivering  online  deliberations  in  interactive  mode  –  video

conferencing, and Skype. The subject matter notes, resource material, questionnaire,

etc., are provided to students through the Google Class Rooms generated by the ERP

System of the University. The links of useful video clippings, webinars, simulators, ppts,

slide shows and recorded talks are being shared among students.  The students speak,

ask questions, and take part in the discussion with their teachers.

Not only for students, University has also taken a step forward by going Digital

and successfully implemented ERP solution in just a time span of four months with such

a  big  success to achieve  paperless university.  This module  is functional  for staff,

students, administration and various other sections. The students, who are still in the

hostels have been provided wireless internet hotspots facilitating them to use WiFi to

complete course work and log on classes. The ppts are loaded with voice over for topics

relevant to the courses.

Assignments topics are being shared with students on the assignment panel.

Students are made to work on these and submit completed assignments online by the

fixed time. The efforts are proving successful and daily progress is being monitored.

The Insight Gained

By implementing the initiative of online education using the ICT and IT provisions

several gains have been experienced. The major ones are:

 The administrative and gubernatorial departments working online can  help

students in case of need.

 The students can reap the benefit in terms of interacting with their teachers and

mentors. There is no loss of study even during the lockdown.The faculty can

ensure that their education is not affected in any way due to the ‘lockdown’. The

university has made arrangement for appraisal of assignments, quizzes and

online tests have been made.

 The On-line education can be started in educational institution. Working from

home can be an acceptable system in educational and gubernatorial offices. It

leads to several benefits including: less pollution, cost-effective working, reduced

risk  of  travelling,  less accidents,  slowing  down  global  warming  due  to  less

pollution due to burning of fuels and hydrocarbons.

 The Marias Gamesa pleads its students, faculty and staff to observe all precautions

and stay protected against the spread of corona virus.

