Virtual classrooms for degree, polytechnic students

Higher Education dept. developed course content

Digitalization has captured all domain and spheres of life, including the education sector. In view of its growing importance, the State government has come up with an idea of launching virtual classrooms for under graduate and polytechnic students in the State.

The Department of Higher education has already readied content and video lessons in all subjects and languages for the students.

Not less than 60 hours of lectures on each subject, including mathematics, chemistry, physics, commerce, and languages such as Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu were prepared for first semester students. In some cases, 90 hours of lectures were recorded.

The students can have access to these video lectures and content—PowerPoint presentations, and study material—from the website, which is yet to be launched.

To ensure success

When contacted, Collegiate Education and Technical Education Commissioner G. S. Panda Das said,

“The online learning could be leveraged to increase the academic access, progression, and success of the students. The initiative offers more flexibility, allows the students to watch lecture videos or access course materials at their convenience. Initially, the facility would be available for the government degree and polytechnic students. At a later stage, it would be scaled up to all colleges.”

The government has already initiated a programme to start to digital classrooms in every college. High speed internet is being provided under the Fibernet project.

So, every college can provide access to virtual classrooms to its students.

There is no fee for taking a course and no examination at the end. But, the students have to register themselves. An app is being developed for registration. The students can follow the course through their smart phones. They can interact with the faculty online. Their doubts and questions would be answered by the panel of experts. “And, it is first of its kind in the country,” he claimed.

This is something akin to Moocs (massive open online courses), which is very popular among developed countries.