All non-technical universities in Odisha have joined hands to prepare digital undergraduate course content which will supplement to their classroom teaching.
Utkal University, designated the nodal centre for preparation of the same, has started scouting for organisations with experience in production of e-learning course material, maintenance of interactive portal for e-learning and management of laboratory and production facility.
Under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Rs.5 crore had been sanctioned for development e-learning contents for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce in both honours and general classes in the State.
The remote tutorial assistance (e-learning material), which will supplement classroom teaching and will be used as reference material for faculties, will be made available in colleges situated in tribal and other areas under universities such as Utkal, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Fakir Mohan, North Odisha, Ravenshaw, Ramadevi Women’s, Khalikote and Gangadhar Mehere.
“Experienced resource personnel drawn from all universities will be roped in for preparation of the proposed supplementary study materials. The material will, however, not replace classroom teaching, but it will certainly help students clear their doubts,” said Utkal varsity Vice-Chancellor Ashok Das. “We are hopeful of completing the project within six to eight months,” Mr. Das said.
Under this project, BA courses will be prepared in both Odia and English medium while B Sc and B Com will be made available only in English. The consortium of universities will come out with an interactive digital platform from where the students can source their e-learning materials.
As per plans, sources said, students will be asked to have a 32 GB memory chip compatible to android and personal computers. Odisha government will decide the mode of implementation on a later stage.
In several colleges in Odisha, the government has already facilitated ICT (Information Communication Technology) infrastructure. Upon preparation of digital platform, students can access contents using wi-fi connectivity or through college-based computer laboratories.
Given the ever-growing smart phone penetration and free distribution of laptops to meritorious students under various government schemes, academicians are confident that e-learning materials will help students in their studies further.
To supplement classroom teaching and to be used as reference material for faculties
