Odisha varsities opt for digital course content

In a move to keep with the changing scenario of education all non-technical universities in Odisha have joined hands to prepare digital undergraduate course content as to supplement to their classroom teaching.

Rs.5 crore had been sanctioned under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), for development e-learning contents in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce in both honours and general classes in the State.

Already Utkal University, 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.

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 will get remote tutorial assistance (e-learning material), which will supplement classroom teaching and will be used as reference material for faculties.

“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 a top official of the Utkal Varsity.

“We are hopeful of completing the project within six to eight months. 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,” he added.

“Students will be asked to have a 32 GB memory chip compatible to android and personal computers. Odisha government has already facilitated ICT (Information Communication Technology) infrastructure in several colleges. Upon preparation of digital platform, students can access contents using wi-fi connectivity or through college-based computer laboratories,” said another University official.

Looking at the increasing number of 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.