Transformation from Distance Education to Digital Learning
Open Courseware initiatives in India
Overview
The revolution in Information and Communication Technology has bridged knowledge gap by providing free flow of information. It has provided wider opportunities in archiving accessing digitizing and preserving the traditional knowledge. The open source software movements added weightage in the proliferation of digital libraries worldwide. This module elaborates on initiatives taken towards open courseware in India.
OER: Open Courseware
Open Courseware initiatives in India
I. Objectives
The objective of this module is to discuss Open Courseware initiatives in India.
II. Learning Outcomes
After completion of this module, the students will gain knowledge on different Open Courseware initiatives so far taken and working in India.
III. Structure
1. Introduction
2. Online Courseware
2.1 NPTEL
2.2 e-Gyankosh
2.3 Learning Object Repository - CEC
2.4 ePG Pathshala
2.5 e-Content for Undergraduate
3. Summary
1. Introduction
The revolution in Information and Communication Technology has bridged knowledge gap by providing free flow of information. With this technology driven revolution, the delivery of information was started in digital format with greater speed and economy which triggered in development of digital library. It has provided wider opportunities in archiving accessing digitizing and preserving the traditional knowledge. The open source software movements added weightage in the proliferation of digital libraries worldwide. Traditional knowledge available in one and another form were being explored, documented, preserved, and made accessible through networks of digital archives. This module elaborates on initiatives taken towards open courseware in India.
2. Online Courseware
2.1 NPTEL (www.nptel.iitm.ac.in)
Implemented By: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (Web Coordinator); Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (Video Coordinator) Participating Institutions: Indian Institutes of Technology (seven IITs such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
Supported By: Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India
Description: The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) (www.nptel.iitm.ac.in) is an open courseware initiative by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). This initiative is funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). The main objective of this programme is to enhance the quality of engineering education in the country by developing more than 200 curricula-based video and web courses.
2.2 e-Gyankosh (www.egyankosh.ac.in)
Implemented By: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi
Partner Institutions: Distance Education Council; India EDUSAT
Supported By: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Description: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is a mega open university that offers distance and open education to millions of learners in India and other countries. It produces self-instructional study materials for various programmes and also hosts a number of educational broadcasting channels. IGNOU has initiated the establishment of a National Digital Repository of learning resources eGyankosh. This repository envisages to store, index, preserve, distribute and share the digital learning resources of open and distance learning (ODL) institutions in the country: The repository supports seamless aggregation and integration of learning resources in different formats such as self-instructional study materials, audio-video programmes, and archives of radio and television-based live interactive sessions.
2.3 Learning Object Repository CEC (www.cec-lor.edu.in)
Implemented By: Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi
Partner Institutions: University Grants Commission (UGC), Educational Multimedia Research Centres (EM RC), Audio Visual Research Centre (AVRC), Vyas Channel on Gyan Darshan (24 hours Higher Educational Channel)
Supported By: UGC, Government of India
Alternative URL: www.cec-lor.edu.in
Description: Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) is an inter-university centre on electronic media, established by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The CEC in coordination with its 17 Educational Multimedia Research Centres, has been producing television programmes in various subject categories in English, Hindi and regional languages. Some of the audio-visual programmes are based on syllabus-based topics at the school, polytechnic, college and university levels. CEC established the Learning Object Repository (LOR) and the Digital Video Repository (DVR) to provide worldwide access to these qualitative learning resources. The LOR is a bank of short duration reusable learning objects for special benefits to students and teachers for face to face learning as well as to other users globally. The streaming video technique is used for online viewing of these learning objects. The LOR portal can be searched by subject, topic, title of the learning object, and keywords. This portal can also be navigated through subject categories.
2.4 ePG Pathshala (http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in)
Implemented By: UGC and INFLIBNET Centre
Supported By: NME-ICT, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Description: The MHRD, under NME - ICT has allocated funds to the UGC for development of e-content in 77 subjects at postgraduate level. The INFLIBNET Centre is assigned the responsibility for technical and administrative coordination of the programme as per the guidelines of Standing Committee, e-PG Pathshala. High quality, curriculum-based, interactive content in different subjects across all disciplines of social sciences, arts, fine arts & humanities, natural & mathematical sciences, linguistics and languages is being developed under this initiative named e-PG Pathshala.
2.5 e-Content for Undergraduate (http://cec.nic.in/)
Implemented By: Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi
Partner Institutions: Educational Multimedia Research Centres (EM RC)
Supported By: NME-ICT, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
Description: MHRD, under NME-ICT has allocated funds to the CEC for development of e-content at undergraduate level. The content will be created in two phase. In Phase I, 19 subjects will be produced in collaboration with Media Centres and e-Content courseware and in Phase II 68 subjects will be produced with the assistance of production agencies other than Media Centres.
3. Summary
The module discussed major initiatives taken towards open courseware in India.
References
- Das, Anup Kumar. (2008). Open Access to Knowledge and Information: Scholarly Literature and Digital Library Initiatives,- the South Asian Scenario. (Eds: Bimal Kanti Sen and Jocelyne Josiah), UNESCO, New Delhi, 137.
- Jeevan, V.K.J. (2004). Digital library development: identifying sources of content for developing countries with special reference to India. The International Information & Library Review, 36: 185–197.
- Madalli, Devika P. (2003). Digital Libraries and Digital Library Initiatives, Digital Libraries: Theory and Practice, DRTC, Bangalore.
Websites:
www.nptel.iitm.ac.in
http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/about.php