HYDERABAD: The push from the University Grants Commission (UGC), allowing higher education institutions to offer Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), has led to the reverberation of the new concept reverberating across institutions.
On the lines of JNTU’s recent announcement that it would start offering MOOC courses from the next academic year, Osmania University, encouraged by the response it has received in the engineering programme, has decided to introduce MOOC in other undergraduate courses being offered in its 430 affiliated colleges as well. Prof S Ramachandram, Vice Chancellor, OU said that the online courses will be offered in one subject on an experimental basis from the next semester.
“Since we have a large number of affiliated colleges, we plan to start with skill-based courses and then improvise depending upon the feedback and problems we face,” the professor said.
Degree colleges affiliated to the varsity, meanwhile, have not received an intimation on the implementation of the MOOCs. While agreeing that students and those even working will not be able to upgrade their skills and benefit from this endeavour. “The success of this programme lies in creating awareness among both college and students. While former will need time and training to incorporate the courses in their curriculum, the latter should be informed about the advantages of undertaking these courses,” said G Satish convenor, KG to PG Education.
So far, MHRD has curated and made available 13 stations through SWAYAM and according to the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) there has been good response from both students and institutions.
“Experts have been roped in to create content for the MOOCs. The future too belongs to these courses and with the influx of technology there will be no dearth of takers for these courses,” said Prof T Papi Reddy, chairman, TSCHE.