Workshop on ‘Development of online resources for effective learning’ to conclude tomorrow

Mysore/Mysuru: Technology and distance education must go hand in hand. Lecturers must think in direction of making optimum utilisation of online coaching, opined Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi, Registrar, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU).

He was speaking after inaugurating a five-day workshop for the University lecturers on ‘Development of online resources for effective learning’ organised jointly by KSOU and Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) at the Cauvery Auditorium here on Monday.

Prof. Gandhi said that the workshop will be of great help to prepare lecturers for e-teaching tools. In fact, such workshops had not been held in traditional Universities so far. The KSOU lecturers must take advantage of the same. The CEMCA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Open University on preparation of e-teaching aids for effective distance teaching and quality coaching.

Hitherto, there was no rule for the Open Universities to take University Grants Commission (UGC) NAAC accreditation but now, those Varsities have been given opportunity. To get NAAC recognition, the KSOU has already done preparation and training was being given to lecturers by CEMCA. Besides, the Company was bearing the cost of three-day workshop that comes to around Rs. 1.25 lakh.

Earlier, Prof. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor, KSOU, who inaugurated the workshop, said that the Varsity has provided basic infrastructure in Information, Technology and Communication. Every lecturer, who participates in this workshop, must share his/ her experience in writing. Teaching methods that would be used in future, were being taught to lecturers in the ongoing workshop, he added.

Training was being given at Science Bhavan Laboratory. As many as 74 lecturers were participating in this workshop. CEMCA Director Dr. Madhu Parhar and Senior Programme Officer Manas Ranjan Panigrahi participated online.

Gurumurthy Kasinathan, Director and Founder, IT for Change, Bengaluru, Prof. K.M. Mahadevan, Registrar (Evaluation), Dr. Sumathi Ramakrishnagowda, Nodal Officer, CEMCA, were present during the inaugural ceremony.