MMTTC, Tezpur University, Assam, India, Organises Short-Term Course on Online Course Development

Dr B. Shadrach, Director of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA), the regional centre of Commonwealth of Learning, addressed educators as the Special Guest at the inauguration of a Short-Term Course (STC) on Development of Online Course/Programme at Tezpur university in Assam, India. It is being organised by the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC) at the University from 16-20 December 2024. The workshop, conducted in blended mode, would focus on building educators’ capacities to create high-quality online courses aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

Professor Shambhu Nath Singh, Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University, welcomed the participants, underscoring the growing need for well-designed online courses to meet the demands of millions of learners. “The success of online learning depends on the quality and inclusivity of the courses,” he emphasised. 

In his address, Dr Shadrach commended MMTTC’s efforts to enhance teacher development and outlined strategies for creating engaging and effective online courses. Highlighting challenges such as low completion rates on Government of India’s MOOC platforms, like SWAYAM, he stressed the importance of interactivity, storytelling, and case studies in course design to hold the attention of online learners. He also encouraged the adoption of the four-quadrant approach, which integrates multi-media instructional content, supported by supplementary learning materials including case studies, interactive discussion forums, and assessment tools to enhance learner engagement. 

Dr Shadrach urged educators to align courses with industry needs and leverage NEP 2020’s flexibility, such as dual degree opportunities, to boost employability. He emphasised the use of data insights from Learning Management Systems (LMS) to refine course content and use Generative AI to support learners with technical, administrative, and academic assistance. 

Professor C. B. Sharma, Director of the School of Education at IGNOU, also reiterated the importance of engaging learners through innovative methods like storytelling and problem-based learning. “In online education, it’s crucial to rethink traditional methods and adopt creative approaches to capture and retain learners’ attention,” he remarked. It would positively impact course completions in online education.   

The STC served as a platform to empower educators with tools and insights to create impactful online courses, contributing to the vision of accessible, quality education under NEP 2020.