Online learning

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY has amply exhibited its potential to revitalise and revolutionise the educational process in the developing countries such as India. It has the means to provide a basic infrastructure for an efficient and meaningful consortium of Indian engineering universities. Such a digital consortium can make systematic and concerted efforts to coordinate the activities of the several universities. Building up extensive database for access to electronic documents on demand from all the universities and industries can provide information networks for home learners and learners from their work place. Also, the current engineering practice demands redefining to make full use of the available and emerging information technology. Access to knowledge at different locations stimulates co-operation between universities and industries. This defines tele-cooperation between universities via sophisticated networks to work together with a common goal.

On the other hand, the growing number of engineering institutions in the country has resulted in the serious deficiency of trained manpower in the areas of engineering education and training. According to available reports, India has nearly 662 engineering colleges and 1,172 polytechnics with a student strength of about 3,57,000. Assuming the students to staff ratio as 10:1, nearly 35,000 engineering teachers are serving in rural and urban areas. The UGC has established academic staff colleges at some selected universities to cater to the needs of the arts and science colleges to train the faculty members of those disciplines but there are no such institutions to offer training on teaching, learning and evaluation methods for engineering instructors. Although there are a few Technical Teachers Training Institutes, their primary objective is to cater only to the needs of the diploma level programme in polytechnics.

Realising this urgent need and its moral commitment to serve the institutions in the southern regional States, and also make use of advancements in information technology, Anna University, Chennai, proposes to establish an Electronic Learning Institute for Tele-training in Engineering Sciences (ELITES). The major objective is to increase trained manpower in the areas of engineering education and training and to develop and try out a wide range of modular-based learning courses in engineering education. Anna University proposes to offer M.E., M.S. (By Research) and Ph.D. programmes through modular based, teletraining using Internet and World Wide Web. Although the targets in the first phase are the teachers in engineering colleges and polytechnics, the programme will be appropriately extended to the working force in this country.

Tele-training

IT enables us to realise the benefits of tele- training, in addition to the conventional campus programmes. The elements which make this type of networking possible are the standard protocols established for the internet and the World Wide Web (WWW). These protocols make it relatively easy to share information regardless of differences in their individual information systems and geographical location. The success of the Internet and WWW, as a vehicle for communication of sound, graphics and video, has made everyone reconsider the instructional strategy and delivery mechanism. It gives universal connectivity to all the users and has proved as a better platform for instructional delivery.

Web based engineering education is a unique kind of exercise and experience. It can help engineers and science professionals stay current and productive in their fields without the constraints of on-campus attendance. It offers a quality-engineering programme to help professionals meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world by offering courses through the Internet.

Web-based courses enhance professional development that can be used towards a Master of Engineering Degree, partial recognition for on-campus degrees, or a course work required for a Ph.D., degree. It is not just an alternative for today's busy professional but can also help maintain instructor-student interaction. Students are encouraged to communicate with the instructor via telephone, e-mail, mail or campus visits. They can access database of courseware in different formats from remote areas and can interact with they instructor at their own convenience.

Three benefits

The web-based engineering education has three distinct learning benefits. These include attractive and convenient modular learning pattern called credit banking system, enhanced learner participation through high interactivity and effective instruction.

Credit banking system is one of the most versatile and flexible learning paths to acquire higher degrees and diplomas for working professionals through web-based engineering education. It entitles the learners to acquire and transfer credits from their prior learning without further instructional needs. It also facilitates acquiring credit for non- formal learning, assessed and recognised towards further study programmes.

In the credit banking system, credits may be earned and utilised in two ways, namely, formal credit accumulation and non-formal credit accumulation. The first provides an opportunity to accumulate and transfer credit for formal courses and programmes taken at accredited educational institutions. Prior learning is assessed, either by examination or by project evaluation. There is no restriction on the amount of formal credit transfer allowed for completing a programme.

The credit banking system enables the learners to acquire credits based on the assessment of their non-formal prior learning, skills and knowledge gained through learning experiences. This includes industry- based training, professional development workshops/seminars, private study and work experience.

If one has already completed a programme, credit banking gives one the opportunity to build on it to complete a further credential. If the learner has completed a certificate, he can ladder into a diploma, and from the diploma into a degree. If credits have been used by the learner to meet the requirements of one programme, some of the credits could be used to meet the requirements of an additional programme at the same or lower level.

Interactivity

The greatest advantage of web-based education lies in its interactive nature. The working professionals, engineering teachers and home learners who are geographically separated can interact effectively with experts in the university and industries. Online chats, direct interaction with the instructor during and after live presentations, interaction with other fellow learners are the salient features of web-based engineering education. This not only enhances their horizons beyond what is possible from classroom instruction, but also helps them to learn at their own convenience.

Simulation

Simulation is an essential learning tool in engineering for both students and practitioners. It facilitates better understanding of real world systems and aids in problem-solving and system design. Web-based simulation has the potential to overcome the limitation of traditional-simulation systems by combining the modelling power and Internet communication.

Educators would be able to incorporate simulation into their web- based courses without the cost and inconvenience of acquiring special equipment or materials and without spending much time. Web-based simulation offers several advantages that include wider accessibility, controlled access, efficient maintenance and increased integration.

Globalisation not only opens avenues for new markets, but also means overseas competition entering traditional markets. The nature of work itself will continue to change with higher mobility and more shared working. The required skills will change with greater demand for professional, technical and service skills. Frequent re-training has become inevitable. The only way to win is to keep ahead of the cycle to continued innovating. Web-based engineering education can provide a cost- effective solution to his persisting problem. In addition to bringing classroom to shop floor or drawing office, web-based interaction can initiate systematic exchange of expertise and knowledge among universities and industries.

New methods of integrating courses and collaborating together to provide education and training for specific user groups that are not available in regular curriculum could provide fresh opportunity for research and training and growth of trade and industry. With new information tools and services, industries can compete with international markets; universities can benefit by capturing and structuring the knowledge employed by the engineers in making technical and operational decisions at a higher level of abstraction of incorporating this into the existing curriculum.

The socio-economic development of third world countries such as India and the welfare of the citizens depend on the quality of workforce, quantity of trained man power and competitiveness of its trade. The pace of current technological change and intensification of competition in the global market require that India's workforce is able to keep pace with these developments. Hence web-based training could play a central role in developing and shaping this quality workforce.

The Information Technology is a critical enabler, bringing in affordable bandwidth into our core networks. The demand for high- speed communications is rising rapidly and solutions for that are not far off. Manageable, cost-effective bandwidth is becoming a reality. New protocols are already enabling reasonable quality web broadcasting. Real-time, interactive, high quality multimedia is nearly available. But it is also important to note that technology alone cannot help us to win. It is the human factors such as how we manage innovation, or how flexible we are in the face of change, that are important.

The Government has resolved to make our country a super power in IT. Based on the recommendations of the National Task Force, the Planning Commission has devised an action plan to establish a ``National Qualification Frame Work'' for computerised online objective system of knowledge acquisition. It also suggests implementation of an ``Educational Credit Bank'' for giving flexibility to integrate credits earned in different institutions/ systems towards the eligibility for diplomas and degrees. Historically, the engineering professionals have been at the forefront of all changes; in the same token let us hope for a better technical education in the next millennium.

Prof. A. KALANIDHI

Vice-Chancellor, Anna University

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