Osmania University: Seminar on Emerging Trends in Digital Technologies for Teaching and Learning at Higher Education held

Osmania University, March 28 (Maxim News): A Two Day National Seminar on “Emerging Trends in Digital Technologies for Teaching and Learning at Higher Education: A MOOCs Perspective” was inaugurated here today.

This two-day seminar is sponsored by Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC), New Delhi and organized by Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), Osmania University, Hyderabad. Two hundred and sixty Participants registered for this event and it was held in the PGRRCDE Auditorium at OU.

The Chief Guest for the inaugural function was Prof. J. B. Nadda, Director, CEC New Delhi, the guests of honor for the occasion were Prof. S. Gowri, Vice-Chancellor, Madras University, Prof. G. Mallesham, Dean, UGC, OU, Shri. Rajeesh Srivastav, Additional Director, CEC, Sr. Prof. D. Ravinder, Vice-Chancellor, Osmania University, Prof. T. Mrunalini, Director, EMRC, OU. Directors, Principals, Researchers, and Faculty members cutting across various departments attended the event.

Prof. T. Mrunalini in her welcome address thanked the members for their support and participation. In her address, she highlighted the unique characteristics of the children belonging to Generation Z and how future education should sync to cater to their learning environment.

She conveyed that technological advances are sweeping across the globe and it has been a great enabler for the field of education. Artificial intelligence will have a great impact on the learning ecosystems of the future.

Prof. S. Gowri, VC, Madras University in his message drew the attention of the audience to the emerging trends in the field of education.

He appreciated the efforts and philosophy of the CEC Director Prof. J. B. Nadda reiterated that being democratic and friendly is the key to overcoming obstacles and being achievers in academic administration.

He drew analogies from the Holy Bible and the Epics of Ramayana to quote how digital technologies have been the great leveler in reaching the vast majority through education. He conveyed that if digital technologies are properly developed they will facilitate self and independent learning in the future.

Prof. G. Mallesham, Den, UGC, OU,  in his address, conveyed how COVID-19 had accelerated the use of technology in education. He quoted that democratization of education is still penetrating in rural areas. The digital divide and lack of basic infrastructure are to be addressed on a war footing basis.

He thanked the NGOs for their efforts and contribution to reaching the unreached.  He also strongly advocated that no matter what technologies emerge a teacher will have a significant role in society.

Shri. Rajneesh Srivastav, Additional Director, CEC, New Delhi,  in his short message conveyed the series of programmes sponsored by CEC for sensitizing students, faculty members, and all stakeholders to the richness of benefits they can reap through the SWYAM Platform.

He also emphasized the need for the Digital University in the NEP and the role of CEC and EMRCs across the country. He placed on record the services of Prof. J. B. Nadda in his two successive tenures in taking the Digital revolution in Education forward. He lauded the efforts of the EMRC at OU for their support in this direction.

Prof. D. Ravinder, VC, OU in his Presidential remarks profusely thanked Prof. J. B. Nadda for being a source of inspiration and support.

He congratulated EMRC for holding a Two Day National Seminar on a very pertinent topic.  He conveyed the problems the older generation faces in using technology and the need to address them.

He reiterated that Osmania University is progressing in the digitalization of higher education by creating an Osmania TV Channel through T- SAT and shortly 500 lessons will be uploaded for the benefit of the students.

He also conveyed that we have witnessed many revolutions in the past and time to gear up for the Educational Revolution through Digitalization.

Por. J. B. Nadda, Director, CEC, New Delhi, Chief Guest, for the occasion spoke at length about the journey of CEC from its inception till date.

He drew the attention of the audience to the generational gap between the tech-savvy youth and the digital alien adults and emphasized that we need to address the challenges and help, promote and develop good courses.  He emphasized on the great need to change mindsets from conventional teaching to the digital revolution.

He drew attention to education being on the concurrent list and if the center and the state are not on the same wavelength the credibility of the students could be at stake in the future.

He listed out the benefits of adopting NEP and how Higher Education will emerge in the future. He dispelled the myth that digitalization and NEP will create job losses by quoting that the present Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) is at 27% and the target set is for 50% by 2035, time is running fast and with 1100 Universities and 50,000 odd colleges in this country, the only solution lies in Digital Education.

He exhorted the academic administrators to overcome the rigidity of accepting 40 credits through SWYAM and give the choice to the students. He conveyed that SWYAM focused on MOOCs and Documentary films to enable teaching-learning processes.

A short six minutes film to commemorate the journey of the Consortium for Education Communication, New Delhi was screened on this occasion. 

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