Forensic science, computers, biz: options galore in MOOCs
CLICK AND LEARN Courses under UGC’s SWAYAM portal will be taught through multimedia
E-learning centres and academic institutes have geared up to offer courses under SWAYAM MOOCs, under the ministry of human resource development. The Centre for e-Learning (CfeL) at Delhi University’s SGTB Khalsa College is developing 96 PG courses in six subjects (16 per subject) namely commerce, chemistry, forensic science, economics, psychology and business economics) under the e-PG Pathshala project of the UGC as part of the HRD ministry’s National Mission in Education. According to Professor AK Bakhshi, chairman, CfeL, “The centre was created in October 2013. The purpose of the e-PG Pathshala project is to develop high quality interactive and multimedia enriched e-content for post-graduate courses. Out of all subjects to be covered under this project, six subjects are being handled by the CfeL. It is for the first time that e-content for the PG level is being developed. For each subject, e-content for 16 papers is being developed (four per semester). So in all we are developing e-content for 96 papers in these six subjects. Of these 96 papers, 42 papers have been already repurposed into 42 MOOCs (one MOOC per one semester paper).”
Each of the 96 papers will have 35-40 modules. Each module will have four components - e-text; audio lectures supported by text, animation and videos; selfassessment including self-graded e-quizzes with feedback and suggested readings, web-links and value additions. The e-content in these four components will be delivered in 15 weeks and in addition to these components, there will be activities and discussion forums. Of these 15 weeks, two weeks will be meant for revision and self-study where the student will be required to submit assignments. At the end of 15th week there will be a proctored examination, adds Professor Bakhshi. Nearly 1,000 academicians from across the country and about 60 full-time staff have been involved in the development of e-content and MOOCs at CfeL.
According to Professor Bhushan Trivedi, who has developed the only ICT MOOC on artificial intelligence under SWAYAM, “The course is about learning how a computer can be made to solve problems which humans are better at. For example, playing chess or shortlisting resumes. The course is useful for computer science, engineering or IT students. It is about coding computer programmes to solve these problems. The course contains methods to represent such complex problems, solving those problems using typical methods specifically designed for them, and designing computer systems (called expert systems) which can work like human experts. The course 15-week course contains 36 modules with required preview exercises, weekly tests, the course content in the form of a document and associated presentations, glossaries and related pointers.”
Another interesting set of courses includes forensic science with MOOCs such as fingerprints and other impressions, forensic chemistry and explosives, forensic toxicology and forensic medicine. Professor GS Sodhi, coordinator of the courses, says, “Each course will be of six credits spanning 15 weeks. Week 9 and 15 are assessment weeks. The courses have been designed to cover almost all important aspects of forensic science. In the course titled fingerprints and other impressions, we have highlighted some of the latest techniques of developing finger impressions on crime scene evidence. These techniques are yet to enter textbooks.”