Thursday, January 03, 2008

• Initially the facility will be made available
• only for a few courses
• Study materials can be downloaded during
• the course time

SIVAGANGA: The Alagappa University has planned to introduce e-learning for students pursuing programmes through distance education.

Speaking to The Hindu, P. Ramasamy, Vice-Chancellor, said that the proposed plan would improve the quality of distance education in many ways. Since the cost of the project was high, it would initially be introduced for a few courses. Based on its success, e-learning would be adopted in all 55 programmes of Directorate of Distance Education in a phased manner.


Under the programme, study materials of courses could be sent to the students through Internet.

The students could download them during the course time.

There was no need for the university to send study materials by post.

The new arrangement would avoid unnecessary delay in sending study materials to students. Several new aspects of learning would form part of e-learning. It would be introduced from the next (2008-09) academic year.

Steps to plug loophooles
Prof. Ramasamy said that a series of steps would be initiated to plug the loopholes in examination and invigilation system of distance education.

Teams consisting prominent academicians would frequently inspect study centres in their respective areas to study their trustworthiness.

He said that a new distance education centre would be established in Saudi Arabia soon.

The university already had centres in Malaysia, Dubai and Bahrain. It had been decided to get the recognition of Distance Education Council (DEC) for all programmes offered through the Directorate of Distance Education, the Vice-Chancellor said.