“Technology Enabled Blended Education” – an essential requirement for higher education in 21st century.
The advent of new technological innovations, like high speed multimedia computers, networking with ever increasing bandwidth, information superhighways and convergence of various information and communication technologies, offer new opportunities for education. Today knowledge knows no boundarie s, thanks to the revolution in communication and information technology. Technology rules almost all spheres of life with education being no exception. Computers have become the classrooms of new age. Older methods are fast replaced by new ones. The entire process of teaching and learning has gone digital and virtual. Amidst all this, it can not be possible for us to keep distance from modern electronic gadgets and machines which have in real sense revolutionized the concept of classroom teaching. The classrooms are going fully digital. The laboratories are going virtual from physical and simulations help repeated the tests as many times as required. The distances do not matter now; teachers and students do not necessarily sit across to make communication a possibility, the teacher and taught meet virtually. With the growth and convergence of technologies, we are increasingly becoming conscious of making their best use in the field of education. This has resulted in the emergence of “knowledge societies” and given rise to the concept of “knowledge based economy”. The concept like “knowledge per capita” is fast replacing the concept of “income per capita.”
The technological revolution has made the duty of a teacher relatively tougher and comparatively demanding than before. Today students have access to sources of information across the globe and virtual teaching is the order of the day. The availability of more bandwidth on interactive satellite has encouraged the educational service providers to think about some innovative techniques for disseminating knowledge. Earlier the attempt was to take education from classrooms to television screen, now from screen it has gone on to computers. Audio visual content is now being delivered in more creative forms. Technologists are working relentlessly to make it more people friendly. The techniques of simulation, animation, graphics has made real appear virtual and virtual real. The internet which predominantly was meant for information has to
be gradually shifted to a medium of education. The academic side of technology has remained in the backlight, but now is the time for academics to register their entry on the horizon of scientific advancement.
The use and development of Learning Objects Repositories, creation of reusable learning objects, E-content and multimedia development are recent useful development in the field of education. The optimum use of technology in higher education is not possible without a meticulously coordinated attempt by all involved. In this whole process the role of teachers is pivotal.
The involvement of college and university teachers will help create an authentic and credible platform where the specialists and experts in various fields of education can put credible information for use of students and researchers. The content thus produced will not only be highly valuable, but easily available and well accessible. It will make the whole process of teaching and learning an enriching and entertaining experience.We at EMMRC are looking for teachers, Scholars and Scientists to come forward and make use of technology, available at the centre, for the benefit of students.
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