HEADLINES
JOBS
COM:PORT
POLICY POLICE
ARCHIVES

IIT, AT&T finish distance learning experiment

The Indian Institute of Technology and AT&T announced the successful completion of a joint distance learning experiment which established India's first tele-teaching and distance learning courses.

With a Rs 2.4 million grant from AT&T, the Centre for Educational Technology at IIT, New Delhi, studied the effectiveness of various methods of distance learning expected to change teaching methods and benefit students across the country.

T O D A Y

• Big boom • IIT ends experiment • NIIT into Net biz now • LTITL's big plans

The IIT distance learning experiment included video-teleteaching, video conferencing, cable-simulated video conferencing and the use of the Internet for courses on teaching techniques. The experiment also conducted a pilot course on video teaching with the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

Following the success of its distance learning experiment, the institute sent a report to the All-India Council for Technical Education with recommendations on how to use distance learning in India to benefit students in future.

One key recommendation involves the installation of downlinks with direct receiving sets at all regional and state university engineering colleges with an uplink at IIT, Delhi. This would enable universities take part in distance learning courses and help more students access professors.

Due to the interest stimulated by the distance learning experiment, IIT, Delhi also set up a state-of-the-art tele-learning project. The short interactive course called Project Your Visuals was taught over the Internet and taken by students, academics and industry professionals across India. The course, and the results of the entire distance learning experiment, are available at a Web site.

-Compiled from the Indian media

Tell us what you think of this story