Bhubaneswar, June 20: Utkal University has come up with audiovisual content for students of rural areas.
BCom and BA students of the varsity have developed these digital content, which include course material, lectures, demonstrations and so on. These study material can be saved in a 16GB micro memory chip compatible with mobile phones, tablets and computers.
The initiative aims to establish learning equity among rural students in the state at BA, BSc and BCom levels using digital technology.
The university will submit these contents to the higher education department to be distributed among undergraduate students, especially in tribal areas.
"The initiative will be helpful for students of those colleges where there is shortage of teachers and books or learning materials are not easily available," said vice-chancellor of the varsity Ashok Das.
These chips will also be provided to colleges in remote areas that are affiliated to Utkal University, Berhampur University, Sambalpur University, Fakir Mohan University and North Odisha University. The learning materials are available in bilingual mode (Odia and English).
Under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan led by ministry of human resource development, the varsity is developing digital content, which consists of the entire syllabus of arts, science and commerce streams.
"The chip contains 30 per cent of the entire BCom and BA courses. We will develop the contents for the remaining BCom subjects within a month and in two months the entire study material for the arts stream," Das said.
The digital contents for science stream will be developed shortly. Around 5,000 chips will be distributed for free for each of the three streams.
There are also plans to develop a mobile application, which will enable the students to interact with subject experts.
The tenure of vice-chancellor (VC) of Utkal University has been extended by three months due to delay in the selection process for the post. The terms of VCs of Fakir Mohan University, Rama Devi, Khallikote and Gangadhar Meher universities have also been extended by three months. The terms of the VCs of these universities were to end in May.
