SWAYAM: HRD Ministry Launches Online Professional Devt. Programme for Higher Education Faculty

Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched major & unique initiative of online professional development of 1.5 million higher education faculty using MOOCs platform SWAYAM. In 1st phase of initiative, 75 discipline-specific National Resource Centres (NRC) are identified.

SWAYAM: HRD Ministry Launches Online

Plan Details

  • According to official Ministry notification, centres under Ministry՚s Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers & Teaching located in Central Universities, IITs, NITs, State Universities, UGC՚s Human Resource Development Centres, National Institutes for Technical Teachers Training, IIITs, Open Universities & other institutions are notified as NRCs.

Key Highlights

  • NRCs are tasked w⟋preparing online training material w⟋major focus on latest developments in discipline, new & emerging trends, pedagogical improvements & methodologies for transacting revised curriculum.
  • Centres will cover wide-ranging disciplines including social sciences, sciences, engineering & technology, design & manufacturing, humanities, language teaching, commerce, management, education planning & administration, public policy & other disciplines.
  • Initiative will benefit faculty, as it would be highly flexible & can be done at one՚s own pace & time.
  • Under initiative, all in-service teachers, irrespective of their subject & seniority, will have opportunity to be updated w⟋latest developments in their disciplines thru technology-based online refresher course.
  • NRCs will develop Refresher Module which will include latest trends in their earmarked discipline by 15th June each year.

When Will Course Material be Uploaded?

  • Training materials under initiative will be uploaded & made available thru SWAYAM platform to all teachers w⟋effect from 1st October every year.
  • Based on response course received, it can be repeated in following January.
  • Centres will publish list of faculty who are certified by 31st December, 2018.

Significance

  • NRCs will revolutionize professional development of faculty by catering to massive numbers by leveraging information & communication technology (ICT) & online technology platform of SWAYAM.

SWAYAM

  • SWAYAM is programme initiated by Union Govt. to achieve 3 cardinal principles of education policy - access, equity & quality.
  • Objective of initiative is to take best teaching learning resources to all, including most disadvantaged.
  • Platform seeks to bridge digital divide for students who have up till now remained untouched by digital revolution & have not been able to join mainstream of knowledge economy.
  • It works thru indigenously developed IT platform, which facilitates hosting of all courses that are taught in classrooms from 9th class till post-graduation.
  • Courses can be accessed by anyone, anywhere & at any time.
  • All courses are interactive, prepared by best teachers in country & are available, free of cost to all residents in India.
  • More than 1,000 specially chosen faculty & teachers from across Country have participated in preparing courses.

Examrace Team at Aug 25, 2021