Concept of online education (E-learning) is developing fast all over the world. More and more institutions are coming up with various online courses. It is a convenient, cheap and time effective method of imparting education in a systematic way. By virtue of this technological breakthrough, LCD monitors and projector screens are replacing the old age blackboards.
One good teacher can take classes located in different places simultaneously, or at different times without repeating the exercise. This helps reduce the problem of availability of trained and dedicated teachers. Lessons are designed by experts and recorded in labs. Any lacuna that might come to notice later on may be corrected and fresh information added.
Latest technologies, like Flash Player and Power Point, etc. are used to transmit the lessons and project images and voices through internet or from electronic devices in different forms in which lessons are already stored. With this technology your room may be converted into a classroom and a classroom may become live at your desired time though the teacher is sitting on the next corner of the globe.
E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process. Fast advances continue in regard to devices and curriculum. Skype is the latest and most powerful tool. Through Web-cam camera students can interact live with their teacher and the teacher may see activities in the e-classroom right from his place.
An Information Technology (IT) Engineer of Bihar, Mr. Chandrakant Singh has successfully executed the world class E-technology to teach students from distant places with the help of Skype. He established a high-tech E-school in his native village Chamanpura in District Gopalganj in collaboration with a group of IT engineers. The school (C. 1st to 7th), in second year of its existence, has 500 students. Amazingly, six students, all from rural background, cleared prestigious International Mathematics Olympiad this year.
Though the concept of E-learning is a bit little older, E-School is the latest. For E-learning, a student needs only a computer but for E-School one needs a campus with facilities of E-learning. For all round development of students’ personality, a campus with classrooms, computer labs, hostels, wardens, trainers, instructors and facilities for sports and extracurricular activities is essential. Chamapura Public School fulfils all these requirements and may be taped as a model. Our education experts and IT Engineers must look if a model E-School, with Islamic atmosphere and world class education standards is feasible.
An E-School may also be established in rural areas where land for bigger campus is far cheaper than that in cities and towns. Internet connectivity has reached almost everywhere thanks to mobile phone service providers.
Online Islamic University: Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, who reverted to Islam in 1972 and graduated from prestigious Islamic University of Makkah, has recently launched an Online Islamic University. This is claimed to be the world’s first tuition-free online University with course of ‘Bachelor of Arts’ in Islamic Studies. The medium of instruction is English.
A press release of OIU (Milli Gazette, Feb. 16-29) claims that Dr. Phillip’s institution is running 24 diploma courses since 2007, in which above 50 thousand students from more than 200 countries are registered. The syllabus of B.A. course is based on curriculums’ of Madinah University of Saudi Arabia, Omdurman Islamic University of Sudan and Jamia Al-Azhar of Egypt. Six subjects will be offered each semester of 5 months, having an online mid-term exam and a supervised final online exam. Students will be free to access their classes whenever it is convenient for them, however assignments have to be turned in and exams (mid-term and finals) have to be taken at fixed times.
There are no fees for the courses. However registration fee for each semester will be realised. Detailed information about schedule of course, examinations, enrolment and structure of registration fee may be had from www.islamiconlineuniversity.com or on www.iouindia.com. Registration for the semester (March 2012 – August 2012) has already begun. India office is located in Hyderabad (c/o Enlighten Educational Society, 23-2-94, Urdu Ghar, Ist Floor, Moghalpura) Mobile +91 90007-77950. The registrar of the institution may be approached by email: registrar@islamiconlineuniversity.com.
[The writer is Vice President of All India Educational Movement. syyyedagha@hotmail.com]