In addition to the previous year's DISHTAVO launch through which pre-recorded lectures could be viewed online by students anywhere in Goa, the Directorate of Education (DHE), introduced MANDAVI for students to take entire courses in the virtual mode for completing the credit requisites of their respective university or college. DHE entered into an MoU with a body under the aegis of the Union education ministry – the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) which will create the open virtual courses developed by Goa faculty that is available on the central platform – SWAYAM, and students can access those across the country.
MANDAVI (Mentoring and Nurturing Digital and Virtual Initiatives) will start offering massive open online courses (MOOC) in music and analytical chemistry.
Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, “The initiative will create a bridge between learners and advanced technology. This visionary initiative will make Goa a role model for other states.”
Introduced as per the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, MANDAVI aims to achieve a 50 percent gross enrolment ratio in higher education by 2035.
“MANDAVI will see mentoring, training, and support extended to faculty from higher education institutions in Goa to design and develop MOOC content. “By the end of the year, DHE will offer at least five MOOCs. DHE intends to democratise educational content as it believes high-quality education should be available not to just a small group of privileged students but to everyone who is willing to learn,” Director of higher education Prasad Lolayekar stated.
The collaboration with CEC will grant courses developed by Goa faculty and it can be taken by students for fulfilling degree requisites of their colleges and universities in any part of India.
Lolayekar told, “The idea is to facilitate seamless integration of MOOCs into the academic structure of higher education.”
MOOC courses are presently under development at the DHE and are based on the University Grants Commission curriculum and the choice-based system of credit. The proposed courses are in credit transfer mode on the SWAYAM platform managed by CEC.
Director CEC, Jagat Bhushan Nadda told NEP recognizes the importance of digital technology in education with the nodal officer of this initiative Kavita Asnani stating, “Eminent scientists and practitioners from research institutions and industries have been involved at various stages of the MOOC development process.”
