Project Mentor: Prof. Rajesh Khanna, President of NIIT University
Director: Prof. (Dr.) Gurendra Nath Bhardwaj
Deputy Director: Dr. Yogendra Pal
About NUx
NUx is a MOOC platform of NIIT University, Neemrana.
MOOC: Massive Open Online Course is an online course that is open for any one to access (usually free to attend and paid to get credits) and it can be offered to a large number of students. The power of MOOC lies in the way courses are offered and the capacity of handing thousands of students at a time.
Use of MOOCs
MOOCs opens up a new dimension to universities to train employees or community students (who are not part of the university). A Web/Mobile App is required to offer MOOCs to students where they can check course description, start and end dates, register, pay for the course, attend the classes, access course material and finally download and share certificate(s) on social media after completion of the course.
Most of the MOOCs can be found on edx.org website where universities like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, IIT Bombay and many other private universities are offering the courses. These courses are being offered by “Open edX” LMS that has the capacity to handle lacs of students if deployed correctly. LMSs like MOODLE becomes very slow even if 1000 students are online and giving examination.
MOOCs are now widely accepted by governments, universities as well as by corporates. edx.org offers bachelors, masters, certification, executive education, micro-bachelor and micro-masters degree program in collaboration of other universities. These programs are accepted as an alternative to regular degree programs and companies hire people based on it.
Upon understanding the problems of Indian universities, Government of India setup and maintaining a MOOC platform, SWAYAM, where any university can publish a course and student all over the world can join the courses for credits as well as for certificates. The courses on SWAYAM are accepted as a valid credit course by AICTE. More information about it can be found here: https://www.aicte-india.org/sites/default/files/FAQ_SWAYAM.pdf.
NIIT University can start offering MOOCs either via SWAYAM or via starting its own MOOC platform either on Open edX or any other LMS. SWAYAM is open for all Indian universities, Government also provide grants to offer MOOCs on SWAYAM. There is a process to apply for a new MOOC that a professor wants to offer on SWAYAM and its not necessary that all courses will be approved by the government. This is why its important for every university to start its own MOOC platform and simultaneously keep applying for new courses on SWAYAM portal. It is important to mention that both have some points for accreditation.
Advantages of NUx
NUx will allow any NIIT faculty to create and offer a MOOC without waiting in a long queue of approval for SWAYAM course. It will help us in developing a internal system of producing MOOCs and allow NUs faculty to develop courses before we apply for SWAYAM courses. NUx courses will improve our visibility among participants as students and professionals from all streams will be able to join our programs without a long term commitment. NUx courses will also help our faculty to be popular in their respective fields that can result in improving the number of admissions in our university.
My experience of MOOCs
I have been part of IITBombayX as a research scientist where I have developed IITBombayX fronted in Drupal to work with Open edX. Same knowledge was applied in creating AfghanX and iimbx. I have an experience of effective Educational Video Creation and I have trained government and private university professors as well as school and independent teachers for the same. I have knowledge of all components of MOOCs including content development, content delivery and assessment.
How to start?
In order to start the NUx we have to work in three directions simultaneously.
Develop NUx Webapp
Prepare a physical place to record videos and/or to take live classes
Create a process and team to manage MOOCs
NUx WebApp Requirements
Features required to start offering courses on NUx.
Sales
Accept payment online
Feature of group enrollment for college students / corporate employees etc
Utilities
Feature to archive course
Manage alumni
Finer access control, like
Teachers should have access to their own course only
Students can just access content, can’t edit the content
Marketing features
E-mail facility to selected students
Landing page builders
Blogs
Knowledge Bases
Subscribe to Email newsletters
Course elements
Video
Audio
PDF
H5P
attachments
Quiz
Rich Text
Live Session
Certificates
Setting up a Studio
A studio is a place that can be used by a teacher to record/broadcast a lecture. Usually studio setup is costly with sound proofing, light setup as well as equipped with professional cameras and mics. Although during the preparation of digital classrooms I have found a way to convert any existing classroom into a studio for MOOC production. I am sharing the hardware, software and human resource requirements here. (Complete information on Opex and Capex is given in attached spreadsheet).
Hardware
4 IP Cameras [ 25000 Rs. ]
One Wireless microphone [ 15000 Rs.]
1 Green Screen in 16:9 ratio [ 2000 Rs. ]
1 computer with 16GB RAM and Graphics card [ 1 Lakh Rs. ]
1 Game Capture Card [ 18000 Rs. ]
1 Digital Pen Tablet [ 5000 Rs. ]
Software
OBS (free and open-source)
Human Resource
1 person to manage hardware and assist teacher in setting up the studio
1 person to record the lecture
Create a process and team to manage NUx
Interview interested NU faculty to understand how they want to use NUx
Hire a video editor or hire a Student Intern and train him/her to edit educational videos who also knows how to use some animation software like PowToon, Vyond, Toonly and Doodly.
Provide training to an assistant (non-technical) to help teachers in setting up the place for recording / broadcasting
Create a TechSquad of students who can handle all hardware and software used in studio so that they can configure it as per teacher’s requirement.
Hire and train a person who can handle marketing requirements.
A relationship manager, who can effectively communicate with other universities to offer our courses to their students.
Take few PhD students / post doctorates and M.Tech. students who are interested in doing research on MOOCs.
