User:User/Online Workshops/Introduction

RATIONAL
NITTTR, Bhopal under Ministry of Human Resource Development is a premier Institute which has set benchmarks and has demonstrated effectiveness in teacher quality enhancement in Technical Education both in contact mode and in Web-based mode.

International Scenario
Worldwide, web based courses have already penetrated the Higher Education Sector. In the present era, web based courses can be seen playing a vital role and integral part of Universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, and Stanford University. MIT is launching MITx, which involves certification and credits for online courses. Web based Courses are being developed worldwide to address the dynamic demands of the Tech savvy generation and adding flexibility for the learner.

National Scenario
In India, web based initiatives by Open University IGNOU, Sakshat Portal Knowledge Repository are an encouraging phenomenon. National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) Content Repository is a bold step highlighting emergence of a new era in Higher Education Sector. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi has taken massive project to link 25,000 colleges and 400 universities in an e-learning program. The world’s cheapest tablet, Aakash-2, jointly developed by the London-based company DataWind with the Indian Institute of Technology Rajasthan will soon be available to the students on rent in their college libraries. The rented Aakash will have preloaded video tutorials on all disciplines including Science, Engineering and many more. Thus at National level also web based and Computer supported collaborative learning is being given importance.

Existing and emerging trends in Instructional Design
Presently, the instructional design approaches practiced by the academicians are Individuated learning environments based on Behaviourist theories and Collaborative learning environments based on Constructivist theories. Modern constructivist learning environments are technology-based in which learners are engaged in meaningful interactions. Emphasis is on learners who interpret and construct meaning based on their own experiences and interactions. With the availability of computer based collaborative communication tools, the constructivist theory based problem based learning (PoBL) is being adapted by Instructional Designers. Therefore, the researcher is adapting a constructivist approach for instructional design based on PBL strategies to actively engage learners in meaningful group based activities that promote exploration, experimentation, construction, collaboration, and reflection of what these learners are studying through journal and portfolios.

Initiatives by NITTTR
Looking to the potential of web technologies, NITTTR, Bhopal has included design and development of web based courseware as a part of Post graduate level programme M.Tech(Ed) curriculum in its third semester. A Project was undertaken by M.Tech(Ed) students in third Semester to identify the web based learning platform to develop a prototype. The Learning Management System (LMS) Technology adopted was Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE). NITTTR Bhopal in the past couple of years have initiated offering web based training programmes on Wind Energy to the technical teachers of the country (India) at National level. At International level web based training is offered for the participants under Technical Collaboration Scheme (TCS). The training programme has been offered both in exclusively online mode and blended contact cum online mode. The Instructional Design Approach used is “Individualized Project based Methodology”.

Aim of the Research
In the above context, the aim of the researcher is to design web Courseware in collaborative learning environment and evaluate its effectiveness for future web based training and engineering education. Hence the Researcher has chosen the topic Design and Evaluate Webbased Collaborative learning Environment.

About the Researcher
The Researcher Ravindra Gopal Limaye, is a post graduate student of M.Tech (Ed) Course run by NITTTR, Bhopal. The above research is for completion of master's degree.The researcher had earlier undertaken development of induction training on webbased environment using Moodle as Learning Management System. The Researhcher is an Open Source Enthusiast and has experience of industry and academic sectors. The Research guide Dr. K James Mathai is conducting courses for NITTTR using Project based learning (PjBL) on Wind Energy for International students. He is running workshops on open source resources namely Moodle and Joomla.