Yashwantrao Chavan Maharasthra Open University develops codec for its web radio

NASHIK: The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharasthra Open University (YCMOU) has developed codec for its web radio, Yashwani, which will allow students to access the daily programmes on their smartphones, tablets and other portable devices.
"The web radio station was started in 2012. With its help, the university is hosting interactive audio programmes to reach students across the state. The geographical barrier to communication has been removed," Abhay Kulkarni, the video editor at the audio-video centre of the university, said.
"Audio-video content has always been the major component of distance learning and teaching model. Reaching the maximum number of students and meeting their requirements is the challenge before open universities. So such initiatives are necessary," he added.
Earlier the link provided on the portal allowed live listening of content once the student visited web page of audio video center, but now a short link has been made available to reach the University's web content which is http://www.ycmou.ac.in/course/view.php?id=41.
Kulkarni said the link would enable the students to access the web content on multiple mobile platforms like tablets and smartphones. "The university has also created a QR code which has been made available on the website. Simply, using an in-built app on the smartphone will directly activate the web radio for the user," he added.
Yashwani streams three hours of daily live webcast, encompassing the university's certificate level to post graduate level academic programmes.
He further said that as open and distance learning is different from conventional university education, the webcasted programmes are made available for offline listening by uploading the same on a website. Till now, 699 hours of audio content has been made available to the students of various academic schools of the university.
It has also made available 800 hours of educational content on Google drive for its students. With the codec in place, all programmes can be viewed on the university's official website www.ycmou.ac.in. "Moreover, this content can be accessed and downloaded by any user who logs in the website.
The university has also initiated a video production series and produced and uploaded 30 programmes as per NCERT's Environmental Science syallabus.