In order to reach out to a larger number of students across the country, classroom lectures at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) might soon go “online”, besides the “possibility” of an open school of learning in the near future.
Newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who believes in “learning beyond the classroom” approach, is currently in talks with the faculty members about the possibility of making the lectures available online. “There are such excellent courses available in the University. I want to make them available to a larger number of people. I am currently discussing the idea of recording classroom lectures and putting them up online so that people who are less fortunate and do not get an opportunity to get into a formal university can learn from them,” Professor Kumar told The Hindu .
On whether the University has any plans about an open school of learning on the lines of Delhi University, he said there was a possibility.
“We need to change the learning environment on campus. Only students sitting in the classroom are able to learn, but this knowledge should be shared with those who are not able to make it to a classroom. I believe in learning beyond classrooms approach.”
The former IIT Professor took over as V-C from scientist S.K. Sopory. While Professor Sopory had in the past said the University was toying with the idea of expanding its reach to other States but faced dissent from the Academic Council, the new V-C is hopeful to expand the reach of education imparted in JNU by attaining “technologised learning”.
Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar believes in ‘learning beyond the classroom’ approach
