JU organizes seven-day workshop  on “Design and Development of Self-Learning Material and E-Learning Resources

Jammu December 18: The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), University of Jammu, organised the Seven-Day Workshop/FDP on “Design and Development of Self-Learning Material (SLM) and E-Learning Resources” on December under the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Centre for Distance and Online Education, in collaboration with the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC) and supported under RUSA–II Faculty Improvement Support.

The Chief Guest, Prof. J. P. Singh Joorel, shared his valuable insights and urged the Director and faculty members to align academic programmes with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He emphasised the adoption of learner-centric practices and maintaining high standards of academic excellence. Prof. Joorel further highlighted the importance of the four-quadrant approach in the preparation of e-content and requested that at least one course in every programme be developed and offered in e-content mode, integrating instructional material, learning resources, activities and assessment to strengthen the digital learning ecosystem.

Speaking on the ocassion, Prof. Sundeep Pandita addressed the gathering and underscored the significance of faculty capacity building, innovative pedagogical practices and the development of quality Self-Learning Materials in the rapidly evolving higher education landscape. He lauded the initiative and congratulated the Director, the Convener of the workshop and the faculty members for successfully organizing such meaningful and academically enriching events.

Earlier, Prof. Pankaj K. Srivastava, Director, Centre for Distance and Online Education, University of Jammu, welcomed the dignitaries and participants, highlighting the Centre’s vision of promoting accessible and learner-centric education. 

Dr. Neelam Choudhary, Convener of the workshop briefed the participants about the objectives, structure and expected outcomes of the workshop, emphasising its academic relevance and practical significance in strengthening faculty capacity in creating effective SLMs and e-learning resources. 

As a token of appreciation, mementos were presented to the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour by Prof. Pankaj K. Srivastava. 

The inaugural session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Prof. Sandeep Kour Tandon, who expressed sincere gratitude to the resource persons, dignitaries, and participants for their valuable presence and contributions. The seven-day workshop promises to be an enriching and productive experience, aimed at equipping faculty members with the knowledge and practical skills required to design effective, learner-centric Self-Learning Materials and e-learning resources for distance and online education.

Dr. Ali Asgar, Associate Professor, STRIDE, IGNOU, New Delhi, led sessions on the effective use of access devices in Self-Learning Materials (SLMs), along with the editing processes and developmental testing of learning materials, with a focus on accessibility, quality assurance and learner engagement. Prof. C. R. K. Murthy, Former Director, STRIDE, IGNOU and presently Consultant (ODL) at the School of Open Learning, University of Delhi, shared valuable insights into the history and evolution of distance and online education, highlighting its transition from traditional correspondence-based methods to contemporary digital and online learning platforms.

On the second day, Prof. C. R. K. Murthy will address instructional design issues in distance learning, while Dr. Ali Asgar will guide participants on programme evaluation, curriculum revision and the integration of self-assessment activities. Prof. V. V. Subrahmanyam will demonstrate technology integration in SLMs, including the use of AR and VR. The third day will focus on emerging technologies, with sessions on AI tools for teaching, online instructional design, Government of India initiatives in online education, and cybersecurity in higher education.

Subsequent sessions will address practical and discipline-specific aspects of ODL. On the fifth day, Prof. Anupama Vohra and Prof. Sandeep Kour Tandon will discuss challenges in the ODL system and quality issues in SLMs through hands-on activities. The sixth day will focus on developing science-based SLMs and integrating NEP 2020, led by Prof. Meenal Mishra and Prof. Anupama Vohra. The workshop will conclude with practical SLM development, sessions on computer-assisted instruction and a valedictory session marking the successful completion of the programme.