EDUCATION SPECIAL > MOOCSeducation by 2020 compared to the
current 25.2 per cent. In July 2017,
the Ministry of Human Resource De-
velopment (MHRD) built SWAYAM
(Study Webs of Active Learning for
Young Aspiring Minds), a platform
for MOOCs developed in India. Aca-
demicians from IITs, IIMs, NCERT
and IISc have created course content
for eight categories, and the platform
has seen 10 million enrolments to
date. Last year, the University Grants
Commission (UGC) introduced a
credit transfer system for courses on
SWAYAM and it currently allows eli-
gible higher educational institutions
(HEIs) to offer all regular and open
and distance learning courses online.
The quality parameters for the HEIs
are quite stringent as they must be in
existence for at least five years and get
a minimum of 3.26 accreditation by
UGC’s National Assessment and Ac-
creditation Council on a four-point
scale. Besides, they should be among
the top 100 institutions on the NIRF
(National Institutional Ranking
Framework) for at least two years out
of the previous three years.
The rush for online programmes
or subject matter preference is not
surprising, given the subpar quality
of education and outdated curricula
in many institutions. In contrast,
MOOCs offer access to top courses
from all over the world. “They help
in knowledge distillation and can
complement (traditional) learning,”
says Partha Chatterjee, Associate
Professor and Head of Economics
Department at Shiv Nadar Univer-
sity (SNU). MOOC platforms are
not competing with off line universi-
ties, though, as they are partners in
course content creation. But there is
enough competition among providers
to strike deals with top universities,
says Dhawal Shah, Founder and CEO
of Class Central.
Although MOOCs are mostly re-
garded as quick-fix career-enhancing
programmes, they could generate
deeper understanding and strong in-
terest among participants. Tech pro-
fessional Sushil Menon has become
a lifelong learner as these courses
brought about a meaningful change in
his career. Five years ago, he was look-
ing for a career switch and decided
to study data analytics and machine
learning for six-eight months. “The
courseware from the best universities
helped me understand the new con-
cepts in those fields and I landed an
interesting job,” he says. “Even now,
those concepts are quite relevant at
work.” Menon is currently pursuing
a course on statistical learning, de-
signed by Stanford Online.
Echoing Menon, Sourabh Dev,
Founder of Gurgaon-based start-up
Engorithm Tech, narrates what has
driven him. The techpreneur want-
ed to master cloud technology and
artificial intelligence, but had few
options and started his journey in
2005 with Coursera and edX. “I am
a graduate in Computer Science, but
what we learn is quite outdated. So,
I had to delve deep in order to cre-
ate a cloud set-up for my company,”
he recalls. As the company grew,
Dev switched to management skills
and has already completed 100-plus
courses across several platforms.Twists and Turns
How useful are MOOC certifications
when job seekers approach recruiters?
While young people are often appreci-
ated for their self-motivation and pas-
sion for learning, recruiters are over-
cautious and take these certifications
with a pinch of salt. After all, MOOCs
work well for technology courses
where self-learning and practising are
crucial, but they may not be ideal for
marketing or communications pro-
grammes where classroom discus-
sions and interactions with peers play
a significant role.
MOOC providers are facing yet
another challenge. In spite of the con-
tent quality and the extremely conve-
nient anytime-anywhere access, stu-
dent engagement on these platforms
is quite low. The key reason: Adult
learners are often pressed for time
due to work and family commitments.
For instance, Menon, an avid learner,
completed seven courses but dropped
out of 20 because of his overcrowded100 IBUSINESS TODAYIAugust 25I 2019“MOOCs help in
knowledge
distillation and
can complement
traditional
learning”PARTHA CHATTERJEE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
AND HEAD OF ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT, SHIV
NADAR UNIVERSITY“When I started
climbing the
leadership
ladder, I felt I
should have a
better grip on
other crucial
aspects such
as marketing
or finance, and
MOOCs helped”RANGANATH KUMAR SAMI,
MOOC user