Technology Enabled Education in Agriculture – An Initiative of MANAGE

Abstract

National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Government of India, Hyderabad implemented application of TEL system for enhancing the competencies of state department officials in agriculture and allied sectors, private players in agricultural extension and others who are involved in technology transfer process. Adopting Technology Enabled Education methodology, the MANAGE is implementing courses on PGDAEM, PGDAWM, CFA/CLA and MOOCs on different domains. TEL has become more popular in recent times and many organizations and universities use it as a key instrument in various teaching and training. Currently, technology pays numerous roles in classrooms across the nation and varies dramatically depending on the funding priorities of the states, districts and individual educators understanding how to leverage it in learning in meaningful ways Technology Enhanced Learning is easily implementable, cost-effective and with less manpower-intensive. The concept of e-learning in agriculture and allied subjects, it is necessary to initiate the next level for ensuring better quality and enabling an improved access. The technology enabled/enhanced content in agriculture education that can result in high quality digital content with least manpower and expertise requirement in digital mode. The TEL shall provide a repository of digital content storage and publishing through proper interface- either online or offline. Suitable e-learning platform can also provide the scope for interactivity among teacher- learner and learner-learner. Good virtual class platform offered through TEL not only addresses the issues of remote campus connectivity and less teaching faculty, it also provides a virtual learning platform wherein the classes in valued added form can be used by the learners all across. Various digital teaching modes have been evolved using a combination of hardware and software to suit different styles of teaching. Different scenarios are designed wherein the interactive whiteboard is coupled with other devices like laptops/ desktops/ tablets/ mobiles for covering wide range of teaching style.