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The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), which on Thursday became the first management school in the country to offer Massive Online Open Course (MOOC), is looking at it as a revenue stream going forward. Sushil Vachani, director, IIMB explains to Praveen Bose about their plans. Edited excerpts:
What does Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) mean and how are you offering it?
A MOOC or a Massive Online Open Course is a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people. Anyone, who decides to take a MOOC simply logs on to the website and signs up. We will be offering these courses under the brand IIMBx.
What is your vision for the MOOC?
Our first promise is that of a massive reach. Associated with that promise is an enormous opportunity for a social impact. We want to reach out to the masses and make the power of technology accessible to everyone by highlighting on the quality and designing the courses carefully to make it delivered easily to all. We also plan to introduce various regional transcripts to reach learners across India.
As IIMBx, IIMB will leverage new technologies and deliver education via MOOCs. Handpicked courses taught by our faculty will be offered free of cost as MOOCs through the edX platform (edX was founded by the Massachussetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in May 2012). It was created for students and institutions that seeks to transform themselves through cutting-edge technologies, innovative pedagogy and rigourous courses. One of the many benefits of MOOC is continuous learning is made convenient in every form of various gizmos we use today.
How has been the response to the courses before their formal launch?
We have received an overwhelming response from participants with about 10,000 registrations within a short span of rolling out the courses. IIMBx will launch eight courses in the first year. The response to these courses will be carefully monitored and analysed so that we not only improve the design of the future MOOCs, but also use our learning from MOOCs to enhance the educational experience of our students enrolled in on-campus programs.
What would be the duration of the courses? How much would it cost?
The courses being offered would have a duration of five to seven weeks. The course can be taken up by anyone by registering online, for free. However, to get the course certificate, one will have to pay $25 (about Rs 1,600). But when the mandate is for social impact, it’s not about the money.
What can MOOC achieve that classroom cannot?
MOOC can supplement the classroom. We can individualise training ultimately. It will allow the teacher to figure out an individual’s propensity to learn what’s taught. Just like the use of new technologies in health care that allows for administering individualised medicine for treatment of cancer, MOOC will allow for individualising courses to meet specific needs. It will allow for compartmentalisation of courses for individuals.
One can go for a long course, or a short course. Also, one can learn on the go. You have access to learning any time, and at any place. Moreover, it can personalise and create active learning. In future, it will also make content available to universities.
How well are you equipped to deliver MOOC? What about the infrastructure for delivering the course?
Last year, we sent six people to Boston University to study this model from their experience. We are developing courses to create impact. There are two studios that have been set up on the campus. Also, there are Teleprompters to aid in the delivery of the lectures.
What could be the revenue model for IIMB’s MOOC?
We could eventually have executive education. We could also customise programmes for companies. We could also compartmentalise the courses for companies; creating special groups.
What are the advantages that IIMB has while offering the courses?
IIMB is already ranked high, globally, for its executive education. So, we will tap into it to offer companies something that they want. We are yet to reach out to organisations. But that will come in the next phase.
What about India’s efforts at its own MOOC?
In 2014, the Union HRD ministry initiated the Swayam Programme, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. On this platform professors of centrally-funded institutions like IITs, IIMs, central universities, among other elite institutions, could offer online courses that will be accessible by all Indians free of cost.
