MUSCAT -- The system of e-learning has been introduced in all the six applied sciences colleges under Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and they are poised to join the ambitious 'Blackboard Learning System' and the 'Blackboard Community System'. The e-learning system is an ambitious project of the ministry aimed at providing the students and staff of the colleges the best possible e-learning solutions.
This was stated by Mohammed Rashid al Maamari, Assistant General of Colleges, in an exclusive interview with the Observer. The MoHE has entered into an agreement with the Edutech Middle East to provide technology-enabled information and learning solutions to the colleges located in Sur, Ibri, Sohar, Rustaq, Nizwa and Salalah.
Commenting on the project Maamari said, "The initiative is aimed at providing a centralised learning ground for all the students and staff of the colleges. Under the system all the students can log on to the e-learning system from the college, from the cyber cafes as also from their home." "Here they can find all the administrative announcements; they can take down their assignments and put their queries. This is an interactive kind of solution which facilitates hassle-free interaction of students with their teachers. Soon after going through the assignments, a teacher gets the pulse of weak and strong points of the students," he said.
Under the system the educational institutions post their courses online and build an online community full of information to help create a classroom atmosphere outside the classroom. When asked about the success of the system and its adaptability both by the students and the teachers, Maamari said, "We have a system in place and tools are available. We are introducing the system slowly to avoid any overload on our students and teachers as well. But this is for sure that the system is very user-friendly and full of information."
"Each course has its own section. Besides, there are students clubs and link for guests. While 'ebasco E Journals' provide full load of information to students, the 'safe assignment' keeps a tab on plagiarism in assignments submitted by the students. The 'safe assignment' works automatically.
Soon after putting the assignment under this mode it underlines the doubtful sentences and forces the students to redo their assignments." "Till now the system is available on www.cos.edu.om. Very soon we will have this facility available on dedicated lines and could be reached through bb.cas.edu.om," he said. Al Maamari hoped to have many new facilities in the colleges to provide the students and teachers the latest in their respective fields.
By Kaushalendra S Singh
© Oman Daily Observer 2009
