Integration of ICT for teaching and learning

NKN  and virtual class room set up by the MHRD is extensively used for teaching learning.

The talks by Dr. MadhavanSwaminathan from Georgia tech,USA to the students  of Electronic packaging were arranged on 12th and 14th March  2013 through NKN using Vidyo software. This lecture was also broadcast in the admin portico.The video of the student/faculty who asked the question were zoomed and sent to the remote speaker.

Five guest lectures during the short term course on new avenues in chemical sciences research during 18-22 March 2013 were delivered using this s/w. Two lectures during
synergy 2013  were delivered using this s/w. The three day symposium on FEM by civil department also used the vidyo for sharing the video and audio between LH9 and LH8 throughout the entire session. The curriculum development workshop on 15.11.2013 was conducted using vidyo and VCR. This is the first of its kind in NITT.  Nine alumni  (6 from US and one each from Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai) participated in this program.

Internet connectivity in Class rooms

Internet connectivity is provided to 20 class rooms in Lecture hall complex through physical wiring between these rooms and the switch. The internet may be accessed from other rooms using WiFi.

Interaction with alumni during NBA visit

During the NBA visit to NIT, Trichy in Dec 2014, the experts interacted with the alumni from both India and abroad in person and through videoconferencing. They were impressed by the video conferencing facility we have.

New Videoconferencing system  and software

The VC software (both Skype and Vidyo) used by us presently, do not have provision for recording the lectures and require internet  bandwidth for access.  To overcome this,  we have procured the Life Size  VC s/w and   installed it in our LAN. This is being  used for recording the lectures from both local and remote sites . This facilitates the students to revisit the lectures through the LAN.

Ten full fledged virtual class rooms

Ten rooms in lecture hall complex are provided with false ceiling and  air conditioners. Full fledged video conferencing hardware including mixers, cameras , TVs , high lumens projectors, speakers and microphones are also installed in these class rooms.

These VCRs are proposed to be used for sharing a teacher between a number of classes. For example, there are a number of subjects which are common among the circuits branches. One senior faculty can handle a number of branches using the VC s/w and h/w and the mentors in the individual classes can help the senior faculty in the evaluation of the students and in tutorial. In the process, the mentor also gets mentored by the senior faculty. This has the potential of reducing the problems due to faculty shortage and it ensures that the student is taught by the best teacher.

Orientation programme for the 1st year in August 2014

The teachers and invited speakers delivered their lectures from one of the ten class rooms and the students from other class rooms interacted with the teacher through the video mode. The lectures were also recorded and stored in the intranet

Internship from home

Thanks to the confidence we have on the reliability of the VC system, the internship on Aakash tablet was offered to 20  second year students of  NITT for the first time using virtual mode during the winter vacation of 2013 using VC.

Introduction of honours electives and flipped class rooms

To meet the aspirations of  fast  learners, NIT, Trichy has introduced honours programmes.  The interested students need to  take 4 additional subjects. These subjects can be taught by anyone in the globe. The students can use the on line course materials, NPTEL and MIT course ware. Some of the subjects would also have flipped class rooms. The local mentor at NIT, Trichy would evaluate the students.

Teaching learning  centre

Sharing an NIT professor between a number of class rooms and conducting a mega event including  interaction among participants  from different conference rooms including EEE auditorium, A2, A13 ,LH9 and  any one around the globe have been already proven.  Familiarization of the capabilities of our VC system and its adoption by the staff and the students is the need of the hour  to reap full benefit  out of this.  With this in mind, the teaching learning centre (TLC) was inaugurated by Dr. Anandakrishnan former VC of Anna university on 20thJuly 2014 as a part of the Golden Jubilee celebration. The symposium held on TLC was attended by participants from three venues (A13, 308 of library and LH8) and was web casted  to the globe. During the symposium, one of the  recorded sessions in the curriculum development workshop held in Oct 2014 was played back and this was web casted live. The speaker in the workshop from US happened to watch it live and was highly appreciative of our efforts in using the technology.  

Workshop on teaching learning

A workshop on teaching learning was organized on 26th and 27th September 2014 for the benefit of the temporary faculty. The entire proceedings was  recorded and put up in the intranet.

WiFi connectivity in the entire campus

22 hostels housing about 5000 students have been provided  WiFi connectivity. They are connected to the main server through fiber optic connectivity. The residential quarters, guest houses, messes, shopping centre, student activity centre, canteens, sport centre, convention hall, seminar halls, security booths  have been provided with rugged telephone  connectivity through underground cables. Providing internet connectivity with WiFi modems using ADSL technology is the next  move by NITT.

MOUs signed

MOUs have been signed with the IIT Madras and NIT Warangal to enhance the teaching learning process through NKN and VCRs.