Need Analysis of Capacity Building of Faculty for Online Teaching Dr. Naveed Sultana
Secondary Teacher Education Department, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad,Pakistan.
Abstract
The Information Communication Technology (ICT) has opened many ways of providingeducation. Around the world this rapid development also significantly influenced the distancemode of education. In Asian region, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Pakistan is theMega University to facilitate the masses in their educational development from primary toPh.D levels of education. While focusing the importance of digital communication persistentefforts are being made by faculty and administration of AIOU to change its traditionaldistance teaching into e-learning. In this regards Secondary Teacher Education Departmentof AIOU intends to launch Online M.Phil Teacher Education Program. But before launchingthis program, existing need analysis study was done. Mainly this study aimed to analyze therequirements of students for online M.Phil program accordingly the capacity building ofrelevant faculty for online teaching. The objectives of this study were: to get opinion ofstudents about offering of M.Phil online program; to analyze the need of faculty members fortheir capacity building about launching of M.Phil online program; to examine theinstitutional feasibility for launching the online program; to arrange micro online training forfaculty. This was descriptive study and through survey technique data was collected bystudents, faculty members and administration of AIOU. For this purpose Entry RequirementChecklist and Questionnaire were used. Data was collected by 700 students appeared inM.Phil admission test for traditional mode, 26 faculty members, Controller Exams, DirectorRegional Services, Director Computer Center, Director Computer Center, DirectorAdmission and Lead Trainer of online mode from Computer Science Department. Mean Scorewas used for analyzing the data. Overall data reveals that majority of the students were infavour of launching M.Phil online. Faculty members and administration were alsodetermined to launch online program but firstly they need training for their capacity buildingabout online mode. On the basis of findings of study two months online training for facultywas proposed to the authorities of AIOU. Finally this training was given to the facultymembers which enabled them to launch M.Phil online program successfully. This model ofonline was formulated on the basis of this study may be adapted by any educationalinstitution for capacity building of the faculty and administrative staff.
Keywords: Need analysis, Capacity Building, Online Teaching
Received Revised
Accepted
Available Online