CREDIT BASED EDUCATION-A timely good step

        

            Credit based education is an alternate means of education to the conventional system of education which follows examination with pass-fail syndrome. Unlike the conventional system where the student has to clear a particular course by attending classes throughout the particular course duration, in a credit based system choice lies with the student to select a course and his own pace of completing the course. In addition the student gets the mobility option to change the institution once or twice, may it be inside the country or at a foreign Institute while pursuing the course and also the flexibility to complete the course while he may like to be in a job and matching his time availability. The institution also facilitates the mobility and flexibility of the student in such a credit based system of education.

            A credit or more specifically a credit - hour refers to one hour class time per week per semester. Similarly a two hour class time per week per semester refers to two credit points. A student can go on building credit points to his/her account by way of attending classes, completing the practical and project report tasks in accordance with the course design. For example an associate degree in an American university require 60 to 64 credit points , while a Bachelor degree require 120 to 128 credit and a subsequent Masters degree requires 30 to 37 credit points. The most important aspect of the credit based education is this system shifts the focus from the conventional teacher-centric to student-centric education. All the activities of the student in the process of learning including the time spent in attending classes, preparation of reports into digital form according to a formulated principle and credit points are awarded. If a student changes the institute or the university and get admitted to another institute then his/her credit points are automatically transferred to the new course coordinator for facilitating continuance of the course. Hence the system has to respect the learner’s autonomy in changing the place of learning and their pace of learning requirements.

               In allocating credit points different universities follow their own grading systems. In a pre designed course module according to their performances the learners are placed in their ability band based on their scores earned in periodic tests. The course coordinator thereby identifies the lacunae if any and takes necessary remedial measures by framing the teaching strategy and the pedagogy. Although the initial course design is an additional burden on the course coordinator, this system overcomes the conventional time consuming examination system. The system moves from quantity to the quality. The problem of lecture attendance becomes a non-issue. The continuous grading system suo-mottu improves student attendance The Deans have to supervise if the things are on right track. The positive point in this way of learning is that; the student can on-line peruse the course requirements, accreditations, the teaching system, the availability of technical support, course fees and the credit transfer system before he chose the course and the institute. Again this system provides job based learning solutions and can extend to the work-place skill development of the learner to improve his intellectual excellence  which may boost up employer’s perspective .Such type of teaching system integrates the learning, teaching research and the third-stand agendas. Therefore the higher education institutes (HEI) get scope to extend their activities in imparting work-based education to reskil employees of the enterprises and increase their respective market share. Evidences show that work-based education is always cost and time effective and provides facility to the learner who desires to learn while at a job. As Professor M.S.Ananth The Director of Indian Institute of Technology. Madras commented on this issue in a 2003 seminar that this concept of higher education helps the students to cope with the changing market requirements and the use of these new tools for changing applications so that they can turn into wealth creators. In a credit concept

-       good students opt to go for maximum credit points,

-       students interested in research  related activities may opt for lesser credit points

-       students can translate their innate capabilities to score credits

-       students get the opportunity for pursuing more than one discipline to increase

their horizons by getting flexibility to choose.

With all its good nesses credit based education has been gaining momentum round the globe. In European countries this system is called European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) .in Australia it is National Qualification Framework (NQF) while in UK they call it Credit Accumulation and Transfer system (CATS) .In Japan and China this Pan-American protocol is widely followed. In India a National Knowledge Network (NKN) has been in operation with a target to link 31000 colleges and Universities around the world through a system called National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and to offer 1100 type of course modules supported with UGC approval.

                 In the post globalization scenario the completion among the business enterprises has been so stiff that they have to work against all odds from social, environmental and in-house labour related problems. The work can not stop for anybody. Total Quality Management (TQM) policy is being followed every where for uninterrupted production. The TQM in one sentence is “no one is indispensable for any work”. Hence the enterprises demand for professionals who beside his/her basic education and training shall have domain knowledge in social, environmental and labour issues. It will be no astonishing if a Computer engineer will be required to design the architecture of a network in a large enterprise or is required to solve a complex real life situation. For the success of the entrepreneurial activities the workers need be good managers having required communication skills and ability to work in cross cultural teams. This multifaceted training for its employees is what the enterprise can expect from this credit based learning concepts. Job after education is becoming an old concept rather education after the job should be the new mantra.

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