TRAVRSITY - an elearning platform for professionals

Travarsity is a project targeted towards the lifelong learning and continuing education for professionals. It recognises that professionals have to upgrade their knowledge and skills on a continuously and have to upgrade themselves life long basis.

The project aims at using ICT enabled tools for creating an enabling platform for achieving the above objectives. It differs from the regular approaches of elearning by creating an enabling environment for LEARNING as opposed to the TEACHING paradigm. The basis of the approach is a vertical industry focus to provide digital content and repositories through a knowledge sharing mechanism. The approach is a collaborative learning mechanism with a common domain focus. It aims to bring all stake holders - policy makers, SMEs, Govt., Industry, Academia, consultants and others together and share and exchange knowledge and enable learning.

The focus would be address the development of learning methods and tools to address the capacity development in the concerned vertical by identifying the -
· Human Capacity development requirements (Knowledge and Skills)
· New Product and Services development
· Process improvements in quality/productivity/competitiveness.
· Use of ICT

In the pilot phase the verticals that have been identified are - Travel/Tourism/Hospitality and SME enterprises (Service Sector).  The maximum anticipated learning would be through informal learning methods, collaborative approach, knowledge sharing and information sharing. Learners would themselves be adding valuable content through mechanisms designed for sharing knowledge in a structured manner (case studies, presentations, whitepapers, etc.).  

The heart of the TRAVARSITY project would be a digital library and the Web 2.0 compliant networking platform. A group of subject matter experts shall be deployed to facilitate the learning process. A Learning Objects Repository shall be configured to address the learning needs of the learner dynamically, from the central repository. Necessary assessment and certification programs shall be developed to ensure to map the learner’s understanding of the subject.

Third party short-term courses, from accredited training institutes shall be added to achieve more credibility and enhance the value of the offering. Also, some relevant elearning programmes in Higher education shall be made available for the interested learners.

The project essentially consists of the following major research areas -
- Research to Identify the Learning needs of the Professionals in the chosen pilot target areas
- Content Aggregation and Digitisation
- Central Digital Library
- Choosing the best ICT medium for the content dissemination (Web, CDs, Mobile, Audio or Touch screen) and the content format (Text, Ebooks, pdf's, Multimedia, flash, Audiocast, m-content, etc.) and developing the desired value added content.
- Creation of Learning Objects
- Development of Knowledge sharing mechanism using web 2.0
- Dissemination Mechanisms of Knowledge thru web/face-to-face and other methods for life long learning.

We intend to collaborate with partners - academicians, software companies, trade associations and learning/media companies to make the project a LIVING SUSTAINABLE PROJECT with a clear objective to develop a necessary LIFE LONG SUPPORT for LEARNING to professionals in the target pilot sectors.

During the project, we would like to work on above to develop the necessary TRAVARSITY platform to provide the usage of the same to atleast three age ranges - 18-25, 26-50 and 51 and above, with focus on short term updates (workshops and events), certificate courses and higher education for atleast 1000 learners.  

Digital,
content,
value-added,
value,
information,
knowledge,
central repository,
digital library,
digital repository,
learning,
elearning,
adaptive learning,
life long learning
SME,
Travel and Tourism
Learning Objects,
Web 2.0,
Platform,
Network,
Sustainable,
Content aggregation,
Digitisation,
accredition,
Professionals,
ICT,
Mobile,
Touch Screen,
Web,
CDROM,
Audio,
Multimedia,
Courses,
Higher Education

We are looking for partners with necessary experience in -

 1. Life Long Learning

 2. Web 2.0 Technologies

 3. Knowledge management frameworks

 4. Rich Media and Mobile content

 5. Experience in administrative handling of IST projects

 6. Individual expertise in Learning and Research Processes

Profile 1. Provide the necessary test cases for Life Long Learning in the desired pilot target area

Profile 2. Provide/Help develop the Web 2.0 Technologies compliant platform for TRAVARSITY 

Profile 3. Address the Knowledge management aspects of the TRAVARSITY 

Profile 4. Provide/Help develop the Rich Media and Mobile content

Profile 5. Administrative handling of project TRAVARSITY 

Profile 6. Learning Methodologies and Research Techniques for achieving desired results.

University Research groups focussed on Elearning/Life long learning or ICT enabled learning approaches.

Software companies focussed on development of software for ICT enabled learning, collaboration, Knowledge management, LMS, Mobile, Rich Media, Web 2.0 and Integrated convergent communications.

Companies and consultants with expertise in handling administrative aspects of Funding proposals.

Trade Associations in the pilot verticals – Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and SMEs (Service sector).

Digital Library Service Providers

Individual Experts in Learning and Research Processes

 

Yes