Episode Description

Raju Ganesh Sunder shares his journey into education and online distance learning. He discusses the difference between distance education and online distance education, highlighting the flexibility and reach of online programs. Raju explains the role of a director of online distance learning and the responsibilities involved. He also talks about the content creation process, the four quadrants of online learning, and the need for continuous updates and feedback. Raju emphasizes the importance of engaging learners and providing them with a valuable learning experience in the online environment. The conversation explores the challenges and strategies of online distance learning. The main themes include student engagement, faculty training, evaluation and proctoring, acceptance of online education, enrollment trends, and the business model of online learning. The conversation also touches on the importance of communication skills for online instructors and the potential for online education to reach foreign students.

Key Takeaways

Online distance learning offers flexibility and wider reach compared to traditional distance education.
The role of a director of online distance learning includes overseeing enrollments, academics, operations, and evaluations.
Content creation in online programs involves creating self-learning material, recording videos, and developing interactive learning experiences.
The four quadrants of online learning include asynchronous lectures, synchronous sessions, discussion forums, and evaluation quizzes.
Online programs require continuous updates and feedback from stakeholders to ensure quality and relevance.
Engaging learners and providing a valuable learning experience is crucial in online education. Student engagement is crucial in online distance learning, and strategies like quizzes, interactive presentations, and video attendance can help improve engagement.
Faculty members need to be trained in online teaching methods and must possess strong communication and body language skills.
Evaluation and proctoring are ongoing challenges in online education, and the use of AI proctoring tools is being explored.
Online education is gaining acceptance, and more students, including working professionals and underemployed individuals, are enrolling in online programs.
The business model of online education relies on increasing enrollments and leveraging social media marketing.
Foreign students are increasingly enrolling in online programs, with countries in the Middle East and Africa being the most active.

Meet Our Guest

Raju Ganesh Sunder is a seasoned professional with over 34 years of experience in the education and industry sectors. He is currently the Director of the Center for Distance and Online Education at Sharda University, Greater Noida. His career is marked by significant leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management at Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Director at the Symbiosis School of Digital and Online Learning at Symbiosis International University, and Director of the Centre for Distance and Online Education at Bharati Vidyapeeth University. Raju has a strong academic background, teaching Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, and Operations Management at both the graduate (MBA) and undergraduate (BBA) levels. His expertise and business acumen have driven numerous achievements in distance and online education.