A workshop on developing online courses using Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) took place at the Bangladesh Open University (BOU) from 2 to 6 March 2019, as part of COL’s technical assistance for the Master of Public Health (MPH) Online programme.

The online learning platform set up at BOU allows teachers and students to engage with educational content by using interactive video and video conferencing. The workshop offered hands-on training to build the participants’ capacity in developing quality and engaging courses using features of the LMS. Professor Dr Khondoker Mokaddem Hossain, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Centre Chief, e-Learning Centre, BOU inaugurated the workshop and thanked COL for its consistent support.

Thirty-eight subject matter experts from BOU and other institutions in Bangladesh developed course design blueprints for 12 courses of the MPH programme. Professor Dr M A Mannan, Vice Chancellor, BOU said, “The Online MPH programme is a milestone for the successful implementation of blended learning in Bangladesh. This initiative from COL as a partner will support this university towards achieving sustainable development goals in Bangladesh especially Goal 3, Good Health and Wellbeing, and Goal 4, Quality Education.”

Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL’s Education Specialist: eLearning, spoke further on the potential for growth, saying, “The capacity and facility being developed at BOU will help the university to offer online learning programmes at scale and achieve the objectives of Digital Bangladesh 2021.”