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21st century educators think that technology can be a useful tool for teaching the next generation and makes learning objectives easier to accomplish. Storytelling as a method has been used widely in teaching different subjects. In the era of digital education and catering to 21st century skills, information communication technologies are prominently used in the teaching-learning process. The transformation form of storytelling by using digital technology is the Digital Storytelling (DST). Digital storytelling is the process of using computer-based technologies to share the stories to others. It is similar to traditional storytelling where the stories used to be narrated to the audience and it is for the students in the teaching-learning process. The difference is that DST uses some images, audio narration, video clips, animations and transitions to create the story in a creative manner and share it with the audience digitally. The majority of stories used in education usually range from two and ten minutes, while digital stories can vary in duration. It has been widely used to teach the students in schools and also used as an innovative pedagogic method in different teacher preparation programmes. The present article critically articulates to understand the concept of DST, its processes to develop a digital story, and also exemplifies how to implement DST to address some exemplar topics from different subjects. The article also equally elaborates the implications of digital storytelling for the teachers and also to prepare the teacher educators

The study ‘Learning Analytics of a MOOC under SWAYAM: A Case of a Teacher Education Course on Assessment for Learning’ is a survey of three iterations of the online course Assessment for Learning under the SWAYAM platform. 161 students were selected purposively for the study who pursued the course in different sessions. A descriptive survey method has been used to conduct the study. A mixed form of questionnaire developed in Google Form has been used to gather information. Data has been analysed by using simple descriptive statistics like frequency count, percentage, and average scores. Both qualitative and quantitative modes of data analysis have been used in this study. The findings reflect that the course has successfully attracted a diverse, predominantly rural, and female learner base from teaching backgrounds and has received a strong overall quality rating from the learners enrolled in the course. The overall satisfaction of the learners was quite good in terms of different parameters in course components, like watching the video lessons, reading the text materials, participating in the discussion forums, and attending the assessment components. Apart from the course satisfaction, the study also highlights some critical challenges. Despite the continuous enrolment growth, the certification rates remained low, a reflection of the broader systemic challenge of MOOCs. The gap between enrolment and certification calls for immediate attention to personalised guidance, accessible offline content, focus on multilingual resources, an interactive discussion forum, and learner support mechanisms.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948, established education as a fundamental human right, articulating its aims and setting a global standard for nation-states. This paper attempted a comparative analysis of the provisions for children’s educational rights within the UDHR and provision for rights to education for children in the constitution of India. From a human rights perspective, the study critically examines the history of the right to education for children in India, tracing its journey from a non-justiciable “Directive Principle of State Policy” to an enforceable fundamental right under Article 21-A. According to the study, there is still a big implementation gap even though the Indian Constitution’s Articles 21-A and 45 have established a strong legal framework that supports and even builds upon the principles of the UDHR. The paper evaluates Educational Rights of Children, particularly the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, as a powerful attempt to realize the right to education. It examines the Act’s provisions on nondiscrimination, free education, and basic standards and evaluates how well they address issues including quality, equity, and access. The study comes to the conclusion that India’s experience with educational rights is a prime example of the dynamic process of converting international human rights standards into national legislative requirements. However, it emphasises that in order to fully realise this right as outlined in the UDHR, there must be a consistent political will, sufficient funding, and a determined effort to remove socioeconomic obstacles that stand in the way of all Indian children achieving universal and meaningful educational attainment. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, is the first international legal instrument that recognises education as a human right.Article 26 of the UDDHR states, ‘Everyone has the right to education’. It is a non-legally binding instrument but with a immense political and moral force.

The rapid integration of technology into education strengthens the teaching-learning process by promoting greater learner engagement. One such innovation is Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which make learning affordable, authentic, outcomes-oriented, purposeful, individualized, and democratic. This paper is based upon learning analytics and learning experiences of a MOOC, ‘What future for Education?’ offered through Coursera. The study analyses learning engagements in pursuing the course. It may be a depiction of experiential learning in the form of a research article. The findings revealed that the course videos were interview-based, professionally developed, engaging, and included activities that were helpful for learners to comprehend complex topics. Every module has short videos of length 5-7 minutes to enhance the engagement of the learners. Videos also include subtitles, transcripts, and playback controls, enhancing accessibility and flexibility. The e-content part of the course included multiple readings in the form of articles/websites, continuous readings suggested by the teachers during the progression of the course, etc. Interaction forums were available 24/7, so that learners can get help, regardless of their time zone. The assessment part of the course included quizzes and peer-reviewed assignments that helped the learners to reinforce their learning and comprehend the concepts effectively. Upon successful completion of the course, a certificate was awarded by the University of London and the UCL Institute of Education. A few limitations have also been noticed; they were limited personal interaction and subjectivity in peer-graded assignments. In conclusion, it can be said that the course was not only academically enriched but also strategically implemented. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are accessed by millions of users worldwide to access high-quality learning. There has been a continuous growth in MOOCs. Fig. 1 shows the growth in MOOCs; this number is increasing year by year. The rapid expansion reflects the growing acceptance of online learning as a flexible and accessible mode of education. Furthermore, advancements in digital technologies, increased internet penetration, and the demand for lifelong learning have significantly contributed to the widespread adoption of MOOCs worldwide.

The meeting point of digital media technologies and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) theories marks an important frontier in current higher education practice, especially with respect to accommodating increasingly diverse learners. While there is an increase in theoretical interest in the relationship, the integration of UDL theories into media-enhanced digital pedagogical practices has been poorly theorized and empirically investigated. This conceptual research analyzes the intersection of media technologies and UDL theories in higher education practice, with special emphasis on the Indian situation, and proposes an original integration model that can aid in creating more inclusive digital learning environments for the future. Using a systematic conceptual synthesis methodology, this research critically reviews and synthesizes the peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and June 2024 from Scopus and Web of Science-indexed journals, using the theories of UDL, media ecology, multimodal learning theory, and constructivism to develop the Media-Integrated Universal Design for Digital Pedagogy (MUDDP) framework. Three propositions emerge from the synthesis, and these include: (a) media technologies increase the possibility of representation that is vital for UDL; (b) well-designed multimodal pedagogical approach facilitates accessibility and learner engagement; and (c) infrastructural, attitudinal and curriculum barriers are the systematic constraints to UDL-compatible digital pedagogy in Global South higher education institutions. MUDDP framework offers a theoretically consistent and action-oriented model to transform higher education curriculum, teacher development programs, and institutional technology policies. The paper argues for systematic policy change towards educational technology adoption in terms of accessibility, which is perfectly consistent with India’s National Education Policy 2020. This paper offers a novel theoretical framework on the intersection between media ecology, UDL and multimodal pedagogy.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) have come out as a revolutionary development in global higher education, whereby they provide free and open resources with the capacity of breaking down existing barriers of cost, geographic constraints, and socio-cultural exclusion. Even with the increased utilization of OERs, the literature on the overall impact of such resources in terms of access, affordability, and learner diversity, especially in the Global South, is highly fragmented and under-theorized. The current systematic literature review aims at assessing how OERs foster equity in terms of access to higher education by analyzing the role of such resources in fostering access, overcoming affordability barriers, and promoting learner diversity, with a focus on India. Based on the PRISMA 2020 framework (Page et al. 2021), the search strategy involved an extensive search on Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, and Google Scholar databases on peer-reviewed literature on the issue from January 2019 to August 2024. A total of 63 studies qualified as per the inclusion criteria after duplication removal and subsequent screening. In the presence of institutional infrastructure, OER provide substantial cost benefits, expanded geographical reach, and pedagogic equity to higher education. Digital divides, language barriers, quality issues, and inadequate faculty preparation remain significant limitations on the power of OER to transform marginalized communities. The findings suggest the need for a systemic policy approach that encompasses digital infrastructure, multilingual OER production, and faculty development, especially for India and the developing world at large. While there is a rich body of research on open educational resources, this paper provides a unique perspective on OER equity in India within the broader scope of OER research. In addition, the review includes an original conceptual model connecting OER features and inclusivity through the Capability Approach, UNESCO OER Framework, and Universal Design for Learning.