Abstract
The Information Communication Technology (ICT) has opened many ways of providing education. Around the world this rapid development also significantly influenced the distance mode of education. In Asian region, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Pakistan is the Mega University to facilitate the masses in their educational development from primary to Ph.D levels of education. While focusing the importance of digital communication persistent efforts are being made by faculty and administration of AIOU to change its traditional distance teaching into e-learning. In this regards Secondary Teacher Education Department of AIOU intends to launch Online M.Phil Teacher Education Program. But before launching this program, existing need analysis study was done. Mainly this study aimed to analyze the requirements of students for online M.Phil program accordingly the capacity building of relevant faculty for online teaching. The objectives of this study were: to get opinion of students about offering of M.Phil online program; to analyze the need of faculty members for their capacity building about launching of M.Phil online program; to examine the institutional feasibility for launching the online program; to arrange micro online training for faculty. This was descriptive study and through survey technique data was collected by students, faculty members and administration of AIOU. For this purpose Entry Requirement Checklist and Questionnaire were used. Data was collected by 700 students appeared in M.Phil admission test for traditional mode, 26 faculty members, Controller Exams, Director Regional Services, Director Computer Center, Director Computer Center, Director Admission and Lead Trainer of online mode from Computer Science Department. Mean Score was used for analyzing the data. Overall data reveals that majority of the students were in favour of launching M.Phil online. Faculty members and administration were also determined to launch online program but firstly they need training for their capacity building about online mode. On the basis of findings of study two months online training for faculty was proposed to the authorities of AIOU. Finally this training was given to the faculty members which enabled them to launch M.Phil online program successfully. This model of online was formulated on the basis of this study may be adapted by any educational institution for capacity building of the faculty and administrative staff.