Ravi Gupta
Editor in Chief
Centre for Science Development and Media Studies(CSDMS)
ravi.gupta@csdms.in
…..And the curtains were drawn to the eINDIA2009 Conference with great aplomb and to the utmost satisfaction of one and all. Months of effort and hard work have paid rich dividends in terms of ushering in new ideas and innovations. The conference has helped us in furthering our knowledge base, deepen our understanding and make inroads into a path which few have chosen to tread.
eINDIA2009 was special! It was our first effort to take the platform outside Delhi, to the unchartered territory of Hyderabad. The experiment bore good fruits and the venue proved to be a common meeting ground for all stakeholders from India and abroad. It has added another feather to our cap and has given the event a more national feel.
Our mandate and vision of promoting an integrated use of ICTs comes close to heels when several government efforts have been directed towards carrying the mission forward. Engaging multiple stakeholders has been one of the objectives that the conference has achieved. The gracious presence of Smt D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for Higher Education, Government of India, added splendor to the conference.
eINDIA2009 brought forth several issues of contemporary relevance. The School Education Forum highlighted pressing problems in the K12 segment. The transition of teachers from being Digital Immigrants to being digitally empowered needs to be addressed through the provision of adequate training solutions. The key priorities have to be the successful implementation of the National ICT policy, effective teachers training and creation of ICT resources affordable to all. The Higher education segment mulled over the aspects of bridging the skill gap and providing accessible vocational and need based training. The want for technology based and open source learning was emphasised as also, making private education providers more accountable to quality standards. Quality education and skills training were the two buzzwords that were underscored.
The ideas and recommendations churned out during the sessions have added momentum to the ball which was set rolling at the first eINDIA event, 5 years ago. Since then, it has been our mission to provide a platform to the voices in ‘Education and Technology’, to underscore the importance and relevance of the theme, and to throw light on the niche area.
The deepening of the relationship between digitalLEARNING and multiple stakeholders has helped us achieve great strides. We propose to carry our endeavour forward – in length, scale and depth – through regional conferences to be held on similar lines
