Prof Dr. Firdos Temurasp Shroff, Visiting Professor, Institute for Technology and Management (ITM), Kharghar, Mumbai. He is also a Professor/Mentor, University of Mumbai/Mgt Institutions; SEBI Certified Trainer in Financial Education; Fellow, Indian Institute of Banking & Finance; and Senate Member, Pune University
Like all innovations that we have come to accept, ICTs also have strengths and weaknesses. We should list these because
it is important to know what they are especially if we are to plan and use them effectively.
And so, they are a mixed bag and it is necessary that we recognise both their strengths and weaknesses, before planning to use them in our adult learning setup. It is more important that we recognise because if we use a technology thinking it to be ideal one, but fail to recognise its limitations, we are likely to fail in our efforts. Then we will develop the wrong notion that all ICTs are useless and inadequate for serving the goals of education. However, much needs to be done to fill up the gap for sharing of information/knowledge and to take full advantage of the ICT system in the years to come.
Strengths for delivery:
• Individualisation of learning
• Interactivity
• Low per unit cost
• Distance and climate insensitive
• Can serve multiple teaching functions and diverse audiences
• High speed delivery, wide reach at low cost
• Uniform quality
Weaknesses:
• High infrastructure and start up costs
• Tend toward centralized uniform content in economies of scale
• Are not ideally location and problem sensitive
• Problems of reach, access, remain
Level of Implementation at ITM, Kharghar, Mumbai
The level of implementation at the Institution (ICT tools) is quite good. State of the art technologies have been adopted. Wi-Fi campus and 24×7 internet facilities have been provided. All students are computer savvy and provided with laptops to enable them to make best use of learning while at home and travelling. Latest Research Modules/Packages have been put to use as also links to national and International e-Journals of repute, which help researchers to upgrade, learn and utilise information on case studies.
In short, our Institution has grown in strength and is equipped with a hightech campus. It ranks among Top 25 Management Institutions in India.
