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Mobile to locate misplaced items

Two students from IIT Madras in their second year of education in the engineering design department have developed a technique, blutag, to locate the misplaced things using the bluetooth technology and mobile phone. The item to be located is tagged with a Bluetooth module, each of which has unique code. The code will be embedded in a barcode sticker or a chip-like object. This will then be pasted on items that you want to tag.

The students have written a code for a mobile application. When you need to locate the object, all you have to do is specify which object you are looking for and the application searches for the unique code of the object and connects with the Bluetooth module, which would then beep and glow to reveal its location. Java application has been used by students to execute the said idea. Blutag is a spirit of engineering (SOE) project developed at the Centre For Innovation on the campus.

Farmers in classrooms at IGNOU

A new certificate programmes has been introduced by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for the benefit of farmers in the state of West Bengal. The programmes were launched by the Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Government of West Bengal, Narendra Nath Dey in the EMPC studio at IGNOU. The three months long programmes are Integrated Pest Management Technology in Potato cultivation and Short Term Training programmes for farmers of Betelvine. They have been developed by the Regional Centre, Kolkata and the School of Agriculture, IGNOU.

Around 8000 farmers are being sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of West Bengal for these programmes. These are training intensive programmes in which farmers will be taught practically about how to control pests through demonstrations and relevant theory classes. The programme launch was telecast live on Gyan Darshan channel.

International help sought by CBSE

In order to build upon the international capabilities and resource pool for teachers and schools, Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is to soon start a centre for evaluation, assessment and research in Continuous Compulsory Evaluation (CCE). It will be based on a public-private partnership system, and intends to provide highly qualified teachers in every classroom in the course of the the next five years. In a circular put on its website, the board has invited 'an expression of interest' from international organisations.

The centre will establish best practices in school-based assessment and entrance examinations, and conduct research into policies and programs that can improve teaching quality and strengthen student learning. These policy programmes might include adapting, developing assessments and related resources, defining assessment frameworks, professional learning, teacher evaluation and professional recruitment among others. CBSE will be responsible for developing infrastructure and the co-partners will provide financial input, academic expertise and capacity building. The centre will consist of three main departments: research and assessment, professional development and leadership, and publications department.


Holistic development of students aims CBSE

The aim of the new project by CBSE is to indulge students in group activities during class hours and not as homework. The activities target students from class 9 and 10 in the newly introduced Complete and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), mentioned the Chairman and Secretary CBSE, Vineet Joshi. He had interaction with parents at the Sahodaya Schools Complex in Kochi on Sunday, and the aim of the CCE was the overall development of the personality of the students, unlike an academic-centred performance. CBSE is also coming out with proficiency test which is optional, to test the performance of students in particular subjects, against students across the country.

In her presentation, Sadhana Parasher, Head, Innovation and Research, CBSE, mentioned that the CBSE website contained comprehensive details on the CCE, Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment. She promised that the assessment of a student's character or personality would not be negative and it would be written in consultation with the student.

London schools outsource mathematics classes to India

Ashmount Primary school in north London has outsourced mathematics teaching to India. Shortage of mathematics teachers in British schools has for some time presented an opportunity to Indians to teach the subject. Many of them have even immigrated to Britain to teach mathematics. A British firm, Bright Spark Education Company (BSEC), is facilitating the online mathematics classes by teachers thousands of miles away in Ludhiana. Lessons are booked 24 hours in advance; and at a stipulated students log on and converse with their tutor over the internet. The lessons, designed for children between seven and 16, cost

McGraw Hill Education acquires Tegrity

Private equity firm Infinity Group recently announced sale of its software company Tegrity to McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., one of the largest publishers of educational books in the world. Earlier in the year, also after a decade long ownership, Infinity Group, the major shareholder in Orsus, led the sale of the company to Nice. The value of the holdings of Infinity and its affiliates in Tegrity and Orsus exceeded $20 million. The Tegrity sale is Infinity's fourth exit this year, following Orsus, Futuragene, and Teledata. Infinity was founded by the IDB Holding Corp. Ltd and the China Development Bank.


Pilot papers to be received soon by CBSE

Pilot papers that are to decide the proficiency levels for mathematics and science are to be soon submitted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in a week. In September CBSE announced that it is to conduct proficiency test, optionally, for students of standard tenth in five subjects including English, Hindi, Science, Maths and Social Science. The pilot papers would be tested by CBSE and based on the feedback, the HBCSE will develop the final test papers by January 2011. The test, which will be held in May-June 2011 for two-and-a-half-hours, will not include any direct recall, information-based or memory-based questions. The objective of the test is to assess the ability of a student to 'apply knowledge and understanding of any subject to new and unfamiliar everyday life situations'.

Expansion on cards for Edify Education

A section of DRS Group, Edify Education plans to have pan-India presence through launch of 50 franchised Edify Schools, 250 Franchised Edify Kids pre-schools, and 10 company owned International schools by 2015, confirmed a company official. An investment of INR 500 crore is being considered for investment in this expansion plan of its network of schools to around 300 across India. It has combined the best teaching techniques and practices CBSE and other global orientations to provide 'international' education at an inexpensive fee. These schools will run on the 3-C philosophy-character, competence and content. The assessment technique in these schools will target to evaluate child's ability to conceptualise, process information and apply the same in a creative manner.

CBSE to come up with PPP based Research and Development Centre

Mostly the Indian educational boards are involved in setting exams, papers and evaluation. CBSE, however, been encouraging lots of changes in education system, with the most recent one in form of a plan of setting up its very own centre for research and development on the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The centre will be instrumental in implementing human resources development minister Kapil Sibal's education reforms. A note from CBSE describes its expression of interest in inviting internationally reputed institutes to partner in making of the said centre. The centre will provide inputs on student learning, assessment and professional development.

CW Games get Robotic Shera created by DTU students

The former Delhi College of Engineering and now the Delhi Technological University (DTU), has been known for its technological innovations and new product development. In line with the same, a group of DTU students have developed a robotic version of the popular mascot of the 12th CommonwealthGames known as the 'V Shera' (Versatile Shera). Versatile Shera was inaugurated today by the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the presence of Rakesh Mehta, Chief Secretary, Delhi government, PK Tripathi, IAS, Principal Secretary to CM, Delhi government and Prof PB Sharma, Vice Chancellor, DTU, among others, at the office of the Organizing Committee (OC) of Common Wealth Games.

VShera will remain installed at the OC Headquarters during the entire Commonwealth Games and would welcome the delegates visiting the place. A partnership of DTU- Innovatiview, Vshera, has been developed in order to infuse technology and society. It is a functional robot with gesture and speech capabilities. The technology used is not just limited to adding motion sensors or advanced motors but to make it as close to a living of Shera as possible, with capabilities to blink eyes, move hands, bow and to greet everyone with a smile.

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