Adobe software opens up breakthrough new ways to teach and learn

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

American School of Bombay, India

Adobe sof tware opens up breakthrough new ways to teach and learn.

Industry
Education

Challenges

Incorporate digital communication into the classroom

Create and deliver media-rich curriculum, lesson plans, and digital assessments

Solution

Multimedia communication

eLearning

Results

Enhanced traditional methods of
teaching through digital communication
Enabled students to showcase their work through multimedia projects
Improved classroom efficiency and enhanced collaboration and communication among students, teachers and parents.
Fostered skills useful in professional arenas

Systems at a glance

Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro

Adobe Presenter
Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro
Adobe Creative Suite 3
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Photoshop Elements
New Ways to Teach And Learn

At the American School of Bombay (ASB) in Mumbai, India, students learn that creativity, communication, and technology are essential tools in maximising their potential in any professional path they pursue. Recognising the capacity for technology to inspire and engage students and help them build practical career skills, ASB adopted Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro and Adobe Creative Suite 3 along with Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Premiere Elements, Adobe Connect and Adobe Presenter software to incorporate digital communication into the classroom and empower faculty and students to express their ideas effectively. The use of technology in education at ASB enables teachers to make learning a richer, more engaging experience,

Engaging Students with Rich Multimedia
Adobe Presenter provides an ideal way for teachers to create interactive, media-rich
presentations of their coursework. Using Presenter software, ASB teachers also can
create and distribute curriculum, multimedia lesson plans, and homework assignments
electronically to improve classroom effi ciency and enhance collaboration and
communication among students, teachers, and parents. Teachers generate compelling
classroom presentations complete with textbook excerpts, photos, video, and audio
fi les that are combined into a single, engaging and interactive presentation.
Technology As An Integral Part of Instruction
At ASB, approximately 700 preschool through 12th-grade students can cultivate atruly global perspective; the student body is comprised of 51 nationalities. Adobe software tools and educational resources make integration of digital technology nto the curriculum a natural process, and help teachers create a dynamic learning environment. The school offers a campus-wide wireless network, and every student from grade 6 onward is required to own a portable computer. Teachers use Adobe software to develop and deliver learning materials, and students tap into Adobe tools to express ideas effectively through words, images, videos, animations, and sound. According to ASB staff, Adobe software brings out the best in creative minds, both in classroom instruction as well as in the After School Activities (ASA) program.

Inspiring Creativity Among Students
With Adobe Photoshop Elements software, teachers and students can enhance photos and videos with special effects and professional-quality sound. From book reports o photo essays and video documentaries, teachers can demonstrate concepts to students in visual, vibrant ways that enhance learning and retention, and students can learn to communicate through creative visual imaging. Adobe Flash CS3 enables educators at ASB to work with students to create 3D experiences and give animated characters life-like motion with ease. This capability helps teachers guide students into a new realm of creativity by harnessing the power of object-based animation.
Streamlined Processes for Teachers
Further increasing effi ciency and enriching the learning environment at the school,ASB has adopted Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro software. Faculty members are usingAdobe’s web conferencing and eLearning solution for online meetings. They used
the software to conduct virtual classrooms to engage students online when school
needed to be closed due to a fl u closure.

Working with India for Progress

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Faced by the challenges of developing economies, mankind needs to harness the powers of science and technology for which they need a robust and effective education system to produce and sustain these skills. Education therefore is the key to empowerment and Intel Initiatives are working across the world to provide equity and opportunity through education.

Intel believes that young people are the key to solving global challenges. That is why, since 1999, Intel, as part of a sustained global commitment, has been involved in India in education programs to enable tomorrow’s innovators.

“Innovation and investments in information and communications technology (ICT) will accelerate economic recovery and jobs growth worldwide” – Paul Otellini, Intel Corporation President and CEO

Working in close partnership with government and other decision making bodies at the central, state and local levels, the IntelIntel Education has helped transform education in India through the Intel® Teach Program where over a million teachers have been trained to bring technology tools and resources into their classrooms for better student learning. It has provided teachers with proven professional development and 21st century skills, promoting studentcentered learning to engage students n appropriate use of technology for learning, creativity, and communication. Launched in India in February 2000 it is the largest, most successful program of its kind and has trained over 6 million teachers across 40 countries and over 1,000,000 teachers and student teachers in India. Today Intel collaborates with Central
Government bodies like the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghathan (KVS) and the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), to provide the Teach program to teacher education institutions across the country. The Intel Initiatives are not limited to within the formal classroom. To take education beyond the classroom and to the heart of the community the Intel Learn program is an after-school, community education program, targeting underserved youth who have limited access to technology in their homes and schools. It provides opportunities for youth to hone technology and other 21st century skills in fun, engaging learning environments. This Program has reached over 100,000 learners across 22 states and fi ve Union Territories in India bringing about a tangible change in technology knowledge, skills and attitudes giving the young learners in developing countries opportunities to learn key skills needed for tomorrow’s success. At Intel we believe, that a solid math and science foundation coupled with skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy are crucial for success in the knowledge economy. To inspire
and expand students’ knowledge and enthusiasm for science and math the Initiative for Research & Innovation in cience (IRIS) a collaborative initiative between the Confederation of Indian ndustries (CII), the Department f Science and Technology (DST),

Exploring Digitised Content

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

In today’s world when most of us our running after the most recent information in any subject matter, what is required by any one of us is content. In education sector, content is not only the most sought but also required to fulfill conditions of access, equity and quality. This is where digitsation of content becomes the saviour. eContent, be it in school education or higher education, if appropriate, can lead to great achievements. Quality of the e-content provides with correct information access and supports use of search engines in most effective way. Content whether digitised or otherwise, needless to say has to suit the target audience. It should, however, be remembered that mere digitising of the print content doesn’t mean it is more useful. In fact the purpose of using econtent arises when something different from print medium is to be implemented, that guarantees better comprehension and application by the receivers, which in most cases are the students.

Open Sources

In addition to the e-content service providers’ services, the educational institutions at times also refer to open source e-content for deployment amongst students. But open source e-content risks lacking quality; although it offers flexibility, can be accessed quickly and is cost effective.

Current Scenario

eContent in education in India, is usually associated with the information that is available in digitised form on websites, internet, e-version of print content, TV, Radio, CD/DVD, memory sticks, films and mobile phones. Private sector and the companies that invest in education sector as education service providers are sought for most of the relevant e-content that they prepare with years of expertise, research and knowledge of the given sector They cater not only to the education system but also to the society by providing education solutions in the era where India is facing shortage of cost effective infrastructure, trained and qualifi ed teachers, low Gross Enrollment Ratio, high drop-out rates and lack of dissemination of education to large
population of children in the country. eContent supports not only education but also ‘edutainment’ that includes both education and entertainment. eContent encourages reduction of gap between poorly informed and digitally advanced groups of students, when
disseminated properly. India as a nation is not only supportive of formulation of e-content abroad but is also receptive of the successful implementation of the same in developed or other developing countries. This is building a momentum in the country to gain expertise in developing, disseminating and maintaining quality e-content for educational institutions.
Government is no less in providing its support to gaining understanding and use of e-content. For instance, Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology, Government of India; and Minstry of Human Resource Development, Government of India have been active in providing to e-content at large to the educational institutions. eContent is the future! It is hard to stop it from gaining its well deserved space in Indian schools and higher education institutions. Therefore, the focus is rightly set on providing it within the frameworks of quality, access and equity.

migrating to the electronic domain. Publishers and authors are also producing their material for direct digital consumption.”–Anand Kannan, Managing Director GRE EDGE
“We lack suffi cient infrastructure. So if infrastructure for e-content is provided and if facility to maintain thegiven infrastructure or facility of e-content then it can be successful.”
–Usha Saini, Principal, Government Girls Sr. Sec.
“School, Tagore Garden, New Delhi Does e-content serve teaching-learning process in more fruitful way? “e-content, if pedagogically correct and instructionally designed, can support learning objectives and outcomes in a more scientifi c manner than the traditional teaching.
What is essential and important to understand that econtent is complimentary and not stand alone solution. The e-content addresses different learning styles and provides an opportunity for immediate assessment. The e-content has fl exibility, choice and helps in analysis and evaluation which are key factors of teaching and learning process. The e-content can bring high levels of interactivity and engaged children in an active learning process suited to their needs and abilities, hence, giving them an immersive learning. econtent if properly used in teaching learning process, would enable the child to develop high order thinking skills and make them lifelong learning.”
–Amit Gupta CEO, S.Chand & Company Ltd.
“More than the content, the processes and pedagogy is very important. personalization of learning experience is the key driver and e-content delivery must subscribe to that. When that happens it is fruitful for the student.” –Anand Kannan, Managing Director GRE EDGE
“No doubt it is a marvelous system!” –Usha Saini, Principal, Government Girls Sr. Sec. School, Tagore Garden, New Delhi
How do you compare the e-content utilisation, across India and rest of the world? “The e-content utilization in India presently is at an early stage. In the developed world use of e-content has become a routine. The reason for same is not only infrastructure, hardware and networks but the way these economies are structured now. Since, services, e-commerce and most of the day-to-day life has digital infl uence, the schools could also not do away without e-content being a major part of schools routine. It is also important to note that the teacher training and availability of resources to a teacher are integrated with e-content. In such a scenario, the use of e-content in other developed countries is much more than India. India faces a major challenge at three levels: Policy makers, decision makers and administrators
Teachers Parents Considering the size of our country, there is little or limited awareness of using e-content in schools. This puts forward the major challenge in allocation of budgets, training, commitment and awareness among all the three levels. In India, it is more important as this would provide economies of scale for also reaching the margin wise and bridging not only the digital divide but also meeting the challenges of urban and rural divide.”
–Amit Gupta CEO, S.Chand & Company Ltd.
“From our GREedge experience, I feel the adoption of elearning is the same in India and the US. At that segment. Most students use online learning experiences at some stage or the other. We expect that a signifi cant amount of test preparation, especially at graduate and post-graduate level will shift online. There has been a rapid shift in student patterns and institutional attitudes over the last fi ve years, especially in India.”
–Anand Kannan, Managing Director GRE EDGE
“Uncomparable” –Usha Saini, Principal, Government Girls Sr. Sec. School, Tagore Garden, New Delhi
How do you rate the monitoring of e-content in the educational Institutions?
“The e-content comes in various forms and shapes. Most important is that e-content is going to impact the basic education and lifelong learning of an individual. It is important that not only it is culturally and factually correct but should also have the sensitivity required for every age group and levels of learning. The pedagogy, the instructional design and the learning outcomes of e-content are most critical than having some expensive animations or bytes which do not support the main objective of e-learning. The development of quality e-content is an expensive and time consuming proposition and these resources should be fully utilized to bring full advantage to users. The clear benchmarks of quality and delivery need to be established. The government of India is presently making huge budget allocations but unfortunately there is no clear cut distinction between computer literacy and computer aided learning.” –Amit Gupta CEO, S.Chand & Company Ltd.
“The market is the monitoring mechanism. The market will reject lower quality solutions and content and endorse higher quality solutions. Transparent marketing and consumer and teacher forums for rating products will be the best mechansim for regulation. e-content and educational technology is an area which needs to rapidly innovate and create new solutions and superior, scalable personalized economics. A government body or bureaucratic monitoring mechanism will prevent and kill such innovation. So I would not recommend it. However, the industry (the emerging educational technology industry) can come together and adopt voluntary standards for both content production and transparent and ethical marketing of products.”
–Anand Kannan, Managing Director GRE EDGE
“Defi nitely, to monitor the system decentralisation would be objective and convenient. Monitoring should not be left under control of one person. It should be given independence and
should be given to the grass-root level workers, it shouldn’t be under one thumb.” –Usha Saini, Principal, Government Girls Sr. Sec. School, Tagore Garden, New Delhi

ICT Tools and Equipments

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

ICT tools and equipments can make it possible for the economy to grow by spurring education amongst those who are still in schools and colleges; and reaching the young children and youth beyond these traditional educational institutions.

What do we have and Where are we heading

India is a developing nation. Our population has surpassed many countries in terms of people and now the attempt is to produce a productive workforce which is incomparable. Information and Communication Technology is paving way in India for the tools and equipments that are to be used in educational and training institutions, to bring the above goal into a reality. Indian entrepreneurs in India and abroad, who have made a mark with ICT advancements to their dispersal, have ignited a hope and faith amongst a low income developing economy to pursue hopes of rising above all as a developed economy. ICT tools and equipments can make it possible for the economy to grow by spurring education amongst those who are still in schools and colleges; and reaching the young children and youth beyond these traditional educational institutions. In our country there is limited access to resource for those who want to learn. Due to limitations of space, time, money, demography, insufficient knowledge and lack of infrastructure it is still difficult to access many untapped sources and tools that are ICT enabled.

We have a gamut of ICT products to our dispersal today in Indian educational institutions. To name a few broader type of tools, equipments and services

BarrierBreak Technologies

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Company Name
BarrierBreak Technologies

Management Team
Chief Executive Officer:
Shilpi Kapoor

Head Office
102, Highway Commercial Complex, I B Patel Road,
Goregaon (E), Mumbai,
Pin: 400063
Tel: +91-22-2686-0485/6
Web: www.barrierbreak.com

CONTACT PERSON FOR CLARIFICATIONS
Shilpi Kapoor
Designation: CEO
Tel: +91-22-26860485/6

BarrierBreak Technologies (www.barrierbreak.com) is a “one stop shop” for your assistive technology needs and for accessibility solutions in India. With India ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, it is important for us to look at the education and the employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

As a leading assistive technology provider, our products range includes technology that can benefit the visually impaired, mobility impaired, hearing impaired and learning disabled.

Technology can be the enabler of their lives and it is important to provide them access to hardware and software that can benefit them.

In our services, we specialise in making websites accessible and thereby disabled friendly and have worked on central government as well as state government websites to ensure that these websites are inclusive to the disabled people in India.

We provide accessibility training, accessibility testing and accessibility consulting services. We specialize in Section 508 standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites. Our infrastructure comprises of an accessibility testing lab.

We also offer conversion services to convert to alternate formats that are required such as Braille, Large Print, Digital Talking Book, etc. (http://digitaltalkingbook.in)

In addition, we can help with infrastructure audit, on-demand accessible documents, accessible e-learning, etc.

Core Projects & Technologies Ltd.

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Company Name
Core Projects & Technologies Ltd.

Management Team
Board of Directors

CMD:
Sanjeev Mansotra

Directors Inclide:
S. S. Dua
Nikhil Morsawala
Naresh Sharma
Awinash Arondekar
M. N. Nambiar
Hari Iyer

Head Office
Core Projects & Technologies Ltd.
Block No:1-8, Building No:4
Sector-3, Millennium Business Park
Mahape, Navi Mumbai – 400 710
Tel: +91-22-27784800
Fax: +91-22-27782977

Core Projects & Technologies Ltd.
Lotus Business Park
10th floor, Plot No. C-21
Dalia Industrial Estate
Off Link Road, Andheri (W)
Mumbai – 400 053
Tel: +91-22-26741875 / 26741876 / 26741877 / 2674187
Fax: +91-22-26741880

CORE is India's largest global education company with presence in US, UK, Africa, Middle East, Caribbean nations and India. In FY 2008-09 CORE achieved revenues of over INR. 675 crores with 1100+ employees contributing to the growth of the organisation.

CORE is focused on providing technology enabled education solutions to government bodies, schools and students. ICT systems provided by CORE are being used by various schools across USA as well as India. CORE also enables schools to administer 6 million tests for 2.5 Million students across 6100 schools. CORE is at the forefront of Formative Assessment practices and designing of teacher training interventions based on “Constructivism” as per NCTE and NCF guidelines along with University of Oxford.

Over the years, CORE has developed key partnerships such as:

IGNOU for certification of courses.
University of Oxford for Teacher Training and Capability building.
Centre for Higher Learning, NASA Stennis Space Centre, USA for 3D immersive content and technology.

Our efforts stem from the belief that Quality education forms the basic foundation of a quality life. This guides as we work with various Governments across the world in bringing change to the life of students and society.

CORE's Educational expertise spans across the following areas:

Teacher Training and Capacity Building
Vocational Education
K-12 Schools
ICT at Schools along with School Information System and Child Tracking solution
Content Creation & Management
Campus Management Solutions
Grants, Financial and Compliance management systems for Government Programs.

Online Test Preparation

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June 1, 2010

Test preparation is increasingly becoming attractive for students in India. With the growing competitiveness in the job market and stringent examination rigours, more and more students are relying on study materials from coaching classes to supplement their routine lectures. Of late, several companies including Educomp, have entered into the multi billion dollar industry of supplemental education using VSAT. Under graduate test preparation has been the focus for several such new initiatives, and have included preparation services for IIT, PMT and AIEEE.

Online CAT Preparation services have included platforms to assist students from different cities across India to access high quality content, tests and study material. Vital to this development have been the growth trends in Web 2.0 and e-Learning technologies. Companies that provide Learning Management Systems (LMS), authoring tools and simulation tools are providing the enabling technologies used by trainers to provide Web 2.0 services to end users.

New technologies are bringing in varied ways of conducting courses, seminars, discussion forums and other approaches to learning, to be delivered online, with ground-breaking methods to interact with instructors and students. Tools such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 Players, CD-RO, Web 2.0 tools, discussion and bulletin boards, collaborative software, computer aided testing and assessment, educational animation, simulation, and games, LMS and podcasts are being used in the e-learning environment. There has been a gradual spurt in the use of the Internet and technology in education. Internet has the added advantages of being readily usable, highly interactive and flexible content. Additionally, the capacity of the Internet to scale and reach out to a large number of users have increased its benefits in education.

Several companies are now providing campus education network which is accessed and beneficial for the student community and young professionals. Services include helping students get information on campus admission processes, available courses and couseling services. Diverse range of products are offered across different segments including MBA, engineering, overseas study, vocational and IT courses, as well as Bachelor's programmes in various disciplines. Ready online guidance is provided to students on the latest in the educational trends and requisites for growth and expansion. These services also help in connecting students to educational institutes and vice versa.

The Investors Choice

Online test preparation and technology enabled coaching centres are now becoming attractive for investors and venture capitalists. Many investors today are on the look out for education service providers who have been using technology to advance their business propositions.
According to Anirudh Singh from Canaan Partners, any company which uses technology as a tool to scale up, including coaching, test preparation, online tutoring etc. will be the focus for investments in the current scenario. The highlight is the informal education or supplemental education sector. Online tutoring models have good potential during the medium term.

The test preparation sector has a huge market. However, he states, that the largest coaching institute in India occupies only 3% of the market.

The K-12 segment still needs to be tapped and made use of for increased business options.

Srikanth Rajasankar
Founder & MD
Tutor Orbit e-Learning Pvt. Ltd

What is the growth potential for online test preparation market in India?

Simply put the growth potential is enormous. With changing times and very favourable demographics, it is only going to get bigger. The only moot point which needs to be watched is what and when is the “Inflection point” that is going to change the landscape for better.

Why has this segment gained popularity of late?

Online tests are the way to go in future. Sooner or Later most competitive examinations will change to online format. Given the thirst for reform in the education sector, and the eagerness to reach to a large section of population with minimal resources Online Test formats will start gaining popularity. One additional benefit of online test formats is that it is a great leveller by taking out the subjectivity in paper correction and assessing all on a equal scale.

What are the advantages to students in enrolling for Test Prep services?

Online Test Prep services give the students an opportunity to assess themselves, identify their strengths and weakness and work on improving their preparedness. As more and more exams become objective based and online, it will also help them to simulate the exam condition and gain valuable experience close to real test situation.

Education eResources&rsquo: Guide 2010

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Technology is going places! The e-resource providers’ community wokring in field of education have enabled a large number of audience in the education domain to avail e-services. The resources as services has benefited large number of students, teachers and professionals to cover leaps and bounds in terms of advancements.

The technology community has brought with it a huge wave of innovations that has empowered the youth of our country to train themselves as skilled workers to build India as a knowledge economy. The ICT tools, equipments and services are being produced and supplied at a large scale not only in India, but also abroad. With the flood of scattered information in education sector, it is indeed crucial that the right resources are tapped by the educational institutions. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to provide the information in a systematic way to the people who want to benefit from the e-resources in the education sector. This will help the beneficiaries to know about both the existing technology and the new innovations.

With a continous increase in number of education e-service providers in the country, the second edition of Resource Guide 2010, aims to bring to its readers an overview of the e-resrouces available to disseminators of education and the receivers of education. The issue includes a brief overview on ICT tools and equipments, e-content, learning laboratories and issues of online testing. This edition of Resource Guide 2010 attempts to provide the education technology users with a comprehensive database of e-service and tool entrepreneurs, to enable the educational institutions and the decision makers to reap maximum benefits from the ICT tools. The guide enables latter to read and chose the products that are best suited to their respective institutions to disseminate benefit to students at all levels

Leading a Cultural revolution – Virtuosity

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Classroom teaching has long been the centerpiece of an institutional learning, but in recent years there has been a growing recognition worldover of the value that can be derived from technology- based learning as an element of educational delivery.

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In India, spearheading this paradigm shift in the institutes of higher education is Virtuosity; and has emerged as a dominant driver of change in not merely a learning revolution, but something more intrinsic than technology : on initiat ing and nurturing an institutional culture alive to how e-learning, electronic performance support systems and other online information resources can be used to broaden the reach of insitutions, increase return on investment and extend the positive effects of classroom teaching over time.

EXTENDING REACH AND

INCREASING INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS.

Virtuosity is the country partner for globally leading brands in technology-based learning and testing from the American hemisphere like Skillsoft, IKM, Books24x7, and Walden, has been a proponent of adoption of e-learning in higher education as a means to extend reach and increase institutional effectivness.

Virtuosity empowers an institution to become a global education campus and address challengessuch as employability of graduates, shortage of faculty, often outdated syllabi in the face of changing industry needs and rapid dynamic advancements. Virtuosity also lessens infrastructure spending, with a digital library solution of an ever growing collection from 300 global publishers, and also facilitates simulation labs for upto 130 IT industrial certifications, without having to spend on software, lab infrastructure or human resource.

IT'S THE PEOPLE AND THE CULTURE

But one of the key insights that Virtuosity gained early was that however good and effective their world renowned learning solutions may be, unlike a corporate environment, in an educational insitution environment, it is institutional culture and the concerned department's use of these technology tools, within the insitution's contexts and toward specific ends, that can make a difference in leveraging technology to increase institutional effectiveness.

The institutional culture is formed by colloboration of its people. People are also the ones who use the technology and carry out the processes that drive the instituition towards its common purpose.

Technology can be fully leveraged to fuel institutional effectiveness, deisgn and implement processes that can bring in more efficient ways of teaching and helping students learn, and acquire the skills they need in a 21st Century work place.

What institutions of higher education today need, to sustain institutional effectiveness is not just being empowered with technology: but also a culture made up of people who are collaboratively using technology to improve processes. That is how the institution can fully leverage effectiveness efforts to increase our capacity to serve students and their learning needs in a learning organization of the information age.

Open and Distance Learning

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digitalLEARNING Network

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June 1, 2010

Open educational resources coupled with the increasing capabilities of the Internet would offer new dimensionality to distance education by facilitating extensive access to globally created educational resources to serve the knowledge needs of diverse communities. The National Knowledge Commission's recommendations on education have addressed a variety of topics and issues, including distance education and institutional governance.

Changing educational paradigm

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is one of the most rapidly growing fields of education. ODL has brought together a range of technologies that have enabled teachers and learners to overcome barriers in distance and time. These technologies have enabled distance teachers and learners who are separated by distance to communicate with each other in real time (synchronous) and delayed time (asynchronous). A direct outcome of this indicates that access to education and learning opportunities are now suited to individual lifestyles, learning preferences and personal development plans.

According to Dr Neeta Kapai, Deputy Director, Campus Placement Cell, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), “Distance education at IGNOU has been democratizing the dissemination of quality education for all. With the aim of providing employability skills, we impart training to the youth through common service centres which are technologically enabled. We have a tie-up with NIS Sparta wherein we will be training youth belonging to the weaker sections in 5 different states through these common service centres. The objective of the distance programme is to reach out to the un-reached population and provide job placements. We have similar collaborations with other corporates for the purpose of dissemination of education and training.”

As Dr Sunita Raju, Senior Chairperson at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) elaborates on the role of distance learning at IIFT, “Courses at IIFT are conducted both through classroom lectures and by adopting distance learning- the blended learning approach. We have tied up with NIIT Ltd. and Hughes Communications for the purpose. We take every effort to ensure that the distance education classes get the same value added options which the classroom teachings get. We also have good provisions for receiving feedbacks from students in order to evaluate the process outcomes and make necessary changes to suit their requirements.”

At a Seminar on 'Open Course Ware' hosted by Europe Asia Business School, MIT Senior Associate Dean Prof. Vijaykumar emphasised on what the distance education movement means today. He elaborated that MIT has been experimenting with open learning in more than one ways and has numerous connotation also but to put in simple words, it is a movement encompassing a variety of educational content like blended learning, compatibility content, accessibility and adaptability, deeper learning, to name but a few. But the actual meaning of it lies in few simple words – it is an excellent open method which can be accessed by anyone from any part of the world through the internet, added Prof Vijaykumar.

The Open Course Ware initiative at MIT has aimed to accelerate global movement through network enabled open education changing the landscape of learning having Open Education Resource as one of its key strategies for educational advancement. The mission of the Open Course Ware is to advance formal and informal learning through the worldwide sharing and use of free, open, high-quality education materials organized as courses. Thus, open and distance learning has tremendous potential for developing countries like India. It has been gaining increasing popularity especially among working professionals who demand flexible learning hours, while at the same time expanding and enriching their skills base. The need here is to accommodate work life with skill development. Open and distance learning has proved to be a boon for this segment.

Study Report

The UNESCO Report on Open and Distance Learning: Trends, Policy and Strategy Considerations

According to the UNESCO Report on Open and Distance Learning, Trends, Policy and Strategy Considerations, the terms open learning and distance education represent approaches that focus on opening access to education and training provision, freeing learners from the constraints of time and place, and offering flexible learning opportunities to individuals and groups of learners.

Two main factors have led to an explosion of interest in distance learning: the growing need for continual skills upgrading and retraining; and the technological advances that have made it possible to teach more and more subjects at a distance.

New training demands and new competitive challenges faced by many institutions have led to the need to undertake profound changes in terms of governance, organizational structure and modes of operation. Increasingly, traditional universities are rapidly transforming themselves from single mode to dual mode universities, recognizing the importance of distance education in providing students with the best and most up-to-date educational resources available in addition to the traditional teaching methods that they receive.

The increasing number of open universities being established across the world is highly indicative of this trend, says the report.

What does it mean for the education community:

For the student/learner open and distance learning means increased access and flexibility as well as the combination of work and education. It May also mean a more learner-centred approach, enrichment, higher quality and new ways of interaction.
For employers it offers high quality and usually cost- effective professional development in the workplace. It allows upgrading of skills, increased productivity and development of a new learning culture. In addition, it means sharing of costs, of training time, and increased portability of training.

For governments the main potential is to increase the capacity and cost- effectiveness of education and training systems, to reach target groups with limited access to conventional education and training, to support and enhance the quality and relevance of existing educational structures, to ensure the connection of educational institutions and curricula to the emerging networks and information resources, and to promote innovation and opportunities for lifelong learning.

Asha Kanwar
Vice President
Commonwealth of Learning

With the changing educational environment, how has distance education contributed in overcoming barriers in higher education?

Powerful global regulators such as the World Bank say that for countries to achieve sustainable economic development, the Age Participation Rates (APRs

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