300 schools to include robotics

K-12

By

-

October 12, 2009

Students in 300 primary and secondary schools have started studying Robotics in a pilot project. Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said the pilot project was introduced earlier this year in both urban and rural schools. Alimuddin (right) checks out John's gold medal as his team members Benjamin (second from left) and Cheng En (third from left) look on. The team will represent Malaysia in the World Robot Olympiad in Korea next month. Alimuddin said the ministry had also encouraged the establishment of robotics clubs in schools. Organised by the Education Ministry, the National Science Centre and Sasbadi Sdn Bhd, he said the objectives of the NRC were to help students build a solid foundation in Mathematics, Science, Technology, Design and ICT, work together as a team, enhance creativity and promote robotics among students.

He said 26 primary school and 52 secondary school teams competed in the NRC finals, with the winners of each category representing Malaysia at the World Robot Olympiad to be held in Pohang, South Korea in November. He said Malaysia won a gold, two silver and two bronze medals from the World Robot Olympiad in 2008. SJKC Jalan Davidson Year Five pupil Benjamin Phang Shin Yoong said he and his team mates, John Leong and Tan Cheng En, were happy to come out tops in the primary school open category in the NRC. Music that was incorporated into the team's robotic project came from the angklung (a musical instrument made of bamboo) and special computer software, he added.

India wins at SIFE World Cup in Berlin

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 12, 2009

The SIFE India team from the Alpha Arts & Science College Chennai, has won the second place in the prestigious SIFE World Cup 2009. The two-day event held in Berlin on the 5th and 6th of October 2009, witnessed teams from over 40 countries world-wide competing for top honors. Almost 3000 students and business leaders from all over the world were present for the 2 day event. The SIFE World Cup is a keenly contested annual business competition organized by SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise), an international organization that encourages students to evolve sustainable economic solutions for the community. The participants of the SIFE World Cup are National Champions from their respective countries, chosen after two rounds of competition in each country. Teams present their community projects to a jury consisting of established business leaders and are evaluated on a set of seven criteria ranging from market economics to sustainability. Almost 3000 students and business leaders from all over the world were present for the two day event.

The Alpha SIFE team's high-impact programs on seaweed cultivation for tsunami-hit fisher-folk and tomato pulping for deprived tomato farmers helped create meaningful and sustainable businesses for livelihood in these communities. The immense success of these projects was presented by a team of 5 students from the Alpha Arts & Science College at the SIFE World Cup event, thus earning them the coveted first runners-up place with Egypt being declared winner. Syntel Inc., a leading global IT and KPO Company has been involved with the creation of SIFE India from the start and Keshav Murugesh has been Chairman of the Board since the start. A large number of colleges from India are involved in the program that is creating India of the future. SIFE India board members include some of the most well respected industry captains of the Indian corporate world from prestigious companies like Syntel Inc., KPMG India, HSBC India, PwC, Reliance Capital Limited amongst others.

Joint India, Australia workshop to focus on Student Mobility

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

The first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on student mobility between India and Australia was held at the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs on October 6, 2009. The delegations were led by G. Gurucharan, Joint Secretary, MOIA, and by Lachlan Strahan, Deputy High Commissioner, Australia, and Mr Colin Walters, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Education International. The joint working group reaffirmed that Australia and India are committed to working together closely to address, with resolve and in a time-bound manner, issues affecting Indian students in Australia.

The meeting agreed that an India-Australia Task force will fast track these issues and report to the Joint Working Group, with a full timetable and deliverables. The next meeting of the Joint Working Group will take place in Australia in the second half of 2010. The meeting noted that the development of tighter regulatory systems in India and Australia will require the agreement of joint operating protocols to underpin the regulation. Progress on this issue will also be reported to the Joint Working Group.

SSA to focus on slow learners

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) will soon start a new scheme 'Aao Padhe Hum', aimed at identifying slow learners in primary sections of government schools and enhancing their knowledge. Initially the students of class VI to VIII and Kasturba Gandhi schools would be analyzed. 6000 schools have been shortlisted for the Rs.1crore project that will benefit more than 4 lakh students. The project would be initiated from November 7, 2009 and students would be provided lessons till class II after which they would be taught according to their classes.

Nearly 25 schools have been allotted to Block Resource Centre Facilitator (BRCF) and 2 schools to Cluster Resource Center Facilitator (CRCF) for successful operation of the project. BRCF would submit a report on the progress of students after inspecting the schools. SSA has several other schemes like 'alternative school' to re-induct dropouts, formation of School Development and Management Committees and provide training to teachers of Kasturba Gandhi schools etc.

Sibal offers eLearning material to UNESCO

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

Speaking at the 'General Policy Debate' at the 35th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris on Friday, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Kapil Sibal offered sharing the e-learning materials prepared by India under the National Mission for ICT by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) with UNESCO. He stated that India is shortly going to initiate a special project aimed at preservation of the endangered languages in India. Sibal said that India has fully supported the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development based on the premise that Education must become a tool for ushering in a sustainable lifestyle pattern so that developing countries can leapfrog to a sustainable developed economy based on respect for the environment, international understanding, harmony and peace.

Sibal said that as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the South-South Cooperation Programme India looks forward to the early implementation of Fund Raising Strategy and raising the profile of the unique South-South Fund in the field of education through successful celebration of South-South Cooperation Day on December 15, 2009. He said that India welcomes the operationalization of the South-South Cooperation Programme for Education pilot projects for the different regions of G-77 & China being implemented. Sibal also expressed pride that Professor Yash Pal from India and Prof. Trinh Xuan Thuan from Vietnam will be jointly awarded the UNESCO-Kalinga Prize for popularization of Science 2009.

Internship in India: Plan launched at Singapore

Higher Education

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

A youth focus initiative has been launched to enhance the prospects of Singapore's entrepreneurial ties with India. The Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) is making this move at a time of global focus on the economy and on India's polls. Six students of the Singapore Management University (SMU) begin this week 8 to 12-week courses under this SICCI-India Internship Programme. Two among these management undergraduates have been chosen to do internship at The Hindu office in Chennai. Of the other four, two each are being attached to Snowman and Gati in Bangalore.

Another batch of two SMU students will undertake a similar project, at Ascendas in Bangalore, about a month from now. All the eight broadly represent the ethnic spectrum in the City-State. SICCI Chairman Vijay Iyengar described this initiative as an investment that could enhance the strong Singapore-India relationship. Mentors would stay in touch with the SMU students during their internship in India, said Iyengar. On a different but related front, the chamber was now engaging the Singapore-based Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The objective, according to SICCI Chief Executive Officer Predeep Menon, was a tie-up with the NTU over its 'Global Immersion Programme.' That could open up a window on China too. The India-bound SMU students, when contacted, exuded a good deal of curiosity about the 'business practices' in the 'rising economy.' An 'India focus,' according to Ruzaini Sani, encouraged him to move 'out of [his] comfort zone' to explore 'another option' for his future career. Vithiya Muthu Kumar, heading to the Indian arm of a Singapore firm, expected the business culture to be 'very different' from that here.

Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology celebrates 10th Anniversary

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

Over 10,000 IT Graduates and professionals and academic of Sri Lanka's leading IT Degree awarding Institute, the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. Those graduated from SLIIT comprise around one third of Sri Lanka's It professional workforce. SLIIT was created to educate and train ICT professionals, scientists and engineers with the aim of developing a skilled cadre of professionals much needed for the development of a robust and sustainable IT industry in Sri Lanka and in this sphere SLIIT has played a major role in providing university education for students and some of them have reached the pinnacle of their professions.

To mark their 10th anniversary, SLIIT would be involved in a series of activities such as software development competition for school children. The Island-wide school software competition conducted by the Ministry of Education is aimed at popularizing techniques required for developing software; vital for the future progress of the nation. The work of the 10 finalists will be displayed at the Malabe campus under the them of the 10th Anniversary Achievers.

Educators get briefing on e-learning tool

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

Qatar's Telecom Regulatory Authority (ictQATAR) further highlighted the efficacy of its K-Net project as a learning tool at a special session held for educators yesterday. Over 180 educators including school principals, teachers, and Supreme Education Council representatives attended the new academic year's first meeting with members of the School K-Net project of ictQATAR's E-education initiative and discussed how the tool can be utilised if students have to stay at home as a result of the H1N1 flu.The H1N1 scare is currently causing 10% absence of students worldwide, including the most developed countries. The three-way educational portal, launched in 2005, connects users with resources, and is one of the pioneering projects of co-operation between the Supreme Council of Information & Communication Technology (ictQatar) and the Supreme Education Council (SEC).

ictQatar rolled out phase I of the K-net project to 12 schools in 2006-07 while phase II in 2008-09 saw the addition of 25 schools gaining access. During the meeting, a demo was presented by the Omar bin Alkhatab Independent School for Boys, one of the participating K-Net schools showing a strategy of how K-Net is being utilised there for an efficient H1N1 crisis management. The audience learned how K-Net enabled students and teachers to log on at specific times throughout the day to hold live discussions, attend live classes, work in small groups, and do their homework, all from home. The demo that also served as H1N1 flu showcase also presented scenarios where students were unable to attend live online sessions and suggested that sessions can be recorded and archived so students can catch up later. The meeting, which was held at the Diplomatic Club, also addressed new K-Net features and introduced leader mentoring programme.

IGNOU and Papua New Guinea Varsity sign a pact

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) envisages development of cultural, educational and scientific ties between the two universities. It will also encourage academic exchange and collaboration to advance education and training in the two institutions, said Silima Nanda, director (in charge) of IGNOU's International Division. Several IGNOU programmes are likely to start from July 2010, Nanda said, adding it would take three to four months to develop all the modalities involved in the process. IGNOU will offer degree, diploma and certificate programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There will also be faculty exchange and sharing of experiences time to time. With this MoU, IGNOU has partnerships with 53 international institutions from 34 countries.

Apollo Group Medical College to open soon

News

By

digitalLEARNING Network

-

October 10, 2009

Hospital chain Apollo Group will soon open a medical college for undergraduation, said Chairman Prathap C. Reddy. We are likely to start an undergraduate college. It is amply clear that just making hospital buildings is not enough. The skill is lacking and that is what is required, Reddy told reporters on the sidelines of a medical summit. Reddy said Apollo was in talks with three reputed international universities for a tie-up. However, he refused to name the three varsities.

The present scene is such that the old syllabus is being followed. The ministry of health and ministry of human resource development are also convinced to bring about a change. So with approvals, we hope to also set up an institute of excellence soon, he added. The Apollo Group would be investing INR 18 billion over the next two years as part of its plan to add 2,000 beds to its inventory, besides expanding its existing facilities. Reddy said in his expansion plans he would focus on super specialty hospitals.

LATEST NEWS

Top Trending News

Top Trending Categories