According to research, teenagers will be more inclined to study IT-related subjects as a consequence of the recession and the rise of consumer technology. The study by supplier Logicalis polled more than 1,000 13-17 year olds across the UK on topics such as personal technology habits and their aspirations for IT in education. The study sought to detect any changes over plans for their education and future careers. Course and career choices are being reviewed due to the impact of the current economic climate, according to the study, with those polled all agreeing that IT, science and engineering provide the best future job prospects. However, boys are the most likely to choose such subjects (37 per cent) in comparison with girls (only 17 %). According to Chris Gabriel, director of solutions at Logicalis, a significant shift is set to occur in the education landscape, where students will be more inclined to take up IT-related subjects. Despite this prediction and the results of the study, according to figures from the Joint Council for Qualification, the Computing and ICT A-levels saw a drop in numbers of more than 20 %this year.
Intel Celebrates 10 Years of Education Initiatives in India by Expanding Opportunities to One Million Teachers
School teacher Archana Tripathy of Government Upper Primary School, Meeranagar, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, now finds the world a smaller place. She has learned to integrate computers and the internet into her teaching, as a result of which her students incorporate research and high-order thinking skills into their studies. Archana is one of the about one million Indian teachers who is certified under the Intel
Food security course launch in Northeast by IGNOU
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is starting special courses on sustainable agriculture and food security for northeastern India. The northeastern region, comprising eight states, covers 7.7 % of India's geographical area but produces only 1.5 % of the country's foodgrains. Seventy percent of the region's 40 million people depend on agriculture and allied sectors, underlining the need for special education in these fields. IGNOU set up a national centre for open and distance learning in research and training in agriculture (ICRTA) in Tripura capital Agartala last November to develop human resources for agriculture and agro-based industries through open and distance learning.
The ICRTA on Monday held a brainstorming session here on capacity building and vocational and non-formal education in agriculture. Top officials of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), IGNOU's regional directors, experts, NGO representatives, forest officials and professionals
from different states of the region took part. The session was chaired by R.K. Samanta, vice-chancellor of the Bidhan Chandra agricultural university in West Bengal. The experts finalised 12 entrepreneurship development courses for seven of the northeastern states, excluding Assam. The new courses, to be conducted in English and local languages, include horticulture nursery management, honey production and processing, value addition in fruits and vegetables, bio-fertiliser and bio-pesticides production, livestock production and management, fish production and management, mushroom production and marketing, production and marketing of turmeric and orchids, pig farming and production and value addition to the famous chillies of the region.
Adobe Announces 2009 Asia Pacific School Innovation Awards
Adobe Systems Incorporated announced that starting September 15, 2009, the company will begin accepting submissions for the first Adobe
pact iIDB evaluation of ICT in Education in Latin America
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has commissioned impact evaluation studies of programs expanding the use of computers in classrooms in seven Latin American countries, including Uruguay, the only country in the world where every child in the public education system has access to a computer. Latin American countries have taken the lead in the use of information and communications technologies in education. The studies aim to establish a firm knowledge based on the results of using information and communications technologies in classrooms, with the long-term goal of developing a model that can be replicated successfully at a regional level. According to IDB estimates, by the end of 2015 some 30 million students in Latin America may have personal computers or smart phones in their classrooms to assist them in learning.
In addition to Uruguay, programs that use computers in classrooms have been set up in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Paraguay and Haiti. In Haiti, a $3 million donation from the IDB in 2008 financed a pilot project to give computers to 13,200 children and 500 teachers in 60 primary schools, in partnership with the One Laptop Per Child Foundation (OLPC). The Plan Ceibal, which made Uruguay the first country in the world to give a computer to all students in the classroom, has brought international attention to the South American nation. The IDB could give additional support to Uruguay's program once it gets the results of the impact evaluation study. The Uruguayan initiative was analyzed in seminar, Reinventing the Classroom: Social and Educational Impact of Information and Communications Technologies in Education, attended by around one hundred experts in information and communications technologies (ICTs) from academia, multilateral organizations and governments throughout the region. In addition to Uruguay's experience, other initiatives discussed at the seminar were Portugal's Magellan Project, the Plan San Luis Digital from Argentina's San Luis province, and Brazil's Paran
First integrated ICT contract for BSF programme, UK
Bristol City Council has awarded a 5-year contract, worth an initial
Ethiopia receives help from IIT Delhi to become tech-savy
Many students in Ethiopia are studying engineering and technology in virtual classrooms, some of their teachers seating in the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) which is helping that country become tech-savvy. The idea to empower Ethiopia's university students was mooted by its ambassador to India and even its prime minister was eager to have an association with IIT Delhi. M. Balakrishnan, dean of post-graduate studies at IIT Delhi, explained that the Government of Ethiopia is working on rapid expansion in field of education but lacks the required infrastructure; and that the government is looking forward to this association.
He said that Ehtiopia has set a target of producing 10,000 science and engineering students at the higher education level in next five years or so, and for this it has availed of the expertise of the IIT-Delhi as one of the partners. It wants to become technology-savvy and that IIT Delhi is the facilitator. The elite institute is delivering the courses via a two-way video/audio link. At least 46 faculty members are involved in the project and the IIT-Delhi offers up to 70 hours per week of instructions. There are around 50 students in each semester in each course.
Three Universities for minorities part of Government plan
According to the officials, after allocating INR 25 crore (INR 250 million) for two more campuses of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the government is planning to set up three more universities for the country's minorities. These universities will be set up in Mysore (Karnataka), Kishanganj (Bihar) and Ajmer (Rajasthan). According to the official, '50 % of the seats in these universities will be reserved for minority students to make them more competitive in the job market.' To be set up on land owned by Waqf boards, these universities will provide education in all modern subjects along with theological teaching.
However, officials said the biggest problem in establishing such universities will be to overcome the legal hurdles for providing 50 % reservation for students from minority communities. In a 1968 lawsuit, the Supreme Court of India scrapped the minority status of the AMU. Then prime minister Indira Gandhi restored the AMU's minority status through legislation in 1981. But in 2006, a division bench of the Allahabad High Court struck down the provision of the AMU Amendment Act, 1981. It rejected the central government's plea for restoring the minority status of the AMU and scrapped 50 percent reservation for Muslim students. This was challenged by the centre in the apex court, which is yet to take a decision on the matter. Minority affairs ministry officials said the government was trying to work out a new model to overcome such legal hurdles.
Manipal Education, City and Guilds join forces to launch IndiaSkills
Manipal Education, a pioneer & the largest higher education provider in India, and City & Guilds, UK's largest provider of work-related assessment & qualifications, today announced the formation of a joint venture – Manipal City & Guilds Skills Training Pvt Ltd, with 51% held by Manipal Education and 49% by City & Guilds. This pioneering new venture will provide its offerings under the name 'IndiaSkills.' IndiaSkills, which has been set up with the aim of redefining the way skills education and training is delivered in India, will enable students to obtain skills-based qualifications in a wide range of industries, starting with retail, hospitality, banking, and English language training. The joint venture will also provide graduates with job placements at companies which require 'work-ready' staff, enhancing their career prospects, while creating the opportunity for enterprises to increase their productivity through a trained workforce.
Speaking at the launch yesterday Shri. Harish Rawat said, 'I am happy to see that institutions such as Manipal Education & City & Guilds are in the forefront of closing out gaps in the system. One of the biggest challenges our nation faces today is the mismatch between the available skills and the required skills in terms of quantity, quality & relevance. In order to sustain the high rate of economic growth through inclusive growth, and also for socio-economic upliftment of our people, we need to pay serious attention to skill development in our country with an eye on emerging skills. With proper skills development strategy our youth can realise their potential to be a great national asset.' IndiaSkills Vocational Training Centres will begin opening in October across India. To ensure the highest quality teaching and assessment standards, the centres will enter into an operating agreement to deliver training according to benchmarks laid down in conjunction with City & Guilds. City & Guilds which has a portfolio of over 650 qualifications over 28 industry sectors, will provide the core curriculum for the content of the courses. Manipal Education will provide support on the ground to deliver the work-based training schemes while leveraging its existing links with employers in India to help ensure newly qualified students obtain employment in India's rapidly growing economy. IndiaSkills will work closely with the industry to make sure that the repurposed core curriculum and content are relevant to India's needs.
Launch of Networking Academy at South African State Information Technology Agency by CISCO
Recently, CISCO announced the launch of a Cisco Networking Academy programme at the South African State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in Erasmuskloof. Enabling the establishment of the total number of offered Cisco courses and certifications under the Cisco Networking Academy programme in South Africa to 65, the launch saw SITA joining the forces with Cisco in an effort to meet the growing demand for information and communications technology (ICT) skills in South Africa.
The aim of the Cisco Networking Academy programme is to enable a consistently enriching learning experience by partnering with public and private institutions to develop and deliver innovative ICT courses, improve the effectiveness and accessibility of the programme, and increase access to education and career opportunities. SITA and Cisco have agreed to work towards a common goal of expanding the programme into a SITA training academy initiative. South Africa is experiencing tremendous ICT growth. According to reports, at least 115,000 additional ICT jobs will be required to meet requirements for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in South Africa this year.
