Learning Goes Smart Through Online Assessment Application : Muralidhar K S, LearnSmart India Pvt. Ltd

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September 1, 2009

Muralidhar K S
CEO, LearnSmart India Pvt. Ltd,
Hyderabad

Education has varied options vis-à-vis content providers, through schools, teachers, tutorials, parents, Internet and e-learning websites. However, there exists no application that intelligenty assesses the conceptual understanding/comprehension in the subject. Muralidhar K S, CEO LearnSmart, in conversation with digital Learning, says that 24x7guru.com is driven with a passion to spread the benefits of Quality learning to the student’s community with the objective to enable them to compete globally

Please share with our readers about the potentials and opportunities of Indian education market, as far as your products and services are concerned?24x7guru.com is an Online Self Assessment Application for students from class 3 to 10. The application fundamentally believes that once a student understands the concepts, they are less likely to forget, as opposed to rote learning. 24x7guru.com is an intelligent web-based assessment application that enables a student to take tests as per the course curriculum: chapter-wise, periodic and customised. The application is parameterised in terms of complexity levels and provides a new set of questions each time a student attempts to answer. The scalability is scientifically designed and is aimed at drilling down conceptual comprehension and clarity amongst students.

Online Assessment Application:
Chapter wise assess the understanding of concepts and guides the students by providing an insight on where they went wrong and more importantly why they went wrong.
B) Edutainment:
i) Crosswords: Chapter wise cross words made available to the students that help in grasping the fundamentals and concepts in a fun manner.
ii) Link and Learn: An improvised version of match the following that develops the students reasoning and thinking ability. These again are available chapter wise for different grades.
C) Guru Gyaan: A pool of knowledge for students covering aspects of Guru Spell,Guru Fact, A TELL ME Series overing aspects of -The Who, What, When, Why, Where, How, Guru Quiz
etc.
D) JOE (The Joy of English): English practice module session with audio soundtrack to help students brush their language, reading and comprehension skills in the English language.
E) Guru Wellness: As important is education, that vital is sound health. That is why we tied up with the leadingexperts in child health care – Lifetime Wellness Rx International Ltd (An
Apollo Hospitals Group Initiative), so that we provide the best health assessment possible.

How do you compare your products with the existing market players/ competitors,
locally and globally? Do you have any expansion plan in the global market?
24x7guru.com is the only Online Self Assessment Portal for students from class 3 to 10 of its kind that develops the child’s conceptual clarity and fundamentals with a multi-dimensional approach towards learning. As for the expansion in global market, 24x7guru.com already has its presence in GCC and shall shortly have its footfalls in at least 2 or 3 countries in the Asian Region.

How do you see the collaborativeinitiatives and partnerships determine the economy of our country with regard to your product? How the community at large, learning and teaching, is benefited?
The economic growth of a country is in direct relation to the standards of education of that country. Economy grows: A) When the Young generation can compete in global competition and become successful entrepreneur; B) When we build the confidence levels in the minds of young students and through assessment alone but by giving them the overall multi- dimensional knowledge. In spite of the fact that the primary/ secondary education is important to stabilise the growth of the country, the Indian policy makers did not think that way. Only this year, we are able to see some light focusing into the primary/secondary education which is the foundation for our country’s growth

360 Degree Support to the Education System : Atul Kulshrestha, Extramarks

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 1, 2009

Atul Kulshrestha, Chairman, Extramarks shares with digital LEARNING, how Extramarks is striving to make a difference in the Indian education system by providing students with `360 degree education` support and equipping schools with special teaching and learning aids, which are learner driven and scientific in nature.

Atul Kulshrestha
Chairman, Extramarks.com Education Private Limited

With `Simple Learning, High Scoring` as mantra, can you give us an overview of your organisation?

I have seen teachers, academicians trying all the tricks in their bag to make the student understand the concepts; but somehow we never take out time to put together the best practices to be able to set the basic standardized delivery model which will help students learn better and teachers teach effectively. With Extramarks we strive to achieve an everlasting solid foundation for future learning, making assimilation of content easier for the learners.

What are the products of Extramarks.com? What is the USP_unique selling point of your esteemed organisation?

By providing “360 degree education” support for the classes VI to XII, Extramarks equips a school with special teaching and learning aids. Extramarks products, are learner driven and scientific in nature. Our study modules like Mind Maps is devised to give a flowchart of every chapter in one glance, while our Smart Learning Modules explain the chapter in detail at four levels and challenge a student towards High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Extramarks also delivers its program through its online avatar

Flat Projection to Interactive Whiteboards : Jaemes Shanley, Mimio

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 1, 2009

The Director, Jaemes Shanley, gives an insight to digital LEARNING regarding the role and priorities of the solution provider company. Mimio is a retrofit technology that turns any board or firm flat projection surface into a full featured interactive WhiteBoard.

Jaemes Shanley
Director of sales – asia pacific, latin america, newyork, Mimio

Mimio interactive technology is known to be synonymous with advanced innovative, quality and award-winning educational classroom solutions. Could you elaborate on how your product matches up to the description?

Our mission is to deliver state-of-the-art interactive classroom solutions that enable more teachers and students to benefit from the pedagogical power and enhanced learning enabled by these systems. Our sustained commitment to ease of use and practical training resources are key to insuring that Mimio systems are actually used in the classroom.

How has Mimio made its products more affordable than its competitive products in the Indian market?

Mimio is a retrofit technology that turns any board or firm flat projection surface into a full featured interactive WhiteBoard. This eliminates cost at multiple levels including the product itself, freight and transport, installation, and service. Mimio is more affordable both in terms of acquisition cost and, importantly, on each metric of total cost of ownership.

Are there any collaborative and partnership initiatives that Mimio has entered?

Our relationship with Educomp Solutions is one instance, as described above. We are also working with other organizations in India, like CRISP (Consortium for Research In School Pedagogy) to introduce interactive classroom technology to higher education and other school systems in India.

Mimio has been used in special educational settings as well. How has Interactive Whiteboards been used as Inclusive Technology?

The initial applications for Mimio in special needs education centered on our ink capture capability which enabled a variety of students with physical or learning challenges to obtain real time and post class access to WhiteBoard notes, in a versatile digital data format. As applications and resources for interactive WhiteBoard teaching have expanded to include a rich variety of tools for special needs education, Mimio again provides a versatile affordable means for special students to participate more fully in dynamic learning environments. Mimio`s unique portability provides the option, if necessary, for these students to literally carry the technology with them from classroom to classroom.

Has Mimio done any prior research to make its products respond to specific classroom environments? Any statistics on the current usage trends in India?

We have had the honor and good fortune, in India, to be able to work with Educomp Solutions, providing an interactive WhiteBoard system for their market leading Smart class solutions. Their marketing and leading delivery of full spectrum technology to Indian schools has provided the perfect venue to Mimio`s advanced technology, to be paired with complete interactive learning systems created specifically for the Indian classroom and educational standards.

What are your future plans and strategies for capturing the Indian market?

As a priority market for Mimio, we will continue to work collaboratively with our partners in India to understand the market more comprehensively and to make sure its needs are prioritized in our substantial new product development initiatives.

How do you see your services cater to the requirements of the students, keeping in mind the dynamic cultural diversity of the Indian education system? Therefore, expectations from the market re manifold and multifold?
The main aim of any academician or a teacher is to make learning easier for the student and reduce their workload. Extramarks does all this and much more by providing continuous workshops, seminars for the teachers. It is our learner centric attitude and approach that has helped us gain the edge with the schools.

In which part of India do you think, your products are doing well? What could be the possible reasons?
The areas in which our products are doing exceptionally well are Rajasthan, North East and South India comprising of mainly Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Reasons are varied from this diverse response. While the elitist schools of the country based in Rajasthan have takeour program enthusiastically, in North East it is the government schools that have shown their interest in our program. So, anyone who is motivated to change the regular school experience is our ideal partner. Are there any plans for expansion? Going by the great response we have
had in India, Extramarks.us is our recent launch that caters to the US students. All the study content on the US website is in accordance with California State University curriculum and it brings forth the best of eLearning attributes to its users. Further, we are planning to make way in other parts of the world like UK, Singapore and be a milestone in integrating technology with education.

Please share with our readers if Extramarks.com has entered into any collaborative or partnership initiatives?|
Extramarks is proud that various Governments at various levels has shown confidence in its offerings. We are the official education partner of NDTV for their online educational portal NDTVtutor.com. Also, Extramarks provides educational content for MyWay’s IPTV platform.

What are your plans for the future?
Our endeavour is to create easy to adopt solutions that have relevance and share the teacher and learners immediate study targets. We ourselves keep looking at our study modules and reinventing them in order to strike perfection. So, our future plan lies in getting the finesse with making inroads worldwide with our program

Bringing ICT and Education Solution to the Masses : Dinesh Mehta, Top Chalks

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 1, 2009

TopChalks.com is a property of Catura Systems, a company focused on creating a revolutionary solution to educate and train masses without compromising the quality and the time tested instructor-led teaching techniques. Mr. Dinesh Mehta, Founder-Chairman, Topchalks.com, shares more about the organisation, its goals and future plans while in conversation with Digital Learning.

Dinesh Mehta
Founder – chairman, Top Chalks, India

What has been the goal of Topchalks.com in India. Please tell us more about your company?

We are focused on creating solutions that leverage technology to educate and train young masses of India. TopChalks.com, with the assistance of its unique applications, processes and means of delivery seeks to empower some the best minds of India and enable them to reach and educate masses without compromising the time tested instructor-led teaching techniques.

How do you fulfill your vision of `democratizing education` in India through your services? With the market opened up globally, what kind of market survey/ research do you carry out (as part of the background preparation)?

By “democratizing education in India” we mean that every student in India who is motivated and who wishes to learn should have an opportunity to learn from the best minds of India. A student`s or a
parent`s poor economic condition, lack of qualified instructors at institutions or lack of other similar resources should not be the reason for depriving a student of first class education.

Our applications and our business model give us the ability to enable a handful of excellent instructors in each of their areas competency, to capture their course content in its depth, along with experience that a student expects in a normal classroom and to deliver such content and experience efficiently to the target student audience via Internet, within the classroom, via digital libraries and via learning centers. We address the issue of affordability of such solution with our ability to leverage the provisioning of such content to the masses over the Internet.

We conduct market survey and research through various means. Our online solution also provides the mechanism for the consumers to critique our product and offer feedback at the granularity of a lecture. Our learning centers and digital libraries also solicit continuous feedback from the student community.

How do you see TopChalks.com capture the Indian market with the cost effective courses that are offered by you? How is it different from its counterparts/ competitors?

We are in the process of setting up pan India distribution channel in order make our content available on CDs throughout India. We have fully functional digital libraries and learning centers now operating in Kalu Sarai, New Delhi, in Hyderabad, AP and in Ambala, Haryana. The in depth nature, the completeness and the end user experience of our content sets us apart from our competitors.

Any other collaborative or partnership initiatives that you would like to share with us?

We have fostered many partnerships over the last several months. These range from content partners to marketing collaborations to distribution tie-ups. On the content side, while we actively develop content in house, we constantly seek experts in various areas to leverage the technology and process that we have developed to reach the masses. Career Launcher, a leader in CAT preparation in the country has collaborated with us to digitise test preparation material for CAT.

What does the future hold for TopChalks.com?

Our mission remains to democratise education in the country. That primarily requires two things – developing meaningful and in depth content for every segment of students out there and developing relevant distribution mechanisms to get the content out to those students. On the content side, we are going to expand our portfolio to include more vocational and college level curriculum besides further strengthening our school level offerings. On the distribution side, we will continue to expand our reach through our own sales and marketing efforts as well as through collaborative partnerships with other entities.

Increasing the Student Teacher Interaction : Tarun Jain, Hitachi Home Electronics Asia (S) Pvt Ltd., Singapore

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September 1, 2009

Tarun Jain, Country Head, Hitachi Home Electronics Asia (S) Pvt Ltd., Singapore, shares with digital LEARNING his understanding on White Board market in India and the challenges lying therein.

Tarun Jain
Country Head, Hitachi Home Electronics Asia (S) Pvt Ltd., Singapore

What are the challenges that the Indian education market, though growing, is facing?

Laptops and computers are essential digital learning tools. In fact they complement interactive whiteboard technology. However, as stand-alone technology, they are more geared to `individual-learning` than `group-learning`. It is this difference that is critical, and it`s precisely this point, once appreciated, will lead to change in mindsets regarding the importance of interactive whiteboards in digital-learning. Also, development of better infrastructure, digital-content, financing options and user-education/training will help expedite adoption of interactive whiteboard technology in India.

In comparison to UK, why is it that the Indian education market is yet to catch up with the innovative technologies of the Interactive whiteboards? Is it the cost? What is the reach out of Hitachi StarBoards in India?

It may not be appropriate to compare the UK and India markets. For one, they differ vastly in market potential and size. The Indian education market is also far more heterogenous in terms of economic, technological and infrastructural parameters. Finally, interactive whiteboard technology has been introduced in India much later as compared to the UK. Having said that, we are currently witnessing a phased and successful adoption of interactive whiteboard technology in the India market, with mostly urban and technology-savvy institutions leading the way. There is also effort being put in to fit within with overall ICT-in-education policy being formulated by the government so that the benefits of interactive whiteboard technology can be reaped by education institutes in tier 2/3 cities and rural India. However, India has around 1.2 million schools, which means that it is going to be a while before we can achieve UK levels of adoption.

It is a common perception that interactive whiteboard technology is expensive. However if we recognise that the interactive whiteboard technology is a `group learning` tool the cost-per-student works out to be very affordable. Hitachi`s award-winning StarBoards, while incorporating best-in-industry technology, are specially priced to be cost-effective solutions. Innovative financing models, provided by solutions providers, further reduce the cost impact for buyers.

What are the strategies you have adopted to capture the Indian market?

Since the market for interactive whiteboard technology is still nascent in India we have adopted a two pronged strategy of brand as well as category building. On the brand front we have introduced our cutting-edge globally award-winning StarBoards range of interactive whiteboard solutions. We showcase our products through demos, advertisements, PR and other communications tools. On the category front we are currently evaluating strategic alliances and PPPs to undertake capacity building for the adoption of interactive whiteboard technology.

Who are your channel partners? Are you looking for any new alliances?

We are currently partnering with HCL (government sector) for the distribution of our StarBoards across India. However we are actively looking to partner with more distributors with whom we can identify synergies to better address private-sector market segments.

Are there any new developments in the K-12 segments and higher education segments, as far as Hitachi solutions are concerned? What is the way ahead for you?

Hitachi is one of the few companies that has its own brand of interactive whiteboard as well as projector solutions. We have introduced the cutting edge combination of the FX-DuoBoard and the Hitachi CPA-100 Ultra Short Throw Projector (for virtually shadowless presentation). The DuoBoard offers the dual option of writing with a digital pen as well as the finger. This makes it more convenient for students to interact with the interactive whiteboard. In addition, the DuoBoard offers the dual-touch feature by which two people can simultaneously write on the board. This potentially enhances student teacher group-collaboration.

Apart from this, our Bluetooth wireless tablet BT-2G and our portable StarBoard the T17-SXLG are selling very well.

Providing Access to Technology for Rural Students : Manish Sharma, Asia Pacific Ncomputing, India

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September 1, 2009

NComputing technology have allowed a single desktop computer to be shared by many users at the same time at very affordable costs. Manish Sharma, VP, Asia Pacific NComputing explains further about the project.

Manish Sharma
Vice president, asia pacific, ncomputing

What has been the primary aim of NComputing solutions in the field of ICTs in education ?

Currently there are about 850 million people in the world who have computer access. NComputing`s vision is to bring affordable computing to the next billion people so they can join the digital economy. Our technology allows a single desktop computer to be shared by many users at the same time at very affordable costs.

The primary aim of NComputing in the field of ICTs in education is to provide affordable computer education to not only private schools but also poor students and students studying in remote areas across the country. ready in the global competitive scenario.

Could you elaborate on your experience of working with the Andhra Pradesh government in providing shared computing for rural students in 5000 schools?

Andhra Pradesh Government being very forward looking, had an ambitious plan to bring computer access into 5000 government schools to benefit 1.8 million underprivileged children. Given limited funding, the government of Andhra Pradesh sought the most cost-effective way to provide computing access to these schools. They needed a low-cost solution that would also save them in long-term operational and maintenance expenses.

Government of Andhra Pradesh after serious evaluation chose to implement the NComputing solution to utilise the PC capacity by sharing the resources/PC power of 2 complete PC`s with 8 additional computing stations, without compromising on the their performance.

Besides the cost of the equipment, another key issue was access to power. Because the NComputing solution uses just 1 watt of power, the government purchased smaller, less expensive generators to run the computer labs and they will save money long-term on the fuel needed to operate them.

Environmental concerns have taken precedence in the modern day world and key policy makers have been extensively engaged in conservation drives. In this context, we would like to know more about Green Computing.

There are over a billion personal computers around the world. A typical PC uses over 110 watts of electricity and generates 10 kg of e-waste at the end of its short 3-5 year life. The overall impact is a massive output of greenhouse gases and hundreds of tons of toxic e-waste. Green computing will not succeed until PCs are more efficiently utilised. NComputing`s virtual desktop technology enables a single PC to be shared by as many as 30 users. These $70 virtual desktops use just 1 watt of electricity, weigh 100 grams, and have a 10-year useful life. Imagine a 98% reduction in electricity and a 99% reduction in e-waste. This is already a reality at tens of thousands of schools, governments and businesses, who are saving money and meeting green computing goals.

Do you have any specific successful venture that can be shared with our readers?

NComputing technology has been used in various parts of the globe, especially developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America to provide affordable computing access to students, thus empowering them for a better tomorrow. Macedonia is a small country in Europe where every students has 1:1 computer access, using the NComputing technology.

What are the future plans of NComputing in capturing the Indian market?

Our future strategy is to focus on reaching out to the potential customers in India and strengthening our channels base to serve those valuable customers. The marketing programs would be driven around creating awareness about the value propositions that NComputing products offer to its customer in term of cost efficiencies, low-maintenance and simplicity and on the whole, creating demand for the product in the Indian market.

Our marketing efforts focus on enabling channels partners and empowering them with all the marketing and technical support to target and serve their customers.

Polar Science programme to continue, CCEA approves

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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August 28, 2009

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the continuation of the project 'Polar Science: Expedition to Antarctica during the XI Five Year Plan period at an estimated cost of INR 230.01 crores. The objectives of this programme are to continue the long-term scientific pursuits undertaken to understand the global processes and phenomena some of which are directly pertinent to our needs having potential applications. The scientific expeditions which started in 1981 have contributed substantially to the growth of polar science in the country. Experiments mounted by Indian Scientists in disciplines such as atmospheric sciences & meteorology, earth sciences and glaciology, biology and environmental sciences have also contributed directly to global experiments mounted under the aegis of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

The Indian Antarctic research base 'Maitri' (70o 45' 56.9''S : 11o 44' 08.62″E) is one of the few active permanent research stations in the Central Donning Maudland (CDML) of East Antarctica from where systematic scientific experiments are conducted on a year-round basis. The facilities available at this research base include a weather observatory, geomagnetic station; a permanent seismological observatory, GPS station, ice-core drilling facilities and laboratories for environmental, human health and communication research. The entire activities related to the planning, coordination and implementation of the Indian Antarctic Programme is managed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through the National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa, an autonomous institute under the Ministry, established in 1998.

New skills for equipping the visually handicap by IGNOU

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digitalLEARNING Network

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August 28, 2009

A new course which aims to make them economically independent by training them in fields like information technology and communications has been introduced by an institute recognised by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). A unit of the Venu Charitable Society, the Venu Institute of Universal Education, was set up with the aim of capacity building for the visually impaired.

The 10-month diploma in New Economy Skills, as the course is called, aims at application of information technology and communications skills so that the visually challenged can be employed in call centres, corporate houses, audio-video related jobs and the likes. Among the course modules for the programme, besides information technology, are general knowledge and current affairs, soft skills, mathematics and logical reasoning.

Microsoft inks agreement with Education Ministry

Corporate Updates

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digitalLEARNING Network

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August 28, 2009

Microsoft Bangladesh Limited and Ministry of Education yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Partners in Learning V2. Education Minister, Nurul Islam Nahid was present at the signing ceremony. The agreement on Partners in Learning Program V2 is a continuation of the Partners in Learning MoU signed between the Ministry of Education and Microsoft Bangladesh in December 2005, where under the agreement, up to June 2009, Microsoft has provided training on ICT to more than 8,000 teachers from secondary schools and Madrashas, covering all six divisions of the country.

Under PIL V2, Microsoft and Ministry of Education will jointly develop the three pillars, namely, Innovative Teachers, Innovative Schools and Innovative Students. The aim of working with these pillars is to help develop standard models of schools, teachers and students to enable use of ICT in order to prepare the students with 21st century learning. The programme will run for four years ending June 2013.

ICT literacy from CA supports Sydney’s South West

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August 28, 2009

Forty families from Miller in South Western Sydney and its surrounds will collect computers and software packages that have been supplied as part of The Smith Family's Tech Packs Project in conjunction with software vendor, CA. Partnering for its third year, The Smith Family and CA have made computers available to local low-income families for just $50. The packs include a fully refurbished Pentium IV computer and 12-months unlimited dial-up Internet. The project aims to equip school students with the resources required to stay on top of their studies and contribute to the development of computer skills for the whole family.

Training in basic computer skills also forms part of the Tech Packs Project, with the last training session having taken place one week before the Tech Packs are taken home by their new owners. Brenton Smith, Vice President & Area Manager for CA in Australia and New Zealand, said the initiative reflected the type of community involvement CA is committed to worldwide. The Smith Family is a national, independent non-profit organisation committed to helping disadvantaged Australian children by unlocking opportunities through education and learning.

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