Dharmendra Pradhan launches ‘Jaadui Pitara’ learning material for Balvatika

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February 21, 2023

At least 1,200 central government-run schools will be mandated to use “Jaadui Pitara,” a play-based learning resource for kids aged three to eight, starting in the upcoming academic year, according to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

One of the most important recommendations of the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 would be fulfilled by this cutting-edge, child-centric learning approach, according to Pradhan.

The government introduced a national curriculum framework (NCF) for foundation or early childhood care in October of last year in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advises against using textbooks with children between the ages of three and six. Also, it placed a focus on encouraging learning based on play, lived experience, and the usage of one’s mother tongue.

The ministry consequently introduced play-based materials for kids enrolled in Balvatika, which includes classes for nursery, lower kindergarten (LKG), and upper kindergarten (UKG).

While there won’t be a book for Balvatikas 1 (nursery) and 2 (LKG), Pradhan indicated that students in Balvatika 3 (UKG) would be introduced to a playbook. Only classes 1 and 2 will be required to use textbooks, and they will only be used as examples.

He stated that the textbooks for classes 1 and 2 will be released by the NCERT by the end of this month.

Playbooks, activity books, workbooks, toys, manuals for teachers and trainers, flashcards, narrative cards, posters, puzzles, puppets, and kid-friendly publications are all included in the “Jaadui Pitara” (magic collection).

As stated in the NEP 2020, “it is a major stride towards improving the learning-teaching environment and making it more child-centric, dynamic, and joyous for the ‘Amrit Generation’.” Pradhan added. He explained that the reason it was called Jaadui Pitara (Magic Collection) was because it possessed the charm of variety, flexibility, and inclusiveness.

According to a statement from the ministry, the play-based teaching and learning materials place a strong emphasis on children’s growth in five areas: physical development, socio-emotional and ethical development, cognitive development, language and literacy development, and aesthetic and cultural development.

AI Beyond Chatbots: Revolutionising Civil Engineering: Dr. Sanjay Goel, JK Lakshmipat University

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February 20, 2023

Governments and the private sector are investing heavily in building new infrastructure, with the global construction market estimated to grow from $7.3 trillion in 2021 to $14.4 trillion in 2030. The construction industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and materials. According to Google Scholar, more than 3.3 lakh research papers, reports, and patents published in the last five years include the word “civil engineering.” Despite the growth in the industry, common risks such as poor productivity, cost overruns, delays, quality issues, health and safety hazards, lack of coordination, change orders, environmental damage, weather-related issues, legal disputes, etc., can impede infrastructure development. Modern technologies in civil engineering and computing can together accelerate construction activities to meet growing infrastructure demands. With 75% of the infrastructure needed for 2050 not yet built, these technologies are playing a crucial role in infrastructure development.

Computing Technologies in Civil Engineering

The first International Conference on Civil and Structural Engineering Computing, Civil-Comp, was held in London in 1983. Since 1986, Wiley has been regularly publishing a scholarly journal, Computer-Aided Civil, and Infrastructure Engineering. The first issue published papers on remote video sensing of highways, creativity support systems for planning, design, and decision support, CAD, knowledge-based systems, FEM analysis, etc. Computing continues to support all subfields of civil engineering – construction, structural, transportation, geotechnical, environmental, and hydraulic engineering. It is used for research, designing structures like bridges, dams, docks, roads, airports, railways, canals, pipelines, waste disposal and flood control systems, and large buildings; determining construction methods and materials, establishing control systems, directing maintenance and repair, analysing soil and rock behaviour and designing structural foundations, analysing stability, analysing a wide range of data, etc.

Despite many exciting developments, the construction industry is still one of the least digitised industries. However, because of rapid infrastructure expansion and pressures of productivity, efficiency, quality, safety, and sustainability, the use of computing technologies in civil engineering is now increasing more rapidly as shown by the exponential increase in related journal publications and the expected quadrupling of the market sizes for construction management software and IoT in construction by 2030.

AI in Civil Engineering

Combined with other computing technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also been widely used in civil engineering to explore alternative ways to solve complex and ill-defined problems. Google Scholar shows more than 1.4 lakh search results for research papers, reports, and patents, published since the 1960s, in this area. The market size of AI in construction is projected to grow eightfold by 2030. In the early years, several rule-based expert systems were developed to support a variety of civil engineering tasks, e.g., estimating floods, designing buildings, bridge superstructures, diagnosis of building defects and dam seepages, geotechnical analysis, generating traffic control plans, deciding emergency responses in chemical spills, evaluation of hazardous waste sites, etc. In the 1986 conference on Expert Systems in Civil Engineering, USA, papers were presented on construction schedule analysis, decision-making and risk analysis, seismic risk analysis systems, inactive hazardous waste site characterization, site selection, etc. However, knowledge acquisition was the biggest challenge in developing such expert systems.

AI has been used for optimisation, project planning, structural health monitoring for preventive maintenance, quality control, safety, and disaster recovery. The use of robotics in the construction industry has risen with 3D printing, exoskeletons, and UAVs. The integration of IoT with AI has brought many advancements to the construction industry like using AI for energy-saving on demand and intelligent building energy monitoring, IoT-enabled BIM for real-time visibility and traceability in prefabricated construction, and implementing early warning and alarm systems in underground construction sites. AI combined with BIM is used to optimise the design for offsite construction, materials selection, reuse and recovery, waste-efficient procurement, deconstruction, and flexibility. Secure, decentralised solutions offering increased transparency in the construction data exchange can be created by combining AI with blockchain.

Interdisciplinary education for preparing Infrastructure AI Engineers

The challenges of the era of Circular and NetZero economies and Industry 4.0 require interdisciplinary solutions to engineering problems. The growth of software engineering automation platforms like GitHub Copilot and APIs for large-scale deep learning models like GPT and LaMDA are making domain expertise and systems engineering approaches even more crucial for developing AI systems in specific industries. An Infrastructure AI Engineer will combine knowledge of civil engineering and AI to develop AI systems to support the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure systems. Both civil engineering and computer science and engineering programmes can prepare graduates to take on such roles. The civil engineering curriculum should accommodate infrastructure-related computing topics like CAD, CAE, FEM, GIS, BIM, etc., as well as a few generic computing and AI courses. Most CSE programmes already include courses on AI and many universities are also offering B.Tech. programs in AI, though with a very minor difference only in the curriculum. Modern curriculum for CSE or AI programmes must also include a few courses in physical engineering disciplines and also some experience in related computing, e.g., CAD, CAE, GIS, BIM, etc. M. Tech in AI after B.Tech. in civil engineering is also an alternate approach.

As envisioned in the NEP, modern engineering education should provide students a balanced experience in their main discipline, other engineering disciplines, modern computing and engineering technologies, and also non-engineering disciplines. However, as John Good lad said, “Pedagogy, not curriculum, is the key to educational reform,” it is even more important to create active-learning oriented integrated interdisciplinary educational experiences by breaking down the silos between the physical engineering and computing and promote some collaborative interdisciplinary teaching experiences involving faculty from multiple departments.

Views expressed by Dr. Sanjay Goel, Director of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur

AICTE launches two new courses to boost semiconductor design and manufacturing

Higher Education

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February 20, 2023

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The BTech or BE (electronics) in VLSI design and technology and the diploma in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication have both been introduced by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

While launching the courses, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, said, “These two programmes will assist us to establish throughout the engineering ecosystem a very good semiconductor talent.” These courses may be provided by any college, university, or technical institute that is affiliated with AICTE.

The “SemiconIndia” programme was introduced by Prime Minister Modi in January 2020 with the goal of producing 85,000 semiconductor professionals in India over the next ten years.

Also read: Abhay Jere appointed as Vice Chairman of AICTE

In more ways than we can imagine, semiconductors are playing a crucial role in the globe, the PM had stated. Our shared goal is to make India one of the important players in the global supply chains for semiconductors. We are making significant investments in preparing young Indians for the demands of the 21st century. Up to 20% of the semiconductor design engineers in the world come from our superior talent pool for semiconductor design. Nearly all of the top 25 semiconductor design companies are based here in the United States.

UGC introduces ‘UTSAH’, a portal to track qualitative reforms by HEIs

Higher Education

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February 18, 2023

UGC Chairperson M. Jagadesh Kumar informed of a new portal that the commission has created to monitor the country’s higher education institutions’ qualitative reforms. UTSAH, which stands for “Undertaking Transformational Strategies and Actions in Higher Education,” is the portal’s name. The portal will launch by the end of the month, according to the UGC Chairperson. This portal was created with the intention of tracking the new National Education Policy’s implementation.

About UTSAH

According to Kumar, the IITs, NITs, and INIs were among the institutions that participated in the development of the platform. According to him, all institutions of higher learning (HEIs) must log in to the portal and submit data about the numerous initiatives falling under the purview of the 10 emphasis areas.

The National Education Policy, 2020 and its strategic initiatives across the nation’s HEIs are expected to be properly tracked and supported via the portal, according to Kumar.

Also Read | UGC further extends deadline for feedback on foreign university campuses till 20 February

The portal will compile data from HEIs in 10 key areas of focus, including multidisciplinary, digital empowerment and online education, skill development and employability, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, promotion of Indian languages and Indian knowledge systems, and internationalisation of education.

Free education in govt pre-university, degree colleges in Karnataka, CM announces

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February 18, 2023

The Karnataka state government has decided to offer free education in government pre-university and government degree colleges, as declared by CM Bommai today. 8 lakh students will be benefited from this announcement. He also announced free education in government pre-university and government degree colleges under the “CM Vidya Shakti Plan,” which aims to make it possible for all students who graduate from high school to pursue higher education.

According to Bommai, there is a significant usage of information technology (IT) in state administration, and security of the administrative system is a top issue.

Also Read | Karnataka government launches self defence programme for girl students

In order to guarantee the security of government websites, online services, and data, a 24×7 Cyber Security Operation Centre (CSOC) with cyber professionals utilising new technology would be developed, Bommai said.

846 Maharashtra schools to revamp for high-quality education under PM Shri Yojana

Schools News

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February 17, 2023

The state’s department of education has chosen to execute the PM Shri Yojana, which calls for the comprehensive development of the state’s 846 schools.

In the second phase of this initiative, schools would be chosen from among 408 groupings, 28 municipalities, 383 local self-governments, and municipal councils, according to Kailash Pagare, state project director of Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad (Maharashtra Primary Education Council).

The programme is carried out by a committee led by the minister of public instruction for the state, the chief executive for the district, and the municipal commissioner for the municipality.

The state implementation committee will be presided over by the state project director.

The six main pillars of development under this programme will be, according to Pagare, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, access and infrastructure, human resources and school leadership, inclusive practises and gender concerns, management, monitoring and administration, and beneficiary satisfaction.

Also read: Students still waiting for admissions in Maharashtra schools

For this reason, numerous committees have been established, and these institutions will provide experiential education.

“Students will be evaluated according to how well they comprehend concepts and apply information in practical situations. Ex-students will also be involved in these institutions to help students with their educational and career goals. If kids leave school, they will be readmitted and integrated back into the general population, “Pagare added.

Education of tribal children government’s top priority: PM Modi

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February 17, 2023

Since 2014, the budget for tribal welfare has been increased five times. Tribal children are now taught in their mother tongues, science is taught in the curriculum, and the cultures and skills of the tribes are promoted. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, stated on Thursday that these are some of the actions his government has taken.

The prime minister remarked in his opening remarks at the Aadi Mahotsav: “Our tribal children and youngsters have made progress after learning in their mother tongue. Due to isolation and neglect, the youth were forced into separatists but have since reconnected with society via the internet and other technologies. Every individual in remote corners of the nation receives this stream of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, and sabka prayas.” This is the sound of confluence of ‘aadi and aadhunikta’, on which the soaring edifice of new India would stand.”

Also read: ‘Mission Schools of Excellence’ launched by PM Modi in Gujarat

Indicating the initiatives included in the new education strategy, Modi declared, “Education and the future of tribal children, situated in any corner of the country, is my priority.” One accomplishment was the rise in Eklavya Model residential schools from 80 to 500 between 2014 and 22. A total of 400 or more schools have already begun operating, benefiting around one lakh students. In addition to the budget’s announcement of the hiring of 38,000 teachers and staff for schools, it also announced a doubling of tribal student scholarship funding.

According to Modi, actions to further tribal glory included promoting their culture, craft, cuisine, commerce, and art. According to him, the tribal way of life also includes environmental preservation teachings. The PM has been giving tribally crafted goods to a number of international dignitaries. He further said, “India conveys solutions to problems like global warming and climate change in the tribal way of life. The tribal communities have a lot to inspire and teach sustainable development.”

More than 3,000 Van Dhan Kendras have been built by the government as part of the Van Dhan Mission, and 90 minor forest products, or seven times as much as in 2014, have been included in the MSP.

Creating a distraction-free environment for learning in VR: Dave Dolan, Veative Group

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February 16, 2023

The way students learn has completely changed over time. In days past, students had to rely on memory and handwritten notes to retain information. As technology has progressed and the world has become increasingly digitised, the student attention span has taken a hit. One of the biggest challenges facing students today is the constant barrage of distractions, both inside and outside of the classroom. Gone are the days when students would sit in a quiet library and immerse themselves in dense books for hours. Smartphones, access to myriad resources, and other distractions are keeping students from being fully involved in the topics they’re learning. As a result, they have become accustomed to rapidly switching from task to task, constantly multitasking, and seeking instant gratification. The average attention span of a student today is shorter than that of a goldfish, which clocks in at around 9 seconds! With distractions creating a hindrance in the learning process, it is critical for institutions and educators to find ways to eliminate distractions. A technological marvel, virtual reality (VR), can be a game-changer in creating a distraction-free environment for students.

Becoming indistractable with VR

VR has eased its way into our lives and its potential impact on education is nothing short of phenomenal. Imagine stepping into a completely new world, where distractions fade away and learning becomes an immersive, interactive experience. This is exactly what virtual reality can deliver to students and educators alike. Students who experience learning in VR have displayed higher scores on exams and tend to retain concepts better. Virtual reality has the potential to revolutionise the way the world learns. With VR, students can explore a limitless world of knowledge, where they can engage with lessons in a way that is both interactive and more memorable.

Immersive learning experience

A study by the University of Illinois found that VR can increase immersion and retention, with participants reporting higher levels of recall and comprehension when compared to only using traditional methods. Immersive learning experiences keep students focused on the task at hand and allows them to fully engage with the material. This can lead to better retention of information and increased engagement in learning. VR has immense potential to make classrooms more interactive and supplement traditional learning in exciting ways.

Limited hindrance

One of the most common distractions in a traditional classroom is having noisy classmates around, who can disrupt the attention of other students. In a VR environment, students can be isolated in individual virtual spaces and be fully immersed in the learning experience without any external distractions. This allows for a more effective learning experience. Not all learning should be this way, but when a student is required to tackle a cognitively challenging task, why not afford them the best opportunity to fully grasp the material at hand. This promotes greater success, learning outcomes, and confidence.

Personalised learning

A study by Deloitte found that VR increased engagement and motivation among learners, with 91% of participants reporting that they were more engaged in the material when learning in VR compared to traditional methods. Virtual reality in classrooms can provide a personalised learning experience for each student. With rich interactive content and age-appropriate activities catering to varied learning preferences, VR allows students to focus on the material that is most relevant and engaging to them. When we introduced VR learning at Filer Middle School in Miami, Florida, a Grade 6 student gave us unvarnished feedback on how VR made it easy to learn one-on-one without any interruptions. VR captured their full attention toward learning, and we couldn’t ask for more than that.

Interactive experience

Interactive learning also allows for more creative problem-solving and critical thinking, as students are able to experiment and explore in a safe and controlled environment. For example, in a biology class, a student can take a virtual field trip to the Amazon rainforest, and observe different species of plants and animals in their natural habitats. This type of interactive learning can help students understand and retain information in a better way. Coming from an educational background, I am on a constant lookout for ways to make learning more meaningful and enjoyable. During our initiation with young learners from Sunward Park High School in South Africa, we received encouraging feedback. Those students made it very clear that using a VR headset made their learning experiences more interactive, made concepts easier to understand, and made learning fun.

With its ability to immerse students in a digital world, VR eliminates distractions and can help improve focus, motivation, and learning outcomes. This approach to learning is not only more engaging, but also offers an efficient and effective way to acquire new knowledge, increase understanding, and retain concepts more readily. With VR technology constantly improving, we can expect to see even greater improvements in the learning experience of students in the near future. The time is now for educational institutions to embrace this innovative technology and solution, and provide learners with an environment that fosters creativity, productivity, and excellence.

Views expressed by Dave Dolan, Chief Product Officer, Veative Group

The role of AI and ML in education has both perils and promises: Appala Kalyan Kumar, Universal Senior Secondary School

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February 15, 2023

AI and ML in education can have many benefits, but it is important to consider the negative effects and make sure the technology is used ethically and responsibly.

Positives:

Better personalization and efficiency: AI and ML can help create unique learning experiences for each student, making their education better and more efficient.
More accessibility to education: AI and ML can bring education to remote and underprivileged communities, making education more accessible to more people.
Better teachers: AI and ML can help teachers by freeing up their time, allowing them to focus on helping students with personalised feedback and guidance.
Improved decision-making: AI and ML can analyse lots of data to find patterns and trends, which can improve educational programmes and policies.

Negatives:

Bias and unfairness: If AI and ML are trained on biased data, they can make unfair decisions affecting students’ education.
Teacher job loss: AI and ML may replace human teachers, causing job loss and unemployment in education.
Less creativity and critical thinking: Relying too much on AI and ML for learning and assessment may limit students’ ability to be creative and think critically.
Technical problems: AI and ML can sometimes make mistakes because of the quality of data they are trained on.

What are new-age education and the implementation of technology? What is its impact on the traditional education system?

New-age education is a modern way of teaching that uses technology and innovative teaching methods. In India, the traditional education system is changing due to technology, making learning easier and more accessible for students. Online and virtual classrooms have become popular, allowing students to learn at their own pace and communicate with teachers and other students.

Online and virtual classrooms have become increasingly popular in recent years due to the integration of technology in education. These platforms allow students to attend classes from anywhere and at any time, providing them with greater flexibility and convenience.

In virtual classrooms, students can access course materials, participate in discussions, and receive teacher feedback, just as they would in an old classroom setting. Online classes also allow for a more personalised learning experience, as students can work at their own pace. They can access lessons as often as needed.

Moreover, virtual classrooms provide opportunities for students to collaborate and communicate with their peers and teachers, breaking down traditional barriers and promoting cross-cultural understanding. Online classes can also allow students to connect with teachers and other students from around the world, providing them with unique learning experiences and perspectives they might not otherwise have access to.

However, not everyone has access to technology and there are concerns about the quality of online education.

The unequal distribution of technology and access to the internet is one of the biggest challenges of new-age education in India. Many students, especially those living in rural areas or from low-income families, may not have the necessary technology and internet connection to participate in online classes and take advantage of the benefits of new-age education.

Another concern is the quality of online education. While online learning platforms and virtual classrooms provide students with greater flexibility and access to resources, they may not be able to replace the face-to-face interaction and hands-on learning experiences provided by traditional classroom-based education. Online education can also be prone to distractions and lack of motivation, and students may not receive the same level of support and guidance as they would in a traditional classroom setting.

Furthermore, there are concerns about the quality of online content and the potential for students to cheat or engage in other unethical behaviours in an online environment. These factors highlight the importance of careful planning and implementation of technology in education to ensure that students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for the future.

Despite these challenges, new-age education has the potential to improve education in India if used properly.

Views expressed by Appala Kalyan Kumar, Principal, Universal Senior Secondary School

Abhay Jere appointed as Vice Chairman of AICTE

Higher Education

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February 15, 2023

Dr. Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer, MHRD has been appointed Vice Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). According to an official declaration from the Ministry of Education, Dr. Jere has been appointed for a three-year term or until the age of 65 years.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Education, “Dr. Abhay Jere served as the government’s Chief Innovation Officer at the Ministry of Human Resources Development. Dr. Abhay Jere has been appointed as Vice Chairman by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for a term of three years beginning on the date of assumption of responsibility, or until reaching the age of 65, or until further orders, whichever comes first.”

Dr. Jere was instrumental in developing an innovation councils network. Indian Innovation Councils (IICs) develop local innovation ecosystems and startup businesses at 6500 educational institutions through research activities funded by the MoE.

Recently, he worked on creating the MBA programme in “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” for the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). His columns are published in well-known English and regional publications to educate Indians about innovation and entrepreneurship.

While greeting Dr. Abhay Jere, Professor TG Sitharam, Chairman of the AICTE said: “I congratulate Dr. Abhay Jere on his new role. I believe, his extensive expertise in the field of education and innovation will be beneficial to AICTE.”

Dr. Abhay Jere said, “It is an honour to serve as the Vice Chairman, AICTE. It is a privilege to work with such talented and dedicated professionals at AICTE and Ministry of Education. The New National Education Policy carries a holistic approach and has all teaching elements. It is a policy with proper directions and guidance on what is needed to make learning practical.”

“The flexibility of exit options and migration to other programs are the elements that need to be part of our education system. I thank all my colleagues for their support and assistance,” he further added.

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