Bridging the digital divide

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March 5, 2009

Till a few months ago, making a film meant 'acting on screen' for these 15 years old. Today, the feisty bunch of girls at the Vedic Kanya School in Gurgaon's Jacobpura village can explain many of the finer nuances of scripting a storyboard, shooting with a digital camera and editing the footage on a computerised machine. 'At first, we could neither get a fix on the story, nor could we handle a camera. Even after learning, we ended up with three hours of footage for a 15 minute film,' said Jyoti Saini, 15, one of the nine girls behind the innovative 15 minute film Homework. The film, which took about three months to complete, follows a day in the life of their junior schoolmate Meena, 11, a maid's daughter, (who uses only her first name), and her struggle to finish her homework while balancing her household responsibilities. It's a big accomplishment -especially in a school where children don't even have chairs to sit on and where many students cannot afford the books and uniform. Here, 'technology' means a room with a couple of computers. The effort needs to be seen in a broader context.

India has one of the lowest computer penetration levels in the world – 36 for every 1,000 people, much lower than the comparative figure of 108 for China, as of 2008 – said Diptarup Chakraborti, Mumbai-based analyst for global IT research and advisory firm Gartner Research. The figure for the US stands at 790 and the global average is 68 per 1,000 persons. That's what makes the leap of faith taken by girls like Saini, a cook's daughter – in scripting, shooting and editing a film, while, at the same time, highlighting Meena's condition – all the more creditable and noteworthy. And, they did all this in the one or two hours they got to spend everyday in the 'technology room,' set up by the American India Foundation (AIF), a nine-year-old NGO chaired by former US president Bill Clinton, as part of its three-year-old Digital Equalizer programme. The project has made a deep impact in this school where all the students are from lower-middle-class families. Vedic Kanya School headmistress Sushila Kapoor said, 'When we introduced com- puters three years ago, some children were scared to even touch them. But now, working with technology has given them lots of confidence. By merely being the subject of a film, Meena feels she has done something important, and wants to do bigger things.'

Amazon e-books on Apple iPhone

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 5, 2009

Shaking up the nascent market for electronic books for the second time in two months, Amazon.com will begin selling e-books for reading on Apple Inc.'s popular iPhone and iPod Touch. Starting Wednesday, owners of these Apple devices can download a free application, Kindle for iPhone and iPod Touch, from Apple's App Store. The software will give them full access to the 240,000 e-books for sale on Amazon.com, which include a majority of best-sellers. The move comes a week after Amazon started shipping the updated version of its Kindle reading device. It signals that the company may be more interested in becoming the pre-eminent retailer of e-books than in being the top manufacturer of reading devices. But Amazon said that it saw its Kindle reader and devices such as the iPhone as complementary, and that people would use their mobile phones to read books only for short periods, such as while waiting in grocery store lines. 'We think the iPhone can be a great companion device for customers who are caught without their Kindle,' said Ian Freed, Amazon's vice-president in charge of the Kindle. Freed said people would still turn to stand-alone reading devices such as the US$359 (INR 18,632) Kindle when they want to read digital books for hours at a time. He also said that the experience of using the new iPhone application might persuade people to buy a Kindle, which has much longer battery life than the iPhone and a screen better suited for reading. Amazon also said its recently unveiled Whispersync function would work for people who own a Kindle and one of the Apple devices. They can access their library of previously purchased e-books on all of their devices at no additional cost.

Amazon will also create automatic bookmarks, so that a user can stop reading a book on one device and pick it up on another device at the same spot in the text. The move by Amazon tangles competitive dynamics in the growing e-book industry. Many analysts thought pocket-size versatile smartphones could eventually eat into the small but growing market for stand-alone book readers that do little else and still do not have colour screens or full-featured Web browsers. With the announcement, Amazon appears to be hedging its bets. Analysts had also thought Amazon was closely following the template Apple had created with the iPod and trying to dominate the market with a ubiquitous, must-have consumer electronics device. Now it appears Amazon is more interested in selling as many e-books as possible on its site, and collecting the royalties, while strengthening its ties with customers, many of whom will buy other products from Amazon if they start buying e-books.

Minister urges teachers to avoid use of expensive mobiles

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

Expensive mobile phones are a liability to teachers, information and communication technology (ICT) said state minister Alintuma Nsambu. Nsambu encouraged teachers to instead invest in cheap computers that would help them move with the modern technological trends. 'That flashy phone can have more features than a computer but cannot do certain things. It can also be easily stolen and you go back to zero,' he said. Nsambu argued that teachers with computers would be able to cope with the learning level of some of their students who have such facilities at their homes. 'Students are learning via the Internet. It will be difficult for a computer-illiterate teacher to stand in front of such children,' he cautioned.

Nsambu was on Friday opening a stakeholders' workshop on the implementation of the secondary schools ICT computer laboratory project at Nile Resort Hotel in Jinja. The inter-ministerial arrangement bringing together the education and ICT ministries was organised under the rural communications development fund of the Uganda Communications Commission. Robert Ssebukwu, the education ministry commissioner for ICT, said teachers had been offered refurbished computers at sh300,000.

SC questioned on open university degrees

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March 4, 2009

Close on the heels of Supreme Court's observation on distance education degrees, the vice-chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on Saturday said that degrees offered by open universities are not inferior to those given by conventional universities. 'Although I have not gone through the February 25 order, SC's statement that degrees granted through distance education are not on par with those given by regular varsities is damaging. All over the world online education is breaking new grounds. We can't even imagine that open universities degrees are inferior to those of conventional universities,' said V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Ignou VC and also chairman of Distance Education Council (DEC). The reaction came on the sidelines of Ignou's 20th convocation ceremony.

On DEC's take on the issue, Pillai said that DEC gives recognition to only those distance education institutions which adheres to University Grants Commissions (UGC) regulations and are listed on UGCs approved list. 'There may be aberrations and correction measures are required but it would be wrong to measure all the institutions on the same yardstick. It would be a great disservice to a system of education and to its learners which provides education to 25% of the total students in the university system. Moreover, there are many conventional universities and institutions which record less than 20% attendance,' said Pillai. During the convocation held at Ignou's headquarter, 1,34,762 degrees/ diplomas were awarded. Sixty-three gold medals were awarded to eligible students, including four foreign students. Chief guest R Natarajan, former chairman of AICTE, stressed the utility of information, communication and technology (ICT) in dissemination of education. Quoting from Ignou's annual report, Pillai said, 'Five initiatives were taken in 2008 to take education to the doorsteps of learners. These were initiating convergence scheme, providing research and teaching assistantships (RTAs), starting new think-tank centres, ensuring enhanced technological access and instituting novel admission systems.'

Universities break fundraising records in US

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

American universities and colleges raised a record-breaking amount in gifted contributions last year

ICT in school to aid reasoning

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

'The collective utilization of information technology (IT) and other media has high potential to improve the quality of teaching at schools and higher education. With the proper use, many barriers of classroom teaching can be overcome,' said DN Sansanwal, a prominent educationist, during a seminar on Friday. 'One such idea like digitalization of classroom teachings of best teachers and then uploading them on a website can make them available for a larger number of students,' added Sansanwal. The seminar was organized in a joint venture of State Institute of Education, Sector 32, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi and UT administration on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebration of Central Institute of Educational technology, a constituent unit of the NCERT.

Sansanwal, former head and dean, school of education, Devi Ahilya University, Indore, speaking on use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching, learning and evaluation, stressed that present-day teaching concentrates on doling out information which is not the sole requirement. 'We need to develop understanding and application of the concepts, developing reasoning and thinking power. ICT can be useful in diagnostic testing, remedial teaching, evaluation, psychological testing and in developing virtual laboratory, thereby developing thinking and reasoning skills,' he added. The lecture was well attended by students of SIE, Government College of Education, Sector 20 and BYTC Training Centre, Sector 19, teachers and principals from different schools and colleges of the city.

IT to be studied by teachers to improve learning schemes

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

The New Juaben Municipal Director of Education, Christina Boateng has called on teachers to take advantage of information technology to improve learning schemes and make education attractive to their students. She told that the advent of ICT has made access to knowledge, vital force for transforming social, economic and political life globally. Boateng told this at the opening of the Eastern Regional Conference of the Ghana Association of Science Teachers in Koforidua. She stressed that Science and Technology are vital for the development of every nation and called for heavy investments in the area to propel least developed countries to catch up with wealthier nations. She also called for the youth to be encouraged to study science in order to man Ghana's emerging oil industry.

Boateng told that various products derived from petroleum can provide a sustainable source of employment for the youth if they are given the appropriate training in Science and Technology. Boateng, however, cautioned the nation to be mindful of the associated challenges of the Science and Technology such as cyber fraud, and the proliferation of pornographic materials on the Internet and take steps to check them.

ICT in education Conference at Qatar

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

The two-day conference, taking place March 7 and 8 at CNA-Q's Duhail Campus, will bring together educators from across Qatar and leading international experts in the field of ICT (information and communication technology) in education. Ghadah Omar Fakieh, Manager of IctQatar's e-education program, said, 'This conference is a unique opportunity for educators in Qatar to hear from leading experts from around the world who are effectively finding ways to unleash the power of ICT in schools. This conference will not only promote the use of ICT in schools and highlight best practices, but will also be a valuable networking opportunity for the educational institutions here as they strive to enhance learning through the effective use of technology. In many schools throughout Qatar we are seeing firsthand the benefits of integrating technology into our education system.' The conference will highlight the latest innovations in ICT and education, addressing a wide range of topics, including schools of the future, games in education, mobile learning, robotics, developing science and math curriculum with ICT, and more. More than 500 teachers and school administrators from Qatar are expected to attend. The conference is free and open to all educators in Qatar, however advance registration is required. Those interested in attending can register online.

'We are excited to once again be hosting this event at CNA-Q,' said Dr. Harald Jorch, President, College of the North Atlantic – Qatar. 'As the State of Qatar's leading technical institute we are committed not only to providing the most current technology to our students, but also to sharing our knowledge with the community. This conference will allow teachers from across the State to learn new techniques in incorporating technology into their classrooms.' International experts from the Middle East, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will present lectures and facilitate workshop sessions at the conference. Some of the notable experts participating include Doug Brown and Gavin Dykes from Becta, the UK's government agency leading the national drive to ensure effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning, and Mala Bawer from CyberSmart!, a leading international education organization that prepares students to safely succeed in today's digital society. As part of the conference there will be a special exhibition on the latest e-education technologies. Conference organizers are also planning to announce an ICT in Education competition.

VCs appointed for 15 varsities

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

Twelve of these are new Central Universities to be established in 12 States, where there are no such institutions. B.P. Sanjay has been made Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tamil Nadu. Prof. Sanjay, a Ph.D from Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, has been the Director of Journalism and Mass Communication and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and at present heads the International Relations and Collaborations Department of the University of Hyderabad. He has also served in the University of Madras and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, and was senior consultant at UNESCO. Academician Abdul Wahid has been appointed the first Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Jammu and Kashmir, while D. T. Khathing has been appointed to the post at the Central University in Jharkhand. Jancy George A. M. Pathan and M. M. Salunkhe take charge of the universities of Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

Jairup Singh, a Ph.D from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Punjab. Surabhi Banerjee will head the University of Orissa; R. C. Sobti, the University of Himachal Pradesh; and Mool Chand Sharma, the University of Haryana. R. K. Kale has been made Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gujarat and Janak Pandey is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bihar. While N. S. Gajbhiye has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya in Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), S. K. Singh will occupy that post in Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University in Uttarakhand and Lakshman Chaturvedi in Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh. The last three institutions have been converted into Central universities. The appointments have been made on the recommendations of a search committee headed by Planning Commission member Balchandra Mungekar.

Students under close scrutiny in examination halls

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2009

The Education Ministry yesterday strictly observed students taking the Advanced National Education Test (A-Net) at 12 sites nationwide, before a new admission system takes effect in the next academic year. There was strict checking of the examinees' identification cards, and students were prohibited from carrying communication devices, while ICT agencies also kept a close eye in a bid to prevent cheating. Two Songkhla students were yesterday reportedly caught using fake A-Net applicant cards. If found guilty, they could be barred for three years from admission examinations. The Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec) will hold a press conference about the A-Net this evening.

More than 170,000 student nationwide took the test held yesterday and today. Deputy Education Minister Chaiwuth Bannawat and Ohec chief Dr Sumet Yaemnoon yesterday visited Bangkok's Triam Udom Suksa School, where 2,910 students took the test. Chaiwuth said the parents who plan to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court for the A-Net fiasco that saw many students forfeiting their right to appear for the test this year had a right to do so and Ohec would abide by the court's ruling. He said that students could get into a university through other means such as taking a university's direct admission, applying to a university's faculties that didn't require an A-Net score, or taking the new admission test next year, which comprised the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional Aptitude Test (PAT). Commenting on universities giving more direct admissions as they were not confident the central admission got them the most suitable freshmen, Chaiwuth said the central ratio was not set by the ministry but a committee comprising university officials. He said the University Presidents Council of Thailand would hold a meeting in the middle of this year to improve the central admission system as instructed earlier by PM Abhisit Vejjajiva.

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