It is exciting times for India, with the emergence and potential of it becoming a global power.  However, if it is to reach such heights there is no doubt that Education will play a huge role in ensuring that this undoubted potential is fulfilled.

As we enter the 21st Century, technology will continue to play a vital part in the success of India. India now has one of the highest number of IT graduates in the world and what is clear that the Classroom now needs to catch up fast with the modern IT environment of the workplace.

As we subject young people to technology in the working environment we must now put some of this technology in to education sector creating classrooms of the future. The younger the students are subjected to such an environment the quicker they will adapt to this technology and develop the skills needed for the economy in the future.

This is where Genee Solutions India comes in! We have been developing 'Classrooms for the Future' for the last 10 years all around the world! We have played and are still playing a key role in developing thousands of classroom in the UK with this new technology. This technology includes Interactive Whiteboards (Genee Power Boards), Visualisers (GeneeVision), Voting Systems (Classcomm & Census) and Wireless Slates (Genee Slates).

However, this technology is only successful if it incorporates Interactive Learning Software and this has always been our specialism since 1999.

Where does this drive, determination and focus come from. Well, I myself was a teacher for 10 years in the UK with the responsibility of integrating Information Communication Technology (ICT) across the curriculum in a variety of secondary schools. I saw ten  years ago what impact such technology could make to learning and there is now no doubt that as a company we have made a huge impact in this area. So much so that we are now one of the largest providers of ICT equipment to schools (as GeneeWorld or Interactive Education) in the UK.

What excites me the most is that I can now see this revolution happening in India –  the place which my family calls 'home'. Having developed thousands of classrooms in the UK and the US, me and my company Genee Solutions India feel privileged that we can now make this happen in India itself!

What excites me the most is that the Curriculum Content Development and Research & Development for all out products is done in India. No longer will we develop technology and content to be then shipped to the UK and US to benefit students over there, but our children in India will also be the benefactors of this technology.

In this way we are very different from our competitors. Most of them have developed their content in the US or UK and are now adapting the same content for Indian market. We develop our hardware and software in India by listening to the needs of our Indian schools and then providing the exact solution that they require.

Overall, I personally, as well as my company, are looking forward to playing a key role in moving Indian schools forward so that our education system can meet the demands of the 21st Century and also secure our children's future. The most important thing to me is to ensure that we achieve our potential as a future global power in the world by ensuring our children have access to technology tools in their education to achieve their as well as thecountry's potential.

DreamSpark is a software giveaway for students

The New FX

It is a rare occurrence in K-12 education when a technology moves from being a useful classroom tool and becomes an education platform upon which an entire teaching philosophy is built. But that is precisely what has happened over the course of the last two decades, as interactive whiteboards from SMART Technologies (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) have become the focal point of the technology-driven, 21st- century classroom. Technology companies like SMART that have created a fundamental shift in education all have one thing in common: they provide an overall solution that is greater than the sum of their product's component parts.

SMART Technologies' overarching philosophy to provide a complete solution is a key reason that the company has been able to effect a monumental change in K-12 education. At the core of this philosophy, according to David Lapides, Director, Education Market Development at SMART Technologies, is the company's ability to design and develop products that enable teachers to successfully complete the same educational task in multiple ways. 'Today,' says Lapides, 'SMART offers a robust set of resources and a full ecosystem of support

Promising to improve the quality of Math and Science education through online learning activities, www.educosoft.com was launched in India on April 21, 2008 by Educo International Inc, an American company owned by Non-resident Indians.

The launch of the portal was preceded by three years of work on aligning their content with NCERT curriculum and other secondary boards in India. The Educosoft platform offers unique and powerful features to empower teachers with state-of-the-art content and comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS). 

The portal is unique because it has several distinct characteristics; some of these are listed below.

1. It is online, available 24×7 from anywhere to teachers, either for class discussions or for self professional development, and to students for self study or to complete their assignments. For schools where Internet is not available or is slow or they do not want to use, they provide Local Area Network (LAN) solution. The LAN content is piped to the classrooms and learning labs in real time mode.
2. Each topic contains several learning activities that are interactive and are presented in Macromedia Flash with dynamic graphics and animations. The activities include: a) Multimedia Electronic Teaching Notes for teachers and Tutorials for students, embedded with dynamic graphics, and pedagogically sound animations; b) Several examples on each topic to re-inforce the concepts; c) Several sets of practice tests for each topic; d) Progress and activity reports for students; e) Tools to create and administer online surveys; and f) Several communication tools like announcements, internal and external e-mails, and chat session between the teacher and students. 
3. The assessment component of this portal is also unique in the sense it is in free response format where a student has to do his/her work in the notebook and enter the answer on the computer, instead of just clicking a choice as in multiple choice questions provided by other platforms. Teachers can create and assign different types of assessment including online homework, quizzes or tests, or practice tests. Students get different but similar assessments that are self graded and recorded. All assessments after completion provide instant feedback, performance analysis, and step-by-step solutions.
4. For students, it offers Self Learning Portal that provides all the learning activities and assessments for each section and chapter of the respective course. Students register online or through any of the regional centers of the company. 
           
   All the other details of this system including demos, training programmes, regional seminars, and pricing structure are explained on www.educosoftnews.com . It costs less than Rs.160/pm for 24×7 access to Self Learning Portal for students. Students can have free access to the Self Learning Portal if their schools adopt the LAN version of the system. With LAN solution school gets access to all courses for K 6-12 for mathematics and sciences, and free access for their students from home for the first year.

For more information, contact Pushpish Chandra Tel: 011-45553888, Email: pushpish@educo-int.com or Vinay M R Tel: 080-23463680/77,  Email: vinay@educo-int.com

When did a teacher know that information would be just one click away? Thanks to technology, the teachers of today are not restricted to the age old chalk and blackboard methods of teaching. Information and Communication Technology has come of age and has permeated in all areas of our lives and is a significant factor in increasing productivity in different fields.

ICT is now being used in Science  and Technology education and
in other areas of the curriculum.

Intel's foray in the field of education through various initiatives like contests in best technology practices, has effectively integrated technology into classrooms.

The main objective behind these contests is to inspire teachers to try out 'new tools' and assist the students in increasing their understanding of various topics. It also acts as a motivational force, guiding the students to go after their goals. These contests serve an important purpose of spreading knowledge and determining the progress and ICT strength of the schools.

As part of these contests, a number of interactive sessions are conducted which boost the confidence level of the students and improve their 21st century silks like communication, technology literacy, collaboration, critical thinking etc.
 
Such contests are jointly organised by Intel Teach Program and Navodya Vidyalaya Samiti every year to identify 'Best Practices of Technology Integration in Education'. Held in collaboration with NVS schools across the country, these contests are a platform for rewarding the outstanding and innovative practices adopted by schools in the remotest parts of the country. Each year, several teams of students compete and awards and certifications are presented to winners at both district and final competitions.

Recently, a state-level competition on 'Best Use of Technology in Education' was held in Tamil Nadu on November 10, 2008. The purpose was to motivate teachers on effective implementation of Project Based Learning and showcase the projects done by teachers and students.

Ten teachers from the districts of Chennai, Cuddalore, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, Madurai, Thiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli and Virudunagar were selected as State level winners. The projects developed and implemented for the contest helped create an impact in their communities. The highlight of this event was a project on 'Creating Awareness on Evil Effects of Usage of Tobacco.' A group of students explained how they motivated the entire village to refrain from consuming tobacco.
 
On December 3, 2008, Intel with support from Department of State Education Research and Training (DSERT) Karnataka, organised a contest in Bangalore and felicitated students, teachers and principals who have done exemplary work in innovative use of technology. The contest has been organised since 2004, and the response was overwhelming this year, with more than 300 entries received from government schools across the state.

When dealing with education, across all  ages, the basic necessity is to accept that the child is ahead of us in this digital age. We need to make an effort to catch up with youth, periodically, and give them what they need. Parenting and education are both very traditional; they both resist change. There is a common pitfall for both: you and I know 'everything'; we feel that we know exactly what our child needs and set about providing for that need, as we perceive it. We take that perceived need for granted, while dealing with children and rural society.

In any ICT intervention, the start is by using the intervention to perform an existing function better. But to really utilise the full potential of ICT, after a certain stage there is a need to bring down the existing edifice and restructure. But dismantling and restructuring are easier said than done. We need to be clear as to the path we want to follow, and avoid redesigning the wheel, before we start gradual and incremental implementation; we
need to be mentally prepared for constant midcourse corrections necessitated by changing paradigms; and not get frustrated by these
constant changes.  

Whatever practices we bring in, must be the best. Avoid hand me downs. That is the only way to bridge the digital divide. Hand me downs include second rate practices. The use of a projector to teach kids is a classic 'hand me down' example. To take ICT to the child we convert existing classrooms in to dark rooms, and use a home application projector which casts a weak image and want to teach with it. Britain has done away with projectors! Each child has a machine. It will be a while before we reach that stage, we need to think laterally, not violate the basics of pedagogy. Use of TV can be an intelligent interim measure.

No two scenarios can be the same. The variables that exist are:

Infrastructure