Microsoft’s Faculty Connection to Empower Nigerian Students

Higher Education

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January 18, 2008

Teaching of science and computer technology in Nigeria's higher education space is set to be simplified and revolutionised with the introduction of an innovative new academic resource by Microsoft called Faculty Connection. At the first ever Microsoft Academic Day held in Lagos, the company announced this major initiative as a part of the comprehensive education partnership and program of action to accelerate educational development in Nigeria. Microsoft also used the platform to highlight the strategic importance of the company's innovative education programs including IT Academy and the Imagine Cup Competition, Live@Edu.

According to Mr. Attilla Szenvedi, Microsoft's Developer and Platform Manager for West, East and Central Africa, Microsoft designed Faculty Connection to address the challenges educators face in teaching technology students. He further explained that the Faculty Connection features valuable tools and academic materials that are exclusively packaged to support technology educators, adding that the site offers a wide variety of material ranging from introductory topics to advanced system design, robotics and embedded development topics.

ICDL Certification for Education Officials in South Africa

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

Staff at the Western Cape Education Department are to receive an internationally recognised computer training course. Almost 100 staff members will be trained on the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL), which is an internationally recognised qualification in information technology.

The Chief Executive Officer of the ICDL in South Africa, Jennifer van Niekerk said studies had proven that by completing this course users save time and money for their employers, which in this case translates to saving tax payers' money.

The certificate comprises seven modules namely: basic concepts of Information Technology (IT); using a computer and managing files; word processing; spreadsheets; database; presentations and information and communications. Obtaining the ICDL certification is not easy. The candidate has to pass four modules to obtain the Start Certificate and all seven modules for a Full Certificate with a 75 % pass mark.

The ICDL in South Africa is a non-profit organisation established to promote digital literacy to all and to administer the global quality standard in end user computing. ICDL certification also known as the European Computer Driving Licence in Europe, is available in 150 countries globally and has been translated into 38 languages. The ICDL has been adopted by governments, international organisations, the international business community and more recently the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) here in South Africa.

NKC for enactment of right to education legislation

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

The National Knowledge Commission (NKC), in its draft report on school education, has insisted on the speedy enactment of a Central legislation. This legislation will ensure the right of all children in the country to good quality school education up to Class VIII.

Under the UPA government the Right to Education (RTE) legislation has been passed around to a high-level group, the states, and the PM. The implementation and, in fact, the notification of the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, making education a fundamental right for children of 6-14 age group, remains pending with none ready to take the final call.

The HRD ministry maintains that the RTE could bring about systemic changes that are required in the basic education sector in the country. The finance ministry had raised questions on who would bear the responsibility of financing the minimum requirements outlined in the Bill. For the NKC, it is clear that the responsibility of financing rests with the Centre. The NKC has gone on to strongly recommend a substantial increase in Central allocation, including funds to be provided to states for elementary education.

Dalit Immolates Self to Get School Building for Daughter

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

Shivkumar Ahirwar immolated himself on January 7 in Sagar town, Madhya Pradesh, to protest against the administration's failure to find a permanent building for a school attended by his child. The 45-year-old Dalit who had become the chairman of the parent-teacher association of the primary school in Bhagwanganj due to his daughter's excellent academic record passed away on January 13, after battling for his life.

Ahirwar had charged the administration with always being prompt in finding land and building for the upper castes and believed that his pleas for a permanent building were ignored as he belonged to a low caste. Within hours of his death, the administration hastily performed bhoomi pujan for the primary school building near the site where the school currently functions from rented premises.Though the administration denied that they had panicked following Ahirwar's death,all this while it had been telling Ahirwar that no land was available around the area and that parents were not willing to let the school be shifted anywhere else.

Delhi Education Department to launch Project BaLA

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

Delhi’s education department is all set to launch a project called BaLA – Building as Learning Aid . The project, to be launched by the Delhi government on January 23, focuses on using the existing school infrastructure as a part of the learning process and in making education indispensable to everyday life. The project also addresses inclusive education in mainstream schools.

The project explores the fact that physical space is also usable as a resource for the teaching-learning process. The school buildings and their constituent elements such as floors, walls and ceilings have been treated innovatively so as to help the learning process.

The first series would see transformation take place within the confines of a classroom, while the latter would be aimed at integrating studies with the infrastructure outside the classroom. This is how the school would function, once the first phase of the BaLA initiative is implemented.

There is near unanimity in Reforms in Madarsa Education-Arjun Singh

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

At the 3rd Meeting of the National Monitoring Committee for Minorities Education, Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Arjun Singh said that there is near unanimity in reforms in Madarasa Education. As there are some differences on some issues including issues related to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) , a Committee has been appointed under the chairmanship of Minister of State for HRD, Shri M.A.A Fatimi. This Committee will submit its report within two months.

After inaugurating the meeting, Shri Arjun Singh briefly outlined the major activities taken up by the Ministry for the educational development of minorities. Presentations were made by the Chairman UGC, Acting Chairman, AICTE, Chairman NIOS, Joint Secretary SSA and Joint Secretary, School Education. A report of the work done by the Standing Committee of the NMCME, was presented by Prof. Prithipal Singh Kapur.

StudyPlaces Get $3 Million in VC

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

Education portal StudyPlaces.com has received $3 million from venture capital firms, Kleiner Perkins, Caufield & Byers (KPCB), Ram Shriram's Sherpalo Ventures and the internet company Info Edge (Naukri.com), reports VC Circle.

The three investors have committed $1 million each into the e-learning company. Info Edge has already invested $500,000 against the total proposed investment of $1 million in StudyPlaces through its wholly-owned subsidiary Info Edge (India) Mauritius. Interestingly, Info Edge is also preparing to launch its own education portal (www.shiksha.com)

Lanka hosts South Asia Intel Teach Programme Forum

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

Intel recently concluded the 'South Asia Intel Teach Programme Forum' on pre-service teacher training held at Colombo and organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of Sri Lanka.

The objective of the forum was to bring together practitioners and policymakers from the three South Asian countries of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to share best practices, exchange ideas and opinions provide insights into possible ICT integration models and set a vision for the future. This was a regional cross country collaborative event related to Intel Teach Pre-service training in South Asia.

Mohamed Thamby, Chief Commissioner of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, Dr. Shironica Karunanayaka, Head, Department of Teacher Education from the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) and Indika De Zoysa, Regional Manager, Intel Sri Lanka, were some of the people who attended the forum.

The forum also served to meet various country-specific objectives. Sri Lanka wanted to invite participants from Ministry of Education, National Colleges of Education (NCOE), National Institute of Education, and Universities to build awareness of Intel Teach pre-service training in other countries and discuss the value of integrating Intel Teach training into curriculum.

Digital Summit 2008: IAMAI, Korea Game Industry To Develop Games in India

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

On the first day of the India Digital Summit 2008, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Murugavel Janakiraman, chairman, Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kyu-Nam Choi, president, Korea Game Industry Agency (KOGIA).

The MoU explores possibilities on how to develop the gaming industry in India. This will be initially done by information sharing between IAMAI and KOGIA on what's happening in their respective markets and later by looking for possible synergy and exploring how the two markets can benefit from each other.

Digital Summit 2008: Online Gaming Drives Broadband Growth

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digitalLEARNING Network

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January 18, 2008

The second and final day of the India Digital Summit 2008 witnessed panellists discussing topics such as the next generation web, future of search marketing, impact of internet and mobile on Asian society, with gaming as the centre of future entertainment.

Dan Neary, vice president, emerging markets, eBay Inc, said earlier people came on the Web for specific activities like entertainment, communication, content, socialise and buy but now there is an amalgamation of different services such as Facebook. He also talked about the evolution of touchpoints. “It's no longer the browser. Now users can access the net through widgets or other desktop and mobile application.”

According to Dan Neary, today internet is driven by the Gen Y. These are the people who were born between 1980 and 95 and who use laptop, iPod and MySpace. For this generation, the major activities are Skype, YouTube, MySpace and eBay. This generation uses internet more than TV. And so, today the websites which are focussed on Gen Y are witnessing the maximum growth.

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