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Mark Your Calendar

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

march

International Conference and workshop on e-Learning strategies: Edutainment 2007
12 – 17 March, 2007
Bangkok and Surin Island
Thailand
http://www.elearning.dusit.ac.th/

Research-Based Creative Teaching Strategies
19 – 20 March, 2007
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
http://www.bobpikegroup.com

TxDLA: Discover the Treasures of Distance Learning
27 – 29 March, 2007
Galveston, Texas
United States
http://www.txdla.org/conference/2007/index.html

april

2nd International Conference on Engineering Education & Training, ICEET-2
9 – 11 April, 2007
Kuwait City, Kuwait
http://www.iceet.org

eLearning Guild Annual Gathering 
10

Tracking Student&rsquo:s Class Attendance Using Wireless PDA

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

SmartChecker is the innovative platform that integrates mobile technologies into teaching and learning environment for the particularly tracking and monitoring of student's class attendance. SmartChecker, exploits the use of personal digital assistance (PDA) to provide mobile and instant graphical display. It also furnishes reports and progress tracks for determining student class attendance baselines, and improves the quality of monitoring and data captured technique, data-driven decision making and school accountability.

When Kamri, the head-teacher of class 5 AMANAH in Kompleks Gong Badak Primary School in Malaysia just finishes the morning session and is rushing to have a meeting with the headmaster, he suddenly sees Aminah, Asri's student in 5 SIDIQ, is crying in the corner. “What's up?” But Aminah refuses to say a single word. Kamri is in a hurry to the meeting, so she quickly takes out the SmartCheker. “Aminah is crying in the 3rd floor corner”, she marks down the message and then transfers it to Asri.

SmartChecker retrieves all recent information relating to Aminah from the school database, and starts to analyse if Aminah has been behaving atypically for a period of time.

Now Kamri has arrived at the president's office, where the school master is evaluating his performance. The headmaster turns his attention to the PDA screen that is now showing a system generated alert together with the ranking variation graph of the student. “I think we should pay more attention to him. He was our best student, but now I am a little disappointed about his performance in the past two months based on his attendance. SmartChecker alerted me last night, telling me his overall performance is atypical these two months, and we should find out what is wrong with him.”

Why SmartChecker useful in school environment?

SmartChecker is a mobile student performance monitoring system using wireless mobile handheld devices like PDAs that facilitates real-time access and analysis of the formative and summative performance data of students graphically. At the same time it supports performance prediction based on the heuristic information, and facilitates the improvement of the quality of teaching, learning, data-driven decision-making, monitoring and school accountability. In our work, the Data source of SmartChecker the SMM (Sistem Maklumat Murid) system, which is an online school management system and a city-wide learning data archive for all school students in Malaysia maintained by the Education Ministry. SMM maintain the student learning data for all the primary and secondary schools, storing the learning records and personal information for about all students in primary, secondary schools, as well as teaching staff.

Multipurpose functionality for school and teachers

In a school environment, there are two distinct user groups: school administrator and teachers. SmartChecker is composed of two distinct parts to serve the needs of the different groups. SmartChecker provides global views and analyses of the school performance for this group of users. The main focus is to enhance the school accountability, and to access the school continuous improvement data. Based on the quantitative analytical results, SmartChecker helps to develop teacher professional programmes that would have a quick effect in the classroom and in student monitoring. Basically, two levels of analysis results can be presented for the administrator level users. The analysis for this group is focused on the attendances scores. There are form level analysis and class level analysis. At the form level, the mean, standard deviation, and other statistical factors of the attendance results can be shown graphically and compared across years. The trends of the attendances scores of a form or the whole school can also be visualized graphically. At the class level, statistical factors of each subject within each class will be presented, which helps to facilitate the performance assessment of the students.

Framework for SmartChecker
The pilot project will help determine and confirm the following issues before developing full scale data collection software around the PDA: 1.Real-time or Batch data exchange: Is real-time sending of information to the main server really needed? How much traffic in Kilobytes will be generated? How much will that cost? Will real time information exchange help in data collection monitoring? Will daily batch information interchange suffice, or should the enumerator in the field be connected to the main database all the time and perform all information update on it directly? 2.Synchronization with main database: Will the main database be MySQ L? How will the mechanism of integration between received data from PDA, if in batch mode, occur with the main database? 3.How well will the adopted PDA perform in the field: Will the battery be enough? How will recharging happen? Is the PDA easy to use? What will be the optimum procedure to follow for its use in data collection? Will the PDA memory be enough to handle the client-side application and data storage (if batch mode is used)?

Three major technical issues needed to be addressed in any PDA system development: (a) Multiple user environment – how to categorise users into different groups with different information needs. (b) Data privacy control – how to ensure data can only be seen by the right person, and prevent from the man in the middle attack. (c) Interface designs- how to show a large amount of graphs and information efficiently and ergonomically on a very small screen.

Data privacy control

Due to the inherent data privacy concern, it is important to protect the data in SmartChecker at three levels. (a) Physical security: Protecting the device from loss or theft, and preventing access to the device operating system (OS) and the SmartChecker application if the device does fall into the wrong hands. (b) Data security: Ensuring that if the device does fall into the wrong hands and the OS is accessed, the data stored in the device cannot be accessed. (c) Network security: Preventing eavesdropping during data transmission between the device and the system server. RSA is the most widely used algorithm for public key encryption, and is believed to be secure given sufficiently long keys. Here we modify the classical protocol to take into account of the limitations of hand held devices.

The idea of this protocol is to use public key encrypting data files on server before transformation, and to decrypt by the private key stored on the PDA. Different from the classical RSA, this private key is further encrypted by a session key, keeping it from being disclosed.

System architecture and implementation

This system was developed using three tier architecture that has been chosen for monitoring of system using Internet technology. This architecture provides greater application scalability, high flexibility, high efficiency, lower maintenance, and reusability of components. In this design, each tier can be run either on a separate machine or on the single machine. It improves system processing performance. These tiers do not necessarily communicate to physical locations on different computers or networks. A typical three layer architecture is divided into Client or presentation tier, Application tier and Data tier.

Presentation tier

This tier enables user to interact with the database through the web browser in a user friendly manner from remote location or using wireless device like PDA.

Application tier

Application tier consists of web server and application logic for data monitoring. The logics and rules are separately stored in the files
using Web scripts. These logics and rules are properly interfaced with the main Web server in this tier. In the current development of monitoring system, Apache Server has been used as Web server.

Data tier

This tier concerns with persistent data usually stored in a database or in permanent storage. MySQL database has been used to store the entire student's class attendance data collection by wireless PDA via online application. The major benefits of three tier architecture are reusability, flexibility, manageability, maintainability,
and scalability.

SmartChecker report and alert system

SmartChecker consists of the following main functions: Querying of data in a city-wise learning data management and archive system such as the Malaysia SMM system, and facilitating comparison of data scattered across multiple databases, generate and display the results of formative assessment and summative assessment in different graphical formats, like bar-chart and scattered diagram. Users can simply navigate and hyper-linking through different graphs and data points to gain a thorough understanding of each student's class attendances, from the detailed scores, comparison to the average to the overall ranking, perform trend analysis by a set of pre-determined rules. The prediction modeling is conducted according to the trend analysis, and instant alert will be pop up. The alert consists of the detailed information of an atypical student who may need special care, on-site input of additional formative assessment data by database has been used to store the entire student's class attendance data collection by wireless PDA via online application. The major benefits of three tier architecture
are reusability, flexibility, manageability, maintainability, and scalability.

Smart Checker report and alert system
SmartChecker consists of the following main functions: Querying of data in a city-wise learning data management and archive system such as the Malaysia SMM system, and facilitating comparison of data scattered across multiple databases, generate Why SmartChecker useful in school environment?

Users can simply navigate and hyper-link through different graphs and data points to gain a thorough understanding of each student's class attendances, from the detailed scores, comparison to the average to the overall ranking, perform trend analysis by a set of pre-determined rules.

SmartChecker is a mobile student performance monitoring system using wireless mobile handheld devices like PDAs that facilitates real-time access and analysis of the formative and summative performance data of students graphically. At the same time it supports performance prediction based on the heuristic information, and facilitates the improvement of the quality of teaching, learning, data-driven decision-making, monitoring and school accountability. In our work, the Data source of SmartChecker the SMM (Sistem Maklumat Murid) system, which is an online school management system and a city-wide learning data archive for all school students in Malaysia maintained by the Education Ministry. SMM maintain the student learning data for all the primary and secondary schools, storing the learning records and personal information for about all students in primary, secondary schools, as well as teaching staff.
Multipurpose functionality for school and teachers
In a school environment, there are two distinct user groups: school administrator and teachers. SmartChecker is composed of two distinct parts to serve the needs of the different groups. SmartChecker provides global views and analyses of the school performance for this group of users. The main focus is to enhance the school accountability, and to access the school continuous improvement data. Based on the quantitative analytical results, SmartChecker helps to develop teacher professional programmes that would have a quick effect in the classroom and in student monitoring. Basically, two levels of analysis results can be presented for the administrator level users. The analysis for this group is focused on the attendances scores. There are form level analysis and class level analysis. At the form level, the mean, standard deviation, and other statistical factors of the attendance results can be shown graphically and compared across years. The trends of the attendances scores of a form or the whole school can also be visualized graphically. At the class level, statistical factors of each subject within each class will be presented, which helps to facilitate the performance assessment of the students.

Framework for SmartChecker

The pilot project will help determine and confirm the following issues before developing full scale data collection software around the PDA: 1.Real-time or Batch data exchange: Is real-time sending of information to the main server really needed? How much traffic in Kilobytes will be generated? How much will that cost? Will real time information exchange help in data collection monitoring? Will daily batch information interchange suffice, or should the enumerator in the field be connected to the main database all the time and perform all information update on it directly? 2.Synchronization with main database: Will the main database be MySQ L? How will the mechanism of integration between received data from PDA, if in batch mode, occur with the main database? 3.How well will the adopted PDA perform in the field: Will the battery be enough? How will recharging happen? Is the PDA easy to use? What will be the optimum procedure to follow for its use in data collection? Will the PDA memory be enough to handle the client-side application and data storage (if batch mode is used)? Three major technical issues needed to be addressed in any PDA system development: (a) Multiple user environment – how to categorise users into different groups with different information needs. (b) Data privacy control – how to ensure data can only be seen by the right person, and prevent from the man in the middle attack. (c) Interface designs- how to show a large amount of graphs and information efficiently and ergonomically on a very small screen.

Data privacy control

Due to the inherent data privacy concern, it is important to protect the data in SmartChecker at three levels. (a) Physical security: Protecting the device from loss or theft, and preventing access to the device operating system (OS) and the SmartChecker application if the device does fall into the wrong hands. (b) Data security: Ensuring that if the device does fall into the wrong hands and the OS is accessed, the data stored in the device cannot be accessed. (c) Network security: Preventing eavesdropping during data transmission between the device and the system server. RSA is the most widely used algorithm for public key encryption, and is believed to be secure given sufficiently long keys. Here we modify the classical protocol to take into account of the limitations of hand held devices.

News world

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Over 400 000 learners to get free education in Africa

Over 400 000 learners in Mpumalanga in Africa stand to benefit from the government's “no-fee schools”. This is apart from the introduction of ICT in public schools that has received impetus by the launch of the provincial ICT Strategy. Currently the province had 983 “no-fee schools”. School principals are not allowed to charge school fees in these schools.

The government would enroll 26 000 participants in the Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) courses in the 2007-2008 financial year, at the cost of R90 million. A total of 45 public schools in Mpumalanga have each been allocated 25 computers for the introduction of an ICT laboratory.

USA Government gives funds for videoconferencing in schools

USA Government agencies are giving funds to put video conferencing system in schools. The Rural Development under secretary Thomas Dorr, has given US$25,853,991 funds of 103 distance learning and telemedicine to provide educational and medical services to citizens of 38 states.  

Futurelab offers learning via mobile phones in UK

Futurelab, an education innovator has published a new handbook for students of United Kingdom, which will allow students to use mobile phones, PDAs and pocket PCs for learning.
 
Handhelds-learning with handheld technologies is packed with practical advice and is a must for any school or local authority considering using mobile devices for learning. The handbook is a result of 2-year research programme, involved 26 schools across two local authorities. These handheld devices have the potential to enable personalised, collaborative learning, and facilitate new relationships between teachers and pupils as well as between home and school.

Word Bank report: Nigeria not utilises e-learning programmes

The World Bank report shows that Nigeria is not utilising e-learning methods for effective and coordinated delivery of programmes.

According to the Bank report, distance learning is widespread at the time of the report but it not coordinated and limited to tertiary education programmes. Although many universities have developed the e-learning programmes, yet they have not utilised e-learning programmes properly. Under this report, only few ICT opportunities in teaching curricula existed as well as little development of ICT-based teaching and learning resources. 

Developing nations to test US$150 laptops

From Brazil to Pakistan, some of the world's poorest children are to peer across the digital divide in February – reading electronic books, shooting digital video, and chatting with classmates online. Founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology academics, the non-profit 'One Laptop per Child' project plans to roll out nearly 2,500 of its US$150-laptops to eight nations in the month of February.

State educators in Brazil, Uruguay, Libya, Rwanda, Pakistan, Thailand and possibly Ethiopia and the West Bank will receive the first of the machines in February's pilot.

Learn English grammar via mobile phones

The Mennonite Centre in United Kingdom is one where students are using mobile phones to learn english language.
 
Students are using mobile phones to download english grammar lesson and answer series of multiple choice, true or false questions. Athabasca University, a long-distance post- econdary school, created the cellphone lessons for those wanting to learn english as a second language (ESL).  Students from anywhere in world can learn english grammar, through their cell phones. 

News asia

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Google to open Singapore R&D

Internet search company Google Inc. plans to open a research and development center in Singapore, its first in Southeast Asia.

Google's research centers outside of the United States typically focus on adapting its products for local markets, but are also involved in developing new offerings and fine-tuning existing ones. Three of its eight research and development centers around the world are in Asia.

Brunei teachers win global tilt

Brunei's representatives to the Microsoft Regional Innovative Teacher's Conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia won first and third places. The event is a worldwide initiative to empower schools to increase student learning through teacher development and leadership. It was organised in partnership with UNESCO Asia Pacific and Microsoft under the flagship Partners in Learning (PiL) programme.

The representatives were Cikgu Hj Yussof bin Hj Metassim, Sr. Education Officer from the ICT Dept., Ministry of Education, Cikgu Mohd Zamri bin Hj Ismail of Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School and Cikgu Ismail bin Hj Julaihi of PAP Hjh Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Secondary School.

Intel strengthens aid in Philippines to improve education

Intel, an international computer processor and solutions developer intends to intensify its programmes to help integrate information and communication technology (ICT) in the Philippine educational system.

In its CSR 2006 year-end report, Intel Philippines highlighted three banner programmes, namely: the Intel Philippines Science and Engineering Fair (Intel Ipef), Intel Higher Education Programme (Intel HEP), and the Intel Teach Programme (Intel TP).

Intel Ipef is a nationwide competition on research and development involving students. The company will select top six entries that will compete in the Intel international science and engineering fair in May, which is expected to involve 1,300 entries from 40 countries worldwide.

The Intel HEP aims to improve the university curriculum, and research and development. Intel TP intends to teach educators how to effectively use personal computers in the classroom. The program has trained over 74,000 teachers in the country and over four million worldwide.

RIHS ties with IGNOU to offer academic programmes in Sri-Lanka

The Regent International Institute of Higher Studies (RIIHS) of Sri-Lanka has partnered with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), India to offer its academic programmes in Sri-Lanka from January 2007. 

IGNOU will prepare a comprehensive set of modules for the distance learning system and provide to students. The “IGNOU-RIIHS partnership” allow students to pay their course fees as per the SAARC norms on a semester basis. A sufficient number of contact sessions for each course and other required services including effective counseling are to be provided by the RIIHS during weekends.

Oracle's Think.com connects schools of Sri-Lanka

Oracle has launched its online community learning system 'Think.com' to connect schools across Sri-Lanka. Think.com is designed to connect students around the world and engage them in collaborative, project-based learning using technology.

Oracle's Think.com will provide a safe environment for both students and teachers to collaborate to make learning more interactive and fun. Teachers and students from member schools can enter this password-protected learning community. Currently, the Think.com is available in 8 different languages across 26 countries.  Oracle has successfully implemented Think.com in Sri-Lanka and Pakistan.

News India

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Govt. works with B-schools for e-Governanace projects

The Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India, will receive consultancy services from premier management schools like the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon for accessing its e-Governance projects.

The DIT has identified 200 to 300 e-Governance projects for external evaluation, which will include computerisation of land records, registration, income tax, commercial taxes among others. Institutes like IIM-A and MDI, Gurgaon, will be associated in a knowledge partnership and will take up roles of project leaders and validate the DIT's e-Governance projects.

Haryana State Govt. promotes soft skills in schools

Haryana State Government has launched an ambitious programme named, “Development of Soft Skills” for its schools and college students.

This programme is based on EDUSAT platform to provide information about IT and BPO sectors. The government has already invested INR 4.7 million at the school level, while INR 1.5 million is provided for college level students. Initially the scheme has covered 10 schools in each of the eight districts namely Gurgaon, Faridabad, Rewari, Rohtak, Sonipat, Panipat, Panchkula and Ambala.

Chennai engineering college to get digital library

Chennai based Salem Government College of Engineering, will soon get a digital library to access vast collection of e-resources on various subjects. The library would be subscribed to the Indian National Digital Library in Engineering Sciences and Technology (INDEST), All India Council for Technical Education consortium to get access to the e-resources.

The total investment on the project is around INR 2 million. Students would be able to access about 170 online journals through the consortium. The college has already networked the departments functioning in various blocks. The server at the digital library will also be brought into the network, enabling the students to access the resources through computers in their respective departments. A few computers will be installed in the library building also. 

Indian students use Internet radio to stay connected

Students at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad have found a new way to be connected with their faculty and teachers through Internet Radio on the campus.

The institute is using the local area network (LAN), which has the band-width of 100Mbps in the campus. The total investment to set up a radio station is around INR 55,000 with a personal computer, a headphone and speaker set. Currently, there are more than 50K Radio Stations, which are broadcasting over the Internet. Accor-ding to Bhuvana Ramalingam, Director communication, ISB, e-radio encoura-ges students to exchange information on varied areas, discuss issues and keep everyone informed on the comp-anies, which come to the campus. 

IISc, Bangalore offers US$100 laptop for Sakshat portal

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, India has designed a prototype laptop for US$100 for recently launched Sakshat, the one stop portal on education.

IISc Bangalore has come with a prototype design for the laptop that all have in mind that currently costs US$100. Massachusetts Institute of Technology has offered a laptop for US$150 for the Sakshat programme.

Meanwhile, the ministry is planning to create virtual laboratories and a virtual technical university to combat and mainstream the battle to bridge the digital literacy gap. Major institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Bombay are involved in the project.

IIT Delhi will anchor virtual labs, while IIT Kharagpur will anchor cognitive learning and the virtual technical university and IIT Bombay will provide robotics for this project. IGNOU will provide online courses, while NIOS will offer online-testing on demand. 

Read newspaper on mobile phone

Pressmart, a subsidiary of Bodhtree Consulting Limited, and IMImobile, has announced the availability of mPaper, making newspapers available for Indians to read on mobile phones.

The mPaper technology will enable newsreaders to read and access their favourite newspaper content, while they are traveling also. The mPaper technology also allows user to use features like archives and options to search and save news reports and it would be available on monthly subscription. Pressmart is a new media delivery partner of leading newspapers and magazines published in over 15 languages across 21 countries. IMImobile is a next-generation end-to-end enabler of Mobile Value Added Services (VAS) for mobile operators, media companies and enterprises.

Pressmart will provide mPaper facility in 9 major newspapers of India, including, Hindustan Times (Mumbai and Delhi editions), Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad and Chennai Editions), DNA, Indian Express, The Asian Age, The Financial Express, The New Indian Express, The Telegraph and Pioneer.

Sarva Shiksha spending on right track!

Spending on the government's flagship elementary education programme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan at the end of December 2006 accounted for 70% of its annual allocation.

In the first nine months of the current fiscal, nearly INR 10,000 crore of the budgeted INR 13,750 crore has been spent. The Human Resources Development ministry hopes that the good show will result in increased allocation for the forthcoming fiscal. This fiscal, the programme has already utilised 75% of funds available, which is a little over INR 13,000 crore. For the first nine months (April to December) of the last fiscal, the all India spend was 54.2%.

Assam and Orissa, which continue to be areas of concern, have shown an increased utilisation of funds. Tamil Nadu, which had performed poorly in the quarter ending September 30, has improved on its expenditure. It May be recalled that Tamil Nadu, which has traditionally been one of the better performing states, had slowed down due to management problems and local body elections, which meant that funds couldn't be disbursed. From the current year, the Punjab government has taken over the responsibility of paying salaries to teachers. This would mean that a portion of the SSA funds earmarked as teacher salaries would remain unutilised.

The SSA has earmarked the percentage of funds that can be spent on each component-salaries, civil works, etc. For the forthcoming fiscal, the programme will be given INR 8,000 crore, which with a 50:50 ratio would mean that the annual budget for the programme – Centre and state share put together – will be INR 16,000 crore.

IGNOU launches smart card system for Indian students

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is planning to launch a smart card system for Indian students.  

IGNOU will give the smart card system to each student, which will carry information on admission, projects, assignments, attendance, practicals and semester results.The card will help students to keep record on their study activities.
Each student would be issued a
smart card with a unique password, which can be used by specified computers having the software to read the data. IGNOU has
already issued 100 cards on trial basis. 
Cambridge College plans to launch e-learning centre in Mumbai
Cambridge College is planning to launch e-learning centre in Mumbai. The college will establish the centre with the association of Indian Universities.
The idea is to provide the opportunity for higher education to the workforce there, plying them with the skills needed to join the ever-growing international business world. The centre will provide education and training in leadership, entrepreneurship, and international trade and practices.

Corporate Diary:March 2007

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

product

EZ Vidya launches Chrysalis software for schools

Chennai (India) based Company, EZ Vidya has launched 'Chrysalis' a comprehensive computer science curriculum for classes I through X with an objective to replace the conventional textbooks and classroom learning.  

The curriculum is aimed to make students 'IT-capable than just IT- literate'. A typical classroom module from Chrysalis will encourage students to create multimedia packages on general topics. EZ Vidya has partnered Wipro in “teacher empowerment programmes” across the country. The company has also brought out a multimedia CD title 'Thiruvalluva Ula” for the Azim Premji Foundation. The students will use sound and animation files in the module to create presentations.

IBM to break language barrier through MASTOR

IBM has been experimenting with the translation and speech technology through its prototype software, dubbed Multilingual Automatic Speech-to-Speech Technology or MASTOR.

Through MASTOR, translation can be done in real time. IBM wants to explore market opportunities where demand for language translation technologies are is high, including medical facilities, law enforcement, banking and travel. IBM is also planning to bring this technology to use in e-mails.

partnership

i-flex builds DSS for education department of Indian State

i-flex solutions, banking software maker has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian State Government of Karnataka to build a Decision Support System (DSS) for the state's education department.  

i-flex's Center for Business Intelligence (CBI) is developing the DSS in two phases. The company has developed the DSS, which is helping the Karnataka State Quality Assessment Organisation (KSQAO), a part of the Department of Education in analysing the quality of education of around 19 lac children in 41,000 schools of the State. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, H. D. Kumaraswamy, has launched the 'Karnataka Schools towards Quality Education' programme on the basis of i-flex's DSS. i-flex is also planning to work with the Policy Planning Unit and e-Governance unit of the Education Department. DSS system shares the information on the assessment with all stakeholders, parents, teachers, communities and political representatives, to enable collective efforts to work towards quality education in the State.

Motorola signs MoU with IIIT-B in India on wireless solutions

Motorola Inc. has signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) to research solutions in India.

This joint venture will develop cutting-edge technology innovations and solutions, conduct research programmes and work on projects in designated fields of science and technology. This partnership will also enable Motorola to effectively utilise the results of the research efforts aimed at developing innovative wireless broadband solutions for emerging markets like India.

NIIT ties with IBM for research programmes in India

The National Institute of Technology-Karnataka in India has signed two MoUs with IBM for research and academic collaboration. 
 
Under the first MoU, NITK, IBM's Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) will develop technologies and capabilities of common interest and engage in collaborative research.  IBM will support NITK students and faculty to do their research in the areas of automatic computing, grid computing, deep computing, life sciences, databases and web services. Under the second MoU, corporate and institution will work together to create an 'IBM Open Power Systems Laboratory' for students and faculty of NITK. 

STMicroelectronics ties with Indian institutes to set up research labs

STMicroelectronics has tied up with BITS Pilani and IIT Delhi to set up research and innovation lab in BITS-Pilani and IIT Delhi in India.

The main objective of the partnership is to provide VLSI designing and embedded systems knowledge among students by undertaking research projects with involvement of faculty, students and ST representatives. The research area would be focused on analog and mixed-signal design in the area of VLSI, image speech pattern recognition, sensory organ modeling and digital data protection in algorithm research, along with generic IP blocks for embedded solutions. ST's lab would be equipped with necessary hardware, software tools and reference boards and technology parameters for successful execution of projects identified areas.

QUT partners with Microsoft to set up e-research centre

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia has partnered with Microsoft to open e-research centre. A US$2.13 million international e-research center will help scientist to measure climate change and assess the health of ecosystems.

The new Microsoft QUT e-research centre, will enable scientists to spend more time discovery and invention by automating the data processes that are necessary to their research. Microsoft Corp., QUT and the Queensland Government jointly fund the virtual lab.

project

Intel launches second phase 'Intel Teach Programme' in Morocco

Intel Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Education of Morocco to develop the second phase 'Intel Teach Programme'.

This professional development-training programme will provide appropriate information and communication technology, teacher training, relevant content and connectivity in the North African curriculum. MoE Morocco and Intel will train 3000 of the education pre-services teachers by using the localised Moroccan version of the Intel Teach training manuals. As a part of Intel's World Ahead Program, the company is investing more than US$1 billion worldwide in a broad new programme. The main aim of Intel Teach Programme is to help students develop the thinking skills they will need in order to participate and succeed in a knowledge-based economy. The programme also incorporates use of the Internet, Web page design, and student projects as vehicles to powerful learning.

Excelsoft sets e-learning subsidiary in Hyderabad in India

Excelsoft Technologies, Mysore based e-learning solutions provider announced that the company would set up its subsidiary in Hyderabad, India.  

The new subsidiary called Huper LDT will focus on corporate e-learning solutions and develop instructionally designed content. Huper LDT will create Simulations and mobile platform based content for cross-section of corporate employees including senior management, project managers, new entrants and sales force and marketing professionals. Huper LDT will also provide the back-end development for creating animations and provide e-learning content to the Middle East countries. Huper LDT has signed a deal with US based company, Xora to provide consulting services in the area of performance oriented curriculum design. Xora is a solution provider for tracking workforce through the mobile phones.  

Podcasting in classrooms

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Things are changing around us at a phenomenal pace in the new era. Today our students carry mobile phones, which are packed with a wide array of functions, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and MP3 players that are of the size of our index finger. One of the reasons we as educators need to change how we teach is because everything else around us has and we are desperately playing catch-up! In order for our education institutions not to be left behind, we need to stay relevant.

At Henderson, it is realised that in order to continue engaging our students effectively a transformation would need to take place. One such transformation involved experimenting with podcasting in the classroom. More experiences from Paviter Singh, Head, Humanities in Henderson Secondary School, Singapore.

What is a podcast

The first time our teachers heard the word podcast, they had no idea what it meant. The word is a blend of two terms, iPod and Broadcast. Contrary Why use Apple technology?

When we started this project with our students at Henderson Secondary School in Singapore, many teachers were skeptical. The students were very keen but the teachers needed to be convinced. Change always requires us to move out of our comfort zone and embrace something different.

We led by example. Leadership is an essential component of change management and we are fortunate at Henderson to have a supportive Principal and Vice Principal who gave us their wholehearted support. With their help, we went ahead with the podcast project. Our colleagues, along the way, realised how great an impact our lessons were having on the students and it was not long before more teachers were enquiring about podcasting and if they could learn how to create their own podcasts.

Over the course of 2006, the number of teachers who use Apple technology and are now creating their own podcasts has grown from one to eight. These eight teachers come from three different departments; namely English, Humanities and Aesthetics. Some of these teachers have been in the education service from between two to twenty years. Some are young, eager and quick learners while others are older, still eager and determined to learn fast. There is therefore no truth behind the tale that ICT is led by the young and innovation should be left to the fresh graduates.

The background to the project

At the heart of our podcast project was a deep desire to get our students to participate in our Social Studies lessons. We realised that the levels of motivation were dropping, students were not bringing their books and some were even dozing off during our lessons. We wanted to create lessons that would excite and engage our students. At the same time, we were acutely aware of the call to re-look, review and revisit our pedagogy and teaching practice coming from our Prime Minister and Education Minister in the form of two initiatives, Teaching School, Learning Nation and Teach Less, Learn More. Podcasting was one approach to addressing our challenges.

Beginning with the end in mind

One of the aims was to introduce a holistic approach to the teaching of Social Studies. We realised that many students did not do well in Social Studies because they had a poor command of English. Therefore any attempt at improving their scores in Social Studies had to begin by addressing their English ability. This is where podcasting was an excellent approach. Creating a podcast required students to first come up with their own script. Although they could search the Internet, locate resources and adapt from what they found, students would need to be able to pronounce what they chose to include in their script. This forced them to understand and learn the meaning of new words and phrases on their own. Students also had to take digital photos that corresponded with the words they were saying. They could then add hyperlinks to their research websites and or PDF files for reference.

We were also mindful of the different learning styles of our students. Usually our lessons and teaching programmes might not catered to the kinesthetic and visual spatial abilities of our students. This needed to change to accommodate how best our students learnt. Podcasting was interactive. Students needed to search for resources on the Internet, discuss with each other what to include, take photos, read out loud, be expressive, listen to their recordings, listen to music and at last pull all of these together into a podcast.

Students Perspective
Podcasting is so much better than doing PowerPoint presentations! It’s more interactive. I get to record my voice and even insert pictures. It’s almost like creating my own documentary.

Progress with the project The project that began focused on one topic in the Social Studies syllabus. The topic that was selected was one which students dreaded studying and occupied more than thirty pages of the textbook. It had multiple case studies and involved several events and names. At the beginning, students were briefed on their lesson objectives that were: to form their own opinions and perspectives; to present their findings in an innovative way and to take ownership of their own learning  After the briefing, students were grouped into teams of two. They then had to select their project title and begin research. In order to prevent students from being buried in, they were given a set of guidelines as to what they needed to look for. The entire set of briefing slides were put online. These can be viewed at  http://www.pavitersingh.com/ humanpod. The set of guidelines as well as a template for students to use in coming up with their script was also put online. The project website was created so that students could refer to the material and resources at any time without having to approach the teacher. This was one way in which they were encouraged to take ownership of their own learning. Once students completed their research, they needed to sign up for “time slots” to record their scripts. To
get around this, we arranged for 3-4 teams of students to use the computers at any one time after official school hours. We explained to the entire class how recordings were created using Garage Band (a programme in iLife 06) and let them experiment and do it on their own.  This autonomy was a test for the students. They were being left on their own and needed to fulfill a task, which had set them. Once the teams had done their recordings, these were saved as MP3 files. It was only then, during the next session that the entire class gathered to compile their digital images, hyperlinks and audio recordings to form a podcast. This session took between 1-2 hours. The final products are available online and have become a resource for other teachers and students who study that topic. After the project with one class, the same project was repeated with other classes and a total of 150 students went through this programme.

Teacher Created Podcasts The student podcast project was successful that my students asked me to podcast my lessons and makes them available as revision notes and study guides. Taking up their suggestions, I created, close to 50 podcasts of Social Studies lessons, which are available, online for all students and teachers to download. I am glad to say that more than two hundred students have visited the website and downloaded these podcasts.  Podcasting in English and Art!  Since the Social Studies Podcastproject, the English and Art teachers in our school have begun to create their own podcasts of lessons and are using these as teaching resources to be shared among teachers. According  o them, it helps to ease the preparation load as well as guides beginning teachers who might not be as familiar with regards to the teaching methodology

A clarion call!

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Global trends over the past several decades have profound implications for educational reform and the use of technology there in. The convergence of these trends has created significant opportunities and also enormous challenges. New knowledge and the use of new technologies have resulted in a way of living, which was unimaginable few decades ago. These converging trends have put tremendous stress on educational systems responsible for preparing society for the future with change. In the face of these trends, countries are confronted with the need to rethink their educational systems in order to prepare the community for the global progress, and to assure that the community will benefit equitably from this growth. To participate in this change and growth the education community needed to respond to an unbounded 21 century skills to use their knowledge to think critically, to collaborate, to communicate, to solve problems, to create, and to continue to learn.

A major focus of this magazine is on the same, the change and growth process that talks about the utilisation of responsive and localised ICT for the empowerment of education communities. Now is the time to think about the future. Now is the time for breakthroughs!

This issue of the magazine has been able to gather some such breakthroughs as the outcome of the provocative report of the Digital Learning Asia 2007 conference happened in February in Malaysia. The report is meant to inspire the entire education community to rethink and revitalize the Asian ICT and education agenda available so far.

Time is right to enter a new phase in the integration of ICT in the Asian society. We have moved away from a technology-push approach and have emphasised the importance of now better reaping the benefits of ICT. Today, we are better connected than ever. But how can we use these connections to reach our goals? How should we transform the processes of production and distribution of knowledge and ideas to embed ICT in an effective way? How can we make a successful transition to a network economy and a knowledge-based society?

We have presented this report to start the discussion about the future of Asian ICT and education agenda. It is necessary to take account of today’s paradigm and proven best practices in an international setting to achieve the best results in the future. We are sure that this issue will be insightful and raise crucial questions that need to be answered to mainstream ICTs in education in all spheres of life.

Europe

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Europe's leading e-Learning and mobile learning content management solutions (LCMS) vendor, Giunti Labs has been selected for an European project, Enhanced Learning Unlimited (ELU). < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

The main aim of the ELU project is to develop innovative TV learning solutions. The project is focused on educational as well as technical aspects of the possibilities of t-Learning. A new module of Giunti Labs' learn eXact LCMS platform, eXact TV, has just been announced to make SCORM contents delivered and tracked on Set Top Boxes, and will be used for the ELU project. One of the focus areas is a game based t-Learning application. ELU project is connecting ten European Universities and Broadcasters, including Ben Gurion University, University of Ljubljana, Hradec Kralove, Riga and Czech Television to provide t-Learning content among students. 

Word Bank report: Nigeria not utilises e-Learning programmes

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

The World Bank report shows that Nigeria is not utilising e-Learning methods for effective and coordinated delivery of programmes. Nigeria is not properly utilising open and open and distance-learning education programmes.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

According to the Bank report, distance learning is widespread at the time of the report but it not coordinated and limited to tertiary education programmes. Although many universities have developed the e-Learning programmes, yet they have not utilised e-Learning programmes properly. Under this report, only few ICT opportunities in teaching curricula existed as well as little development of ICT-based teaching and learning resources.  The absence of comprehensive ICT education policy is responsible for the un-coordinated and limited provision of ICT to post-basic education institutions in the country.

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