Thursday, December 25, 2025
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 407

Mapping digitization through learning

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Dr. Madhu Chitkara

Chitkara University encouraged students, parents and other stakeholders to remain active through various online modes says Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, Punjab in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many sectors to shift their bases online including education, where numerous schools and colleges have started teaching their students through online platforms all across the world. In India, however, when most of the educational institutions were in search of alternate way of teaching, Chitkara University was equipped with its own initiative “Online Chitkara University” for giving on-line sessions on streaming, trending and state-of-art topics to the students to support their educational and employability skills. Sometimes these sessions were planned as a series of hands-on sessions. Experts from outside were invited to give industry perspectives on emerging new normal. At times, simulations packages were run online for giving insights into a complex topic. Very many cases of team teaching could be witnessed in these live seminars, thus benefitting the students multifold.

To start with, all departments at the university uploaded complete calendar for the online classes. This was done to save the students getting overwhelmed with too much coming their way. For live turorial sessions, the varasity used GotoWebinar, Zoom and Microsoft platforms. Live tutorial sessions / lectures were then planned in line with already announced time-table for the online university. Prior to this, live training sessions were given to students and faculty members for their complete preparedness. The students were incentivized to ask questions during these sessions and if they took part in online discussions. These sessions were recorded and the recorded sessions were available as the repository for the students. An administrative policy was framed and announced for safe use of IT infrastructure.

A year back, when the concept of team teaching was introduced at the University, they started recording the lectures of some excellent teachers. These recorded lectures came in handy when the Online University initiative was launched. These, along with other prerecorded lectures from the MOOC platforms such as NPTEL, Swayam, Coursera, Udacity were used to evolve blended learning models. Pre recorded lectures were also used to set up flipped classes, where students attended the online class after seeing the video lectures, and the synchronous session was conducted for fruitful discussion based on the lecture. The flipped approach witnessed an increase in the engagement of the students.

“We realized that in addition to webinars, and one way seminars, the students needed to engage in one-to-one sessions with the faculty members – especially to clear their doubts. These sessions were named as doubt-sessions. Besides these doubt sessions, other one- to-one sessions included conducting viva voce and other formative assessments to gauze the engagement levels of the students”, said Dr Madhu Chitkara Pro Chancellor, Chitkara University.

Structured feedback practices were introduced to take feedback on the online sessions. The survey was conducted in two modes – filling of online forms and the other in online one-to-one sessions. The questions were included to guaze the students understanding of ease of use of technology, ease of understating of online-material, and overall feedback on other online sessions. Sometimes these feedback sessions were conducted in small groups. Another purpose of these sessions was to mentor them and counsel them, if the students struggled with any psychological issues due to home confinement. The teachers also gave them feed back on their online performance.

During this pandemic when most of the Universities and HEIs were closed, Chitkara University encouraged their students, parents and other stakeholders to remain active through online mode. The University’s timely investment in IT infrastructure supported this move and as a result most of the students were able to complete their internship through online mode with collaborating industry partner.

Also read: Chitkara University, only University from Punjab to make place in THE Impact Rankings 2020

Chitkara University started the new online “Explore” series of lectures and interactions with eminent personalities Chetan Bhagat, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, mythologist and illustrator Devdutt Pattanaik and many illustrious speakers addressed the students and staff. Thanks to the rebust IT infrastructure of the University.

Chitkara University has added many achievements in its list:

1. Chitkara University is the only university from North India to feature in the top list of the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2020 and ranked 59th rank globally in SDG- 07: Affordable & Clean Energy. Apart from SDG7, the university was able to secure good positions in other SDGs also, 101-200 in SDG5: Gender equality, 201-300 in SDG09: Industry, Innovation and infrastructure and SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities for development for making progress in ‘social impact’ aligned with the UN’s sustainable development goals.

2. Chitkara University was recognized as first Indian university for E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitization (E-LEAD) Certification from QS IGAUGE, the Indian arm of global rankings and ratings agency Quacquarelli Symonds for its readiness & excellence in online education.

3. Chitkara University was the only University from India to have made it to the top 8 finalists for the category – ‘Technological Innovation of the Year’ for the prestigious Times Higher Education Asia Awards 2020. Touted as the “Oscars in Higher Education”, in which 150 globally renowned institutions across 30 Asian territories participated, Chitkara University proudly announced achieving this milestone, third in line this year, among the league of top recognitions and rankings it has bagged thus far.

4. Chitkara University was ranked in top 100 universities by NIRF with 38th rank in Pharmacy and 75th rank in Management.

Chitkara University, Punjab has been very active in supporting its five adopted villages and distributed ration packets amongst the families of Jhansla village who could not provide for themselves in this lockdown. Apart from this, “the university has supported more than 1 Crore Rupees to PM Care Fund, CM Relief Fund, District Administration and Corona warriors through cash and kind. The New generation Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (NewGen IEDC) supported by DST, GoI at Chitkara University is also making face shields and cloth masks for onward distribution to front line corona warriors. “It is our responsibility support the national fight against COVID 19, in all possible ways”, said Dr. Archana Mantri, Vice Chancellor, Chitkara University, Punjab.

Another major initiative in the line is Radio Chitkara FM 107.8, only radio station in India and world now, broadcasting round the clock programmes on Corona awareness for the community in the region including five adopted villages of Chitkara University in Punjab state since last week of March 2020. Radio Chitkara identified immediately that the priority was to disseminate information regarding spread of coronavirus, its symptoms, and possible preventive measures to be taken by the public for avoiding community transmission in India.

Ever since initiative was taken by Radio Chitkara, the response from the audience (Patiala District, Mohali District in Punjab and Ambala Cantt District of Haryana) has been great to the station. 24 x 7 ongoing transmission within a diameter of 15 kms covering three political constituencies has reached more than 1.5 million listeners through terrestrial transmission.

State government’s efforts for people during the Corona crisis are highlighted and do’s and don’ts to stop Coronavirus is played again and again in radio to reinforce the habit among the audience. The spots of central, state government on Covid-19 is also played in between programmes so that information can reach to listeners in crisp form.

Efforts of Radio Chitkara are fully supported by Chitkara University Leadership Team. Recently, Chitkara University Chancellor Dr. Ashok K. Chitkara and Pro Chancellor Dr. Madhu Chitkara have declared funding support of Rs. 1 Crore (more than hundred thousand US Dollars) through CURIN (Chitkara University Research and Innovation – Centre of Excellence) for NOVATE+2020 which was the biggest platform in the region where innovative project ideas from all over the country were showcased to find the solutions for problems arising because of the pandemic.

COVID-19 Effect: A change in Higher Education

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Aditya Berlia

Most colleges are not looking to open properly until the end of the year, and many in the United States, Europe, Australia and Canada are even considering waiting till early next year, says Aditya Berlia, Co-Founder and Pro Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

The Covid-19 pandemic in many ways will completely change how higher education is delivered and received. With an economic contraction across the world now more than ever people will require better credentials to take up 21st Century jobs. Regulators as well have been jolted and progressive ideas long left dormant or thought not possible will become available. It remains to be seen if this will lead to lasting reform or if they will try to bounce back to old outdated ways as soon as possible.

At the same time, we will witness in the next years the greatest number of closures and bankruptcies of institutions across the world. In India, particularly there has been an oversupply of education institutions which have not been set up with the right intention or foundation.

Covid-19 has lifted the veil of many even “well known” institutions which kept insisting on their marketing materials they were “innovative” and “world-class” but struggled even to deliver simple online learning through video conferences.

Also read: COVID-19: Delhi govt teachers demand better safety measures

Apeejay Stya University and Colleges were lucky on that note to have been able to in a few days start full online classes with the entire timetable and even conduct examinations without pause. It is the testament to grit and training of professors and administrators to have been able to stand up to the challenge presented.

For students who were looking at foreign education over the next year, it will be a challenge. Most colleges are not looking to open properly until the end of the year, and many in the United States, Europe, Australia and Canada are even considering waiting till early next year. Now is the time to search for local options that can give excellent foundations with an international academic system that allows easy transfers in the second year and beyond.

There shall also be a job crisis which will cause countries to pare down their acceptance of immigrants and work permits will be hard to come by for several years.

It is essential thus for students to ensure they can gain practical experience through not only traditional internships and projects but also through freelance work. Those who are able to use this valuable time to bolster their CV will stand apart from other graduates as well as even older candidates demonstrating their adaptability to the situation.

The good news is students who are just entering college will enter a better more robust job market two to four years from now, but the skills required would be fundamentally different.

It is therefore vital to focus on an education that encourages through a demonstrated system lifelong learning empowering students to face dramatic changes in the world with confidence.

Picking the correct institution, therefore, is more important than ever and students and their parents who embark on this journey should look beyond the facade of marketing and truly try and understand how the academic system and design of their course will allow them to reach their true potential and meet their aspirations.

Higher Education in the times of COVID-19

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Anup K Singh

The Higher Educational Institutions have to develop innovative strategies to distribute students into small groups and engage them in various academic processes says Anup K Singh, Director General, Nirma University, Ahmedabad in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

A pandemic like COVID-19 occurs only once in several centuries. Unfortunately, when it happens, it disrupts the human life drastically. It stuns and stupefies people at large and leaves them helpless and hopeless. In addition, it changes economic, social, political, and developmental paradigms prevalent in the different parts of the world. Today the humanity is caught unaware and scrambling for finding effective survival and growth strategies. What are the answers to long-term challenges posed by this pandemic?

The future of the human race depends largely on high quality education and health. Education is the spirit of the mind, whereas health provides the elixir to the body.

Higher education – like several economic and social activities – has suffered severely from COVID-19. Teaching and examination activities have been hampered. There is no telling when regular academic activities will ensue. Admission processes are delayed. Most unfortunately, placements of students have either slowed down or revoked, creating despair and dismay for the youth.

Also read: Santhosh Ram Chary: COVID-19 can make e-learning go viral

Peter Drucker – the foremost management thinker – is attributed to have said that the modern university is a relic and will disappear soon. His prediction did not prove true for many decades. Nevertheless, the modern university is poised to get its new Avtar. Higher education has been affected by the corona pandemic in three ways. Firstly, higher education professionals have realised the inevitability of online education. Previously, classroom learning and online learning were like water and oil, and they hardly mixed. Online learning has now been found a valuable tool that is going to stay in higher education forever. On- campus teaching and online teaching are meeting and merging like never before. Of course, many efforts are required to make this conflating more effective. Better communication and information technologies are needed; teachers need to be trained to optimise the online teaching-learning process; students have to be more efficient self-learners; and, governments are required to change the regulations to facilitate higher education institutions (HEIs) in enhancing their impact.

Secondly, the HEIs have to develop innovative strategies to distribute students into small groups (say 30 and below) and engage them in various academic processes. Thus, we are heading towards a paradoxical situation. While students will attend online lectures in large groups (say 100 to 500), they would also do other academic activities (tutorials, lab work, simulation, career development, etc.) in numerous small groups. It implies that the HEIs have to invest massively in equipment, facilities and production of digital learning materials. In the future, learning would not be counted in terms of class credits – the clock hours that students spend in the classroom – but in terms of learning credits – the hours the students engage in learning units.

Thirdly, examinations and assessments have to be redefined and be treated as learning. There will be a greater need for more assessments, so that learning is assured. At the same time, it cannot be – and should not be – a source of stress. It has to be as natural and smooth as learning.

A new paradigm will emerge – slowly and steadily. Sense making and agility will assist academics in developing the new paradigm of higher education. It also implicates that various HEIs must collaborate together and design new teaching methods, redefine and rework assessment techniques, and plan and develop new modes of learning. Long back, Lord Buddha presciently observed: Only change is permanent.

UPSC releases interview schedule for Civil Service Examination

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
UPSC releases interview schedule

Amid Coronavirus pandemic, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced UPSC Civil Service Examination (CSE) 2019 interview schedule. The Commission is to resume the interview process form July 20, onwards and the process will continue till July, 30, 2020.

The UPSC will interview 624 candidates.

The UPSC will be conduct the interview in two shifts i.e. first in the forenoon from 9:00 AM and the other in the afternoon from 13:00 PM. The marks obtained in the UPSC CSE interview will be considered for preparing the final merit list along with the marks of the mains examination.

Also read: UPSC declares IFS marks for non-recommended aspirants

The UPSC CSE 2020 prelims exam has been rescheduled to be conducted on October, 4, 2020 due to the ongoing COVID 19 crisis.

Around more than 60 candidates will be interviewed each day by the UPSC.

Steps to check interview schedule:

-Visit the UPSC website – upsc.gov.in

-Search for the UPSC CSE 2019 interview schedule link

-Details of the interview like roll number, day, date and time

-Search roll number

AICTE urges students, teachers to celebrate International Yoga Day on social platforms

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
AICTE International Yoga Day

In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has urged students, teachers to celebrate ‘International Yoga Day’ by posting videos of doing yoga on social media platforms.

Regarding the issue, the council has released a press release where it has asked everyone to practice yoga keeping in mind the social distancing norm. It has also asked people to pursue Yoga from their home and use social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to show the skill without moving out of your home.

AICTE has decided to issue internal guidelines to motivate teachers to use online platforms to encourage Yoga and activities like lectures, workshops, and online training sessions.

Also read: AICTE requests universities to allow 20 pc credit transfers through Swayam

Diksha Platform can be used as a dedicated Yoga channel.

The Ministry of Ayush has already launched the campaign ‘Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family’ for this year’s International Yoga Day a few days back and has asked everyone to participate in it by sending videos to them.

UPSC declares IFS marks for non-recommended aspirants

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
UPSC declares IFS result

In a major development, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the marks of non-recommended candidates for Indian Forest Services, 2019. The marks are released on its official website.

The prelims exam of UPSC IFS was conducted on June 2, 2019 while mains exam was conducted from December 1 to 8, 2019 in offline mode. UPSC had released the final result of UPSC IFS 2019 on March 3 at its official website.

UPSC has released the details of candidates for the other employers to enable them to identify good employable candidates. The other details includes candidate name, roll number, date of birth, educational qualification, marks secured, address and email ID.

Also read: UPSC NDA II 2020 registration begins today

UPSC conducts Indian Forest Services’ exam every year across the country for the recruitment of candidates as officers to manage forest and land records in the country. UPSC IFS 2020 examination will be conducted to fill approximately 90 vacancies.

MAPPING DIGITIZATION THROUGH LEARNING

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-

Results for JNVST 6th and 9th Class released

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
JNVST 6th and 9th Class result

Following the suit of other boards and schools, the Navodaya Vidyalya Sangathan (NVS) has declared JNVST Result 2020 for both 6th and 9th Class students. The NVS declared the selection result for Jawahar Navodaya Vidayalaya Selection Test (JNVST) through which students are selected for lateral entry into JNV Schools across the country.

Results were announced on its official website- navodaya.gov.in.

The entry test for admission to Class 6 and Class 9 of JNVST was held in the months of January and February 2020 respectively. The JNVST Admission Test Results 2020 has been delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Also read: Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti Admission 2020: Class 9 admit card released

Steps to check the results-

-Visit official website-navodaya.gov.in

-Click on relevant link for Class 6 and Class 9 Results

-Put exam roll number and other details

-Submit them on the portal

-Result will be displayed on the screen

 

Significance of parental and teacher guidance during impressionable adolescence

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Mr Vinod Malhotra

One of the most interesting age-segments in the life span of all of us, undeniably, is 10-15 years, when most of the school-going children are studying in classes ranging from 5th to 9th. Much has been written about the toddlers and young children in the age group 1-8 years. Parents and child psychologists seem to spend more time in tending and researching this age-group for several reasons, and one of them happens to be a general perception of fragility in the physical and cognitive context.

In comparative terms much less has been written or commented upon the age band, most of us associate with adolescence. This is indeed, a very interesting stage because it marks the transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood.

The etymology of the word adolescence lies in the Latin word ‘adolescere’, which means ‘to grow up’. It is also a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood, which is the age of majority. Adolescent is sometime used to describe young people who are no longer children but have not yet become adults. It also refers to their behaviour. English language often equates adolescence with synonyms like immature, teen juvenile etc.

Also read: Teachers Getting Trained to Become Techno-Savvy

Several physiological changes keep happening, from the time an infant is born, but these take place in a very protected environment where figuratively speaking, every step taken by a child is guided. There is also a pronounced change/growth that is visible in the physio-musculoskeletal frame of a child which is essential for the development of his physical strength, motor and kinaesthetic skills. For example a baby has 300 bones and by the time he grows into adulthood he is left with 206. By the time a child reaches the age of 10 years, he manages to gain a smart control in areas such as physical growth and development, thinking and reasoning, emotional and social development, language development and sensory and motor development. Much of the foundational work of the child growth is done by now and he is now ready to take-off on a faster trajectory of growth on all fronts.

Child psychologists never tire of saying that much of what we are is done in the first 8-10 years of our existence. There is indeed, enormous truth in this statement, but much remains to be done yet in the next 6-7 years, and that is where we need to focus our attention.

Ironically, an adolescent is not too young to be kept under a watchful eye, nor is he too old to be treated as an adult. He is somewhere in between, and largely seeks answers to many questions on his own, that arise in his not-yet fully grown neural system. This is also the age when very distinct and perceptible changes are happening in his physiological structure. The hormonal disruptions, heaviness in his voice, growth of hair on hitherto soft skin, are all visible signs of the transition. He also experiences gender differences, sexuality in a soft and subtle manner. These are new experiences, partly weird and partly pleasant, and he is yet to come to terms with them. The parallel experiences for girls is however traumatic and both adolescent boy and girl desperately need someone to confide in. They need a confidant who helps them understand, does not laugh at them nor frightens or confuses them. The respective parents are perhaps the best allies in such situations. Sometimes children hesitate to open up, and it is the responsibility of the parents to engage them in a mature conversation and disabuse their minds from all fears and give a clear perspective.

More than the physiological changes, something more profound is going on inside the adolescent’s mind and intellect, which is far more subtle, strong and yet completely invisible. His cognitive capabilities are on a rise and these are on an exponential trajectory. He starts developing logical reasoning, analytical abilities and begins to understand right from wrong. A few years prior to this stage he was always told and he seldom questioned. In fact, these became embedded in his sub-conscious and substantially influenced his habits, reflexes and some of the negative emotions which he may have sub-consciously acquired during the observational phase of his early childhood. He can tell right from wrong but perhaps does not fully understand the consequences of either action.

But this stage is very critical and deserves to be observed by parents and teachers from a very close quarters. His intellect is developing but is very sharp. Most importantly, it is yet not contaminated with externalities of any kind. It is raw, virgin and intensely productive. He is not yet stressed up unlike his seniors studying in classes 10 onwards who are carrying an unusually heavy burden of Board examinations, competitions. Adolescent has not even made a choice of what he or she wants to do. This is the right time to bring in all elements of intellectual stimuli with respect to critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication and put them on a track of higher order thinking. On the academic front he is most receptive at this phase and teachers will do well to spend time in creating concept clarity, develop scientific temper and create opportunities of experiential learning.

This is also a dangerous age when a child is extremely impressionable. It is easy for him to get carried away by the glitter or temptations of the world to which he has better access now. The peer group influence, company of friends from varied backgrounds, desire to try out new things, especially those that are forbidden have the potential to lead him astray. Again this is the age where children need their parents the most and parents should develop requisite knowledge and sensitivity to spend adequate time with them. Although, there is no straitjacketed approach to this, but mother with daughters, and fathers with sons, and combination of profound love and affection from both of them will create great individuals and strengthen unbreakable family bonds.

(By- Vinod Malhotra, Advisor, Seth Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions)

Telangana Board declares TS inter results 2020

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
TS inter 1st and 2nd year results 2020

Providing relief to students, Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education has declared TS inter 1st year results 2020 and 2nd year results 2020. Students can check their results www.bie.telangana.gov.in. or tsbie.cgg.gov.in on official site.

Students can check their results by entering their roll number and other details.

Telangana Board conducted the Intermediate exams from March 4 to 21, 2020 and June 3, 2020.

Also read: Telangana Board to declare results for 12th Class, check on bie.telangana.gov.in

Around 8 lakh students have appeared in the TS Inter 2nd year exams 2020. The exams were conducted from February 28 to March 18. This year, TSBIE delayed the TS 2020 inter 2nd year results due to lockdown across the country.

Steps to check the TS inter 1st year results 2020 and 2nd year results 2020:

  • Visit the official website results.cgg.gov.in and tsbie.cgg.gov.in
  • Click on TS inter 2020 1st year results link or 2nd year results link
  • Enter the student’s hall ticket number in the text field.
  • Click on the ‘Submit’ button.
  • TS inter 1st year results 2020 or 2nd year results will be displayed on the screen.

Last year, Telangana Inter Results were declared on April 18 and the overall pass percentage was 59.8% for 1st year and 65% for 2nd year. More than 9 lakh students appeared for the TS inter exams.

1...406407408...1,754Page 407 of 1,754

LATEST NEWS

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

© Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.