LEADERS SPEAK
50th issue special
IT Enabled Education: A Road Map to Fruitful Learning www.jilit.co.in
IT to the teaching learning process is disconnected with access to it. Access in our country with nearly two lac government secondary schools will continue to depend on investment by government in the area of technology and further it dependence on availability to the teachers.
Sunita Joshi Director, JIL Information Technology Ltd
Giving education a global perspective is a concern now, what do you have to say on this? This is a competitive world. Therefore, the education system in any country should be able to develop skills and intellect of students to compete at global level. For this the use of latest technology is a must and there is an urgent need to integrate IT with education to fulfil this need. Do you think that advanced application of IT enabled teachinglearning process will open the way of seamless access to it? As far as the IT application in teaching learning is concerned, no doubt the pedagogy is getting transformed, and the learner is being facilitated by more advanced means of communication of information. Yet, this change is putting pressure on all too constantly acquire and apply new skills. Application of 48
www.digitalLEARNING.in
According to you, what are the challenges being faced by the education sector currently in introducing ICT and online application as a whole? The key issue is to ensure availability to the economically challenged section of our society. Internet penetration in India as per statistics available is 81,000,000 Internet users as of Nov/08, 7.0% per ITU and that of education is much below the internet penetration figures. Especially in India and countries where education still hasn’t reached all and where the basics facilities vis-à-vis infrastructure, resources are lacking. The priority will have to be fixed in such a way that it does not create a wide gap but bridges the prevailing gaps and creates opportunities for those made most vulnerable by globalisation. What are specific products in the teaching-learning solutions in information and communication technology innovated by JIL Information Technology Limited? Some of our solutions/ products for the teaching-learning segment are: Bhartiyavidya – India’s First Digital Classroom Teaching Aid. A pioneering endeavour offering high quality, well researched digital content, adaptable to any syllabi. It’s an ingenious programme which increases and accelerates students’ interest in the subjects. Qgenie - A web enabled question paper generator solution for Teachers, Tutors, Parents, Students, Schools and Coaching Institutes.
Power Class – JILIT provides complete turnkey solutions to schools. Online Test – – A web based unique software solution designed with an objective of eliminating paper based exams and associated costs. Our solutions have been customised to lessen the burden of the teachers, they are user friendly and allow the teachers to control the pace of teaching based on their understanding of the learner. Could you please tell us about the collaborative partnerships that JILIT is currently holding? JILIT has been awarded ISO 27001:2005 and ISO 9001:2000 Certifications and today it is partnering with leading IT companies such as IBM & CISCO. The company has set up and operates the largest private network of VSAT’s and mix of terrestrial links in Northern India. In an effort to improve on technology and look at new products available across the globe JILIT has moved on to collaborating with MNCs in order to make education accessible to all. We have ventured into collaborations with organisations in South East Asia and in South Africa. Please give us an idea of Corporate Social Responsibility that the group is taking forward to ensure access and quality in education. Education ignites motivation to do better and move up the social strata triggering all round growth in all spheres of society. The education initiative of the Group is undertaken through Jaiprakash Sewa Sansthan, a ‘not-for-profit trust’. JSS is not just helping children, but also encouraging adult education with prime focus on strong careers and employment. “By 2014, we are committed to touch lives of two lac students to ensure the well-being of greater numbers”. \\