Content goes DIGITAL : July 2006 Issue

The monthly publication on ICT and Education for Asia and the Middle East

Volume II Issue 7 July 2006

ISSN 0973-4139

www.digitalLEARNING.in

Content goes

Digital

Localising e-Content Vartalaap for Virtual Classroom System PAGE 36

School Tracks DAV School Experience PAGE 36

Practitioners voice: Shyam Shankar Prasad Jharkhand State Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan PAGE 41 FORTHCOMING EVENTS 23-25 August 2006

e-Content for e-Learning: A Spotlight PAGE 6

Contents

Verbatim

Volume II Issue 7, July 2006

Wisdom starts with wonder. Learning happens through gentleness.

Socrates If you study to remember, you will forget, but, If you study to understand, you will remember.

Unknown For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.

Richard P. Feynman I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind!

Unknown

Cover Story

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e-Content for e-Learning A Spotlight

School Track

36

DAV School Experience Divya Joshi

India Statescan

40 Jharkhand Education on the Fast Track Practitioner’s voice: Shyam Shankar Prasad, State Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Syed S Kazi

Content Focus e-content 15 Localising Vartalaap for Virtual Classroom

Regulars

System Supriya N. Pal

Conference Report

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Euro-Southeast Asia 2006 Co-operation Forum on ICT 19-20 June 2006, Singapore

18

Managing e-Content Instructor-Student Centric e-Learning Management System F. H. Choo & R.K.L. Gay

e-Content 21 Recognising Electrophoresis e-lab project Hilmi Quraishi

27

Accessing e-Content At the Cross-Roads of Wireless Network Facilitated Learning Pasi Malinen & jussi Puhakainen

42

Asia Commons: The Asian Conference on Digital Commons 6-8 June 2006, Bangkok, Thailand

10 12 30 34 44 45 46

News India News Asia News Carporate News World On the Web Bookshelf Mark Your Calendar

Upfront

32

Vivek Agarwal CEO, Liqvid

digital Learning invites authors We invite editorial contributions from our readers in the field of Digital Learning. While no guarantee is made or implied, we will make every effort to incorporate all views and experiences in the relevant issues so as to better serve the ICT and Education community at large.

Please be sure to read and follow the Editorial Guidelines above. Note that contributions may be edited for space and/or clarity. Unsolicited manuscripts and artwork will not be returned.

Editorial guidelines Digital Learning contains articles and features on the theme of “ICT and Education” and related issues. Authors are requested to follow the following guidelines while sending their articles to Digital Learning. a. Articles should not exceed 2,000 words. For book/ website/ conference reviews, the word limit is 1000. Longer articles will be considered only in exceptional cases. b. Articles/ reviews can be sent through email as an attachment or through post, typed in Times New Roman, 10 point. c. Relevant figures/ tables/ photographs should be sent. Hard copies of submitted photographs should be of high quality in a recommended size of 5 inches by 7 inches. Soft copies of imagery should be scanned at 300dpi at a minimum width of 4 inches. d. Passport size photographs and brief biodata of the author(s) must be enclosed with the article. e. For bookshelf contributions, please mention the title, name of the author/s, publisher/s, year of publication, price, number of pages and a high quality photograph of the cover. Books on Digital Learning related themes published from the year 2000 onwards are preferable. f. We are keen to cover conference/ workshop/ seminar reviews. Please mention the theme, venue, date, and name of the organiser, if you are reporting about an event. Please send photographs of the conference/workshop/ seminar. The conference held in the past two months of the forthcoming issue will be preferred. g. The Editor reserves the right to reject, edit and adjust articles in order to conform to the magazine’s format.

All correspondence should be addressed to: The Editor, Digital Learning G-4, Sector-39, Noida, India Tel +91-120-2502180 to 87 Fax +91-120-2500060 Email info@digitalLEARNING.in

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Next issue: Network of Schools Integrating ICTs into Education System YOUR SAY Congratulations for the good works being done by you and your organisation for promotion of use of technology especially in the field of education. I enjoy reading a few pages of the magazine “digital Learning” brought out by you.

Your magazine will be very useful for all, who like to know what is happening in ICT for education.

Keep up the good work.

O.N. Singh Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti Honestly, I am very excited to see a magazine on Digital Learning.

The issues taken up time-to-time are really contemporary. The issue on emerging technology is just wonderful and I can’t wait to read it once more.

The only suggestion I would like to make here is to propagate more and more success stories, on more ‘how tos’; if this link can be created that would bring a really wonderful result.

Vivek Agarwal CEO, Liqvid

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

digital LEARNING Volume II, issue 7 July 2006 President M P Narayanan Editor Ravi Gupta Editorial Consultant Jayalakshmi Chittoor Sr. Assistant Editor Rumi Mallick Sr. Research Associate Manjushree Reddy Research Associate Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastav Designed by Bishwajeet Kumar Singh Web Zia Salahuddin, Ramakant Sahu Editorial and marketing correspondence digital LEARNING G-4 Sector 39 NOIDA 201301, India Phone +91 120 2502181-87 Fax +91 120 2500060 Email info@digitalLEARNING.in Group directors Maneesh Prasad, Sanjay Kumar Printed by Yashi Media Works Pvt Ltd New Delhi, India digital LEARNING does not neccesarily subscribe to the views expressed in this publication. All views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors. digital LEARNING is not responsible or accountable for any loss incurred, directly or indirectly as a result of the information provided.

Editorial Content is King!

Successful learning requires effective and engaging learning content. Today one of the biggest challenges to the successful learning through ICTs is the lack of relevant e-Content. e-Content or ICT-based content are education and instruction content in the digitized or electronic form. Today the definition of e-Content has expanded to include all learning aids that can be delivered through the various ICTs tools– computer, radio, television, PDA, mobile phones and other. .

Though the definition of e-Content has broadened, the availability of this content, both online and offline, computer-based or radio-based, still remains a challenge for most developing countries. While the challenge of availability of relevant e-Content is perpetual, the availability of this content does not necessarily assure access to this content. Again, there is a general lack of knowledge and awareness about existing and available content. There have been very few initiatives to map the existing content and even fewer researches to integrate the available content into a national ICT in education initiative.

The challenges do not end here. Experts argue that in the top ten inhibitors to the use of ICT in education, the first two would be language and cost. This is true for e-Content too. Again, management of this content, making the same available and sharable to a number of users, understanding the intellectual property issues of content and finding alternatives, and most important learning content to be in line with the education objectives of the country, are just some of the challenges that need to be addressed, if learning through ICTs are to be made effective.

In this respect, the role of national and international networks assumes great importance. The Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) has initiated the creation of a web-portal that will make available a critical mass of educational content to the education community especially teachers and practitioners. In India, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, and IIT, Kharagpur is developing a multi modal participatory content repository for the education of rural children.

There is a need to develop standards following which the right e-learning content can be created and another set of guidelines that can help policy-makers and practitioners to evaluate content to ensure that it meets the pre-defined educational objectives and identifies key strengths or gaps. Tools need to be developed that will help developing countries access education content. There is also a need for a clear ICT in Education policy that promotes and guides the creation of relevant ICT-based content.

digital LEARNING is published in technical collaboration with GIS Development (www.GISdevelopment.net)

In this issue of Digital Learning, we are pleased to bring the perspectives on e-Content, and in an upcoming issue we will be focussing on the policy framework in ICT in Education. Do look out for our special thematic issues and the upcoming conference specials in the next few months.

Š Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies 2006

Ravi Gupta Editor Ravi.Gupta@csdms.in

Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

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Cover Story

e-Content for e-Learning A Spotlight Sy ed S Kazi [SYEDSKAZI@GMAIL.COM], Digital Empowerment Foundation, India Syed

e-Content today is mostly viewed as a way to preserve and carry forward cultural or historical heritage, to disseminate lifestyle, scientific, educational and business information in some digitalised format, or to provide some interactive service to users. However, even today one of the greatest challenges of integrating ICT in education is a lack of adequate e-Content. e-Content or ICT-based content, as it is commonly called is the core of any single or multimedia application for education.

Today the development of e-Content for e-Learning is at various stages of development and application.

Countries and societies are on continuous drives to make a viable platform for e-Learning through effective and utility based content structure and delivery.

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July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

W

e are living in a world today where application of ICT has become a modern day necessity in various spheres of activities ranging from livelihood, entertainment, science to education, health and environment. The fact is our living perspectives have drastically changed in all critical areas through ICT involvement and use. In this the use of Internet and latest technological innovations are ruling the roost in deciding our taste and necessity in all diverse areas. Elearning is one such vital segment that has come up wholeheartedly to mould the learning modules and mechanisms not only in academic terms but also in other areas of practical applications in livelihood and empowerment. No doubt the role of content, nay digital content, assumes critical necessity and value to boost and spread e-learning use and utility.

and may change dynamically according to the user’s behaviour. It is a subcategory both of digital and electronic content, marked by the involvement of a network, which leads to a constant renewal of content (contrary to the fixed set of content stored on a carrier such as a CDROM, or the content broadcast via TV and Radio). This constant renewal of content in tie with its dynamic change allows for a qualitative difference, thus making it e-Content.

Understanding e-Content

Use of ICT in education or in that case growth and development of econtent for e-learning is at various stages of development and application. Countries and societies are on continuous drives to make a viable platform for e-learning through effective and utility based content structure and delivery. Gradually social structures and institutions are being moulded to see the effectiveness and viability of having e-learning modules and practices for multiple gains. For this there is continuous search for value based content across societies and institutions.

e-Content is the core of any single or multi-media application, whether commercial or not. Practically almost any website, CD, video, or mobile application is built to carry the content to the user or to help the user create his/her own content. E-content today is mostly viewed as a way to preserve and carry forward cultural or historical heritage, to disseminate lifestyle, scientific, educational and business information in some digitalised format, or to provide some interactive service to users.

Importantly, user-created content is also included in any e-content definition.

In the book ‘e-Content: A European Outlook (Springer), the editors describe: E-content is digital information delivered over networkbased electronic devices, i.e., symbols that can be utilized and interpreted by human actors during communication processes, which allow them to share visions and influence each other’s knowledge, attitudes or behaviour. Econtent allows for user involvement Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

The spread of e-content is complete with creation and delivery of econtent in various essential categories. E-learning is one vital category for e-content interventions and delivery. By now various methods of content delivery and innovations have sprung up in e-learning.

E-Content and e-learning across the world

The target is to enrich upon the existing knowledge driven society. In Brazil universities are investing to supply improved teaching and learning resources via digital media.

E-learning is the most developed aspect of e-content in Jordan and the Jordanians are proud of Jordanian “EduWave” (www.itgsolutions.com) winning the WSIS Award connecting schools and Universities.

E-LAN for Developing World The E-Learning Assets Network (E-LAN) is a response to the very real need in developing countries for educators to be able to access good quality ICT-based content within their means. GeSCI, Cambridge University Press, Atomic Assets and other pedagogy orientated partners have come together and developed a tool which will see schools in the developing world gain access to digital educational content.

E-LAN has been formulated as an integrated e-content portal, which provides educators with tools to evaluate content against similar learning objects, to aid in the procurement decision. Thus, E-LAN is a onestop-shop for e-content needs, providing advice and guidance on how to choose the right learning object to meet requirements, and then providing a database of thousands of learning objects from which educators can choose.

Phase 1 of the ELAN is underway with the following aspects to be gradually incorporated: (1) An accessible framework for practitioners in developing countries to define educational objectives for learning content, including e-learning content. (2) A checklist with which to evaluate content to ensure that it meets the pre-defined educational objectives and identifies key strengths or gaps. (3) A digital network of learning content. (4) A twinning programme to finance the licensing of content.

Source: www.gesci.org

In Mexico e-blocks (www.eblocks.net) 7

• •

•

• •

• is a method of teaching English academically through a cube interface to children. Learning Objects (www.viitindia.org) is a project in India that aims at creating a knowledge utility uses SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) for Multimedia enriched educational content in rural schools in India.

In Tanzania some multimedia projects are in operation that helps people to study or to improve their skills. In China, Hong Kong Education City (http://www.hkedcity.net) strives to build a one-stop learning portal where communities can learn, share, contribute and exchange ideas. In Italy, a developed country, Droit Partages (www.droitspartages.org) is dedicated to fighting for children’s rights. Its aim is to promote awareness in children and young people to help them grow into open-minded citizens, respectful of each other, and capable of making their own life choices everyday.

At other levels, e-learning is getting a boost through cross country and cross institutional arrangements. The ‘’E-Learning Assets Network’’ is a project of GeSCI, Cambridge University Press, Atomic Assets and other pedagogy orientated partners to cater to the very real need in developing countries for educators to be able to access good quality ICT8

based content within their means. In this regard, GeSCI have developed a tool, which will see schools in the developing world gain access to digital educational content.

Many issues involved As stated, e-learning and content are inseparable and the former rely on the latter. Content and e-learning faces a number of challenges in coming out with viable modules for information enriched society and institutions. In fact, most of the challenges in econtent in developing societies aptly apply to e-learning challenges as well.

These include: • Lack of basic ICT infrastructure like telephone, power supply and Internet connectivity •· Lack of computer knowledge and training among majority of people • High costs of ICT equipments including computers which hinders access to ICT due to financial issues • Lack of knowledge of ICT and its application • Absence of a sound ICT policy initiatives in the form of tax incentives, abolition of tariffs or certain taxes and on IT equipments • Low broadband penetration as a bottleneck for development of media-rich e-content • Low level of investments in production of learning and

educational programs and materials Less development of user friendly applications Risk prone cultural and commercial culture in many societies toward technical innovations and applications Not enough political and administrative support in many countries Lack of strategic vision of information society development Absence of adequate legislative framework for deployment of information society Absence of coordination between state and public organizations in the area of content framework and overall info society.

Need for a viable content structure Development and spread of e-learning networks across societies, especially the underdeveloped and developing countries, call for urgent attention on certain key issues. The following issues stand significant in determining the e-learning status of societies together with the overall econtent structure: • A clear ICT policy from the government • A proactive policy for bridging the digital divide • Allow financial incentives in ICT interventions including in elearning ventures • Enhance ICT awareness and spread in communities and people •· Incentive academic courses on ICT across countries and societies • Environment for developing elearning solutions that is feasible, accessible and utility based • Effective public-private partnerships in promotion of elearning content ventures in schools and institutions • Ease of access of content online and through other communications technology July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

•

•

•

Development of proper and effective e-learning software through effective course delivery and content Continual advances in value addition through use of latest applications such as educational animation to be made available to support online learning Open source e-learning systems such as Blackboard, Moodle, ATutor, ILIAS, need to be used effectively towards a studentcentred learning solution.

Some Best Content Practices in E-Learning Country

Institution & Objective

Web Address

Brazil

Dom Cabral University; MBA through Internet plus other courses

http://ead.domcabral.org.br

Italy

Altrascuola; application to help teachers and students using PC

www.altrascuola.it

Mauritius

Educanet

www.http://educanet.intnet.mu

Egypt

The Arab Cyber Education (ACE); ICT based distance learning courses offered in both Arabic and English Languages

http://www.cyberlearningarab.com/acesite/index.html

Indonesia

iLmukomputer; a portal of free lectures in computer science and IT related issues along with free articles online

http://www.ilmukomputer.com

Pakistan

http://www.etaleem.com; a http://www.etaleem.com complete information portal providing information on education and other aspects of life

Mexico

e-blocks

http://www.eblocks.net

Australia

Macquarie Dictionary Online- National Dictionary

http://www.macquariedictionary. com.au

China

Hong Kong Education City; one stop learning portal where communities can learn, share, contribute and exchange ideas

http://www.hkedcity.net

Binding it together with technology Content structure, value and applicability are vital to effectively handle e-learning solutions and modules and their use across societies. However, this alone is not enough. E-learning solutions and software and its usability is equally pertinent to take note of. Most often HTML is used to bind together the different e-learning media. Sometimes XML based files are created which are then rendered to HTML/CSS/ JavaScript by using an XSLT transformation. However often proprietary technologies are used like Macromedia Flash, an authoring tool, which leverages the JavaScript-like language called ActionScript to enable advanced functionality and interactivity. Data conferencing applications are sometimes used to share and manipulate e-learning media. These issues may need to address with caution and urgency.

Pro-Active Steps Required If technology is empowerment, then this is the right medium for education and learning across societies and nation states. What is good to know is this ICT has enabled societies to innovate learning practices and modules and share this learning and inventive experiences notwithstanding distance and differences based on culture and otherwise. It is equally vital to understand that countries are not Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

equally placed in terms of socioeconomic frameworks. This has a bearing on the quantum of time and resources being spent on ICT based interventions in various spheres of existential domains. In fact, it is futile to understand that the Netherlands or Israel can be compared with Nepal or Burkina Faso with equanimity in terms of e-learning and e-content perspectives. Rather the latter are at a complex phases of ICT interventions versus issues of livelihood and basic education requirements. Henceforth the role of civil society and international and inter-institutional

conglomerates like GeSCI, CHiPS or SchoolNet assumes critical importance for right linkages for elearning with e-content in these backward societies. Further, research into innovative e-learning solutions should result in a lowering of the technological barriers, enabling learners and users to use existing, widely available technologies as well as new technologies in content and elearning perspectives. Well said, research activities should address the needs of socially, physically or technically disadvantaged groups across societies.

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News

Metro cities need to beat low literacy

INDIA Time for government officials to go back to school In an effort to groom civil servants, the government in India is planning to set up a National Centre of Governance that will train bureaucrats in public administration, management, public relations and customer relations. The school of government, proposed on the lines of the Kennedy School of Government and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, will offer an MBA in public governance and administration.

Internet kiosks in plan for education

More than half the number of people living in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, do not even finish schooling. Coupled with illiteracy rates ranging from 22-30%, this effectively leaves a very small portion of the population in these cities that can be considered educated.

A study of the top eight cities in terms of population shows that while Mumbai has the highest percentage of literate population which does not finish school, the capital also has one of the highest percentage of illiterates in the country (30%). Chennai fares slightly better, both in terms of a lower percentage of illiteracy (23%) and a lower percentage of literate population who don’t finish school (46%). While the situation changes dramatically for Delhi at the graduation level (16% of literates are graduates), Mumbai continues to paint a drab picture with the lowest percentage of graduates in the total literate population(10%). Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, not only have a lower percentage of school drop-outs, but also have a higher percentage of postgraduates.

Demographers say that while some of the findings of the data can be attributed to the large migrant population in the two metros, a poor education system in the two cities cannot be discounted.

IBM joins hands with UP government to groom students IBM has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh Government to provide quality training to IT students under an ambitious programme titled Project INVITE. Project INVITE (Initiative to Nurture a Vibrant IT Ecosystem) complements the IBM academic initiative to groom IT students as a more competitive workforce.

Recognising constraints of limited number of faculty and physical infrastructure, the Planning Commission in India has suggested the government to set up Internet kiosks, imparting higher education.

The model is suggested for subjects that do not require laboratory works.

According to the draft approach paper to the Eleventh Plan “Prerecorded selection of lectures, tutorials and standardised tests available at Internet kiosks, which students can access at will, can be helpful”. The draft suggested the government to develop “autonomous institutions” with the responsibility of testing and examination.

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IBM will shortlist leading universities and IT institutions in the State and generate a student mass of 50,000, who would then be put into a “mentoring” (training) process. The student would be involved in creating prototype solutions for local egovernance needs at various levels such as public grievances information system and civic bodies.

DU taking e-administration further Delhi University is all set to introduce a new student administration system soon. The system has been designed by the Delhi University Computer Centre, which successfully

implemented an electronic admission process for the School of Open Learning last year. Simple to operate, this programme can be used in the most primitive computers and does not require the person using it to be highly computer-literate.

With drop-down options, the system stores all the basic information on the student from address and date of birth to the course opted for. It also generates an enrolment number for each student automatically, which was earlier usually done manually. Apart from storing information on the student, the system also allows the University to have an electronic database of details on its teachers.

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

The DSS will help the department monitor the quality of elementary education in schools across the state.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Estimated to cost approximately INR One Crore, the DSS in the first phase has helped the Karnataka State Quality Assessment Organisation (KSQAO), a part of the Department of Education, analyse the quality of education of around 19 lac children in 41,000 schools in Karnataka.

Mothers to supervise India’s school meal scheme

the quality of lentils used in the preparation of the mid-day meal.

Nasscom online test rollout from November National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) is planning a nationwide rollout of the NAC (Nasscom Assessment of Competence), a national assessment and certification programme modelled on the lines of GRE, from November this year.

Nasscom and Hewitt Associates, in collaboration with BPO firms, have designed NAC, an online test for assessing skills in six different categories such as spoken and written English, analytical ability, keyboard skills and logical reasoning.

Mothers of students will be involved in monitoring the implementation of India’s school mid-day meal scheme, under new guidelines formulated by the government to improve the quality of food served under the scheme. The women will also have financial control of the programmes, in order to check the misuse of funds.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme which covers 120 million children in government-run schools is the world’s largest school feeding programme. It aims to increase enrolment and attendance, thus reducing the number of dropouts as well as to ensure the food security of Indian children of a school-going age.

Some states have already started involving mothers in a supervisory role. In Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, schools keep a roster of mothers who are informed by their child when they are on supervisory duty. In Uttaranchal, mothers have been appointed ‘bhojan matas’ and ‘sahayikas’ in all government primary schools. And most recently, also in Orissa, the Chief Minister directed that Mothers’ Committees be constituted in each of the 43,000 primary schools to monitor Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

In Varanasi, Vedic studies go hi-tech Keeping pace with the introduction of computers at every level of education, Vedic studies have just gone hi-tech. Varanasi, the seat of Hindu learning in India is now producing GenNext pundits well versed in computers.

Visit conservative bastions like the Shri Vidya Mutt and other ashrams in Varanasi and you will see purohits and Vedic scholars, mouse in hand, learning the scriptures on their computers.

EDUSAT to enhance knowledge base of students of northeastern India

Students in India’s northeast will soon have satellite-based educational facilities to enhance their knowledge base. Three states - Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland - will be included in the first phase of the hi-tech facilities using the services of EDUSAT. With the help of EDUSAT educational programmes would reach some of the most interior and inaccessible hilly areas of Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland through videoconferencing. There will be a hub and a studio each in the three states.

More DU colleges in India jump on to e-admission After St Stephen’s College, KMC and Hansraj College, the latest college of Delhi University in India to start admissions online is Miranda House.

Judging by the number of online forms already submitted to all these colleges, it won’t be long before DU admissions become synonymous with just a click of the mouse.

An IIT in each state!

An Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in each state is the ministry of human resource development’s latest ambitious plan to improve the quality and quantity of technical manpower in the country. The proposed 20 institutes will open their doors from July next year, as per the ministry’s plan.

The ministry’s detailed project report will require funding of Rs 3,700 crore over a period of six years. Each of these institutes is expected to accomodate 1,000 undergraduate and 1,000 post-graduate students at any given point of time, and will require a faculty strength of 200 and a support staff of 300. The proposal reworks the concept of IIITs, by moving away from pure information technology-related education. Instead, it is based on the understanding that “an information technologist is required to understand the information content of a system and be an expert in handling the information.”

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News

the capacity of developing member countries, through workshops, trainings, research work, and publications.

ASIA IBM KidSmart integrates technology in early learning

Some 20 elementary school teachers in Philippines underwent a 3-day training on the IBM KidSmart Early Learning Programme, intended to improve teaching-learning performance.

The goal of IBM’s technology enhanced early learning programme is to support early childhood educators who are trying to ‘reinvent education’ through meaningful use of new technologies in childcare centers and early grades classrooms. Over the last five years, IBM Philippines has invested in various education and community-based projects to intensify training for blind students.

USD20 million e-Asia partnership fund at ADB The Government of the Republic of Korea has set up a USD20 million eAsia and knowledge partnership fund at ADB. The fund aims to bridge the digital divide and promote access to information and creating and sharing of knowledge through Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in the Asia and Pacific region.

The e-Asia programme will support projects that aim to reduce and bridge the digital divide and the Knowledge Partnership programme will support projects that aim to strengthen 12

Internet network to support education in Thailand The Information and Communications Technology Ministry of Thailand has established a high-speed international Internet network to support the research and development and education sectors and to enhance the skills of the researchers and students at universities in Thailand.

It will link up with TEIN2 (TransEurasia Information Network), built by the Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe (DANTE), a European non-profit organisation.

TEIN2 provides a continuous and consistent environment for electronic collaboration for research and education between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

TM Net to promote broadband in schools Internet service provider TM Net in Malaysia hopes that its plans to increase broadband customer base by 400,000 this year will attract more students to subscribe to its edubroadband content application and access services.

This will further help to promote the use of broadband content and applications in schools. TM Net’s Multimedia in Education Malaysia can help guide them on the techniques of e-learning. As at end of last year, the service provider had 495,000 Streamyx (TM Net’s broadband service) subscribers. TM Net currently has more than two million dial-up users, and the challenge now is to convert them to broadband.

China commits to ICTs-based distance learning and e-learning China has a vision of lifelong learning in which information and

communication technologies -based distance education and e-learning are key components. China now has three of the world’s mega-universities in which over 100,000 students use largely distance learning methods.

By the end of 2004 some 94 million people in China were online, almost half of them with broadband access.

China has a network of independent radio and television universities coordinated by the China Central Radio and Television University.

A new model for distance education in Asia

In Asia, distance education using information and communication technologies (ICTs) is proving to be an efficient way of delivering highquality education using course materials often developed by the best faculty teams. Naveed A. Malik, rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan, is leading a project to develop a model for distance education that can be used in various Asian countries, with support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Launched in 2005, the PANdora project, as it is known, is involving researchers from 11 countries (Cambodia, China [Hong Kong], India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam) in the investigation of a broad range of issues.

Researchers for example, are looking at how short message systems (SMS) could be used to handle student registration; evaluating various kinds of distance learning software; sharing learning objects; and analysing how to rigorously e-assess students’ work to ensure high standards.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

We build

We explore

Documentation We search

We capture We cooperate We advocate

Discussion

We converse We inform

We collaborate

We share

Dissemination

We interact We deliver

We propagate We serve

We reach out to communities

We bring change for progress www.digitalLEARNING.in

Conference Report

Euro-Southeast Asia 2006 Co-operation Forum on ICT

Collaboration for Innovation...

19-20 June 2006, Singapore

B

ack in July 2003, European Commission (EC) initiated a communication programme with South East Asian nations on ‘New Partnership with South East Asia’. The programme was envisaged as a strategic move to establish active dialogue and business relations between the two regions for development of the emerging information society and knowledge economy.

Under the aegis of this programme, European Commission for Information Society and Media and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) jointly organised the Euro-Southeast Asia 2006 Cooperation Forum on Information and Communication Technologies (EUSEA 2006) conference from 19th20th June 2006, at the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. With more than 500 participants coming from various parts of Europe and Southeast Asian nations, the event provided a perfect setting for people to learn new initiatives, understand each other’s interest, share knowledge and mobilize partnerships.

Opening the main conference, Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media emphasized the crucial need of a serious collaborative platform for encouraging governments, industry and research institutions of EU nations and Southeast Asian (SEA) nations to forge advanced ICT research, technology development and joint projects deployment for ushering into the modern information society and knowledge economy. In her speech, Mrs. Reding urged SEA nations to open up their economies, under the rationale of the huge 14

intellectual and economic benefits that it brings in.

She assured of best possible cooperation and support from her Commission in making such initiatives to be successful. Some of the other speakers of the opening session of the conference were - His Excellency Ong Keng Yong, ASEAN Secretary-General, Mr. Shankar Iyer, President, European Chamber of Commerce, Singapore and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communication & Arts, Singapore, Dr. Balaji Sidavasen. All of them highly appreciated the initiative of EU and ASEAN in creating a collaborative platform for knowledge sharing and business partnership.

The keynote session that followed brought together a power panel of eminent scientists, researchers and industry leaders from Europe and Southeast Asia, who reflected on key ICT initiatives, interventions and innovations undertaken by their respective agency/enterprise. Power packed presentations of speakers from the ICT industry, (namely Tim Cowen of British Telecom and JeanClaude Marquet of ST Microelectronics) was seamlessly placed with insightful deliberations of David West, Project Director, DANTE and Dr. Thaweesak Koanantakool, Director of National Electronics and Computer Technology, Thailand.

Each with their unique set of knowledge and expertise brought forth whatever is latest and cuttingedge in their own domain.

The remaining one and half days of the conference had 36 parallel sessions, comprising 24 technical sessions, 6 training workshops and 6 networking sessions. The technical sessions focused on a variety of issues relating to technology, applications, regulatory and policy framework, research etc.

Training sessions of the event conducted by experts from the European Commission proved to be very helpful and informative for those looking for business collaborations and research funding for advanced R&D in the field of information systems, communications and technology development.

The networking sessions titled – ‘Get in Touch’, provided an ideal setting for people to know each other and about their initiatives in an informal, yet, in a facilitated environment. The sessions were designed with an objective to create opportunity for general participants to deliver brief presentations and overview of the technology, application or research they are working on and involve the audience in an open discussion on technological, commercial and social feasibility of their products and solutions.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Localising e e--content

Vartalaap for Virtual Classroom System Supriya N. Pal [SUPRIYA@NCB.ERNET.IN], Senior Software Specialist, C-DAC Bangalore In an attempt to address the relative absence of interactive online learning environment in Indian languages, Vartalaap was conceived, which supports instant messaging in Indian languages to cater to the communication needs of people in their local language.The Vartalaap Virtual Classroom system enables a teacher or subject-expert to conduct live interactive consultancy sessions with a group of students over a computer network. The system can integrate with text-to-speech systems in Indian languages to augment usability and can be a very useful support tool in academic environments especially in distance education to assist teachers to reach a wider group of students, who may be physically in different locations, thus making interactive online education possible.

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eb based education and e-learning are the trends of the day. The education scenario in India is on the threshold of a significant change in the way education is delivered. There are many educational institutions that offer higher education courses via distance education. Students of distance education courses typically receive study materials and assignment handouts via post, and send back completed assignments via post to the distance education centre. The students have limited facility for interaction with peers and expert teachers for clearing doubts and getting feedback on assignments and this diminishes the learning outcome.

The Vartalaap Virtual Classroom System is a computer-based solution designed to cater to the need for real-time communication between teachers and students for tutorial sessions.

What is Vartalaap Virtual Classroom?

The Vartalaap Virtual Classroom System is a computer-based solution over a computer network that creates an environment modeled closely on a real-world classroom.

Teachers and students come together in such an environment for having live interactive discussions for sharing knowledge in any subject. Teachers and students communicate in real-time via instant messaging, and the expert can use tools like the virtual whiteboard and presentation window for explaining a subject matter. The teacher can moderate classroom communication and thereby enforce general discipline among the participants in a virtual classroom session.

Students in city study centre

Students in rural study centre Vartalaap Server

Teacher at Personal Computer Students in rural study centre Student at Personal Computer

Students in city study centre

System Deployment Scenario Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

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System Components Vartalaap has client-server architecture. Vartalaap clients run the Virtual Classroom Desktop. Many front-end clients can connect to a Vartalaap Server over a TCP/IP network. A teacher connects as one of the clients and initiates a virtual classroom session. Students connect as other clients into the same session.

The Vartalaap Server manages all communication between the clients.

The server can manage several virtual classroom sessions, each with its own group of registered participants.

Vartalaap client and Server are designed to run on all operating systems that support Java.

Virtual Classroom Desktop A Vartalaap Client displays the virtual classroom desktop which consists of several tools - instant messaging windows, presentation window, virtual whiteboard, file transfer tool, and classroom control panel all composed in a user friendly intuitive graphical interface. A teacher initiates a virtual classroom session and students pre-registered for the session are permitted to join the session.

Vartalaap supports instant text messaging in Indian languages in addition to English.The multilingual facility will be very useful for providing access to education to a wider group of students many of whom may be in rural areas where local language is the primary medium of communication message sent by one member are received by all others in the session, and more restricted forms such as one-to-one communication and conferencing for group communication. Students can use the conferencing facility for group discussions. The system provides controls for a teacher to dynamically control the messaging facility access rights of all other members in a session.

Vartalaap supports instant text messaging in Indian languages in addition to English. The multilingual facility will be very useful for providing access to education to a wider group of students many of whom may be in rural areas where local language is the primary medium of communication.

Instant Messaging Windows

Presentation Window

Live communication between the teacher and students in a virtual classroom session is supported by instant text messaging facility. Each participant in a virtual classroom session has a write-enabled message window through which he/she can send text messages in real-time to other members in the session. A readonly message window displays all user messages exchanged in a session in chronological order. The user has the option to filter messages in the view message window by user name.

Students and teachers can use the instant text messaging facility for live question-answer discussions in a session. The system allows several forms of communication such as oneto-many (default mode) wherein a

In a traditional face-to-face classroom session, a teacher will present and explain some subject matter through slides or by writing on a blackboard or whiteboard. In Vartalaap, these functions are supported via the presentation window and the virtual whiteboard.

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The presentation window is used for displaying subject content

such as slides or a document in a virtual classroom session. Currently the system allows presentation of any content compiled as a set of images or plain text files. The teacher controls what to show in the common presentation window. The teacher can control the flow of the presentation such as walkthrough the presentation step-by-step and all student views are synchronised with the teacher’s presentation window view. The teacher can highlight and make annotations in the content during the presentation. The highlights and annotation markings internally do not affect the original content.

Vartalaap provides the facility for a teacher to package courseware resources and upload to the server for use in a virtual classroom session.

The courseware is automatically downloaded to Vartalaap client machines when members join a session.

Vartalaap Desktop View July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Virtual Whiteboard The virtual whiteboard is used for writing text and making drawings freeform and/or structured drawings like circle, rectangle, ellipse, etc. in a session. By default, only the teacher has privilege to write or draw things in the virtual whiteboard.

Vartalaap Server Admin Clinet Communication Server

Session Replay Client

Profile Server

Log Server

File Transfer Server

TCP/TP Network

Classroom Control Panel The classroom Control Panel displays the names of all users connected in a virtual classroom session. All members view the classroom control panel, but teacher and student roles have different functions enabled in the panel.

The classroom control panel provides controls to enable/disable a user’s access to the virtual whiteboard, presentation window and text messaging facility. The teacher can also terminate any member’s session.

If a student wishes to have access to any communication facility, he/ she is required to use the hand-raising facility to notify the teacher. The teacher’s classroom control panel gets instant notification of hand raising requests from students and the teacher can selectively allow access to the different facilities.

Polling is another interesting feature, wherein a teacher/moderator can raise a question for all the students/ participants to answer. The poll can answer such as yes-or-no or true-orfalse or it can elicit a descriptive text reply. Timeout and word limits can be set for the reply to poll. The poll results are presented in a separate window. A teacher can use polling feature for various purposes such as to gauge the level of understanding of subject matter during a session, conduct a quick short quiz or obtain student feedback on any issue.

Other Vartalaap Services The system supports file transfer between users during a session. This Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

Vartalaap Client

Vartalaap Backend Services

may be used by students to send assignment solutions to the teacher.

The system provides classroom management functions like class module creation, session scheduling, and registration of class participants.

Vartalaap maintains a user profile for every registered user. The profile contains user’s contact details, login details and virtual classes’ registration information.

The system provides a Bulletin Board for publishing classroom session schedules and general notices from the Vartalaap system administrator.

Vartalaap supports logging and replay of virtual classroom sessions. A member interested in a particular session can replay it, if he/she has missed participating in the session.

The logging facility for virtual classroom sessions records all communication that occurred in the presentation window, whiteboard and messaging facility in a session. The replay facility can replay all recorded session communication in same order, with pause/resume controls.

Vartalaap virtual classroom desktop can also interface with text-to-speech systems so that text messages received can be read out to a user.

The user can selectively enable this facility for messages received from specific users so as to draw attention when a particular user has responded.

Relational Database

Vartalaap Server Vartalaap clients communicate with the Vartalaap backend Server using TCP/IP protocol. IRC protocol is used for text messaging and custom extensions have been defined to handle other communications in the virtual classroom.

Vartalaap backend services are provided by a group of collaborating servers namely Communication Server, Profile Server, Log Server and File Transfer Server.

Communication server is responsible for handling user communication.

Profile Server manages user profiles.

Log Server manages session logging and services session replay requests.

File Transfer server is responsible for coordinating various file uploads and downloads in the system. User profiles, classroom session information, and session logs are stored in a relational database.

Vartalaap virtual classroom system can be viewed as a lightweight synchronous e-learning facility. It is well suited for use as a supplementary education facility for conducting online tutorials especially in distance education. It can also be used for online counseling. It works well over low bandwidth network. It supports use of Indian languages for text communication, therefore can be used by a wider group of teachers and learners.

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Managing e e--Content

Instructor-Student Centric e-Learning Management System F. H. Choo [EFHCHOO@NTU.EDU.SG],, R.K.L. Ga Gayy [ELKGAY@NTU.EDU.SG], Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Often time and support for implementing an effective online e-learning system is underestimated.The environment and cultural background of students and instructors are often neglected and not understood.These results in many portals reducing to a mere depository site where students log on to download traditional notes prepared by instructors.This article proposes a structure of the cooperative e-learning portal, based on an e-learning management system. The structure focuses on instructor and student centric active learning where students not only learn from their dedicated instructor but have the opportunity to share and learn from a pool of instructors and even students.

A

ll researchers and content developers may be students and instructors at one point in time but not all content developers are instructors and students at the same time. Not many instructors are content developers, they may be content providers also. This mismatch has hindered the widespread adoption of e-learning to the chagrin of the e-learning managers and implementers. As a result of this, many e-learning setups has been reduced to merely a depository portal – instructors uploading their existing Word, PDF or power point files for students to download and thus has not released the real potentials of e-learning.

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Problems of existing e-learning setups Many e-learning setups have been introduced in schools, tertiary institutions and organisations because of various reasons. Often the measurement of success in such adoptions are through the portal access volume statistics which is flawed, statistics does not reveal the satisfactions of the students and instructors for such system nor it reveals much of the online learning experience. The environment and cultural background of students and instructors are often neglected and not understood. Supports and time for implementing an effective online

e-learning system is often underestimated. Trainings, where provided to instructors, may not be effective because of time constraints and the steep learning curves of elearning development tools for nonIT personnel. All these results in many portals reduced to a mere depository site where students log on to download traditional notes prepared by instructors. Besides, third party content development is expensive and very often educational institutions are reluctant to spend or have very low budget for this.

Requirements for performance and costs often contradict each other, which may lead to user frustrations and disillusion for e-learning.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Cooperative e-learning portal In this section, the proposed structure of the cooperative e-learning portal, based on the e-learning management system, ecLEMS (http://www. ecpresence. com), is presented along with some illustrations on the logics and the benefits of such portal.

Cooperative e-learning is about instructor and student centric active learning where students not only learn from their dedicated instructor but get the opportunity to share and learn from a pool of instructors and even students in a portal designed for sharing. The portal is organised under a broad umbrella of a learning centre where a group of schools or institutions conducting similar courses are signed up as partner members. All partner members can create courses on the portal for their own pupils organised in classes.

Other members can join the course and share information created for the course by creating their own classes under the course. While information is shared in the background, students and instructors from members retain their own identity throughout the learning experience. In this way, instructors are not required to prepare every single content themselves but can focus on tackling what they do best – teaching and guiding the students.

Content and materials come in various forms. The most important ones are the teaching materials. These can be in the form of simple power-point slides, word documents or PDF files, Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

flash or other interactive programmes, proprietary designed contents and even interactive simulators using Java Applets and others. These types of contents are expensive to write and develop and therefore it makes sense that it should be reached out to more users to share out the costs. Another area of learning materials is in the form of teasers, quizzes and assignments.

Instructor members can contribute to the pool by uploading them to the central bank under some defined common

of learning. The portal provides an interactive feature for instructors to setup projects and assignment for students to submit. Instructors can then give feedback to individual students on their progress and make comments while the system will keep the parties involved and informed through emails. All these activities could be easily setup by the instructors and the students informed through the Announcement as shown in the image or the Planner system.

Students could learn from their fellow classmates through the user pal system, ecLEMS Pals where students can seek out other users of the portal for discussion and friendship. In

ecLEMS

topics for the course that can be setup by instructor members themselves. With the materials in place, instructors and students can then benefit from these contents to embark on a more meaningful active learning with the built-in interactive tools. Interactivity depends very much on the cultural makes of individuals; some are more reserved while others are more ready to participate in group discussions.

Hence, the portal caters to this diversity of student groups to bring them up gradually to the public discussion forum.

Instructors can start by using the more private short message service (SMS) system to get the students to open up leading them to the public forum. Assignments and projects form one of the very important processes

recent years, this form of interaction has generated a lot of interests by Internet users and this forms an important tool for online learning.

Students can form study groups to experience online interactive learning with other fellow users of the portal.

The world-wide-web is more than a global network. It is a network of intelligent machines capable of not only fast computational activities but also a major resource of contents and content delivery. The proposed system taps onto these resources to create not just a standalone portal but a global integrated network of resources and servers to form a global e-learning portal. Partner members and individual users need not upload the contents onto the portal. They only need to register the contents to be used by students with the central 19

Assignment project is then setup for students to carry the programming and loading onto the hardware. Throughout the project, students can submit the project progress report weekly through the project assignment page. Instructors can feedback and interact with the students by making comments on the project as it progresses. To mitigate instructors’ burden in tracking submission, emails are sent by the system to the instructors whenever students submit their reports. Similarly, students are prompted when comments by instructors are submitted.

Microcontroller software design applet

Interactivity depends very much on the cultural makes of individuals; some are more reserved while others are more ready to participate in group discussions. Hence, the portal caters to this diversity of student groups to bring them up gradually to the public discussion forum.

portal server. The central server will keep track of the content information and the source computer server.

Users will be channel to the appropriate resource to render out the content when requested through the portal. In this way, hardware resources as well as bandwidth resource can be distributed over the global portal.

Case studies for interactive learning using the proposed system Two cases will be presented here to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed system.

Case 1: The first involves the teaching of embedded or micro controller system with hands-on 20

experience using an online Applet programmer, called PicWorks.

A copy of the Applet view is shown above where users make use of a graphical tool to programme real-time system using flow-chart. Users make use of the interactive programme for the programming and debugging of the controller and subsequently uploading the binary programme onto the hardware for the final test.

Students’ interests are upheld through the use of a web-cam to feedback to them the fruit of their hard work. At shown in the figure of the web-cam feedback image. First instructor can upload the content as power-point files, video such as the CoreChart and eRacer Project or talking head content for the formal teaching of micro controller.

Case 2: In this application, students were involved in an industrial attachment either locally or while in another country. Students are required to submit bi-weekly reports for the supervisors, one from the organisation where the student is attached to and the other from the institution, for record and assessment. The institution supervisor or the instructor is often required to make appointment with the organisation supervisors and students for meetings. To ensure the students have a beneficial attachment, the instructor can feedback to the students through the portal based on the bi-weekly reports that he submitted. Every single entry by the students and the supervisors are logged and can be easily retrieved and the parties involved informed through email whenever there is a new update.

In addition to the necessary close interaction between the instructor and the student in an online active learning environment, peers interaction is also necessary to set up the right cultural mode for a successful e-learning setup. The ecLEMS portal has demonstrated to have these features necessary to build upon a global e-learning portal.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Recognising e e-- Content

Excellence Needs to be Visible!

The information society will remain an empty concept if one talks solely about technology, network and access issues. Considering the general use or impact of the information is meaningless, unless we carry the messages, which those can translate.

The World Summit Award (WSA), the global initiative to select and promote the world’s best e-Content, looks into this aspect of technology for which, it is a global hub for everyone today.

As of today, 168 countries are actively involved in WSA. By selecting, presenting and promoting the best products from all over the world in that field, it makes a contribution to bridging the Digital Divide and narrowing the Content Gap. The World Summit Award will hold the Grand Jury for the selection of the World’s Best in e-Content in Croatia in 2007.

Connecting this global platform to the fact that India is one of the poor countries in exposing its content using digital media, and its information assets are still weekly represented, a parallel process, Manthan award for best e-content practices in the framework of WSA started recognising the Indian ventures which speak less of the technology and more of the usage for final delivery. The best econtent practices in India for 2006 recognised by Manthan Awards is going to be announced this August.

Such initiatives recognising the contents will open doors for global recognition and support to the local initiatives, understanding the fact that e-content will enable every citizen to become self-reliant on the basis of information prowess.

Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

Electrophoresis e-lab project (winner of Manthan Award 2005)

Designing Virtual Labs Hilmi Quraishi [HILMI@ZMQ.IM], ZMQ Software Systems, India

T

he advancement in educational technology and tools have unleashed the opportunity to take e-learning and e-content to the next level by delivering complex concepts and scientific processes, which are often not easily rendered in words, into virtual laboratories and simulated systems. Theoretical and scientific concepts are converted into dynamic, engaging and effective content using simulations.

Instructionally, simulation makes a process easier to understand, increases retention of information, and helps build skills and competencies by letting learners understand complex scientific processes. The instructional design strategy to develop virtual laboratory combines learning theories, e-learning experience, technological innovation, and visualisation.

Instructional Strategies Learning theories have significant bearing on instructional design, as

there is a logical development from learning to instruction. Instructional design optimises learning outcomes while learning theories are the backbone of any instructional design.

The three basic schools of learning theories, namely Behaviourism (changes in behaviour as the outcome of learning), Cognitivism (learning occurs when learners add new concepts and ideas to the cognitive structure) and Constructivism (learners construct knowledge for themselves) have their own implications for instructional design.

Key Implications Learning theories and models have different implications for instructional design. While designing instructional strategies, inspirations must be taken from variety of instructional theories and models. For learners, some of the key implications of virtual laboratories and scientific based simulated systems are:

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learning components to give a complete learning solution to the learners. The key components arePre-Test: It prepares learner for the next stage of learning by stimulating the recall of prerequisite knowledge.

Pre-test is an essential for creating adaptive learning environment.

Quicker and Easier Learning, Mastery of Content, Problem Solving Approach, Provide Feedback to Reinforce Performance, Participation in Learning, Adaptive Learning Approach, Promote Scientific Thinking, Project based Learning, Situational Learning Environment, Address Multiple Learning Styles

A Virtual Experience With the spread of Internet access, it is now possible to offer students virtual laboratories through the World Wide Web. The idea of developing a virtual laboratory is to train the students as many number of times as possible. The students are exposed to the real laboratory, where they go through the experiment once. Virtual laboratory is distinguished from a real or a traditional laboratory. However, virtual laboratory is not viewed as a replacement for a real laboratory.

Instead, virtual laboratories are possible extensions to real laboratories and open new opportunities not realisable entirely within a real laboratory at an affordable cost.

A case study Virtual laboratory Electrophoresis eLab was designed to train medical students and technical trainees in clinical laboratory on Electrophoresis experiment. Electrophoresis is an analytical method frequently used in 22

molecular biology and medicine, and is applied for the separation and characterization of sub-cellular sized particles. The objective of the experiment is to observe different band patterns and interpret results of various samples of normal and clinical conditions.

The main idea of the virtual lab is to create a real lab environment using scripted model with controlled animations. It is not just demonstrating a process using animations, but rather developing programmatically controlled scripted simulations using animated components. Some of the labs can be viewed at the link: http://www. zmqsoft.com/elearning/home.htm An example of virtual lab is presented here. The simulator also tracks the performance of a user. It monitors different steps taken during the course of experimentation, number of attempts taken to complete it successfully, and provide results of all experimental input values with feedback. The idea is to create an environment for learner, where the learner practically experiments the processes by changing different input values and parameters.

Key Components Besides developing a simulated learning environment, the e-Lab is also supported by other different

Theory: The content theory provides with detailed description and explanation of concepts, rules and principles for clearer understanding. It comprsies of different case studies, examples, non-examples and simulated diagrams for quicker understanding.

Interactive Exercise: Various practice exercises like multiple choice questions, single choice questions,. drag-and-drop, match-the-following, filling-in-the-blanks etc; allow the learner to practice opportunities to aid in retention of information and creation of knowledge.

Feedback: The feedback encourages the learner to improve thinking and understanding of the problem. The feedback for an incorrect response should provide the correct answer for the learner in an effort to improve future performance.

Post Test: It is used to assess the performance of learner and new knowledge that has been integrated correctly. Often, educational technologists also use post-test values to make corrective measures in their learning environment.

Other Components: Other important components of a complete virtual learning environment are glossary, FAQs, help, know-more etc. to provide complete support during process of learning.

Virtual labs have opened up new opportunities at an affordable cost.

Experiment-oriented problems can be offered without the overhead incurred to experimentation, problem solving and data gathering.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

23-25 August 2006 Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi

Vision 2010 Organisers

knowledge for change

Co-organisers

Department of Information Technology Government of India

Media partners

UN DP

ov

Supporting partners

Exhibitors

L CATION

Programme Advisiory Board R Chandrashekhar Additional Secretary, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India Chairman of the Board

Subash Khuntia Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource and Development Government of India Co-chair of the Board

Ashis Sanyal Director, MoCIT Government of India

Aman Singh CEO, CHiPS Chhattisgarh

G. D. Gautama Principal Secretary IT, Government of West Bengal

N Vijayaditya Director General National Informatics Centre Government of India

N S Kalsi Secretary IT Government of Punjab

Prakash Kumar Joint Secretary Department of Earth Sciences Government of India

P H Kurian Secretary IT Government of Kerala

R. S. Sharma Secretary IT Government of Jharkhand

Renu Budhiraja Director, e-Governance Division MoCIT, Government of India

Syedain Abbasi Director, MoCIT Government of India

Sanjeev Gupta Secretary IT Government of Himachal Pradesh

S R Das Sr. Director, MoCIT Government of India

Otem Dai Commissioner (IT and S&T) Government of Arunachal Pradesh

Zohra Chatterji Principal Secretary IT & Electronics Govt. of Uttar Pradesh

Jaijit Bhattacharya Country Director, Govt. Strategy Sun Microsystems Pvt. Ltd.

Manas Chakrabarty Head Hole-in-the-Wall Education Limited (HiWEL)

Manash Chakraborty CEO Learnet India Limited

Nivedan Sahani Vice President Govt & PSU Business Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited

Puneet Gupta Country Manager- Public Sector IBM India Ltd.

P Ravindranath Director- Govt. & Public Affairs HP India Sales Pvt. Ltd.

Rohit Kumar Country Head, Public Sector Microsoft

R. Ramki Director, Global Operations & Solutions SAP India Pvt. Ltd.

Rajesh Janey Vice President EMC Data Storage System, India

Shantanu Prakash Managing Director Educomp Solutions Ltd.

S P S Grover Senior Director Oracle India

Tarun Maliak Head Microsoft - Rural Computing Strategy India

Vijay Kumar Vice President NIIT India Ltd.

Vivek Aggarwal CEO Liqvid e-Learning Services Pvt. Ltd.

Vishal Gupta Director Total Learning Sources

Basheerhamad Shadrach IDRC

Veena Joshi Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

M P Narayanan President CSDMS

Government Representatives Aruna Sunderrajan CEO, Common Service Centre Initiatives, Government of India

Industry Representatives

International Agencies Ashish Garg Country Coordinator GeSCI India

'egov India 2006' aims to focus mainly on how IT in public sector could be an instrument to increase India's competitiveness for fostering a leadership economy. It will address other important e-Governance issues reflecting present situation and future aspirations. It would also provide a platform to hear case studies and debate on the realities and strategies of e-Governance in India.

Key topics • •

National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) – Present Status and way forward Capacity Building for e-GovernanceSecure e-Government

Indian Telecentre Forum 2006 aims to discuss, and deliberate multi variate issues concerning policy, technology, best practices and business models relating to implementation and sustainability of rural ICT centres and their returns in terms of socio-economic development. The event is expected to follow a consultative mode, with due consideration for making it highly participatory and interactive in nature, bringing together the best of minds, thought leaders, practitioners and stakeholders from government, business and civil society.

•

State Wide Area Network (SWAN)

•

Workshop on e-Governance in Municipalities

•

International Perspectives on Telecentres

•

Standards and Interoperability

•

Indian Telecentre movement

•

Security

•

Global Cross Cutting Session

•

WiMax

• • •

Content, Connectivity & Capacity Building

•

Mission 2007

• •

Important Dates Acceptance Notification: 20th July 2006 Last date for full papers: 4th August 2006 Final confirmation: 10th August 2006

Important Contacts For Exhibition Rakesh Tripathie (rakesh@csdms.in) Mo: +91-9899821364 For Registration Himanshu Kalra (himanshu@csdms.in) Mo: +91-9818485406

the goals of education.

Key topics •

Key topics • Common Service Centre (CSC) Initiative in India

Last date for receipt of abstracts: 15th July 2006

The Digital Learning India 2006 conference aims to take stock of the progress made by India in using technologies as an enabler of education.

The conference will deliberate on the enabling policies and infrastructure, challenges of resources, identify the critical success factors that build and sustain initiatives in ICT in education, and the role of the school principals/teachers and strategies/ programmes to strengthen their capacities to achieve

National ICT in education policy

•

Asian success stories in ICT in school education

•

Supporting infrastructure for ICT in education connectivity, hardware, content

•

Teachers capacity building for ICT integration in school education challenges and practices

Private Sector Initiatives

•

Alliances & Linkages for Successful Telecentre Networks

ICT in Sarva Shiksha Abhiayan- leadership reflections in states

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Distance education for non-formal capacity building opportunities for content, technology and service providers

Monitoring & Evaluation Methodologies

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Measuring outcomes in ICTs in education

Sustainability Issues & Lessons Learnt

•

Strategies of scaling up ICT in education projects

Exhibition The ICT triple conference will host an exhibition of latest e-solutions, services, initiatives and case studies from across Asia and beyond. Professional service providers, IT vendors, consulting firms, government agencies and national/international development organisations involved in the ICT in Education domain are participating in the exhibition.

Exhibition Fee (per square meter)

Shell Scheme

INR 9800

Conference Registration Fee Conference

Academics/Institution

Govt.

NGO’s

Private

Overseas

Delegates

INR 3000

INR 4000

INR 5000

INR 7500

USD 300

Spot Registration

INR 4000

INR 5000

INR 7500

INR 10000

USD 400

The Delegate Registration entitles the individual to participate in all technical sessions, workshops, keynotes and plenary sessions and social functions for all three/any Digital Learning India 2006, egov India 2006 & Indian Telecentre Forum 2006 conferences.

Visit the following link to register online:

http://www.egovonline.net/egovindia/del_registration.asp

Organisers profile Organisers

Supporting partners

Centre for Science, Development and knowledge for change Media Studies (CSDMS) is a leading Asian non-governmental institution engaged in advocacy, research and community building in ICT for Development through capacity building and media initiatives. www.csdms.in

Asia-Pacific Educational Research Association (APERA) was launched in Bangkok on Thursday 13 December 2001 at the 2001 UNESCO-ACEID conference with the objectives to support educational research and researchers in the Asia-Pacific region, to promote greater communication between researchers and policy makers, administrators and educational practitioners, to disseminate educational research findings and to support the development of educational research skills in the Asia-Pacific region. http://www.apera.org

GIS Development strives to promote and propagate the usage of geospatial technologies in various areas of development for the community at large. It remains dedicated to foster the growing network of those interested in geo-informatics worldwide and Asia in particular. www.GISdevelopment.net

Co-Organisers Department of Information Technology (DIT) under the Ministry of Information Technology, Department of Information Government of India is Technology Government of India the Central department responsible for all administrative functions relating to formulation, execution and implementation of IT policies in India. www.mit.gov.in UNDP is the United Nation’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. They are presently working in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national

UN DP

development challenges. www.undp.org.in.

CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT

Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS) G-4, Sector 39 Noida - 201301, India Tel. : +91-120-2502181- 87 Fax: +91-120-2500060 Web: www.digitalLEARNING.in/DLindia Email: info@digitalLEARNING.in

Bellanet promotes and facilitates effective collaboration within the international community, especially through the use of ICTs. Bellanet aims to support effective development practice by sharing its expertise in information and communication technologies as well as its skills in facilitating organizational learning and knowledge sharing. Bellanet delivers its program through three main Program Lines - Online Communities, Knowledge Sharing and Open Development. Together they represent key approaches to building institutional and individual collaboration skills and maximizing the potential of ICTs to support collaborative development work.

In addition to this, three important crosscutting areas are also considered and woven into all aspects of Bellanet’s work: Gender Equality, Capacity Development, and Monitoring and Evaluation.

www.bellanet.org global e-schools and communities initiative (gesci) is an initiative of the UN ® ICT Task Force that aims to improve education as a cornerstone of sustainable socio-economic development and a key mechanism for enabling people to share a country’s prosperity. The organisation is working towards providing ICT platform for schools, support for training and capacity building and monitoring/reporting of various educational ICT projects. www.gesci.org.

Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) was set up in 1998 with a mission to ‘Promote Internet for the benefit of all’. With the formal announcement of Internet privatization in India, ISPAI had taken a leading role in monitoring the process in the country. ISPAI seeks opportunities to encourage and promote the use of Internet and

IT enabled services, such as E-commerce, eGovernance, Health Care and Distance Learning www.ispai.com.

Korean Agency for Digital Opportunity & Promotion (KADO) was founded in 1984 as Information Communication Training Center and in 2005, it is Designated as the Specialized National Agency for Knowledge Information Resource Management in Korea with a vision of systematic and comprehensive digital gap reduction among social class, region, age and nation groups and improvement of information welfare for the deprived in particular and the public in general. www.kado.or.kr Plan International, a child-centred development organisation works with 1.3 million children, their families and communities in developing countries all over the world, implementing projects at the grassroots level in education, health, water and sanitation, incomegeneration and cross-cultural communication. Plan works across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, in communities where many struggle to meet their basic needs. www.plan-internatinal.org Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Swiss Foreign Ministry. Together with other federal offices, SDC is responsible for overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as humanitarian aid. www.sdc.admin.ch The telecentre.org is an initiative developed by the information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) program of International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Microsoft Unlimited Potential Program to support community telecentres across the world. www.telecentre.org USAID-India under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is an independent government agency of United States working in India with the objective of providing economic development and humanitarian assistance. USAID-India is working closely with the Indian Government on key areas of development pertaining to Disaster Management, Economic Growth, Energy and Environment, Equity and Health. http://www.usaid.gov/in

Accessing e e--Content

At the Cross-Roads of Wireless Network Facilitated Learning Pasi Malinen [PASI.MALINEN@TSE.FI], Jussi Puhakainen [JUSSI.PUHAKAINEN@TUKKK.FI] Turku School of Economics and Business Administration, Finland This article focuses on the creation and benefits of a wireless network in the university setting that connects four universities and several companies in the Turku-region, Finland. The key aspects of this innovation network – SparkNet, which is one of the world’s largest wireless networks is illustrated and a framework is used to analyse the benefits of the network in the teaching context. SparkNet can be used in various ways to support and augment both traditional and distance teaching. The illustration is made on how an innovation affects the contexts of both teaching and e-learning.

S

parknet is one of the world’s largest Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a tool for university education, in a business school setting through interaction with other university organisations and external experts.

SparkNet Turku is the oldest city and former capital of Finland, locating in the south-west corner of the country. At present it is the fifth largest city in Finland. There are three universities (University of Turku, Abo Akademi University, Turku School of Economics and Business Administration) and the Finland’s largest polytechnic in Turku. The university sector has 25,000 students and 400 professors.

The city of Turku is concentrating on two main industries, namely ICT and biotechnology. Turku Science Park is a combination of university, industry (strong focus in start-up companies) and research related organisations developing the ICT and bio industries.

Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

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SparkNet is an innovative concept, where existing networks (LAN) are used in collaboration with other existing networks to create a contractual-based wireless network. For the user SparkNet enables him/her to access his/ her own network and its resources (intranet, real email, file servers etc.) via other networks, which are members of the SparkNet concept. The innovation behind SparkNet is not developing new technology but to take advantage of existing infrastructure and provide customers with a service innovation meeting the real use contexts.

The features of SparkNet: • Secure and free access to one’s own intranet through SparkNet (email, calendar, data access own servers) • About 1300 access points (as of March 2006) • Over 100 000 user accounts o University staff (three universities in Turku, one polytechnic) and students o Municipalities (public offices, libraries) o Government offices (for example the Turku City council is now paperless – they use laptops) o Private companies as users o Private companies as SparkNet service providers (restaurants, cafés, yatching clubs, hotels) o Roaming agreements with a number of Finnish universities • Access through one’s existing user accounts (excluding visitors) • Flexible infrastructure and user account management (visitors can join the network with an access code) • Support for multiple devices (computers, laptops, mobile phones, PDAs etc.)

• Easy usage, no dedicated hardware or software required 28

•

Same applies in the creation of new digital products/services.

For instance, start-up company focused training can be partly moved to the digital domain.

Transactional Approaches

SparkNet components: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Access points Spark Virtual LANs Authentication gateways Dedicated routers connecting Spark VLANs Operator selection service server

Network Facilitated Learning Framework The framework consists of three main aspects, namely digitisation, interactions and transactions.

Digitisation The key issue here is that whatever can be digitised, has certain properties like it is usually costly to produce, the copying costs of it are near zero and it is easily transferable through networks.

The focus should be in the application of information within the organisations; both in terms of its use as a source of value added for existing processes and to the extent it can enhance those processes.

• SparkNet offers access to own digital content while out-ofoffice. It also allows access to any electronic data sources (elibraries, large on-line business data-bases etc.), which require access rights. Thus, it also helps in creating and sharing new digital information/knowledge.

There are two variations of transactional approach. The first one, called hierarchical approach, has a very strong focus on minimising transaction costs and strengthening or retaining power relationships within the organisation and with other organisations. The second variation is called co-operative transactional approach.

• SparkNet fulfils the traditional role of ICT in increasing efficiency without changing any hierarchical structures (i.e. the universities continue their operations the normal way, but increased access possibilities for staff and students for example raise efficiency) • SparkNet offers totally new ways for co-operation between universities (and companies). For instance, access to own digital content (e-mails, documents etc.) while visiting other universities makes teaching and meetings more efficient.

Interaction-based Approach Interaction can be communication or using an interactive system, but the important aspect is that what is conveyed during the interaction is in digital form or interaction is assisted by digitisation.

• SparkNet offers both efficiency in interacting with traditional partners as well as a new interaction channel for previously separate organisations, such as universities and start-up companies.

Facilitating learning in a modern way SparkNet can be used in various ways. In creating a learning July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

environment, university lectures can be organised in a modern way by using SparkNet as a network and combining it numerous freeware (Instacoll, Skype etc.) and other sources of information that can be used over the Internet (document sharing, wikipedia etc.). SparkNet transfers the traditional classroom setting into more interactive (learning provider-student(s), student(s)student(s), external expert(s)-people in the classroom etc.). Once more sources of information are available

teachers do not use the possible ways of new technology in teaching but the traditional means and ways of delivery are used. In the case of SparkNet, teacher and students all have access to their individual and shared information sources.

Lectures can be challenged by collected information, new information can be produced during the lecture, large amount of on-line information can be used simultaneously, real-life cases can be used etc.

selected case-by-case manner. The business plan develops faster that in traditional way.

Using mobile technology the classroom can be interlinked with external experts outside the walls of the university (video conferencing etc.). Additionally, interaction can be real-time. It is possible to link other classrooms anywhere (acknowledging the various time zones). And share data, voice, video, anything through the net.

Gaming ideology can be used in teaching. Students can be made to solve real-life cases together with external experts (business managers for example) or they can compete against external groups (other students, managers etc.).

Traditional business games can be transformed into real-time ones where the logic of a closed system does not apply anymore.

Implications SparkNet as illustrated offers increased possibilities in accessing one’s own digital content as well as content available from public and restricted sources.

for all actors in a learning situation it changes completely the way of traditional teaching. The change will touch on at least: a) The usage of various data sources b) The access to one’s own information resources c) In interlinking classroom and external experts d) In using new approaches in teaching (gaming ideology etc.)

Students and teachers have a lot of information stored in their own computer and other places of information storage. Usually, the Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

Sharing existing information or sources of information in a mobile way increases the interaction between students and lecturer(s).

In a classroom setting this saves time and diminishes the use of standard ways of communication between classes. Relevant reports can be either produced when in class or they can be retrieved from one’s existing data sources. Various on-line voting procedures etc. can also be used in teaching. For example, in the case of business planning writing, external experts can be used while developing the business plan. External experts can be

Thus, Sparknet also ignites the creation of new information and knowledge. SparkNet also offers platform for new kinds of services as well as interaction in real-time setting.

It facilitates a more efficient teaching/ learning environment and fosters new forms of co-operation under existing hierarchies and organisational structures. Sparknet is not a single purpose new technology innovation (video conferencing, 3G, WAP, etc.) but a solution to combining existing infrastructure and lessening associated problems with current technology.

Consequently, it serves as a platform for new forms of teaching/learning innovations and provides a true flexible infrastructure for mobile computing.

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News CORPORATE President tells IBM to develop tablet PCs

Primary Education (GCPE), for providing certain equipment, computer aided education services and educational content in 500 elementary schools in 25 districts of Gujarat for the period of three years.

Furthermore, it also inked another agreement with the School Education Department of West Bengal State for providing educational services under School Computer Education Project in 500 government and aided higher secondary schools in the state for a period of six years. The approximate aggregate and potential value of both the contracts is Rs 500 million.

President of India APJ Abdul Kalam has asked IBM to join the global knowledge platform by developing low cost tablet PCs and computers based on nano technology. He pointed out that students should be able to use the tablet PC as a digital book, notebook and an e-Learning device.

Kalam says, IBM can think of possible collaborations with Indian industries for the development of integrated hardware and software systems that will be useful to the 300 million Indian students.

Educomp Solutions signs INR 500 mn contract for e-learning Educomp Solutions has signed two contracts, one with Gujarat Council of

Educomp Solutions is an e-Learning enabler and specialises in the creation of learning content, management of learning and the delivery of learning.

Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation plans a virtual university Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd has come up with a framework that would integrate the entire educational institutions in the state to form Maharashtra Knowledge Grid.

The plan is waiting the government’s nod for implementation. The technology would be of immense help for the students, For example, filling of forms would become easier and also during exams the timetable and

any other exams-related information would be SMSed to them. MKCL is planning to start a deemed university in 2007, which would be a virtual one and will follow the e -learning pattern.

Anna University inked MoU with Microsoft Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd clinched a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Anna University in Chennai, India, aiming at providing easy access to Microsoft technology to faculty and four lakh students of the 235 colleges affiliated to Anna University.

The MoU states that over the next 1216 months, the university would bring about modifications in its engineering and MCA courses to bring a balance between Microsoft and nonMicrosoft technologies being taught as part of the curriculum.

Location-based service, e-education from BSNL soon in India BSNL, Tamil Nadu Telecom circle in India, will soon introduce a number of value-added services like locationbased service on mobile and e-learning through broadband.

BSNL would introduce interactive elearning on its broadband network to give tuitions to Class 10 and 12 students.

Now, IT companies offering in-house courses I‘Learn while you earn’ is the activity of the corporate now. This thought process developed as companies began to see large numbers of employees leaving them in order to pursue higher education. Long sabbaticals to pursue higher education in the IT sector are being replaced by online training modules especially crafted by companies for their staff. Executive MBA programmes are being offered by many including Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, for working professionals.

Infosys has a Higher Education Support policy (HES) that encourages ‘Infoscions’ to continue education through distance learning/ part-time programmes in India with reputed academic institutions, or certification programmes from organisations of international repute.

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July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNINg.in

Practicing e-content

Bringing Excellence in English Language Training ‘LIQVID’, the e-learning company, which by definition means to take the shape of the mould, is built upon the idea of learning that takes the shape of the learner. To create effective and enjoyable learning experiences for people everywhere, through the use of technology is the objective that Liqvid carries forward. Vivek Agarwal, the Chief Executive Officer of Liqvid, comes up-front in this space sharing the role, the vision and the contribution of the company to the entire gamut of e-learning. Speaks to Manjushree Reddy of Digital Learning on how he uses his brain today to create a scalable model of education and learning for hundred of million of student in India Vivek, a graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, previously co-founded eGurucool.com in 1999 where in three years he was able to establish it as India’s foremost e-learning brand, created over 8,000 hours of e-learning content, tied-up with over 1,600 schools and established sound pedagogical basis for online learning. With his present capacity and responsibility with Liqvid, he has been able to create a huge technological and process infrastructure including an authoring tool, content management and content delivery system.

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? You are one of the founders of eGurucool. Will you please detail some of your contribution to e-learning world through eGurucool? eGurucool was lunched in 1999. It is an e-learning company, designed to help students preparing different exams, board exams as well as test preparations like IIT, Medical, etc and all predominantly happening online.

We had a few portals where students can do study, we had a massive infrastructure of technology and processes, which allowed us to create very large content, and also we had a very high power editorial board in conjunction with the technology team who created a very sound pedagogy for online learning. We raised a lot of venture capitals through it.

? What is the core vision of Liqvid and how do you see e-learning customers benefiting from that?

We are not a technology company engaged in e-learning, rather we are a learning company which leverages technology. There is also the fundamental belief that pedagogy precedes technology. If we use technology for the sake of using, it doesn’t work. That is one of the prime reason for which e-learning has not

worked yet the way it should work.

The use should be in a framework of ‘what is your objective, what is your programme, then create a programme according to that’.

? Please elaborate on the products or services Liqvid has in its stock for the e-learners.

We offer a versatile range of development services and products to meet varying needs of customers. We provide content services like courseware design, content integration, blended learning, content conversion, SCORM and localisation services. We provide content assessment, learning management and other technology services and other learning support services like etutoring.

Coming to the products, we want to be specialist in English language training provider in India market.

English Edge is the product, which is a combination of technology and content. We have an association with BBC for this. For the first time BBC has done a blended learning programme. We use BBC’s contents, its methodology and pedagogical approach too.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

The product is focused to a group who know some English. We want to go in a different level, want to go to a different market size, and want to go to different geographies. Our product is sort listed by British Council’s worldwide competition. Last year, the product was in top 10 worldwide.

? How are you associated with British Council for English Edge?

British Council incubated the product.

So there is an association, there is learning that is happening and there is credibility with British Council.

? Tell us about the target and reach of English Edge. Is it something that can be used by people from rural India also?

Everyone is our target, right from the guy who goes to the kiosk to access his land records to the persons in the educational institutions. Right now we focus to India only and in the next step we will go to the other parts of the world.

Coming to its reach, we have sold this to many engineering colleges around the country and we have been in talks with many others too. We have around 25 franchise centers all around India. We are working with several call centers, and engineering colleges. We expect at the end of the year there will be some 15000 learners who would have gone for using this programme.

But we have not reached to the schools yet. In fact, we are not targeting schools in this way. Schools in India need a different solution. We need to work more on our product before we launch it in schools.

? Is there any plan or strategy to scale up the product?

We have plans to make the programme available to everyone in the country. The strategy is to work with people who have existing distributing channels. We are specialist in technology, in content.

So we are certainly interested to work Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

We are not a technology company engaged in e-learning, rather we are a learning company which leverages technology. There is also the fundamental belief that pedagogy precedes technology with people for example, who are having Internet kiosks or that sort of existing infrastructure, who run programmes and need English language support.

? How will you analyse the e-learning market in India in comparison to the global market, in terms of its size and growth?

E-learning market in India is of 2/3 different types. The pocket size is where the software companies who use e-learning fair extensively.

Companies like Infosys, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, BPOs are looking at it very progressively.

Those are India’s cutting edge companies who are looking at elearning in a big way. Increasingly there is the other segment of some manufacturing companies who are having a range of options and we are discussing with several of them who do a lot of customer service and sales training. There is a fair amount of it going on, although it’s definitely very small in comparison to US market. US market is huge and we are all in the race to tap that market.

? What are the challenges you face

risks, which is why I think we are far ahead of the curve than most people are. We have done satellite-based training, computer based training, pod casting, m-learning, simulations; you name the technology and we definitely are into that. So now the biggest challenge is to reach out with all those to the people and stay ahead.

? Would you like to make any remark or demand on the policy front?

There are two things to say here.

First, people need to recognise that private sector has a huge role to play.

And second is, it cannot be done otherwise. For me, the government should prescribe the standards and make people do things according to those standards. We will be benefited if the market is large, if everybody including school students given access to the services. Today government has 90% of schools.

Without it becoming proactive, we cannot make any difference.

? Any sort of pressure comes for you from other private players, or from any other angle?

while imparting the services?

Infrastructure is one challenge. We have the product, but getting the right distributing channel is the challenge.

There is some problem at policy level also. There are so many plans and announcements like rolling out of community service centres, but implementation should follow immediately. The other big challenge is, the e-learning companies like us need to be more open to experimentation and innovation. We have set up a dedicated R&D team.

We are making investments, we are doing innovations, we are taking

In segments, yes. Lot of people are trying to do, though not directly. For example, there are several English language training organisations. But no body is using technology in a fundamental way that we are looking at. The other thing is, sometimes some people become so insular, like we have to be just Indian and that entire sort. And sometimes some people say we have to get everything from Silicon Valley. None of the approaches is right. You have to adopt and tap best from the world and make it work in Indian market, which is the real pressure.

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News

US, hope to get it to accept other inputs such as posture and gesture.

ICT training available for persons with disabilities In this age of information technology (IT), disabled persons in the country are not being left behind, as they too are being afforded the opportunity to learn valuable computer skills. This is being facilitated through the Jamaica government’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Training for Persons with Disabilities Programme, which is currently being run by the National Youth Service (NYS).

WORLD Computer that reads mind An “emotionally aware” computer being developed by British and American scientists will be able to read an individual’s thoughts by analysing a combination of facial movements that represent underlying feelings. It could also be useful in online teaching to show whether someone understands what is being explained and in improving road safety by determining if a driver is confused, bored or tired.

The scientists, who are developing the technology in collaboration with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the

Some 50 disabled persons are currently enrolled in the programme across four sites - the Social Development Commission’s office complex in Spanish Town, the Jamaica Society for the Blind in Kingston, the Lister Mair Gilby Senior School for the Deaf, and the Waterford High School in Portmore, St. Catherine. It is anticipated that training opportunities would include Microsoft as well as CompCIA computer certification, which is involved in over 250 countries around the world.

Department of Technology in Education wins IT Education Award The Department of Technology in Education (DTiE), Education Division within the Ministry of Education,

Less people searching for e-learning, shows Kineo analysis How many people use e-learning as a search term? How does it compare to searches for RSS, mobile learning, wikis and blogs? Kineo , the leading UK elearning consultancy answers - not very well. Google trends - a new tool from Google labs comes in help commenting and analyzing such trends, in the learning profession and beyond.

For the learning professional, Kineo discovered some interesting trends. Elearning seemed to peak as a search term in early 2004 and has been on a steady decline since then. Blogs on the other hand is many times more popular as a search term - as is skype, wikis and RSS. A word to the Learning Management System (LMS) market too: Moodle is increasing every day a search term, while in comparison, Saba is in decline.

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Malta recently won the IT Education Award for their ICT Automated Testing System (SSr).

This award was part of the National ICT Achievements Awards (NICTAA) organised by the Computer Society of Malta. A team of ICT support teachers for the Secondary Sector at the DTiE, Floriana, have over the past two years developed a multi-user Automated Testing System. This assessment method, called SSr, automatically presents questions to the candidates who answer them hands-on using the computer.

Veterinary education moves into ‘virtual’ age A groundbreaking initiative spearheaded by the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, in partnership with seven sub-Saharan African universities will combat neglected animal diseases that affect poor farmers by providing advanced training for vets using online learning.

The African Universities Veterinary eLearning Consortium (AUVEC) will be launched soon to build up the African animal health sector. AUVEC will offer new courses using a blend of traditional teaching and e-learning for undergraduate and post-graduate vet students.

Schools switch on to IT in Namibia Namibia intends having 12 000 teachers trained in basic computer literacy and 350 000 learners using computers for half an hour a week by 2010, according to goals set down by July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) steering committee.

Three hundred teachers received basic ICT training during a three-year pilot project to introduce ICT as a teaching tool in schools undertaken at 13 rural primary and secondary schools. The Namibia Education Technology Alliance (Neta) comprising the Ministry of Education, the American Federation of Teachers, Discovery Channel, SchoolNet, World Teach, the United States Peace Corps and Microsoft, started the project in 2002 with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Women’s access to ICT world to be enhanced A study conducted by University of Nairobi on gender segmentation showed the ratio of 1:5 in the discipline of ICT education.

Though the government has committed to the cause of gender equality by its continued investments in adequate ICT education and training, institutions of higher learning round the country show that there is a gender disparity. The concern was expressed by APC’s Africa ICT Policy Monitor body as it may affect badly women’s access to information. The measured access and lack of control over communications technology, the stereo-typical portrayal of gender roles, and women’s limited access to professional careers and decision-making positions in general highlight the urgent need for African women to enter the debate on the development potential. payments to TRCN using diverse channels such as banks, cyber cafes, e-Kisoks, GSM phones and other Internet access points.

WEF, Intel, Nortel, MCIT bring tech to classrooms in Egypt Intel, with support from Nortel, is teaming up with Ministry of Communication and Technology and the Ministry of Education in Egypt to bring technology to classrooms at every level.

Intel Corporation recently announced the launch of the META (Middle East, Turkey, and Africa) Higher Education Initiative in Egypt to focus on bringing technology to the nation’s universities. Under its Technology Entrepreneurship Program, Intel developed a curriculum for universities that covers topics including setting up and running a company. Intel’s support of higher education curricula and research already extends to more than 100 universities in over 30 countries.

Although the initiative focuses on technology and learning in a university setting, the target is to have every student who completes K through nine to be computer literate in a few years.

Students get a new reason to avoid lectures!

Students at the University of Ulster, UK can now listen to their professors as well as pop on their ipods thanks Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

ictQATAR announces the end of Knowledge Net project

to a new hi-tech web link. Students, staff and alumni can now sign up for a free iTunes-enabled podcast service so they can listen to highlights from the work of the university on their computers, iPods and mp3 players wherever and whenever they like.

The first batch of five podcasts includes interviews and presentations from the university’s arts, research and business portfolios, as well as keynote addresses on topics of national and international importance.

Teachers’ registration goes online in Nigeria Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) e-Registration initiative will allow all existing professional teachers, new teachers requiring new registration with TRCN to enter and update their records in the TRCN database from anywhere and at anytime.

The online TRCN eRegistration system makes it convenient for all teachers to know their registration status, update status and make

IctQATAR has formally announced the end of the first phase of its ‘Schools Knowledge Net Project’ initiative. To mark the occasion, it honoured independent school teachers, IT managers and administrators who were part of the five-month project.

The project, envisaged as a platform for designing an overall approach for integrating ICT (Information Communication Technology) into education, was launched last February. The Knowledge Net project focuses on promoting the development of education content, portals, application and knowledge bases. In the first phase of the imitative, ictQATAR utilised Microsoft Learning Gateway and Blackboard. These learning management systems provided the essential tools for both students and teachers to enhance communication, expand resources, and develop teaching. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to the most active teachers. The meeting was also marked by an interactive session by teachers and experts.

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School principals and teachers are leaders in the school system and play a vital role in achieving the Government’s aim to provide quality education for our young. In recent years, the quest for quality education has resulted in a number of initiatives, which have made significant demands on principals and teachers in public sector, as well as private schools, amongst which is the challenging initiatives of integrating technologies in education. Today school principals, administrators and teachers face the challenge of the use of information technology to support learning and teaching; a growing need and awareness of teacher professionalism; adaptation of the school curriculum to maximise the potential of technology; among others. The new challenges will require these principals and teachers to take on new leadership roles in quality development and quality assurance. This calls for a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology on one hand and foster an environment and culture conducive to the realization of that vision.

School Tra ck

Digital Learning introduces this new section tilted ‘School Tracks’ that will explore school leadership in its broader context. This section will hear from school principals, administrators and teachers on the fundamentals of technology integration in schools from daily classroom activities to teachers’ capacity building, from change management in schools to innovations in pedagogy. This section will also introduce the readers to initiatives across the worlds where schools have assumed leaderships roles in exploring the unlimited potential of ICTs .

Powe r School

The DAV School experience DAV schools are part of a movement that emphasises on retaining the rich Indian heritage with its strong philosophy combined with a modern outlook. In 1885, to fulfill the goal of Maharshi Swami Dayanand Saraswati to educate India’ s masses, a group of socially progressive people formed the DAV College Trust and Management Society.

The DAV educational institutions are in different parts of the country. There are - the government aided schools, directly controlled schools of the DAV, Project schools and semi- project schools. Today, the DAV schools group represents the largest nongovernmental organisation in the field of education in India with over 700 institutions at elementary, middle and secondary and senior secondary schools.

The DAV schools introduce students to the glorious and proud heritage of the Indian philosophical thought and knowledge and also inculcate in them the latest advances in modern scientific ideas and learning.The schools have always focused on creating a learning environment that is motivating. In most schools, classrooms are equipped with a computer port linked to the network controlled by the multimedia lab and various multimedia softwares are used for classroom teaching in the school. There are regular efforts to upgrade the teachers’ knowledge to keep up with the times.

In an effort to keep pace with the development in pedagogy on one hand and educational technology on the other, the DAV College Managing Committee has partnered with CII-Shiksha to upgrade the skills of the teachers in effective use of ICTs in teaching and learning process. Divya Joshi (divyajoshi52@yahoo.com), Deputy Director Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) College Managing Committee, New Delhi shares her thoughts on ICT use in education and her hopes for improving the education process using ICTs. 36

T

oday information and communication technologies are being used in schools to improve the learning experience of students. The DAV schools have initiated technology use in various forms in teaching and learning.

Technology can make children’s learning interesting and fun and broaden the knowledge of teachers.

Finding the best way to use technology for students will take time, exploration, and experimentation on the part of teachers.

Today new models of teaching and learning have come on the scene. To prepare students for an evolving information-based society, innovative schools are being designed to support these changes. Interactive whiteboards are becoming a common classroom resource and already some schools are seeing the benefits of this technology in transforming teaching and learning across the curriculum.

Some teachers are using the technology to develop their range of pedagogical strategies and are beginning to exploit technology to act as a catalyst in enhancing teaching and learning.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

With all the changes and development happening around and the whole world going through the rapid transformation with technology, it is crucial for teachers to spend some time contemplating the future and thinking on how to prepare students for the world of tomorrow. We should contemplate on some of the critical questions: Are our classroom techniques preparing students for the 21st century? How can classroom technology promote learning? What technology will the young people of today develop and use?

True to the DAV philosophy, where modernity blends with tradition, the DAV management has recognised the paradigm shift in education and are focusing on the learners as knowledge creators than on the educator. DAV has taken the initiative to keep abreast with the latest in education. A joint venture of DAV in partnership with CII Shiksha programme has been introduced in DAV Public/ Model Schools for integrating Information and Communication Technology with the education process and improving the quality of teaching-learning process. The programme launched on 22nd December, 2005 as an initiative of G.P. Chopra, President, DAV College Managing Committee and Y.S.Rajan, Principal Adviser of CII Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

also focuses on the creation of elearning resource through Open Source softwares.

Shiksha as a not-for-profit initiative of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) whose aim is to bring in education equity in schools through providing various creative and technology tools totally free of cost to the schools.

The DAV management feels that “it’s important to prepare teachers to use technology in the classroom” and so an orientation programmes of DAV in partnership with CII Shiksha has been launched to take the programmes to the schools of the DAV all over India. In the programme DAV schools are going to make best use of the various components of the programme including the Shiksha software. The schools aim to use and update the learning modules software created by Shiksha and create a further repository of good, quality content for sharing among all DAV schools.

Approximately 80 teachers have been trained under the programme so far. Teachers of various subjects teaching at different levels of the school are provided with the lab facilities during the school hours only. They learn to integrate technology in the teaching –learning system that are part of their lesson plans.

The programme has focused on training the teachers in using open source operating system and softwares and Master Trainers are being trained for Oracle Programmes. Intensive training will be given to teachers for e-learning through open source also. Content will be created for all subjects at each level to be shared by schools both within and outside DAV. Open Source is being used for locaisation and innovation, as it is cost effective, for learning to be a part of global community and for consistent availability of upgrades. The learning modules provided during the trainings are LMS open Source Management and ready-made multimedia software prepared by CII Shiksha and there is a collaborative sharing of the in- house software developed by DAV Schools.

But technology was also used in most schools, prior to this training programme. Teachers use LCD in class and also prepare projects on various subject topics. In DAV the schools have adopted LMS, animation tools and they are using special software for administrative purposes.

Learning is an on going process. With the help of technology teachers will become more independent. Master Trainers will be developed who will take the training to the zones for cascading the training.

37

Learning Curves DPS redefining education through LEAP Learning Exchange & Association Platform (LEAP) is the on-the-ground translation of the Delhi Public School Society’s vision of continuously innovating pedagogical, collaborative and administrative processes to keep redefining the benchmarks for contributing in the lives of the DPS family members - students, teachers, parents, alumni and staff.

DPSS runs schools under the Delhi Public School brand and claim to have over 80 schools in India across 20 states and 13 schools outside India including in the Middle East, South East Asia and the USA as well (in Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C.).

The technological possibilities LEAP has brought by now are- a dynamic academic lifeline for teachers where a panel of expert senior teachers from across the DPS family answer queries. They also make available online subject - syllabi guidelines, CBSE notifications, NCERT advice, newspaper reviews on CBSE, sample assignments, worksheets, half yearly and annual question papers with blue prints for perusal, exemplary answers by students for reference etc. Faculty Clubs have been designed to enable focused learning communities for the teachers by collaborating on building content, sharing best practices and knowledge of common subjects and interests. Communication tools like the Scheduled chat, instant messaging, discussion boards, secure intranet, society calendar, bulletin boards etc ., a multi-thematic online web magazine, one for teachers called EMC Reaching Out and another for students SEE (Students’ Electronic eXpression), DPS Family profile containing all kinds of statistics about the students, teachers, parents, alumni based on direct inputs by the schools and its automatic aggregation at the level of the Society, Online Testing Services for students to use IT effectively to help bridge the gap in and making use of the learning deliverables available to them and DPS NEWS content management system for reminder, receipt MIS, online content submission to ensure timely monthly activity reports of schools, are some of the facilities LEAP tries to provide while integrating the ICT component into the education scenario of DPS society.

Think.com in Kendriya Vidyalayas Integration of ICT in Education in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) gets a fillip with the implementation of the project Think.com in all its schools having computer labs and Internet connections. KVS and ORACLE in February 2005 entered into partnership for carrying out the project in KVS extensively.

It is ensured that the schools having computer labs and Internet facilities 38

acquire broadband connections. To orient the administrators in the project training programmes were organised in every Region covering Teacher Administrators, Principals and Vice Principals of all schools, Assistant Commissioners and Education Officers of all Regional Offices.

Think.com provides a secure space on the Web to students, teachers and schools all over the world. They make use of the facility by registering with the project, which is a very simple process. Students create their own

website where they post articles of their interest, poems, stories, interesting pictures, audio clips, video clips etc. They visit each other’s websites and exchange useful information. After visiting a fellow student’s website, a student leaves his remarks on the contents of the website if he feels to do so. His remarks appear in the form of attractive yellow sticky at the bottom of the web page which anyone visiting the website can see. This leads to tremendous excitement among students and they are motivated to write small pieces on their subject of interest, which they want to share with others. They also use the website to undertake projects on collecting material form the web on some interesting topic from their curriculum.

The content on the student’s websites is regulated by the teacher administrator of the school so that nothing offensive or undesirable appears on the websites. Teachers also create their websites and provide useful and interesting material to the students. Teachers use this facility to communicate with students during vacation. The students post their answers and their doubts on their websites. The answers are evaluated and the doubts are cleared by the teacher.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Teachers unlock education potential of latest technologies

A classroom connecting student at hospital bed

MP3 players, digital video cameras and personal digital assistants (PDAs) could become common place in classrooms throughout the Queensland state in Australia, with 197 teachers at 126 state schools now exploring the educational potential of the devices. The teachers are taking part in the Discovering New Technologies Smart Teaching Strand, a year-long research project that will unlock the power of these technologies as teaching and learning resources.

An eight-year-old girl from Stockton in United Kingdom is still going to school despite sitting in a hospital room in Newcastle, 40 miles away. Charlotte Abercrombie has been able to take part in lessons with her classmates and teacher via a virtual classroom.

By the end of the project, the participating teachers will have fully explored the education potential of the devices and their findings will have been made available to other teachers throughout the state. Each of the participating teachers has received the 60Gb Apple iPod, the Panasonic NV-GS75 DV Camera or the HP iPaq HX4700 Pocket PC.

Charlotte, who attends Hartburn Primary School, suffers from chronic renal failure, which has required her to attend dialysis sessions at Newcastle’s RVI Hospital three times a week, for the last four years. To ensure she didn’t miss vital lessons, Stockton City Learning Centre (CLC) offered to support her school in using new technology, which would bring a virtual classroom to her thereby giving Charlotte continuity in her learning. The school has used the technology in a number of lessons including literacy, numeracy, music and geography. The school already holds the new ICT Mark. A teaching assistant from the Bridges School, based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary sits with Charlotte during her lessons.

Learning through partnership Subodh Public School, a Senior Secondary CoEducational School affiliated with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi situated at Jaipur, Rajasthan in India is among first five schools of Northern India awarded with the British Council International School Award accredited for outstanding development of the international dimension in the curriculum.

International education has come a long way in the last decade, with ICT enabling meaningful joint curriculum activity development between distant schools. ICT helps enhancing the experiences of teachers and students alike, through the Global Schools Partnership programme. The programme is a powerful and exciting way of bringing a global dimension into the lives of young people and their teachers and is a consortium initiative of the British Council, Cambridge Education Foundation, UK One World Linking Association (UKOWLA) and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), funded by the Department for International Development (DFID).

ICT plays an immediate major part in the project named Respect. Via e-mail the International Teams compare contexts and clarifiy aims and objectives. Students have developed activities in English, citizenship, communication studies, religious education, geography and personal, social and health education.

Subodh is the first school to give appraisal report by the students of VI to XII to the teachers. Students appraise the teachers on certain definite parameters on a rating scale of average, good and excellent at least once a year through the computer software ‘Literom’.

Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

USE YOUR SPACE This is your space, your space to watch, your space to use and your space to change too. We invite you to be a part of our ‘School Track’ section, which you can do by contributing your experience with ICTs as a schoolteacher, principal and administrator, or as someone in the school education process working in any capacity. We welcome your stories, research papers, opinion pieces, resources or any other such relevant information, news, and a new idea for this space that can help elevating the spirit of education in schools with an integration of ICTs. We look forward to you using this space.

39

Jharkhand

Education on the Fast Track

A

fter carving out of Jharkhand as a separate state in 2000, the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) was constituted in 2001. JEPC, an autonomous body works as a State Implementation Society (SIS) to pursue the goals of universalisation of elementary education (UPE). The council has been involved in implementing various programmes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), UN-aid etc with the defined objectives.

A state which has a literacy rate of 54.13%, female literacy rate still lower at 39.38% and is dominated by tribal languages like Santhali, saw a real awakening in the education sector in 2002.The awakening came when not a single student in 22 government-run schools passed the state board

examination for Class 10 in 2002. The reason for government to worry was obvious, especially since it spends an average of Rs.90,000 a month to run each school. Jharkhand has 1,245 state-run high schools.

Meeting Education for All Challenge Continuing with the awakening the state has taken great steps in improving literacy rates and education 40

through information communication technologies (ICTs). Building on these efforts, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), India, the Education Development Center and resource partners developed a project to improve the reach and quality of primary school education in Jharkhand. The Technology Tools for Teaching and Training (T4) in India project provides teachers with inservice training to improve content and methods, and multichannel instruction in English, Math and Science using media ranging from interactive radio to mobile video unit.

The Edusat satellite, built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is wholly dedicated to meet the needs of the education sector in this part of the country. The Edusat network provides six exclusive channels for primary, secondary, higher education, technical education and e-Governance.

ASSERT – Association for Social Engineering, Research and Training, in association with EDC has developed an educational CD for computer-based usage. AED-Academy for Educational Development, an International NGO working in the strategic use of computers in educational processes in the Hazaribagh region. It utilises multimedia information and communication technologies to develop simple reading books in both Hindi and English. Vikas Bharathi – NGO involved in community-based education and development activities conducts teacher orientation training.

Vidya Vahini, the Intranet and

India Statescan

Internet project launched by the Department of Information Technology and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India contributes to schools to provide IT in Education in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand.

English Is Fun in Jharkhand The English Is Fun, the Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) series developed by EDC was adapted for radio broadcast in Jharkhand that consisted of 132 programmes broadcast daily throughout the school year to 300 schools in three districts: Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Sarai Kala. A total of 6000 schools in 5 districts are now being covered under the IRI broadcast.

Government and budget The budgetary outlay for education sector in the state has been increased 20.55 % to INR 1773.11 cr in 2005-06 in comparison to the previous year. Girls’ education is encouraged through abolishing tax till post graduation level. This apart, INR 183.38 cr allocation in the budget for the mid-day meal programme, and announcement of some more schemes show the strong supportive mind of the state government in the education sector.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

P ractitioner ’s voice

Barriers are many, but conquering follows Shyam Sankar Prasad, the Jharkhand State Project Director of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, elaborates on the flagship education initiative of India while interacting face to face with Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastav of Digital Learning. ? Can we get an idea about the major interventions made so far under SSA programme in the state of Jharkhand?

The first effort SSA programme made in this line is to bring the out of school children back in to school. The number of such children was 13 lakhs in 2001 and we have brought it down to 3,88,000 at present. We still try to bring this left out part to different schools such as Kendriya schools, Kasturba Gandhi Avasiya Vidyalaya, Bridge schools etc. Besides this we have taken up fall out cases among girls, specially scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) who due to abject poverty leave studying and are compelled to remain inside the doors.

This problem is being tackled by Kasturba Gandhi Avasiya Vidyalaya.

As of now 74 such schools are situated in the state and owing to its success factor 81 more such schools are coming up with the grant by the government of India. Accommodating some 100 girl students each, these schools conduct classes for them from 6-8 am. Today about 6000 girls study in the Kasturba Gandhi Schools.

Another plan is drawn for children who are working in hotels or engaged in garbage picking and are in the age group of 14-16. The back to schools Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

intervention for them provides 2-3 hours’ night teaching classes along with some refreshment. The scheme successfully involves many NGOs.

? What are the major challenges you face while implementing such programmes?

The problem is faced more in hilly tracks and in forests areas, densely populated by the tribal people. We face the difficulty in establishing centres in such places because of lack of infrastructure. We have to shift the schools sometimes to some urban places or most habitated places, may be due to lack of road or lack of school buildings or else to ensure safety to the girls. The difficulties lie with the geographical areas in some districts, which are really difficult to manage with.

? Have you started any special

? What are the strategies you adopt to make Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) an integral part of the education process?

In Jharkhand, free computer education is provided in about 300 schools.

Students learn computer through the computer set up in each school.

? Do you have any plan for teachers’ training, making them oriented with ICT integrated education?

We train teachers through Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). We have District Institute of Training where we provide training to teachers for 20-30 days. The regular teachers are trained in English language too.

? Do you think that Jharkhand needs

programme to educate tribals?

any state specific vision to meet its education requirements?

Yes. Uraow, Khariya, Munda are the major tribes in the state of Jharkhand.

We have translated textbooks in to their languages so that they can learn and understand through the medium of their own language.We have opened schools in their areas and also provide them mid-day meals so that they come, stay and learn something.

We provide them books and even dresses and try to motivate the parents to send their wards.

We are getting directions as well as funds from the central government and at the same time the state government also draws some plan.

As the central government will not be in a position to understand the regional necessities and geographical barriers always, which the state machinery understands better, some state specific vision are added into the education programmes from time to time.

41

Conference Report

Access to Knowledge

Asia Commons: The Asian Conference on Digital Commons 6-8 June 2006, Bangkok,Thailand

A

s Asia prepares to surge ahead towards information driven economy, leading to large-scale improvements in GDPs of many countries, there are new opportunities created for expanding the sector. Digital Commons explores three key areas, viz., access to knowledge and culture in Asia, exploring models for collaborative knowledge and culture in Asia and conceptualising a healthy digital commons. There has been much discussion on the role and impact of copyright and patent issues for the past few years both at the micro and macro level of economic activity.

Panel Discussion on History of Commons and Evolution of Copyrights

Copyright and patent issues are forms of intellectual property. Copyrights grant exclusive rights on expressive forums of ideas and information for a limited time while patents grant exclusive rights on processes for a limited time. Patents, particularly software and business process patents are currently not valid in most Asia-Pacific countries, but are very relevant considering what may or may not affect a healthy Asian digital commons.

The need of generating more discussion to gain increased understanding of the effects of software patents led to a consultation called, Asia Commons, the Asian Conference on the digital commons which was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 6-8 June, 2006.

Asia Commons was organised by Bellanet Asia (a Partnership of SAP International and Bellanet), Bellanet 42

Presentation on Copyright and Information grey economy International, Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies, and UNDP APDIP’s International Open Source Network (IOSN) along with some local partners like Asian Institute of Technology and Thai Rural Net and funding partners like

International Development Research Centre’s Pan Asia Networking and UNDP APDIP’s IOSN. The platform that brought together some 130 researchers, advocates, practitioners and custodians of public July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

resources on ‘peer to peer sharing’ at p2pfoundation.net and Patcha from Jinbonet who, together with an organization called IP Left in Korea, developed a cartoon campaign against the IP chapter in Korea-US Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

The different conference sessions were hosted by Sunil Abraham of IOSN, Shahid Akhtar of UNDP’s AsiaPacific Development Information Programme, Laurent Elder of IDRC Pan Asia Networking, and Ronaldo Lemos of Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) School of Law. Round Table Discussion information from Asia Pacific and all around the globe, contributed tremendously in terms of increasing understanding of the effects of copyrights and patents, specifically software patents on access to knowledge and culture in Asia, identifying information gaps, conceptualising and enhancing partnership models for wider dissemination of knowledge and decision making.

The face-to-face meeting was preceded by a highly participatory planning of the issues and a three week online consultation was held to build a collective understanding of the contemporary issues and to familiarize oneself with the kind of participation. Three papers were commissioned out of an open call for papers, and they brought together an in-depth analysis of the state of affairs of the issues. These papers were shared and a peer review process was set in motion to improve the understanding of the issues.

Authors Junseok Hwang and Choong Hee Lee wrote about managing the Internet digital commons, resolving the dilemma of intellectual property in cyberspace. Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan brought an Asian Historical perspective of mediating access, and lessons that can be learnt from it. Hsin-I Huang and Tzu-Chiang Liou focused his research on the Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

benefits of collective innovation and looked at the question, “Why Open Source Software?”

While Peter Drahos from Australian National University and Jamie Love from Consumer Project on Technology presented keynotes at the start of the Asia Commons, the sessions proceeded discussing themes like history of commons, evolution of copyright, emergence of the digital economy, copyright and information gray economy, open business models for content production, and collaborative models speed sharing where the participants had the opportunity to exchange their experiences in developing, adopting or adapting new or existing models for collaborative knowledge and content creation.

Lawrence Liang of Alternate Law Forum spoke about the cultural flows represented by the piracy of films and music in Asia and the need to move away from knee-jerk media responses to piracy, and Ronaldo Lemos of FGV School of Law spoke of the pioneering efforts by those who are experimenting with new ways of distributing knowledge and creativity in Brazil. Some incredible commonsbuilders also shared their views in the conference like Michel Bauwens, who has developed one of the most comprehensive directories of

In an unique attempt participants were invited at the end of all presentations to co-create the agenda for the remainder of the Asia Commons conference. A two-day long discussion on the theme ‘Towards a healthy Asia Commons: What are the ideas and issues’ brought the opportunity for the participants to convene around topics of shared interest. They were invited to initiate ideas that they would like to take one step further through discussions with potential collaborators.

Asia Commons created many opportunities where deep discussions and exchanges happened between the organisers and the participants who have experience and ideas that are relevant to the conference. A number of thought leaders in the field of Access of Knowledge culture looked to innovative approaches to share the knowledge. The conference outputs are disseminated through several channels like pod casting, blogging and through bringing out a special magazine issue of i4d, the first monthly ICTD magazine in Asia, in July 2006. The energy and enthusiasm created during the conference lives on with collaborative post conference activities taken up by the participants in the wiki (including creating an entry on Asia Commons), in discussion lists and over 20 new collaborative project ideas.

With inputs from Frederick Noronha, the official blogger of Asia Commons.

43

4teachers.org

On the web

The online space for teachers integrating technology into classrooms Confidence, time and access to quality resources are major factors in determining teachers’ engagement with ICT. Accepting the renewals or the changes is something that permits the full integration of ICT in the classroom. Teachers who do not realise the advantages of using technology in their teaching are less likely to make use of ICT. “4Teachers” website realises this need that tries to make a difference in the educational use of the Internet. Check out the creative activities.

The “4Teachers” website, established by the US government by Advanced Learning Technologies project at the University of Kansas Centre for Research on Learning offers free online tools and resources for teachers to help them integrate ICT into teaching.

The site helps teachers locate and create ready-to-use Web lessons, quizzes, and classroom calendars.

There are also tools for student use.

Valuable professional development resources are also available here addressing issues such as equity, technology planning, and at-risk or special-needs students.

Integrating Technology Resources are found that are helpful to integrate technology into curriculum along with links to stories written by teachers who personally conquered integration challenges.

From equity and bilingual education to grants and educational journals, some multifaceted pages in the Website will guide one to all the top professional development resources needed. Students have free access to play the games online. Online educational games like Arcademic skill builders offer a powerful approach to learning basic math, language arts, vocabulary and thinking skills.

44

Tool

Purpose

PersuadeStar

for students to write persuasive essays

Classroom Architect

designing a floor plan for classroom

Equity Index

Locating resources and tools to help meet the needs of a diverse classroom

TrackStar

Views thousands of online lessons

QuizStar

Constructing online quizzes that can include multimedia

Assign-A-Day Posting personal online class calendar with hyperlinks and projects Casa Notes

Assembling takehome notes in English and Spanish

Online tools to help teachers integrate ICT into teaching On the website teachers can use a tool to create quizzes that students can take online. Another tool can be used to assemble take-home notes.

Some tools also enable the user to see materials created by other users.

By experimenting with these online tools, teachers can get ideas about how to create teaching materials efficiently and can learn from what others have already created. While some of the tools on this site are only free for US-based educators and some are only appropriate for the US K-12 education setting, the principles behind the tools can serve as inspiration for teachers and software developers in the Asia-Pacific region for creating similar tools.

The Website contains: resources to help teachers integrate technology into the curriculum; pages guiding professional developments of teachers; free online tools for teachers; online educational games; weekly update on new educational websites July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

Bookshelf School Networking: Lessons Learned A collective case study of five Asian Countries

The book covers the experiences gained and lessons learned in SchoolNet operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. SchoolNets are tremendously transformative in nature as they cover nationwide and international networks of schools, teachers, parents and resources, forums, database, teachers training, and collaborative projects between schools and nations.

The book is divided into eight chapters. Each chapter discusses the lessons learned under varying aspects of SchoolNet. In the chapter one of the book, the rational behind the SchoolNet operation has been discussed. A SchoolNet with a strong foundation that is grounded on a solid rationale and a unified set of objectives is better able to put its networking operations on target.

SchoolNets and similar operations have already begun in many countries in the Asia and Pacific region. But compiling the experiences and the lessons learned, the innovative strategies and practices was something wanting. This study conducted by UNESCO Bangkok in five countries and the book written out of that by ICT experts directly involved in the implementation of the ICT for educational programmes in their respective countries, is a realisation of that crave.

Published by the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Thailand, the 88 pages book is a collection of lessons learned about SchoolNet operations in Asia and Pacific regions.

The book can be downloaded from: http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/ user_upload/ict/e-books/ ICT_lessonslearned2/ Scheelnetworking.pdf

Digital Learning | Vol 2 Issue 7 July 2006

The second chapter is on policy and development support that mentions the role of SchoolNets in national policy and programme on ICT use in education. SchoolNets have the advantage of being a part of the government system or bureaucracy and its role is further enhanced in the national ICT policy if there are adequate inputs from the stakeholders, and if their level of involvement is high. This chapter also discusses on leadership and distributed leadership roles. It further discusses about the importance of awareness and advocacy.

The third chapter of the book focuses on Management, organisational structure, partnership and financial stability lessons. Here the book analyses the importance of range of organisational structures, personnel requirements, budgetary resources and requirements, partnership in the SchoolNet, provision of SchoolNet, operating guidelines,

institutionalisation and sustainability, synergies with other national and regional SchoolNet programmes.

In the fourth chapter of the book infrastructure and connectivity aspect of SchoolNet has been covered. In the fifth chapter, emphasis has been given on the aspect of curriculum integration, content development and knowledge management where suggestions have been given on integrating curriculum integration, pedagogy and ICT. In chapter six of the book troubleshooting and maintenance aspects have been covered. In the seventh chapter analysis has been done on the teachers’ training programme.

In the last chapter of the book suggestions have been given on research, monitoring and evaluation process. This part of the book comes up with suggestion on the performance indicators, saying, a set of key performance indicators should be developed and applied accordingly in order to determine the success of SchoolNet operations.

In each chapter of the book all five countries have been covered under above mentioned aspects separately and lessons learned in these countries have been discussed by putting details about experiences gained in various programmes conducted in SchoolNet operations.

The book contains vital lessons and suggestions on improving the performance of SchoolNet operations in Asia Pacific region. This is certainly an important resource for the practitioners who are involved in the reform process of SchoolNet programme and also for those who are key observers of SchoolNet programmes.

45

Mark Your Calendar july e/merge 2006 10-21 July, 2006 Online Southern Africa

e-Learning DevCon 2006 August 07-09, 2006 University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA http://www.rapidintake.com/elearndevcon06/ index.htm

http://emerge2006.net

Mobile Learning 2006 14–16 July, 2006 Dublin, Ireland http://www.iadis.org/ml2006/

Distance and e-Learning for the Future 10-11 August 2006 Vancouver/Burnaby British Columbia, Canada http://www.open-universities.org

ICET 2006 17-19 July, 2006 Calgary, Alberta, Canada http://www.iasted.org/conferences/2006/ calgary/icet.htm

WikiSym 2006 21-23 August, 2006 Odense, Denmark

www.novemberlearning.com

23-25 August, 2006 New Delhi, India

EISTA ‘06 20-23 July, 2006 Orlando, Florida, USA

www.digitallearning.in/DLindia

Campus Technology Conference 2006 31 July-03 August, 2006 Boston, USA http://www.campus-technology.com/ conferences/summer2005/

august 22nd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning 01-04 August 2006 Madison, Wisconsin United States http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference

september

E-MAP aims to: •

Promote the exchange of expertise and research in educational planning and management between UNESCO and the Members States;

•

Create an international platform of exchange between researchers and practitioners in educational planning and management in this field;

•

Reinforce the institutional capacities of the Members States in the field of educational planning and management; Promote South-South cooperation.

22nd ICDE World Conference on Distance Education 03-06 September, 2006 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil http://www.icwe.net/icde22/english/

ECKM 2006: 7th European Conference on Knowledge Management Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary 04-05 September, 2006 http://www.academic-conferences.org/eckm/ eckm2006/eckm06-home.htm\

I-KNOW ‘06 Graz, Austria 06-08 September, 2006

The Third International Conference on eLearning for Knowledge-based Society Bangkok International ICT Expo 2006 03-04 August, 2006 Bangkok, Thailand

http://i-know.know-center.tugraz.at/

www.eLearning06.com/www.eLearningAP.com

http://www.distant-learning.net/index.shtml

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UNESCO’s education sector has launched an e-network on educational planning and management, E-MAP, the aim of which is to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise amongst UNESCO offices worldwide, member states, and practitioners involved in this sector.

http://www.wikisym.org/ws2006

Building Learning Communities 2006 18-20 July, 2006 Weston, MA

http://www.conf-info.org/eista06/website/ default.asp

UNESCO launches network on educational planning and management

5th International Internet Education Conference Ramses Hilton, Cairo, Egypt 11-13 September, 2006

E-MAP offers three databases in three langauges (English, French and Spanish): •

A directory of nationally and internationally known experts;

•

a directory of national, regional and international institutions offering technical assistance;

•

a user space for documentary resources and methodological tools.

Users can register as members of the community by filling out an electronic form available on the UNESCO website and have access to all the network’s features and resources.

July 2006 | www.digitalLEARNING.in

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