The State of Sourcing

The comparisons between Apple iPad and this $35 ‘still unnamed’ mobile device are so unfair. The online buzz about this new product is almost deafening. Ever since the Indian government announced the launch of the ‘$35 m -device’ (lets call it that, since it does not have a name yet, and this anyway seems to be the most exciting ‘fact’ about it), discussions abound on its viability, price, wasted funds, its not-so-successful predecessors, apps that it can offer and its future. While debate on all of these is justified, some more thoughts:

Why is cost such a big issue?

Continue reading ‘Education at $35… Dreaming big?’ »

Almost all of us remember fondly teachers who tried to make lessons interesting. Iinnovation is still the key, as it was then. Our research in the education segment, corroborates that blended education is generating interest, but is quite sporadic. Studies have indicated that e-learning is equally, if not more effective than traditional teaching methods.

The use of ICT for education is a worldwide movement, yet the effect is still limited. How many schools in SE Asia have really started including ICT as a teaching media – it is at best an elitist phenomenon. While education has become a booming business, we are still struggling with the quality of instruction. The corporate world is adopting training at a pace like never before, going all out to include training in all strategic decisions. How often do teachers undergo training? How equipped is an English teacher today to make Shakespeare come alive on the screen? Will a geography teacher for standard V use ICT to explain earthquakes? Will the management of a school equip all teachers to care and handle successfully a dyslexic child?

Continue reading ‘Fast forwarding 'E' into learning for K-12’ »

With 100% literacy rate, we thought there was nothing better that Kerala could do… but think again, they went one up on that. Kerala, a state in Southern India, is set to declare 100% e-literacy in November 2009.

Kerala, a tourist hub, has always maintained  a giant headway over other states, and has continued to beat national averages. The initiative, called Akshaya Scheme, spearheaded by the government has found acceptance at the grass-root level of Panchayats (rural governing bodies) and citizens alike. So what did they do right? This definitely was not an achievement that came about overnight and there is really no  shortcut to this feat. This is a result of sustained efforts over the last six years, with an actionable plan, in conjugation with funds, building up on past achievements, partnerships (BSNL, Tulip, others, in this case), and a set time line that was adhered to. This is just another example of ambitious projects being completed with a good mix of PPP. Quite a phillip to the e-learning industry.

Any lessons that states like Rajasthan, Bihar, UP, can learn from this bit of news?

The HRD ministry in India set up a 12-member ’round table on legal education’ this August, and with it, hopes to evolve a brand new approach to legal education in the country, in line with international standards. Among other issues such as encouraging the element of research, the board will recommend ways to improve curriculum design and delivery as well as current examination systems. As TOI reported, jurist N R Madhava Menon, a member of the round table commented, “The current pedagogy of lecture method does not impart skills to train a lawyer. Lawyers need skills for negotiations, intervention and other things that is needed internationally…”

This brings us to the question of how technology, ICT and yes, e-learning could be incorporated to enhance the system’s ‘curriculum design, delivery as well as the examination methods’. There has been little progress in bringing e-learning into the picture in law schools in the country. Fact of the matter is, even internationally, several renowned institutes have been experimenting with various technologies that would improve law students’ learning experiences. To illustrate, the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice has been using Moodle (an open source, self-service course management system) to introduce a range of e-learning elements such as webcasts, podcasts, chatting, MCQs, interactive materials, and of most importance to law schools, portfolios (to train lawyers and as a means of compiling evidence of post-qualification continuing professional development). Some of these functions worked, some didn’t and some are still being researched for future applicability to law students. What’s important is that a lot of investments  are being made (even by government bodies  such as the UK’s UKCLE) to test the boundaries for e-learning in the legal education context. Take a look at this presentation of an experiment by Glasgow Caledonian University in using SecondLife (a 3D virtual world) as a platform for enhancing students’ learning experiences!

Continue reading ‘L'e'gal makeover’ »