ICT in Indian Education

ICT in Indian Education

Realising the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) the Ministry of Human Resource Development as per the Mission Document, ICT is the tool in education available to enhance the current enrolment rate in Higher Education, at present 15 percent to 30 percent by the end of the 11th Plan period. The Ministry also launched a web portal named “SAKSHAT” a ‘One Stop Education Portal’. The high quality e-content once developed will be uploaded on SAKSHAT in all disciplines and subjects. Several projects are in the completion stage and are expected to change the way teaching and learning is done in India.

The aim of this is project, “Developing suitable pedagogical methods for various classes, intellectual calibers and research in e-learning,” anchored by IIT Kharagpur. Faculties from all the IITs and several NITs are participating in this curriculum development project.

The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology  has, under its aegis, created Virtual Labs, Open Source and Access Tools, Virtual Conference Tools, Talk to Teacher programs, a Non-Invasive Blood Glucometer and also for simulated lab experiments, a Di. Electric frequency shift application development of resonator for low cost oscillators. The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been envisaged as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to leverage the potential of ICT, in providing high quality personalized and interactive knowledge modules over the internet/intranet for all the learners in Higher Education Institutions in any time any where mode.

The Mission has two major components viz., (a) content generation and (b) connectivity along with provision for access devices for institutions and learners. It plans to focus on appropriate pedagogy for e-learning, providing facility of performing experiments through virtual laboratories, on-line testing and certification, on-line availability of teachers to guide and mentor learners, utilization of available Education Satellite (Edusat) and Direct to Home (DTH) platforms, training and empowerment of teachers to effectively use the new method of teaching learning etc.

The peer group assisted content development would utilise the Wikipedia type of collaborative platform under the supervision of a content advisory committee responsible for vetting the content. Interactivity and problem solving approach would be addressed through “Talk to a Teacher” segment.

The Mission would also have a component of Teacher Empowerment through proper training and digital literacy of teachers to be able to use the e-contents. Renowned institutions would anchor various activities in their areas of excellence. The Mission would seek to enhance the standards of education, in Government as well as in private colleges. Enlistment of support and cooperation of States/Union Territories, Institutions and individual experts would be an integral part of the Mission. National Programme of Technology enhanced Learning (NPTEL) Phase II and III will be part of the content generation activity. An amount of Rs. 4612 crore is to be incurred during the 11th Five Year Plan for the National Mission on Education through ICT. This Mission is an opportunity as well as a challenge for the bright faculty members of our Universities and Institutions of Excellence to invest their intellectual capital for the knowledge empowerment of all the learners of our Country. We need to synergies our individual efforts in this direction

CIET

Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) works as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India. CIET was established in 1984 with the merger of the Center of Educational Technology and Department of Teaching Aids, a constituent body of the NCERT. Its chief aim is to promote Educational Technology especially mass media singly or in combination with developed multimedia packages to extend educational opportunities and improve the quality of educational processes at the school level.

SIET

The state institutes of educational technology (SIET) were set up under the centrally sponsored scheme of INSAT for education for planning and production of educational audio and video software for school children and teachers of primary and secondary schools in the concerned State. SIETs also produce a variety of material for the achievement of their objectives chief among which is making learning a joyful experience.

EDUSAT

       EDUSAT is the first Indian satellite built exclusively for serving the educational sector. It is mainly intended to meet the demand for an interactive satellite based distance education system for the country. On the 21st September, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched a rocket in to space carrying a 1950 kg satellite dedicated to the cause of education, 'Edusat'. Compared to other satellites launched in the same series so far, EDUSAT will have several new technologies. Satellites can establish connectivity between urban educational institutions and a large number of rural and semi-urban educational institutions to provide an educational infrastructure. Besides supporting formal education, a satellite system can facilitate the dissemination of knowledge to the rural and remote population about important aspects like health, hygiene and personality development and allow professionals to update their knowledge base as well. Thus, in spite of limited trained and skilled teachers, the aspirations of the growing student population at all levels can be met through the concept of tele-education. The concept of beaming educational programmes through satellites was effectively demonstrated for the first time in India in 1975-76 through the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) conducted using the American Application Technology Satellite (ATS-6).

GYAN DARSHAN

            The developments in science have revalutionised information and communication technology. The most important development among these has been compression technology. This has enabled carrying several channels in one transponder. In education sector Gyan Darshan is one such channel. It was launched in 26-jan-2004. The channel is a student friendly one. It functions in a manner that students can register for a certificate, diploma or a degree level programme. It would be so organized that it maintains the sequencing of the lesson in this efforts, the 24 hour channel would enter into specific arrangements with several mix mode learning programmes currently offered by many Indian universities. Apart from being a subject specific channel it would also beam programmes of motivational nature, general awareness and should aims at building the horizon of teachers and students alike.