Plenary Sessions
digitalLEARNING INDIA 2010 Report on Plenary Sessions www.eINDIA.net.in
yukti pahwa
Highlights from the Session Prof VN Rajasekharan Pillai, the Track Chair for digitalLEARNING, chaired plenary session one. He told that “scaling up is a challenge for country like India” and catering to diverse large numbers. He spoke about national level programmes – programmes Plenary Session I to connect various higher Envisioning eLEARNING on Global education institutions, NME (L-R) Dr KP Hewagamage, Asif Saleh, James Vergese and Platform and Vision 2020: Policies, ICT (National Mission of R Reghunathan Strategies and Relevance for Achieving Education through ICT) and Excellence programme on technology The aim of this session was to enabled education. Prof VS Ramamurthy Chair, Shri R Regunathan, Chairman, elaborate, discuss and debate on the mentioned that at higher education State Fee Regulatory Committee, Former plans for betterment of education system level the matter is not about access but Chief Secretary, Government of Delhi and till 2020, through the utilisation of ICT. quality assurance and there is a reason Advisor, National Knowledge Commission, The Panelists for the digitalLEARNING to emphasise for excellence. Irina Ghose Government of India; Asif Saleh, India 2010 Track, Plenary Session gave a presentation and expanded upon Policy Specialist, Access to Information I consisted of the Chair, Prof VN “Providing IT Literacy as a basic right to Programme, PMO’s Bangladesh; Dr Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, all by 2020.” Terry Wason, spoke about KP Hewagamage, Sr Lecturer, UCSC; Indira Gandhi National Open University SMART Technologies and the large scale James Vergese, Secretary, Department of (IGNOU); Prof VS Ramamurthy, Director, steps required for implementation of Education, Government of India. National Institute of Advanced Studies, ICT, which included standardisation and Government of India; Irina Ghose, Director integration. Highlights from the Session – Education, Microsoft; and Terry Wason, Shri R Regunathan, deliberated on need Country Manager – SMART Technologies. Plenary Session II of flexible learning and the new trends of Access, Equity and Excellence in globalisation, increased competitiveness, Education: Opportunities innovation and research, branding and for Public Private accreditation and use of technology. Partnership Dr KP Hewagamage emphasised The aim of the session that it would be extremely beneficial was to invite policy for the society at large there is better makers and practioners communication between public and to elaborate on the ways private sectors. in which private players Asif Saleh discussed the areas in which can use ICT to enable attention should be given in context of ICT dissemination of education; in education including teaching learning providing for equity, access process, professional development of and excellence to present teachers and providing ICT literacy to and future generations of students. James Vergese said that an children. identified area of challenge in field of ICT The Panelists for the in education is excellence. He spoke digitalLEARNING India on constructivist approach to teaching 2010 Track, Plenary learning process, which is prevalent in (L-R) Terry Wason, Prof VS Ramamurthy, Prof VN Rajesekharan Session II consisted of the Kerela education system. \\ Pillai and Irina Ghose The day one of the mega event eINDIA 2010, the largest ICT conference of the country took place on August 4, 2010 at Hyderabad International Convention Centre, Hyderabad. The day began with a gala inauguration ceremony and marked opening of a three day tech-exhibition which was open to one and all. The latter half of the day saw the beginning of three day track – ‘digitalLEARNING INDIA 2010’ with Plenary Sessions I and II.
16
www.digitalLEARNING.in