Internet and Education - a Future (Delivered Sep 2008)
1.
2. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some Snapshots…
Early 2000, Prof Sugata Mitra of IIT Delhi did a “Hole in the wall”
concept and his results were nothing short of “amazing”
• The kids learnt by themselves.
• They discarded a Hindi browser moved to IE.
• One kid taught the him about the character map in MS Word.
This project has been carried forward by NIIT, the Education
Ministry and the World Bank.
3. Kids will always be the most creative users of
technology. The current classroom setup is just another
by-product of the assembly line culture of the
industrial revolution, with its neat rows of desks
facing the classroom leader (the teacher).
Jonathan Peizer, Open Society Institute
• Internet and Education – the Future…
4. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some Snapshots…
Mid 2001, www.studentsguild.com one of the first entrants into
online learning in India offered a course in Project Management.
It offered about 85 scholarships to individuals across India.
The modules were spread across six months leading to a PG
Diploma in Project Management certified by BusinessLab UK.
5. Some Snapshots…
On 23rd November 2001, a group of students will be attending
Aberdeen University to graduate with a Masters in Project
Management having never attended a single class or lecture
there.
For the past three years the students have been studying online, accessing and
downloading lecture notes, completing assessments and taking part in online
tutorials and discussions with their tutors over the web.
In partnership with BusinessLab and the providers of the online learning
environment, Studentsguild AS, Aberdeen University has seen the number of
students studying the course online increase from only 12 three years ago to over
150 located around the world.
Internet and Education – the Future…
6. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some Snapshots…
U21Global is an interactive, dynamic brand of executive education
that utilises the most sophisticated technology and the internet to
give you an invaluable learning experience.
It is a joint venture between Universitas 21 (an international
network of leading research-intensive universities) and MULI
(Manipal Universal Learning International).
7. Internet and Education – the Future…
IGNOU
The world largest distance education player is converting almost
quite a few of its programme to online mode.
Is this a pointer of things to come…
NO classrooms, NO teachers….???
Possibly the largest online university in the making….
8. "If the rate of change inside an institution is
less than the rate of change outside, the end is
in sight."
Jack Welch
• Internet and Education – the Future…
9. Internet and Education – the Future…
Results of PEW Internet Research in America
• Nearly every online teen (94% of 12 to 17 year olds who report
using the Internet) has used the Internet for school research;
• 71% used the Internet as the major source for their most recent
school project;
• 58% have used a Web site set up by school or a class;
• 34% have downloaded a study aid; and
• 17% have created a Web page for a school project.
10. Internet and Education – the Future…
Results of PEW Internet Research in America
• Internet-savvy students rely on the Internet to help them do their
schoolwork—and for good reason.
• The way students think about the Internet in relation to their
schooling is closely tied to the daily tasks and activities that
make up their young lives.
• The Internet as virtual textbook and reference library
• The Internet as virtual tutor and study shortcut
• The Internet as virtual study group
• The Internet as virtual guidance counselor
11. Internet and Education – the Future…
Results of PEW Internet Research in America
Many schools and teachers have not yet recognized—much less
responded to—the new ways students communicate and access
information over the Internet.
The single greatest barrier to Internet use at school is the quality
of access to the Internet.
12. Internet and Education – the Future…
“Enabled by information technologies, the pace of
learning in the next decade will increasingly be set by
student choices. In ten years, most students will
spend at least part of their “school days” in virtual
classes, grouped online with others who share their
interests, mastery, and skills.”
13. Internet and Education – the Future…
“The impact on education will be substantial. For the
pre-18s, distant learning and self-paced learning will
raise standards and increase diversity. For the post-
18s, lifelong learning delivered through CBT will
address skills shortages and have knock-on effects in
addressing social issues.”
14. Internet and Education – the Future…
The Indian scenario…
Last week Kozhikode became the first district in India to be
e-literate.
The penetration of PC/(laptops) is lagging behind …
About 4% of the population has access to internet. That’s a big
minus.
150 ISPs and 85% internet user from 5% of the ISPs
Of this 60% are with broadband.
15. Internet and Education – the Future…
The infrastructure conundrum…in India.
Given that Primary education is a prerogative of the Government
and with restrictions abound in investment in education, it will be a
little too late if we don’t get to work now.
It needs political will to get down to business
It is actually making headway in smaller towns
There will be a great need for private-public partnership since the
investment will be high. This should be open to investment.
16. Internet and Education – the Future…
The infrastructure conundrum…in India.
The Govt spend just about 6% of GDP on education. (0.8% spend
on ICT)
The villages are not fully wired to experience the power of the net.
Last mile bandwidth is still a WIP (Work in progress)
The low cost laptop (100 US $) was not given its priority in the last
decade.
Most important factor more than half of our population is under 25
years of age.
17. Internet and Education – the Future…
The Indian scenario…internet usage as on 2006
3,130,000 broadband Internet connections as of Mar.31/08, per
TRAI.
Over 5 crore internet user today…
Usage of internet :
Travel websites – 37%
Job Search – 16%
E-learning – 13%
Matrimonial – 11%
Others – 23%
Make it big
18. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some niche private players…
Educomp
Tutor Vista
New Horizons
Everonn
HUGHES Edusat – 800 teachers and 10,000 students
19. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some government players
Andhra Pradesh State Council for Education, Research & Training
Kerala’s Akshaya Scheme
Digital Study Hall in UP though not internet dependent
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangatan – reaching out to teachers*
20. Internet and Education – the Future…
Some financials/numbers this...
Online and allied education industry to grow to 40 Billion Dollars
16% CAGR expected in the next five years
Last year PEs and VCs invested 90 M $ vs. 17.5 M $ year before
(You can start imagining the possibilities)
21. Internet and Education – the Future…
The 12th
standard test
In a special test conducted to emphasize the importance of
internet two 10th
standard students were given a topic on 12th
standard syllabus and asked to research the internet.
Then when they took the test for the 12th
standard after two days
they passed out in flying colors… but
They were not good in concepts but the internet had surely
helped.
22. Internet and Education – the Future…
The challenges
• Infrastructure availability
• Resistance to change to new order
• Need for proper trainers and qualified tutors in India
• Training the existing faculty especially the non metros and rural
• Standardisation of content and study materials
• Issues on Intellectual property on content
• Ethical issues / fraud detection
• Lack of credit card availability
23. Internet and Education – the Future…
The challenges in the value system
• The regard for the teaching faculty will be eroded
• Face to face interactions will be minimal
• There will be no social upbringing of an individual
• The psychological impact will be phenomenal
• More independent and more research led
24. Internet and Education – the Future…
The positives at the moment
VOIP is being rolled out soon
IP TV and cable operators can share content to the
households in the near future
3G Services in Mobile Telephony will be soon be available
Lot of private players are sensing a big opportunity
The Accreditation procedures and standardisation will happen
as the industry matures
Bandwidth / Mobile usage rates are becoming cheaper
25. Internet and Education – the Future…
The Road Ahead…
The internet will be the driver of growth in education in the
days to come…
It is just a matter of Time…
26. • We are an online admission platform for students above
K-12 to start with, will be up for next academic year
• An admission exchange in the making
• Once in a lifetime registration
• College search – narrow and focused search
• Extends to distance education / online executive
education
• Admission information processing / result publication…
• Webminars / online counseling
• Study abroad / Study in India
• About us www.studyahead.in
27. • Less Travel / solves a logistics problem – 24x7
• Search from their own desktop
• Talk to an expert on course and curriculum
• Easy access to a particular course offering and
institutions easy updation – college login
• More content led and interactive
• Addresses a crowd in need especially 12th
standard and
10th
standards
• Keep track of academics and careers and let people
know every time you join a course
• Advantage www.studyahead.in
28. • Get into policy research / policy making
• e-Learning initiatives on a self help mode
• Online Tests as a market
• Supplementary educational aids
• Implement Build-a-school Initiative
• Open to academic collaborations in research
• Looking for the next round of funding to go for the
second level of expansion
• About our future plans
29. There are some situations and uses of "virtual" classes. But, of
all these "predications," I feel safest in predicting that the
general educational setting will look very similar 10 years from
now. Tools will change (e.g., less time in traditional library,
more available online). But physical facilities, meeting in
classroom will remain predominant.
Benjamin M. Compaine,
editor of "The Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis or Creating a Myth?"
• Internet and Education – the Future…
30. This might well happen, but it need not be a
good thing. If people are taught to hang out
only with those of like interests, mastery and
skills, they will become less tolerant of
diversity. More medieval.
Peter Denning, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California
• Internet and Education – the Future…
31. "There is no greater equalizer on this earth than
education. Through the power of the Internet we
can bring education to more people faster than any
other traditional means available…“
Keith Fox, vice president, corporate marketing, Cisco Systems.
Internet and Education – the Future…