Internet and Education - a Future (Delivered Sep 2008)

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.

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…


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.

http://www.studentsguild.com/

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.



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).


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….

"If the rate of change inside an institution is less than the rate of change outside, the end is in sight."

Jack Welch



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.



• 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



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.


“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.”


“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.”


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.


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.


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.


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


Some niche private players…

Educomp

Tutor Vista

New Horizons

Everonn

HUGHES Edusat – 800 teachers and 10,000 students


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*


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)


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.


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


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


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


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…

• 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

• 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

• 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

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?"


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


"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.



Documents

Internet and Education - a Future (Delivered Sep 2008)