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“After this pandemic, in fact, we were forced to go for the new technologies like online classes and various types of even the assignments, conducting examinations, the proctored examinations in online,” says Dr. S. Sriman Narayanan, Vice Chancellor, VELS Institute of Science Technology in an interview with Pratik Ghosh, Content Writer, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’ #ELSAChennai #ELSATamilNadu How are you feeling to witness The New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards in Chennai? Yeah, I think it looks very attractive and with a lot of people participating in it. And a lot of different themes are being discussed in different sessions. I think it will be useful to the people who are attending this, and it will be also useful to the administrators as well as the Vice Chancellors like me, even the directors and all the teachers who are attending here. How are you implementing technology in your institution? Yeah, ours is the VELS University, which is the VELS Institute of Science, Technology, and Advanced Studies. It is a deemed-to-be university. We house roughly around 15,000 people with 750 faculty members, and roughly we run around 120 different programs comprising of engineering, pharmacy, law, basic sciences, life sciences, education, so everything. After this pandemic, in fact, we were forced to go for the new technologies like online classes and various types of even the assignments conducting examinations, the proctored examinations in online. So we are implementing wherever it is required because now the minds of the people have changed, you know, from the classrooms to the online classes and other things. So accordingly, we are making more changes that are needed for the betterment of the students. As you can see in this kind of forms, we bring in the education leaders, the EdTech players, as well as the government. So how does this kind of forum benefit the education sector according to you? Actually, whenever there are gaps, we cannot say that all know everything. So, by attending such meetings, we could see that there is some information we are getting which can fill the gaps between what is existing and what is expected. So that way, it is very useful. ArdorComm Media started in 2021, and we are close to completing two years of our existence. So what message do you want to share for ArdorComm Media Group? Okay, right. You talk to the institutions, educational administrators, and you tell them that if this is the type of people that the other side is expecting, the product that is what they are expecting, and this is the gap. And we will be able to help you to fill this gap by providing all these arrangements. Then maybe that would be a better idea.

“We are exploring how technology can be used to enhance comfortability and foster connections with students,” says Dr. Uma Kannan, Founder Principal, Sri Venkateswara Group of Schools in an interview with Pratik Ghosh, Content Writer, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’ #ELSAChennai #ELSATamilNadu How are you feeling to witness the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards in Chennai? Yes, it’s going good. I thank the Education Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Thiru Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi for inaugurating this session of the New Normal Education Summit, which is now carrying on with the help of ArdorComm Media in association with LinkedIn, and other platforms. It’s a wonderful experience, and things are going well after the past challenging times. Now, people are adapting and embracing the new normal in education. We are exploring how technology can be used to enhance comfortability and foster connections with students. We aim to incorporate multi-disciplinary subjects, overcome challenges, and encourage creativity in education. In this forum, education leaders, academicians, EdTech leaders, and government officials come together. How does this benefit the education sector at large? Today, school principals, heads, academicians, and policy makers are participating in this program. Through social media and collaboration, they can disseminate and implement the ideas discussed here within their institutions. It’s important to spread these educational uplifts to the children. Students can utilize these resources to design their lives. This forum brings together various stakeholders, fostering collaboration and creating a platform for sharing knowledge and best practices in education. ArdorComm Media Group started in 2021, and now we are here in Chennai. What message do you want to give to ArdorComm Media Group? Within a very short span of time the ArdorComm Media has developed and because of your teamwork and Mr. Chandan Anand is taking a lead role and the team is playing a very effective participation and the coordination. On behalf of Sri Venkateswara Group of Schools, I wish every member of ArdorComm Media Group to get success and involve in the leadership programs and many more summits to be conducted in many states to impart this education to the world.Top of Form  

“Instead of STEM education, we can adopt STEAM education, incorporating science, technology, engineering, arts, and humanities,” says Er. Dr. A. S. Prabu, EMD, SPK groups of companies, Chairman, SPK Gems Schools in an interview with Pratik Ghosh, Content Writer, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’ #ELSAChennai #ELSATamilNadu What’s your understanding about the NEP 2020, how will it impact the education sector? Actually, NEP had a very big impact. If the pandemic had not occurred, certain practices would have already been implemented. However, it also forced the government to assess what needed to be done. If educational reforms had been introduced five years earlier, they would have been in place during the pandemic. Adapting to change became crucial during this time. Looking ahead, practical and skill-based learning should be emphasized. Instead of STEM education, we can adopt STEAM education, incorporating science, technology, engineering, arts, and humanities. An education focused on arts and practical application is more appealing, aligning with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP). How do you define New Normal? New Normal is after pandemic. The concept of the new generation is constantly evolving, with generation gaps changing every three years. Therefore, the education policy needs to be updated accordingly, which unfortunately hasn’t been the case over the past 70 years. We have tried to incorporate British methods of teaching into our system, but the future lies in the adaptation of artificial intelligence, learning outcomes, practical experience, handling pressure, and enhancing critical thinking skills. The New Normal signifies a new era, similar to moving from the Ice Age to a new age. How does this kind of forum benefit the education sector at large? The government should assist educational institutions in implementing policies. Collaboration between the government, private sectors, and market leaders is essential for the advancement of the education sector. It’s crucial to bridge the gap between government schools and private schools. Merely increasing the number of private schools won’t change the overall educational environment and mentality. Government schools play a vital role, and the government must address their needs. This initiative in Tamil Nadu is commendable, and we hope for more detailed plans in the future. Any message for ArdorComm Media Group? Welcome to Tamil Nadu, big journey to go ahead, each and every region has a different impact it is not one place and towards every region so Chennai is on the northern part in the middle part you have Coimbatore, I think education is completely different in Tamil Nadu in different places. We stand second in terms of industrial placement in India but if the education policy is much better I think we can have a better impact.

“LMS focuses on the academic part of education delivery using digital technology to create a fantastic user experience for teachers and students,” says Dr. Prem Das Maheshwari, Business Director South Asia, D2L in an interview with Pratik Ghosh, Content Writer, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2023’ #ELSAChennai #ELSATamilNadu How are you feeling to witness The New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards in Chennai? Fantastic, I think it’s a very nice gathering of dignitaries from higher education institutions from South India. South India happens to be the hub of education, especially higher education. So having these stalwarts and the leaders from the higher education industry at one place is a fantastic opportunity for us. I’m delighted to be here. Can you tell us about the services you are providing? I am the regional director for a company called D2L, formerly known as Desire2Learn, for South Asia. This company is into Learning Management Systems (LMS). We are the world’s number two learning management system company, providing the Brightspace Learning Management platform to a large number of higher education institutions, K-12 schools, and corporates worldwide. We have over 1500+ customers and 20 million users using this platform. We have a strong foothold in India as the only LMS that is 100% UGC compliant with all parameters. We have more than 54 clients in India and have been locally hosted on AWS Mumbai servers for the past three years. With the new normal and the changing UGC policies, it will be mandatory for most higher education institutions to run 40% of their education delivery completely online. We are there to serve them with our compliant Learning Management platform. What is your take on bridging the urban-rural digital divide when it comes to technology transfer? I think the urban-rural digital divide has already thinned to a great extent. Even in rural areas and small towns, everyone is using smartphones and has access to technology and the internet. Internet coverage is fantastic, and people are exploring various social media sites. This means that the divide is gradually thinning down, which is good for India. When it comes to online education or digital education, this thinning gap is going to be of great help. Accessibility to higher education through digital technology, such as smartphones, is fantastic and available to anyone anywhere in the country. Learning management platforms play a crucial role in making education accessible to everyone. In events like this where the government, education fraternity, and corporates come together, how does this gathering help the education sector at large? There is a great amount of uncertainty and lack of information and clarity about what an LMS is. People have heard about LMS, but if you ask many people, they think using Zoom or Teams is an LMS, which is not the case. Zoom and Teams were used during the pandemic, but they are not true Learning Management Systems. LMS focuses on the academic part of education delivery using digital technology to create a fantastic user experience for teachers and students. Our job, especially in forums like this, is to educate and clarify the difference between using simple technology versus using Learning Management platforms. There is also a misconception that ERP solutions are LMS, but ERP solutions are administrative tools, while LMS focuses on academic delivery, student-faculty interaction, competency-based digital education, and the use of artificial intelligence to monitor learner progress. LMS provides a vast array of reports to monitor education delivery. The gathering helps to address these misconceptions and provide education on the true nature and benefits of Learning Management Systems. What message do you want to give to the ArdorComm Media Group? I think you are doing a fantastic job. You should continue to organize such events regionally. National events are good, but they can be crowded. Focusing on a particular region allows you to address the concerns, issues, and contemporary topics among education leaders of that region. Each region has its specific issues and concerns, so organizing small regional events is much better before going national. Overall, keep up the fantastic work.