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E-learning and Conventional learning: An overview

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India’s education system is frequently the subject of heated debate due to poor learning quality, obsolete curriculum, an over-reliance on rote learning, and a lack of suitable infrastructure. Even as our formal education system returns to physical campuses, e-learning is increasingly finding its way into our classrooms. An increasing number of educational institutions are warming up to the concept of embracing new digital tools to develop a future-ready education system, much as much else in our life, from shopping to entertainment, from investment to travel, goes online. Schools and colleges around the country are finding significant value in the digital format of education and want to continue with some of its elements, from flipped classrooms to continuous feedback, virtual labs to discussion forums, online assessments to live sessions by industry experts. Technological tools are not only finding a place in the realm of online education, but they are also collaborating with traditional institutions to produce new kinds of education. Challenges in education have always existed; however, because Google knows everything, we need to shift our focus from knowing to learning. Because simply pouring more money isn’t working, metrics must change from inputs to outcomes. Differentiation and personalization are about making learning accessible to children by tapping into their motivations and skills, not about making things easier for them. Annual exams must give way to ongoing feedback in terms of assessment. Teachers’ content knowledge is not the same as their capacity to influence student learning. A continuum of preparation, repair, and upgrade is required for lifelong learning. Several flaws in classroom education can be mitigated with the use of educational technology. The government’s recent initiatives, such as making universities multidisciplinary, using an academic bank of credit to store credentials, promoting various MOOC platforms, overhauling the examination system to introduce a more inclusive continuous assessment system that tests students on their ability to apply what they’ve learned, teacher training on the use of digital teaching tools, and the launch of India Skills Online for skill training, all encourage students to improve their grades. Traditional learning and online learning are becoming increasingly blurred, with online resources such as e-exams, e-tutorials, live online projects, peer group discussions, online assessments, online mentorship, and internships being utilised to supplement classrooms. Institutes are utilising technological platforms to offer new disciplines such as digital marketing, cloud computing, cyber security, AI and machine learning, data science, and digital forensics in order to develop future-ready workers. Learning is becoming more engaging and immersive thanks to the use of gamification in many ways such as quizzes, leader boards, badges, and online games. Learning is more exciting and engaging when students use online learning technologies that encourage peer-to-peer learning by sharing learning materials, working on collaborative projects, exchanging ideas, and participating in group activities. Schools and institutions will be able to create tailored learning journeys for distinct learners based on their talents, preferences, and performance using data science and AI powered intelligent tutoring systems. Since providing hands-on learning for large groups of students may be difficult and expensive, the use of AR and VR within classrooms will dramatically improve immersive learning experiences. The use of technology to automate mundane duties would free up teachers to focus on tasks that are uniquely suited to humans, such as coaching, mentoring, and motivating learners. Because of time and space constraints, physical classroom systems frequently made this mistake. The promise of online education, which promised to break the tough trinity of cost, quality, and scalability, was not realised. With the widespread adoption of online learning in traditional classrooms, this is about to change. Finally, we can have an educational system that allows equal and great students to not only coexist but prosper.

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ArdorComm- Higher Education and EDTECH Conclave & Awards (#HEET Conclave & Awards)

Technology is a tool to add value and make education more effective. In a scenario where there is a huge transformation in the education sector with the rapid technological advancements, we are gradually transitioning from Education 4.0 to Education 5.0. ArdorComm Media Group, being one of the growing media company in India, is here to explore the possibilities of innovation in education, the future trends and the existing scenario to propel necessary discussions between major education, tech, and government stakeholders. Education 5.0 isn’t about using less or more technology; it’s about making informed, responsible decisions while keeping the overall picture in mind. Privacy, ethics, security, and technological mindfulness are all given specific consideration in Education 5.0. It equips students for lifetime learning and establishes the groundwork for a variety of abilities that extend far beyond digital literacy. Chandan Anand, Founder, CEO & Group Editor of ArdorComm Media, emphasized saying, ‘’The goal of Education 5.0 is to transform the current educational system into one that is centered on action and outcomes. Despite repeated attempts to offer proper training, evaluation, and related assistance, the actual figures of employable graduates each year are alarming. As a result, the gap between corporate organizations’ actual needs and the intellectual human capital developed and supplied continues to widen.” To address this issue and discuss the need of the hour in the Higher education sector, ArdorComm Media, is coming up with the ‘HIGHER EDUCATION and EDTECH CONCLAVE & AWARDS 2022’ (#HEET Conclave & Awards) as a ‘PHYSICAL EVENT’ in Pune, Maharashtra on 6th May 2022. We see that the freshers are regularly trained to tune them to the organizational requirements, which costs a lot of money. Many times, children attend school with no clear purpose in mind, and students attend college with no clear goals in mind. Bringing in significant changes in a short period of time is extremely difficult for institutions and individual educators to do within the time constraints. Every industry and business organization go through a “natural cycle of change,” and the education sector is no exception. We will end up fighting today’s problem with yesterday’s tool unless we innovate and bring in the essential change proactively in every aspect of the process, which is critical for greater sustainability in the current scenario. Hence, it’s the time to propel discussions with the higher education leaders, ed-tech and other stakeholders to know their views on the same and to come up with a roadmap for transitioning to Education 5.0. About the event: The ‘ArdorComm – Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’ (#HEET Conclave & Awards) will grace the floor on 6th May 2022 in Pune, Maharashtra. The Summit’s theme will focus on ‘Empowering Higher Education community with Ed-Tech collaboration to voyage into Education 5.0’. Maharashtra –The land of Shivaji, with its rich historic and cultural past, is also known for its good educational infrastructure. As Mumbai is the Financial Capital of the country; Pune is considered as the Cultural and Educational Capital of the state, popularly known as the ‘Oxford of East’. Cities like Aurangabad, Nasik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Satara, Wardha are also the higher education destinations and are emerging as ‘The Centre of Learning’. This Knowledge forum invites Higher Education Leaders, Innovators, and Edtech Experts to share their experiences, ideas and accomplishments which has helped the growth of the education community during the tough times of COVID-19 pandemic. ArdorComm Media Awards 2022 will honour and felicitate the success stories of all educators who have been tirelessly and fiercely working for the betterment of the Education Community. Key Discussion Points of ‘ArdorComm – Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’: Education 4.0 to 5.0: A transformational shift in the education system. Reinventing higher education through the ‘PHYGITAL’ mode of learning. How can the setting up of ‘Digital Universities’ as per Union Budget 2022 help in getting world-class education? Can Distance Learning and MOOCs play a pivotal role in Higher Education in India? Skill development and multidisciplinary approach: A robust education eco-system. How the new age technologies like AI, ML, IoT are changing India’s higher education landscape? Key Highlights of ‘ArdorComm – Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’: Days: 1 Sessions: 5+ Speakers: 40+ Government Dignitaries: 10+ Higher Education Institutes (Universities + Engineering Institutes + B-Schools): 150+ Edu Corporate: 10+ Edtech Startups: 10+ ‘ArdorComm – Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’ awaits your response to collaborate with many more leading stakeholders from different education and tech sectors. Join the Education Conclave to be a part of a community that cares deeply about imparting education. Witness the change taking place when India’s top educators, innovators and dignitaries come together to share their best practices and views. Let’s vow to be the game-changers in the education community in 2022. Inviting you to participate & witness the ‘ArdorComm- Higher Education and Edtech Conclave & Awards 2022’ (#HEET Conclave & Awards) on 6th May 2022 in Pune, Maharashtra. View Event

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ArdorComm Education Leadership Symposium, #ELS2022

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The education sector is witnessing a major shift due to digitalization. In this modern world where we are living in, the concept of learning is gradually changing day by day. Amidst this faced paced transformation the answer to how technology and new-age learning is leading the next wave of value creation in overall education sector is the need of the hour. As one of the fastest growing media company in India, ArdorComm Media Group is here to explore the possibilities of innovation in education, to determine the trajectory of new age learning process with the help of planned financing solutions. In order to propel necessary discussions between the major education stakeholders, ArdorComm Media in collaboration with FINANCEPEER is coming up with a 3 months’ education webinar series featured as ‘ArdorComm Education Leadership Symposium’ from February’22 to April’22. The deliberation aims to acknowledge that how technology and new-age learning is leading the next wave of value creation in overall education sector i.e. school, higher & technical education. Meaningful implementation of technology, innovation & financial assistance helps the teaching-learning process to be more affordable & accessible. It really aids in bridging the digital-gap. This gap is one of the most important factors that also determine the economy of the country. Chandan Anand, CEO & Founding Editor of ArdorComm Media Group said, “This 3 months’ education webinar series will be covering important themes focussing on how to improve digital campuses in schools & higher education institutions with correct financial decision and digital investment planning.” Due to the pandemic, the educational institutions had to adapt to the technology in order to create a digital infrastructure for seamlessly imparting education. Planned financing solutions & technology collaborations can play a vital role in developing a better digital infrastructure/ digital campus. Now, digital financing & investment planning especially in education sector is undergoing a profound transformation. How can this help the students and learners to get easier accessibility and affordability of education? How can the hybrid/blended learning change the student-teacher relationship? How can digital literacy be improved? To discuss the multiple key questions that are clouding the minds of all stakeholders involved in the education sector, the ‘ArdorComm Education Leadership Symposium’ powered by FINANCEPEER will act as a host and a platform to discuss on these important aspects. Themes of ArdorComm Education Leadership Symposium, #ELS2022: 28th Feb 2022: How can planned financing solutions and technology collaborations aid in developing a better digital infrastructure/ digital campus? 14th Mar 2022: How can skill development be enforced in educators with the help of technology to increase digital literacy? 30th Mar 2022: How can blended learning change the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship? 12th Apr 2022: How Innovation & financing partnerships will help reduce the urban-rural upheavals in education through easier financing? 26th Apr 2022: In what ways AI-ML and student centric technologies are enabling institutions to track, access and record the teaching-learning progress? Participation from stakeholders: Educators Academicians Founders Trustees Principals HODs Vice-Chancellors Directors Chancellors CEOs Teachers Students   The virtual symposium is being held on the respective five dates as mentioned above. Join us at ‘ArdorComm Education Leadership Symposium’, #ELS2022 to know, how meaningful implementation of technology, innovation & financial assistance is making teaching-learning process more affordable & accessible.   Register for the event now! (Click here for the registration link)  

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ArdorComm: ‘New Normal – Healthcare Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’. #HELSA2022

The Healthcare sector has transformed a lot over the last few decades. India has made significant advancements in the way healthcare is delivered in the country. In terms of employment and revenue, it has been one of the largest sectors and is growing at a brisk pace. There are vast opportunities for investment in healthcare infrastructure in both urban and rural India. Government initiatives, policies & schemes are aiding to the future vision of democratized distribution of digital health and improving economic growth. COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the speed of innovations, research and discoveries. From ignorance to basic hygiene, all Indians have come a long way. With the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020, it shook the foundation of the entire healthcare system across the country. The healthcare industry, along with the central and state governments, undertook a robust response plan to tackle the pandemic by setting up of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, isolation centres and tech-enabled mapping of resources. In order to effectively manage the outbreak, the Indian government also leveraged technology and developed various applications both at the central and state-levels. It has again set for us a great example that how much importance is of the Healthcare system in the world. The Healthcare, Wellness and AYUSH community is evolving each day with the technological advancements. There is a major transformation taking place in the Pharma industry for improving the medicine development and circulation. The adoption of e-health systems in taking place at large to provide medical facility beyond geographical boundaries. Huge strategic investments are being made in IoT, Big Data, AI to rediscover and rebuild India’s healthcare sector. The medical institutes across the country are focusing on R&D and clinical trials during and post pandemic. To discuss these socio-digital transformation of the Healthcare industry, ArdorComm Media a growing media organisation in India is coming up with the much-awaited virtual symposium of the “New Normal – Healthcare Leadership Summit and Awards 2022.” It will act as a host and a platform where eminent personalities, thought leaders and Industry experts from the ‘Health & Wellness Community’ will e-meet to deliberate on next & best practices, innovations, investments, opportunities and roadblocks to the sector’s progress. ArdorComm – Healthcare Leadership Awards 2022 will recognise, felicitate & honour those individuals, hospitals & organisations those who have demonstrated a significant contribution to Healthcare, Wellness, AYUSH & HealthTech Industry. Let us take you through the paramount event itinerary designed to evoke curiosity amongst the varied audiences. Mr. Chandan Anand, CEO & Founding Editor of ArdorComm Media said, “The New Normal – Healthcare Leadership Summit & Awards 2022, will be held on 11th & 12th March 2022. The Summit’s theme will focus on ‘Empowering Healthcare Community with Socio-Digital Transformation: Strengthening Governance at Global, Regional & National Level’. The event will witness a congregation of leaders from the Ministry, Senior Government Officials, Medical Associations, Chairman, MDs & Trustees, Doctors, CIOs, CTOs, COOs, & CEOs, Hospital administrators, Technology Providers and Healthcare Consultants, Health innovators, Academicians and Medical Students.” About the ArdorComm Healthcare Leadership Awards 2022, He said that, ArdorComm Media would like to honor the trend setters, innovators, doctors, surgeons, physicians, dentist, veterinarians, hospitals,  companies, healthcare startups and medical colleges that have been providing excellence and outstanding accomplishment in the healthcare sector; despite the tough times we faced since two years.” The Agenda & Key Discussion Points in the 2 days Virtual Symposium are as follows: Key Discussion Points of Day 1 of the Event: How has adoption of new-age technology redefined healthcare services How to equip with e-health infrastructure to ease the adoption of medical treatment beyond geographical boundaries? Re-defining strategic investments in IoT, Big Data, AI-ML to re-build India’s healthcare sector Rediscovering the Pharma Industry with Digitalisation: Improving medicine development and patient care Key Discussion Points of Day 2 of the Event: Building the right healthcare infrastructure with customer demands Re-defining healthcare technology & resources to help minimise the rural-urban divide How to leverage clinical and non-clinical data to build a patient-centric approach? How can wellness practices be associated with the right clinical results for widespread adoption? Effectiveness of wellness programs on mental health. Role of Medical Institutes in promoting e-Learning, R&D and clinic trails during & post pandemic. The Key Highlights of the Event are: Days – 2 Sessions – 10+ Speakers – 60+ Participating Doctors – 200+ Participation from Hospitals/ Clinics – 500+ Participating Government dignitaries – 10+ Corporate Participation – 25+ Startups Participation – 25+ ‘New Normal – Healthcare Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’, #HELSA2022 awaits your response to collaborate with many more leading stakeholders from different Healthcare, Wellness and AYUSH community. Join ArdorComm ‘New Normal’ #HELSA2022 Virtual symposium. Register for the event now!(Click here for the registration link)

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Can Omicron turn out to be a blessing in disguise?

The ending of the year 2021 brought with it a new variant of COVID-19, which has posed a threat to the resumption of normalcy in the entire world. This new variant, Omicron is supposed to have originated from South Africa and then by gradually engulfing the entire Europe and the USA it had paved its way to India. Projections are that the numbers are going to rise over the next one month to a disproportionate amount with a rapid rise in daily cases. As of today, India has reported more than 3.47 lack new Covid cases, with a total active case count of more than 20 lack. About the Omicron strain: Scientists in South Africa reported the emergence of a new strain of the COVID-19 virus, called the B.1.1.529 on November 24th, 2021. Soon after the identification of this new variant by a team in Botswana headed by Dr Sikhulile Moyo, the World Health Organisation (WHO) did not hesitate to classify it as a Variant Of Concern (VOC). WHO has classified this variant of COVID-19 as a VOC because of the high number of mutations and its rate of transmission. Soon after this many other countries also identified this new variant affecting their population. The World Health Organisation (WHO) named it Omicron, following the tradition of using Greek nomenclature to denote the strains of the virus. The strains before the Omicron were named alpha, beta, gamma, Delta variant and so on. The new variant (Omicron) has been named while skipping the two letters in the Greek alphabet ‘Nu’ and ‘Xi’. What does the study say? According to the statistical data from South Africa, it has been assumed that the Omicron variant is 3 times more capable of infecting other people as compared to the delta variant. Moreover, the rate of increasing cases has exceeded that of the previous 3 waves of COVID-19 as well. In a few other studies, it has been found that the Omicron variant of Covid is more likely to infect the throat than the lungs, which scientists believe may explain why it appears to be more infectious but less deadly than other versions of the virus. There are five studies from across the world that confirm this observation that Omicron does not damage people’s lungs as much as the Delta and other previous variants of Covid. Deenan Pillay, professor of virology at University College London said, “The result of all the mutations that make Omicron different from previous variants is that it may have altered its ability to infect different sorts of cells.” “In essence, it looks to be more able to infect the upper respiratory tract – cells in the throat. So, it would multiply in cells there more readily than in cells deep in the lung. This is really preliminary but the studies point in the same direction.” It implies the fact that if the virus replicates more in the throat, that makes it more transmissible, which would help to explain the rapid spread of Omicron. On the other hand, a virus that is good at infecting lung tissue will be potentially more dangerous but less transmissible. What are the Precautions for Omicron? To stay safe, you must follow all the WHO and Government-mandated safety measures for Omicron: Get vaccinated if you haven’t Maintain physical distancing Limit your travel outside and avoid crowding at all costs. Always wear a mask when stepping out or meeting any outsider Follow hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes Do not ignore any signs of illness and consult your doctor immediately How can Omicron turn out to be a blessing in disguise? Scientists and researchers are increasingly convinced that the Omicron variant is acting like a natural vaccine for the people around the world. This is because most infected people have no or very mild symptoms, yet their bodies do produce full antibodies. Various countries are currently seeing record numbers of infections, including the USA, UK, Europe and most part of Asia, but hospital admissions only show a modest or even no serious increase. The high level of contagiousness, paired with very mild symptoms, may make Omicron a blessing in disguise, some Covid scientists argue. Professor Tony Blakely from the University of Melbourne in an Australia’s program said that Omicron may actually be a “blessing”, as initial reports suggest it is less severe than Delta despite being more infectious. Its apparent high transmissibility could lead it to displace Delta, he says. “This one should be more mild, but we don’t know exactly how much more mild it is, so that means that the hospitalisation rate should, but we are still learning, be less severe,” he explained. “It might be our ‘get out of this pandemic’ card,” he adds. However, Dr Blakely warned, that even if Omicron didn’t cause severe symptoms, that doesn’t stop another variant from doing so one day. “There will be more variants, and it is not guaranteed that the variant after Omicron and the next one will each be milder, it could become more severe. So, it’s a really interesting time to be an epidemiologist,” he said. Dr Namita Jaggi of Artemis Hospitals in India told various media channels that “pandemics have traditionally speaking petered out by having variants that are milder and less severe till they finally die out.” “So no, Omicron is not a cause of concern, rather we must optimistically hope that we are moving towards the end of the pandemic,” Jaggi said. Dr Vishal Sehgal, President of medical services at Portea Medical in India, told the Times of India that “Omicron acts as a natural vaccine and proves beneficial as it is less life-threatening.” Nicanor Austriaco, a Filipino-American molecular biologist, also believes Covid may slowly be killing itself off with the milder Omicron variant. During a Town Hall meeting, last week, he said that those infected with Omicron will have antibodies that “will protect them against Delta, Gamma, Beta, Alpha, and D614G” variants. Conclusion So, to conclude we can only wait and

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New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’, held on 7th and 8th January 2022

leadership

ArdorComm Media Group, a growing media organisation hosted the second edition of India’s First & Biggest ‘New Normal Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ (#ELSA2022) on 7th & 8th January 2022 as a Virtual event. AICTE (Under Ministry of Education, Govt. of India) and Higher Education Department, Government of Telangana associated as the ‘Government supporting partners’ in this event. The virtual symposium of ‘New Normal Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ built the congregation of the Indian Education Community from pan India to discuss and explore the possibilities of innovation in education, the future trends and the existing scenario of the education sector. The event witnessed the convergence of education leaders and innovators from various institutions, schools, organizations, universities, EdTech & startups. The Silver Partner of the event was Knauf Ceiling Solutions, the Associate Partners were PinnacleWorks Infotech (P) Ltd, Chrysaalis i-maths India Pvt Ltd and ExtraaEdge. The School Partner of the event was Billimoria High School, Panchgani and the Pre-School Partner was Hello Kids Chain of PreSchools. Mr. Chandan Anand, Founder, CEO & Editor, ArdorComm Media Group said, “New Normal Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022, #ELSA2022 is a knowledge forum to propel discussions on Empowering the Education Community for Socio-Digital Transformation and adoption of 21st century skills in this VUCA phase. This ‘New Normal’ event will thus unfold the latest trends in the education and technology sector.” Higher-ups in the education sectors like Chancellors, Trustees, Vice Chancellors, CEOs, MDs, Directors, Principals and government dignitaries came together to express their views to empower students to make judicious use of technology in education. The Guest of Honour of the event was Shri Navin Mittal, IAS, Commissioner, Technical & Collegiate Education Higher Education Department, Government of Telangana. The Special Guests of the summit were, Shri Ramanan Ramanathan, Former (First) Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Former Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog, Dr. M. S. Shyamasundar, Senior Adviser, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and Dr. M.V.V. Prasada Rao, Former Director, CBSE. The two-day virtual symposium witnessed the powerful deliberation of the leaders from apex government bodies, academicians and educators from universities, colleges, engineering institutes, B-schools, K-12 & pre-schools, experts from corporate, EdTech companies & start-ups. The Summit’s theme was focused on ‘Empowering Education Community with Socio-Digital Transformation & 21st-century skills in VUCA World’. The eminent speakers on Day 1 (Higher Education) included Manish Kothari, Managing Director, ISBR Business School, Bangalore Urban, Prof. Ajay Kumar Singh, Vice Chancellor, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, Dr. Raj Singh, Vice Chancellor, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, Prof. Vikas Singh, Vice-Chancellor, ITM, Raipur, Moulshree Dubey, CEO, Professional Institute of Engineering and Technology, Raipur, Dr. Pankaj Gupta, Educator, OP Jindal Global University, Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, Chandigarh, Dr Dwarika Prasad Uniyal, Pro Vice Chancellor, RV University, Bengaluru, Sanjay Padode, Founding President, Vijaybhoomi University & Chairman, JAGSOM, Dr. B. Sendilkumar, Dean and Director, Health Sciences, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation – Deemed to be University, Salem, Dr. Madhur Gupta , Director, St. Francis Business School, Bangalore, Dr Hari Krishna Maram, Vice Chancellor, Universal Digital University and many others. The eminent panel speakers of Day 2 (K-12 education) included Dr. Pranati Tilak, Chairperson, Tilak Maharshtra Vidyalaya, Pune, Kanak Gupta, Director, Seth MR Jaipuria Schools, Aditi Goradia, Managing Director, Billimoria High School, Panchgani, Pratima Sinha, CEO, DSR Educational Society, Hyderabad, B. Anantha Krishnan, CEO Operation, Kalorex Group Of Institutions, Ahmedabad, Sir Kuldeep Surolia, Founder Director and Trustee, Sorsfort International School, Sapna Sukul, Founder, Edustart Solutions, Sunita Jain, Director, Hello Kids Chain of PreSchools, Dr. Kavita Bajpai, Director & Co-Founder, The Thrissur International School, Thrissur, Kerala, Dr. Mona Lisa Bal, Chairperson, KIIT International School, Bhubneshwar, Tijay Gupta, Co-Founder & COO, BACHPAN & AHPS Group of Schools, New Delhi, Harshita Sharma , Founder and Director, Brainstorm International School, Pune, Amol Arora, Managing Director, Shemrock & Shemford Group of Schools, Vindi Pujari, Director, Nerva Education Foundation, Pune, Sandeepan Reddy, Founder – Chairman, Synergy National School, Ambejogai, Dharmesh Kapasi, President, Shanti Juniors Group of Schools and many others. The Key Discussion Points of the Event were: Higher Education The Rise Of Lifelong Learning In The ‘New Normal’ Era Bridging The Urban-Rural Digital Divide Through Mobilizing Technology The Importance Of Transnational Programmes In The Internationalization Of Higher Education How Can R&D & Innovation Play A Central Role In Economic Growth & Job Creation Importance Of Entrepreneurial Education Among Students School Education Redefining The Role Of Schools And Education In The New Normal Can Group Analysis And Social Interactions Flourish In A Virtual/Hybrid Education Ecosystem? Digital Textbooks Vs Regular Textbooks Physical & Extra-Curricular Activities Vital For Holistic Development Bridging The Digital Divide In K-12 Education The Key highlights of the event are: Days – 2 Sessions – 12+ Speakers – 60+ Participation – 600+ ArdorComm Media Award and Felicitation ceremony celebrated the success stories and exemplary contribution of the trend setters, innovators, education leaders, academicians, who have been tirelessly and fiercely working for the betterment of the education community during this unprecedented time. The felicitation ceremony was hosted to felicitate Higher Education Institutes, Schools, Universities, Corporate & Start-ups for their excellent contribution to the education sector. ‘New Normal- Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ was an important knowledge sharing platform of the education community that cared deeply about imparting education and making the teaching- learning process smoother and accessible to all. It highlighted a glimpse of the education fraternity comprising India’s top educators, innovators and dignitaries who came together to share their best practices and views. Let’s vow to be the game-changers in the education community in 2022. Thank you for participating & witnessing India’s 1st & Biggest New Normal Event, ArdorComm – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022. Click here to view the recorded version of the event.

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Where are we in terms of the urban-rural digital divide in India?

Why not start the blog directly with some numbers, right? According to a survey conducted by the Times of India in September 2021, 37% of poor students belonging to rural areas had dropped out of schools. The survey revealed that due to the prolonged COVID-19 situations and lockdowns, children decided to drop out of schools because they couldn’t even afford online education on devices. As many as 48% of children surveyed weren’t able to read anything after a few words. I think this forms a clear picture of the urban-rural education divide in India. As the pandemic took over the globe, it was easy for well-equipped, urban and private schools to switch to an online mode of education. Even the students and their families had at least 1-2 smart devices at home, which ensured the continuity of education for their kids. Unfortunately, children living in marginalized areas and bastis (slums) do not have access to any smart device or the internet. So, online learning, though a very positive initiative for students in India, could not reach the rural sector, thereby resulting in the fallout of poor children from schools. Even if the households have smartphones, they are either used by adults or students don’t have the proper knowledge on how to use smartphones for education. When it comes to parents, the survey revealed that parents had reported diminishing desires for education and learning, reduced abilities to read text and learn new things. The COVID-19 induced lockdowns had rendered children unable to learn outside of school premises and classes. Children from rural areas are in such a disadvantaged position that during the survey, students from class 3 were not able to read texts from class 2 and thus, their academic progress had fallen back to class 1. Now, the above facts paint a stark picture of the urban-rural digital and education divide in the country. However, how are we going to deal with this? There are multiple ways to overcome the abovementioned divide, let’s take a look: Democratizing the use of technology and internet Major revisions in the curriculum suitable for children in all areas over an extended transition period Free circulation and aid of smart devices and internet for students and schools in rural areas by the government Training by skilled individuals and growth stakeholders to students and educators from rural areas to adapt to change and technological advancements Provide poor children with a budget for proper daily amenities and meals even in an online education environment Ensure proper coaching and mental health support to students from marginalized backgrounds Tie up government schools in rural areas with skilled institutes and centers to ensure they receive at par education, training and help Let them enjoy co-curricular activities and social interactions for overall holistic development Create a forum for children to discuss their pain points and issues with counsellors and educators everyday Conclusion To say a few last words, technology and training can easily bridge the urban-rural gap in India. It will take time, but if the government ensures equitable distribution to all areas, then no one can stop rural students from flying close to their dreams and transforming them into reality.

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Importance of Social Interactions in Online Learning

Most of us grew up having a very different notion of education. However, the modern-day student population is experiencing a revolutionary form of education where they have the liberty to learn at their own pace. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the demand for virtual learning and luckily, it’s here to stay!  At first, students were facing many difficulties with online learning like reduced social interactions, loss of connectivity, difficulty with technology and the feeling of alienation. However, as time went by, students became increasingly tech savvy and are now very much used to the virtual way of learning and interacting.  Although it was challenging for schools at first to enable stable interaction and engagement opportunities for students in a virtual environment, they soon learnt to create moments of magic even in online classes.  Humans are social beings and only when we interact with different people, we understand and learn from new experiences. So, even though it might be challenging to enable social interaction opportunities in a online environment, it must be done.  Let’s try to understand in depth why social interactions are important.  Interactions Amongst Students Do you know how students learn to ideate and innovate? The answer is simple. Children are young and their minds have very fresh perspectives.  When innovative minds collide, experiment and brainstorm, interesting thoughts and ideas are born.  Also, peer-to-peer interactions help to spread motivation and happiness amongst one another which helps the students to maintain a healthy balance between their mental and emotional health. In addition, when students interact, they share their struggles and common paint points to empathize with one another. These kinds of interactions result in deciphering solutions to their common struggles.  Students interacting with one another can also discuss real-time applications of concepts and theories to yield state-of-the-art outcomes. Even praise from fellow classmates can lead to a healthy boost in confidence. As everyone learns in different ways, group interactions can prepare students professionally for a successful work life in terms of networking, leadership and management.  Therefore, it is essential for educators, schools and institutions to recognize the importance of social interactions for students. Even in an online environment, they should fit engagement opportunities for students between their regular classes.  Here are some pointers to enable social interactions in online classes: Group Projects: Based on the latest trends, students can explore new topics together. This will enhance communication and intellectual discussions.  Co-curricular Activities: For leisure and rejuvenation, frequent activities like signing, painting, dancing, poetry, standups, storytelling, etc. can be conducted for students to come together and share infectious moments of joy and happiness.  Free networking zones: Educators must establish virtual networking zones amongst students belonging to different age groups and sections to encourage discussions.    Interactions Between Educators and Students An educator plays a crucial role in the overall development of a student. With online learning, students have often felt disconnected with their mentors. However, instructors should go the extra mile to interact with students (even in groups) to pacify their curiosities and challenges.  In addition, if the educator and the student share a good bond, the student feels free to ask questions and discuss problems. As a result, receiving professional help helps them achieve academic excellence. Also, the educator could call group meetings to share and discuss course materials and co-curricular activities to enhance their intellectual, social and mental journeys. Only with regular interactions, students develop a sense of responsibility, commitment, togetherness and teamwork.  In a different scenario, if a student is lagging behind and is going through a rough patch, educators could take up individual sessions with such students to help them in solitude, thereby avoiding social or community embarrassment. In one-to-one sessions, students going through a bunch of challenges would feel comfortable to share their viewpoints.  Here are some examples to enable educator-to-student interaction in online learning: Webinar sessions Instant messaging Written or voice thread feedback  Virtual help desks Conclusion Be it a hybrid or a virtual class, student-to-student and educator-to-student social interactions are integral for holistic development and healthy mental health.  I would like to challenge the thought process of “Too many cooks spoil the broth” by saying, “True magic happens with a sense of collectiveness.” So, in 2022, let’s try to create an environment for students where they feel free to express their concerns, success, views, ideas, pain points and experiences to strike the right balance. 

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The Role of Schools in Education As We Enter The New Normal

Something we never thought has already happened to all of us! For students, their schools are literally their homes now. We have almost reached the year’s end and even though it may seem like students are becoming comfortable with virtual classes, that’s not the case with everyone. In the pre-pandemic schooling system, kids were developing holistically as the real-time experiences and interactions in class, with friends and with the staff resulted in the overall development of a person. Now, we are looking at a system where the child has to starfish across an ocean to reach the shore.  From the health and safety angle, new variants of COVID-19 like the Omicron are taking over some areas of the globe. So, we can expect that the schools and the education and learning scenario will not restore to normalcy. There’s only one way to move forward and that is to plan a hybrid system for kids and the staff.  Let’s delve deeper to understand the kinds of changes and additions that will take place in the functioning of schools to redefine the notion of education in 2022 and so on.  Mental and Emotional Health Will Take the Center Stage With so much turmoil and trauma faced by the world’s inhabitants due to the pandemic, there has been a devastating impact on children’s mental and emotional health. It is also important to note here that the Indian society is still not aware about the extent of repercussions that untreated mental health issues can cause. Therefore, to make the future more of these kids secure, we need to teach them about mental and emotional health. The kids must be able to understand and reach out to others incase of any kind of emotional or mental trauma. The future needs empathetic and knowledgeable leaders! If you teach kids about mental health now, they will be able to navigate stressful situations in life using the right path.  Extracurricular Activities Must Not Just be Extra With two years into the pandemic, do you know what kids miss most? The answer is their friends, fun activities and social interactions. We all know that schools are the actual place students discover their hobbies, talents and areas of interests. Extracurricular activities like art competitions, talent shows, debated, etc. actually encourages students to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  Confidence, camaraderie and trust are just some of the things students learn from co-curricular activities. So, rather than organizing these activities once or twice a month, it should be organized on a daily basis for at least some amount of time for students to feel rejuvenated from their daily schedules.  Personalized Learning is Here to Stay As teachers have to teach a hybrid class, they have to match the wavelength of students in-person and online. Managing both kinds of audiences is a tough nut to track. Some students who are in the class might be finding it easy to go along with the teacher’s pace, while students at home must be lagging behind due to a number of reasons like low connectivity.  How can we resolve this issue? The gift of virtual learning is that students can learn at their own pace. New edtech platforms and vendors are designing state-of-the-art interactive platforms for students to learn from. Be it handing over of assignments or exams, learning and performing tasks can be entirely personalized. Each and every one of us have a different pace and a distinctive way of thinking, so personalized learning in schools comes as a boon.  Digital Technologies and Audiobooks Every year in the education landscape, there are hundreds of new policies and innovations. However, India is slow to adapt all of them at a steady pace. In recent times, digital technologies have scaled to a level that they are actually thinking about creating sentient technologies. Imagine that!  On the other hand, technology for education, educators and students has come a long way. There are various edtech platforms and technologies like data analytics, cloud computing, AR/VR, etc. that schools are leveraging for innovating and revolutionizing education and learning. It is better for educators and students to familiarize themselves with new technologies as it is the only way forward.  If we think in terms of people who can’t read or find it difficult to perceive written text, audiobooks are slowly catching up with the emerging trends in education. As a suggestion, maybe schools and educators could convert textbooks into audiobooks so that students can access them anytime and anywhere. It will also be more engaging, enticing and easy to understand if we consider a diverse group of students.  Final Words To conclude, I would like to say that we live in an era where the emotional quotient (EQ) of a person is just as important as their IQ, even more so. We don’t know what the future holds for us and the only way forward is focusing on imparting a robust education to students so they grow up to the revolutionary leaders we need.  Adapting to new technologies, focusing on extra-curricular activities and giving students their space to learn is the best we can give them to ensure the continuity of quality education. 

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The Trend of Lifelong Learning In Education 4.0

When a human being comes to life, the desire to develop personally and professionally starts taking shape. As we all know by now, education is one of the most important aspects of life. In order to help the society, contribute to the world economy, establish your standard of living, you need good education. Most importantly, to be an asset for yourself and those around you, you need a goal which automatically comes from learning and development throughout the years.  Let’s take a look at what lifelong learning really means.  What is lifelong learning? In layman terms, lifelong learning simply means a desire to initiate a self-induced education focused on personal development. Mostly, lifelong learning is associated with learning and development that occurs outside a formal institution. However, there’s no standard definition to the term. Lifelong learning can also mean a formal education with the voluntary desire to achieve personal fulfilment.  After the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for online education and distance learning skyrocketed. As a result, not only are people learning new things apart from their formal education, they are actually choosing career streams and job opportunities based on other sources of education and learning.  In a way, it can be said that the pandemic has produced a generation of youth that is multitalented with varied interests. Also, in a country like India where lakhs and crores of graduates go into the market every year, it is the need of the hour to optimize, upgrade and upskill yourself.  Therefore, the demand for skilled individuals has boosted the concept of lifelong learning. Nowadays, corporates, universities and schools constantly encourage their stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the latest trends and tools in the market. When a person enthusiastically partakes in the quest for constant and continued learning, then it can be termed as a perfect example of lifelong learning.  What is the importance of lifelong learning in a person’s life? It doesn’t matter if you are pursuing your personal or professional interests, lifelong learning can help you achieve inner satisfaction. It aims at bringing out the natural human drive to be curious and explore new things.  Lifelong learning can help you by: It can help you recognize your true passion, drive and interest It can help you achieve mental, emotional, social and intellectual satisfaction Constant learning and growing will help you improve your self-worth It will help you by defining and working towards your goals more clearly and concisely Who are lifelong learners? The answer to the above question is not tricky! We are all lifelong learners in some or the other way. Our schools, colleges, institutions, jobs and most importantly – life – are constantly teaching us something new a mile a minute.  Everyday socialization, formal trainings, self-studies or research on new trends and topics are all examples of lifelong learning. In the end, we learn for ourselves, not for others, because one can only impart knowledge when they themselves know about the topic at length. Thus, a forever quest of learning and gaining knowledge for personal fulfilment is lifelong learning.  Why are people indulging in lifelong learning? Despite formal education and training at various levels, a person may have deviated interests which may require him or her to be skilled at something niche. In addition, a person or a student may just be curious to know about new things. With the advancement in technology, penetration of internet and presence on social media, people can easily identify the latest trends and topics. Therefore, it can be said that as people are becoming increasingly self-aware, the hunger to power through, discover new things, network and invent is escalating. To quench this thirst, people are engaging in lifelong learning through various mediums. With the click of a button, you can have easy access to courses, knowledge and insights.  What are some real-time examples of lifelong learning in Education 4.0? For better understanding, let’s take a look at some simple examples that can be classified under lifelong learning in modern-day education.  Learning a new technology: Adapting to and learning new software, tools and smart devices Developing new skills: cooking, sewing, programming, dancing, singing, painting, etc.  Learning a new sport: Cricket, basketball, football, martial arts, self-defense, etc.  Self-taught learning: Learning a new language, starting a podcast, researching and writing on topic of interests and the list goes on…  Platforms that enable lifelong learning Almost all internet platforms encourage users to engage in lifelong learning. The major source for lifelong learning is the web or the internet.  Platforms like Udemy, Lifelong Learning Platform (LLP), Coursera, Skillshare, Edx, MasterClass, General Assembly, Khan Academy, Byjus and much more encourage learning from anywhere and everywhere. Due to their flexibility, personalized and user-centric patterns, they are the most popular lifelong learning and development platforms in Education 4.0.  Final words In order to figure out your personal and professional goals, you must always keep an open mind and be reciprocative towards change. In a time when the world is going through multiple upheavals, you must always be ready to upskill, learn and help out. In a herd full of sheep, if you want to be a game changer, you must constantly learn and develop through any means possible. Engaging in lifelong learning is already a major trend and you must undergo at least some sort of learning everyday to achieve inner and mental peace. 

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