ELITE 2009: Day 01: Session 3: Webex

Session 3:  2.00 PM Webex by Rohit

 

Mr. Rohit a customer success manager, from made a presentation on WEBEX a collaboration tool designed by webex  and currently owned by CISCO Webex supports a range of interactions such as meeting and conferences via web. Webex application range from group meetings to large conferences. The tool allows a user called host to set up a meeting and invite other for participation. The invitation delivered via email template is secure and provides a link to the invitee to join the meeting. The host controls the pace and proceeding of the meeting. The host can choose the presenter- one among the participant to make presentation. He can grant or withdraw the status of "presenter" to any participant at his will. In addition participants can use other communications means such as chats, video. However to be video enabled- the participant must ensure that her webcam is set up before she join the meeting. It is also possible to take notes during the meeting and can be saved at the end of the meeting. (it was suggested to have an option of sending such saved notes to participants via email). The share option of web provides a means to share a set of items to be made accessible to all or select participants. One can share such as desktops, applications, presentation available one's system selectively with other participants. The whiteboard option allows participants to scribble and add notes to a common place and can be viewed by all. Some time during the course or after participants are expected to conduct a meeting with course coordinator using WEBEX

ELITE 2009: e-learning Session by Prof. N J Rao

 

Prof N .J Rao conducted an extensive session on e-learning. The session covered basic tenets of e-learning.  One of advantage of teaching is that it once learning resources such as class notes are available in digital format it allows faculty to make incremental improvements in his class notes and secondly it can be made available to large number of students. However whenever faculty simply transfer his paper-based class notes and other learning resources into digital format – in toto – he may not be gaining all the advantages potentially possible with new technology.

 

E-learning is a very useful tool for enhancing both effectiveness of teaching and as well as productivity of a teacher. E-learning tools support all kinds of instructional methods- lecture, demo, tutoring, simulations, discussions etc and allow teacher to combine them in customized manner. E-learning tools provide consistent teaching delivery systems that dose not depend on such thing as mood of a teacher and other exogenous factors. In addition instructional methods such as tutoring – can be very time consuming. E-learning tools help teacher to overcome this. By means of automating certain tasks such a conducting assessment tests- e-learning tools relieve teachers from the drudgery of routine tasks.

 

However e-learning paradigm has its own requirements. A choice of e-learning method must be justified thoroughly and must respect "human learning process". Secondly e-learning approaches being student-centric make " student responsible for deciding the pace " of learning. Simulation tools such as mathlab are part of e-learning repository. E-learning tools when combined with the finding from cognitive field can overcome many of challenges faced by teaching community today 
 

Indian Culture & English: A Talk by Prof. G S Amur

Center for Developmental studies, Dharwad organized a talk on Indian Culture & English: by Dr. G S Amur an eminent literary critic and a retired English Professor. The purpose of the talk was to find the impact of English on Indian culture. Dr. Amur began his talk with a direct reference to Samuel P. Huntington's Clash of Civilization that claims that following the collapse of communist Russia, world has deprived of any ideological clash and clash of civilization has taken its place. West versus Islam is one such example.

• Before entering the central theme of the talk he clarified his choice of " Indian culture" and not " Hindu Culture" saying that the term "Hindu" is not evolved within and was given to us by western outsiders.
  
• He also defined culture as " way of life" by quoting a supreme court ruling.
• Another clarification he made was that by "English" he does not mean mere English Language by entire "baggage" that comes with it - English institutions etc.

By using a tree and roots metaphor, Dr. Amur, "One must study any culture" he asserted by first looking at its roots and then its current form or status ie. tree. The Indian culture can be broadly classified into Vedic non-vedic components and later includes religions such as Buddhism that evolved within Hindu culture and also those that came to us from outside such as Christianity and Islam. A closer looks at the roots of Indian culture reveals that we have four broad theme or guiding principles. and non-

• Bahuthwa ( Pluralism)
  
• Purusharthas ( Prime Pursuits of life)
  
• Varnashrama
• Jnana & Rajakiya

While our guiding principles are are strong and enduring our commitment to practice them is lacking he noted. We are either hypocritical or incompetent to follow those ideals. The Varnashrama principal is good in spirit but it was unfortunate this was degenerated into caste system. Some historical developments such as census taken up by British Government cemented this caste system much deeper into Indian psyche. One more point the talk noticed that today politics in India has become very powerful and "intelligentsia" has not been in position to have any say in directing nation further.

Other points made by the presenter.

• No culture grows by "isolating itself " from other cultures in fact isolation only kills it. However in accepting anything from other culture, care must be exercised. While western culture is borrowing "good" and "enduring" themes from other cluture, we are not that selective in our choices