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Technology, Teaching and Learning

Source: Gulf News, November 19, 2010

This is in response to Anjana Sankar's feature on education, ‘If they (teachers) are not losing jobs to technology, they are certainly losing respect’ in Gulf News, November 19, 2010. The feature is thought provoking and at the same time disturbing. For instance, the picture used in the feature (shown above), and comments like ‘teachers loosing respect’ are worth mentioning.

Most of the quotes in the feature came from Patrick Beyrouti, the Middle East Manager of Arab Business Machine, which is the authorized distributor of Apple. I do not intend to question his intention but the reporter could have done adequate research to do justice with issues like these, which are of critical social importance. Most importantly, the feature lacked diversity.

Teachers do not command respect solely on the basis of how techno-savvy they are. But lot depends on the knowledge and the extent to which teachers are able to connect students to the real (practical) world. There are plenty of studies that show technology alone does not influence learning.

The other assertion that the technological gap between students and teachers is widening is not true. In fact, the gap is reducing. Teachers are certainly open to the idea of using available and emergent technologies to make learning effective and meaningful. And thus, the teaching community is not resisting the use of technology in learning. We all realize that change is inevitable and resisting change will not help the cause.

My experience as a teacher for last ten years has made me think on this subject many times, much before I read this feature. I realise that it’s important to keep up with the technology but at the same time extensive use of technology, as teaching tools, leads to gradual and unavoidable dependency, which in turn makes you loose certain traditional teaching skills. I being a teacher, who has experienced this transition, can comprehend the losing of traditional teaching skills. The introduction of PowerPoint presentations has certainly introduced the culture of copy, cut and paste - among students and teachers (though in different ratios).

It is important for all of us to realize that digital technologies are of critically important. But at the same time we also need to be sure that the use of new technologies should serve the good of the society. For the time being, teachers must be given due benefit of doubt as how technology should be used in teaching and make an integral part of learning. Technology has immense advantages but unfortunately it can not develop the balancing skills among us……or else such verdict on teachers would not have been published in the reputed newspaper of this region.

Some important web resources on the issue:

• Is Google Making Us Stupid?
• The effect of PowerPoint presentations on students learning attitudes
• The Shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains
• The Shallows': This is your Brain Online
• The Flickering Mind: The False Promise of Technology in the Classroom and How Learning Can Be Saved
• The Flickering Mind: The False Promise of Technology in the Classroom (Review)
• Growing Up Tech: Beyond the Hype and Fear
• Educating the net Generation
• Professor Sonia Livingstone: The net is riskier than anywhere else kids play
• Professor Sonia Livingstone on Children's Media:
• Born Digital
• Digital nation

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Ambitions, Aspirations, Hopes and Beyond….

On October 30, 2010 Manipal University – Dubai organized its Fourth Annual Convocation ceremony at the spacious Zabeel Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre. His Excellency Sanjay Verma, Consul General of India to Dubai was the Chief Guest of the event along with Dr. Vinod Bhatt, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Mr. Anand Sudershan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Manipal Education. 450 students received their degrees from the university and were accompanied by their proud parents for the occasion.

Three of our students, Ms. Susha Susan Mathew, Ms. Anshika Kishin Bhatia and Ms. Divya Kishin Galani, were bestowed with the “DIAC Special Award of Excellence” for their academic performance as a token of admiration towards their tireless and devoted efforts.

(Pic: Luiza Carla Ramos, a master's student of the Department of Media and Communications receives her degree from His Excellency Mr. Sanjay Verma - Consul General)

Mr. Sanjay Verma congratulated the graduating students and reminded them of their social responsibility to serve the region, society and nation. At the end of his enlightening speech he advised students to ‘connect’ to old friends. To reflect on that ‘old is gold’, they say; but seems like the modernity and hustle-bustle of everyday life has us so occupied that we tend to dismiss the ‘little but significant’ things in life. It reminded us that unless these quotes are accepted and practiced by us our goals fail to materialize.

( Pic: Dr. Sanjay Kalvani, a proud parent of Megna Kalvani (bachelor's student of the Department of Media and Communications receives 'Award for Best Academic Performance' on his daughter's behalf from His Excellency Mr. Sanjay Verma - Consul General)

Dr. B. Ramjee, Director, Manipal University Dubai advised the students to open and sensitize their minds to multicultural forces that are shaping today’s society which he believed are integral in order to cope with today’s fast and ever changing world.

(Pic: Anisha Sudhir, a bachelor's student of the Department of Media and Communications receives her degree from Dr. B. Ramjee, Director - Manipal University - Dubai)

While the event was being planned, the Department of Media and Communications was assigned with the responsibility of inviting the media and the press. I quickly revisited all the fundamentals of ‘media relations’: from preparing an up-to-date media list and press release to building-up an excellent rapport with the media professionals. With all my controlled excitement, we started inviting media professionals. They took our call in all their humility. They were happy to learn that more than 450 students from different disciplines are going to graduate. They also extended their heart-felt wishes to students and parents. However, with utmost politeness, they told us: “Convocation does not make a good news story”. That left me pondering. Why, I thought to myself. It happens so often, they replied. So, does crime, I thought.

I remain unconvinced. I want to ask the fundamental question again: Why doesn’t convocation make a good news story? Does this mean that celebrating academic achievements doesn’t mean anything to news readers and larger media consumers? Do only scandals and controversies deserve space in the media? The media tends to give undue publicity to those who deserve it the least. Happiness, joy, celebrations seem to be branded as boring and routine but what media fails to understand is that each convocation, each celebration reflects new aspirations, new hopes and new dreams.

Here is an event where aspiring students along with their proud families and friends look forward to being a part the ‘shared experience’. An experience earned by students by going through years of academic rigor and training. These students are the future and if we do not share their achievements, they won’t share ours.

(Pic: Graduating batch (2007-10) of Media and Communications seen here posing for the camera. Nishit, Anisha, Disha, Ritesh (seen in the back), Vinay, Behlul and Rabia)

On the day of the convocation while I was getting ready, I slipped into sadness. In an economic situation like this where market in general and media in specific is badly hurt, I hope our students are not struggling for placements. I hope they are not being left alone and unattended. I hope they are ‘happy’.

With these disturbing yet hopeful thoughts, I reached the venue. I saw a group of graduating media students rush towards me and greet me with a ‘huge’ smile. I could see ‘positivity’ reflect on their faces. I could sense nothing worries them. Not even this economic down turn. It’s a phase. It will also pass. There is a future ahead, a bright future and if not, we will make it bright. This is where I appeal to the media to join the aspirations of the present generation. They are positive. Let’s be positive.

The event concluded with meeting students and parents. This graduation ceremony will go down in my memory lane as an eye-opener. A delightful and an inspiring event. Once again my students taught me to keep my hope alive. Now, I recall what they used to say when pressed for assignments. We will do it, they echoed. And today it has proved to be true. They did it and they were there. Most importantly I realized that learning is a life-long process. Even today, I continue learning from my students as they teach me to be positive and hopeful.

Cardinal principles of media and more….

Pic source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

I was one of the privileged invitees to attend a seminar on ‘Indian media and the Community in the United Arab Emirates’ co-organized by the Consulate General of India – Dubai and the Indian Media Forum. Key-note speech was given by Mr. Sasi Kumar, eminent Indian media analyst and Chairman of the Chennai-based Asian School of Journalism followed by five marathon sessions on radio, television, print media, new media and the advertising. For the first time in last five years, I realized that Dubai is not only a rising commercial and trading hub but also a rising knowledge economy where there are plentiful of opportunities for intellectual and academic discourses. Let the myth die : Dubai is all about about real-estate. Dubai is truly multicultural and fast growing education hub.

Of various mass media related issues raised and discussed during the seminar, it was realized that media is a source of ‘social discourse’ and objectivity in media is being compromised. According to Mr. Kumar, political maneuverings and vested commercial interests seem to over shadow objectivity in media. While objectivity in media was discussed I recalled Stuart Hall’s take on it: “Objectivity in news reporting is an operational fiction”. Objectivity is certainly one of the cardinal principles of media but what about Brian McNair’s other cardinal principles of media: newness, actuality and authorship?