Educational technology gets a nod

PUNE: Pune: Convergence of emerging technologies will solve the problems of quantity and quality of education, noted academician Ram Takawale has said.
The former vice-chancellor of the Indira Gandhi national open university (Ignou) was delivering the keynote address at the 10th three-day Children''s educational audio and video festival at the Mahatma Phule hall on Thursday.
He also visualised the formation of digital educational resources and its in-time and needbased delivery to students, using new technologies. It will also ensure the standardisation of education at the mass scale as well as the individual level, he added.
P.K. Gupta, director, human resources ministry, Vijaya Mulay, octogenarian pioneer of educational technologies, Puran Chand, director, Central institute of educational technologies (CIET) and Vasantrao Kalpande, director, Balchitravani (SIET), Pune, were present on the dais.
Speaking to TNN, Mulay expressed reservations about educational technology being misinterpreted as video and radio production technology. "We primarily need educationists in this line," she pointed out.
As many as 40 educational films produced by various state institutes of educational technology (SIETs) and CIET are being screened before 40-50 delegates. Noted film-makes Prem Vaidya, Prabhakar Pendharkar, Jayshree Kanal, educationist Varsha Sahashrabuddhe, Gajanan Patil are on the jury along with two very special members — Priyanka Barve of the N.M.V girls'' school and Prashant Kamble from a Pune municipal school.
The awards will be given in four categories of films — 5-8 years, 9-11 years, secondary or senior secondary and teachers'' films. Besides best programmes, there are prizes for best camera work, direction, script (audio and video), editing, sound and graphics. The centre with maximum prizes win a rotating trophy.
The second day on Friday is expected to see a heated debate on the present condition of the SIETs and their futures.
Presently, the transmission of the SIET programmes has been taken off national and regional hook-ups, except in New Delhi.
M.G. Marathe, director, State council of educational research and training, will preside over the valedictory session scheduled for 3 pm on Saturday.