Education
STEM Education
There is significant concern about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the US schools. Most investigators focused on more intensive and extensive methods and systems to teach STEM subjects. Som believes that there is a better way to attract and interest students in STEM areas. That way consists of pointing to them the technological advances that benefited the society and to challenge them to be prepared to continue that tradition. Recognizing that the current generation of young people are comfortable with videos, the STEM areas should be introduced to them in that medium. There are videos which describe audiences in how things work and how products are made. Once the young are comfortable with the concrete things, they can relate to abstract concepts in subjects like science and mathematics. Som had put together a presentation for a senior executive in a major corporation. A version of it can be sent to you upon request. Som would like to work with organizations interested in turning this idea into a reality.
There is significant concern about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the US schools. Most investigators focused on more intensive and extensive methods and systems to teach STEM subjects. Som believes that there is a better way to attract and interest students in STEM areas. That way consists of pointing to them the technological advances that benefited the society and to challenge them to be prepared to continue that tradition. Recognizing that the current generation of young people are comfortable with videos, the STEM areas should be introduced to them in that medium. There are videos which describe audiences in how things work and how products are made. Once the young are comfortable with the concrete things, they can relate to abstract concepts in subjects like science and mathematics. Som had put together a presentation for a senior executive in a major corporation. A version of it can be sent to you upon request. Som would like to work with organizations interested in turning this idea into a reality.
Language Teaching Aid at First Level Information Technology tools can help in language teaching to kindergarten and elementary school children, especially when that language is not their first language. Children should be immersed in pictures, videos, and actions. A description is presented in the form of a presentation, which can be downloaded from the link below.
Knowledge and Skill Acquisition Traditional view is that Knowledge and skill development depends on literacy. In practice, people of every culture gained knowledge or wisdom by memorizing verses
and adages; not necessarily through literacy
Sages, monks, and saints have had enormous success in imparting knowledge by non-literal
means
• visual & oral media, such as verses, dramas, skits, and songs
Presently, knowledge is imparted to people through advanced media
• TV• VCR• Computer• Computer games and simulation Means of knowledge acquisition vary with time and technology You may ask for my presentation, "Knowledge Teaching Aid."
and adages; not necessarily through literacy
Sages, monks, and saints have had enormous success in imparting knowledge by non-literal
means
• visual & oral media, such as verses, dramas, skits, and songs
Presently, knowledge is imparted to people through advanced media
• TV• VCR• Computer• Computer games and simulation Means of knowledge acquisition vary with time and technology You may ask for my presentation, "Knowledge Teaching Aid."
Education and Knowledge for Life and Living • Knowledge and education are essential for development as well as for satisfying human needs.• Education at all levels deserves the attention of national leaders.• Rapid obsolescence of knowledge indicates foundational formal education and a lifetime of continuing education.• Requirements for a comprehensive plan are:–Leadership and championship–Infrastructure (physical and virtual)–Human resources–Financial resources–Technology
General Arrangement of Virtual Laboratory Farm
Virtual Laboratory Farms
Executive Summary
Internet and the Web have dominated the technology scene in the last decade. The communication and computing revolutions have enabled developing countries like India to dominate the offshore outsourcing domain and benefited their economies greatly. Such development has been partly a result of millions of Indian young people gaining advanced knowledge in information technology and engineering disciplines. Internet and the Web have another set of offerings available for India to harvest in the coming decade.
The concept of Virtual Laboratory Farms is an enticing opportunity in two ways. The Virtual Laboratory Farms can be used by the thousands of engineering colleges with nearly five hundred thousand students graduating annually from India’s engineering colleges. Once India demonstrates to the world that these remote laboratories can be effective trainers of practical engineers at very affordable costs, these facilities can offer the same services to global engineering colleges to train their students in laboratory courses.
Virtual Laboratory Farms consist of equipment and facilities connected to any other location via the Internet. These facilities can be used to conduct experiments from any location merely by using a computer with Internet connection. Consequently, any and every college can utilize these facilities and thus avoid duplicating expensive physical laboratory infrastructure at their own locations. They can schedule and buy time at these facilities at a very inexpensive rate relative to the costs they would incur if they built and maintained their own captive physical facilities. Establishing good laboratories in downtown locations is very expensive as the land and buildings are expensive. Students of downtown colleges of engineering will find these Laboratories very affordable.
Virtual Laboratory Farms can be used by every engineering discipline. These laboratories may be equipped with a variety of equipment to cover the entire gamut of engineering disciplines. The American Society of Engineering Education ASEE has launched initiatives to explore the promise of this technology. Their focus has been on remote laboratories and Web based laboratories that assist an instructor and students to conduct experiments as part of distance education. The Virtual Laboratory Farms concept supplements and extends the ASEE thrusts by focusing on the complex and expensive laboratory equipment and facilities.
An example of a typical Virtual Laboratory Farm is an internal combustion engine experiment complex. It will have several engines fully equipped with instrumentation to conduct a variety of tests. The engines and test set ups are equipped with instrumentation and actuators and are connected to local computers, which are in turn connected to the Internet. Software applications allow the equipment to be operated from any authorized computer on the Internet. Dedicated staff at the Virtual Laboratory Farms will keep the equipment in good running condition and could potentially make them available 24x7x365. When the equipment is made available to global colleges and students, the load factor on the systems improves to a high value and the unit cost per hour of laboratory availability drops to very low values. Thus, complex engineering laboratories can be made available to students at very affordable rates. Although the example of an engine is mentioned here, the concept embraces all branches of engineering such as mechanical, electrical, electronics, civil, materials, agricultural, biomedical, naval, marine, mining, aerospace, nuclear, biotechnical, geotechnical, and ocean engineering disciplines.
If interested in the proposal, please contact Som for a discussion.
Executive Summary
Internet and the Web have dominated the technology scene in the last decade. The communication and computing revolutions have enabled developing countries like India to dominate the offshore outsourcing domain and benefited their economies greatly. Such development has been partly a result of millions of Indian young people gaining advanced knowledge in information technology and engineering disciplines. Internet and the Web have another set of offerings available for India to harvest in the coming decade.
The concept of Virtual Laboratory Farms is an enticing opportunity in two ways. The Virtual Laboratory Farms can be used by the thousands of engineering colleges with nearly five hundred thousand students graduating annually from India’s engineering colleges. Once India demonstrates to the world that these remote laboratories can be effective trainers of practical engineers at very affordable costs, these facilities can offer the same services to global engineering colleges to train their students in laboratory courses.
Virtual Laboratory Farms consist of equipment and facilities connected to any other location via the Internet. These facilities can be used to conduct experiments from any location merely by using a computer with Internet connection. Consequently, any and every college can utilize these facilities and thus avoid duplicating expensive physical laboratory infrastructure at their own locations. They can schedule and buy time at these facilities at a very inexpensive rate relative to the costs they would incur if they built and maintained their own captive physical facilities. Establishing good laboratories in downtown locations is very expensive as the land and buildings are expensive. Students of downtown colleges of engineering will find these Laboratories very affordable.
Virtual Laboratory Farms can be used by every engineering discipline. These laboratories may be equipped with a variety of equipment to cover the entire gamut of engineering disciplines. The American Society of Engineering Education ASEE has launched initiatives to explore the promise of this technology. Their focus has been on remote laboratories and Web based laboratories that assist an instructor and students to conduct experiments as part of distance education. The Virtual Laboratory Farms concept supplements and extends the ASEE thrusts by focusing on the complex and expensive laboratory equipment and facilities.
An example of a typical Virtual Laboratory Farm is an internal combustion engine experiment complex. It will have several engines fully equipped with instrumentation to conduct a variety of tests. The engines and test set ups are equipped with instrumentation and actuators and are connected to local computers, which are in turn connected to the Internet. Software applications allow the equipment to be operated from any authorized computer on the Internet. Dedicated staff at the Virtual Laboratory Farms will keep the equipment in good running condition and could potentially make them available 24x7x365. When the equipment is made available to global colleges and students, the load factor on the systems improves to a high value and the unit cost per hour of laboratory availability drops to very low values. Thus, complex engineering laboratories can be made available to students at very affordable rates. Although the example of an engine is mentioned here, the concept embraces all branches of engineering such as mechanical, electrical, electronics, civil, materials, agricultural, biomedical, naval, marine, mining, aerospace, nuclear, biotechnical, geotechnical, and ocean engineering disciplines.
If interested in the proposal, please contact Som for a discussion.