Electronic media in the service of Distance Education UK Defence Secretary visits southern Iraq Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, visited senior Iraqi leaders and British troops in southern Iraq today. During the visit Mr Hoon, who was accompanied by General Sir Michael Walker, Chief of the Defence Staff, met Major General Graeme Lamb, the Commander of the Multinational Forces in the Region, Sir Hilary Synnott, the Southern Regional Co-ordinator for the Coalition Provisional Authority, and a number of local Iraqi leaders. Mr Hoon also spent time with solders from the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment who are responsible for the security of northern Basrah, and specialists in explosive ordnance disposal, water and power generation from 38 Engineer Regiment. Speaking at the end of the visit, Mr Hoon said; "Today I was able to witness at first hand the valuable contribution that Britain's Armed Forces are making. Their hard work and commitment has helped train police officers and improve supply of water, power and fuel to the people of southern Iraq. It was a pleasure to meet local leaders and I am reassured by their genuine will to work alongside the Coalition Provisional Authority and the multinational forces to help maintain a stable security environment and reconstruct Iraq's infrastructure. Good progress is being made to return control of Iraq to the Iraqi people." keralamonitor.com Polymer rechargeable battery Scientists at the Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, have developed a re-chargeable conducting polymer-based dry cell battery. It is a cheap, safe and compact alternative to the conventional dry cells, highly useful for portable micro-electronic devices and household appliances like radio, transistors, tape-recorders etc. Already patented, the technology is poised for commercial exploitation. Currently, conducting polymer dry cell batteries are not available in the consumer market. Conducting polymers are new materials whose properties can be designed to meet the need of the applications and tailored from insulating to semi-conducting and metallic. These materials called "synthetic metals" are slowly replacing many metals and inorganic semiconductors in a big way in many devices like energy sources, display devices, control of electromagnetic radiations, sensors etc. These batteries give more energy density, and more charge-discharge cycles, with improved features such as longer shelf-life, weighing 25 per cent less than the conventional ones, environmental stability, and a high degree of processability. A unique separator makes it technologically superior. The new technology is expected to result in the further development of other improved rechargeable polymer dry cell batteries. The new battery weighs 55 gm with a voltage of 1.34 V. keralamonitor.com UK Arts Minister Estelle Morris unveils first seven project for Culture Online LONDON Arts Minister Estelle Morris today set out details of the first seven projects to be commissioned under the new Government arts and education initiative, Culture Online. They include: - The Dark - A ground-breaking project to allow tens of thousands of people to experience an innovative three-dimensional soundscape in pitch darkness, complemented by a website navigated only by sound - Every Object Tells a Story - A project that engages audiences in new ways with the meanings behind museum and personal objects and gives the user the opportunity to add their story and their own object to a growing national online collection. - WebPlay - An innovative on-line initiative for primary school children from inner city and rural schools, working together over the internet to direct a play which they've written themselves about each others' lives. - Scoop - An opportunity to create a multimedia newspaper covering important events in the past, using the best paper and film archives. Culture Online, which has a £13 million budget to sponsor between 20 and 30 projects over the next year, aims to enliven the school curriculum and adult learning and delight new audiences with arts, culture and technology. Working with a variety of cultural organisations, it will forge new connections between new digital technology and cultural resources, to create a powerful learning asset, offering children and adults new cultural experiences and insights into our heritage. Announcing the commissions Estelle Morris said: "We believe Culture Online has the potential to transform people's experience of the arts, dissolving barriers of distance, time or attitude. These new projects are just the beginning. We are committed to uniting the abilities of cultural organisations and the private sector - including broadcasters, education professionals and those on the cutting edge of digital technology - to create world class educational and recreational tools for adults and children." Culture Online Director, Jonathan Drori, added: "I'm really excited about these first projects. Each of them has something bold about it. Direct commissioning by a creative team that includes highly skilled development producers is a new way of working for the DCMS. They've been able to bring together cultural organisations with leading technical providers to create projects that will delight adults and children of all ages and backgrounds. Crucially, Culture Online is integrating the virtual and online world with real activities for real people. These are just the first of our commissions and we'll be announcing further projects over the next few months." The Projects The first seven projects (working titles) will be: Backstage Backstage will offer a unique insight into the creative experience of theatre and provide exciting materials for an under-resourced area of the National Curriculum. Backstage will explore how theatre can reveal important issues in society and will translate the excitement of live theatre into a rich curriculum resource, such as for Citizenship or English and drama. A partnership between The National Theatre, leading regional theatres and the technology-focused production company Illumina Digital, Backstage will enable users to follow each step in the production process that turns page into stage. Among the productions featured will be Henry V and the forthcoming adaptation of the Philip Pullman novels, His Dark Materials. Backstage will deliver a compelling experience for theatre-goers, teachers and pupils, and those interested in a career in theatre. Contact: Mike Greenwood The Dark The Dark is an interactive virtual world that challenges how we perceive the real world. Three-dimensional music and ghostly presences inhabit a haunted soundscape - all in pitch darkness. Explore and interact with virtual ghosts from our past, hear their stories and solve their mysteries - using only your ears and your imagination. The Dark is an original touring installation created by Braunarts and commissioned specially for Culture Online, with an innovative website which will be navigated solely using sound to convey information and location. Contact: Claire Harcup WebPlay WebPlay is an internet-based project that will enable primary school children from rural and urban areas to collaborate with each other using a variety of new technologies and to work with a professional theatre company to create, produce and perform short plays. The WebPlay experience will be an intense one, lasting over three terms and encouraging communication and understanding between children living in contrasting areas of Birmingham and Shropshire. For many of the children, this will be their first introduction to the Internet. They and their teachers will learn to build their own web pages, collect and edit digital photographs and recordings and write about their lives all within a safe and secure environment. Contact: Claire Harcup Technical note: In a time of concern about children's safe use of the internet, this project will use a safe and richly featured educational resource, think.com, created by Oracle to collaborate with each other and theatre professionals on their own productions. Scoop Scoop is a series of virtual newspapers from specific periods in history, from the Roman Gazette to the Victorian Times, to match areas of the National Curriculum. Key stage 2 and 3 pupils will become digital reporters, editors and picture editors. They will contribute stories and images to the newspapers, enhancing their reading, writing and comprehension skills while having fun and acquiring an understanding of an historical period and their own neighbourhood. Many of the newspapers will incorporate regional stories and images, so children will learn about their local as well as national heritage. Scoop will be produced by Northcliffe Electronic Publishing. Contact: Claire Harcup Technical note: In a novel use of Macromedia's new Flash MX Technology, this project will create a rich multimedia experience that is accessible to as wide an audience as possible. ArtisanCam Imagine being able to watch an artist at work, observing their creations and learning from their skills by asking them about what they're doing. ArtisanCam will pilot a series of virtual artists' residencies, linking artists and craftspeople in their studios with groups of school students, a high proportion of whom will be in disadvantaged areas. Video conferencing and broadband technology will link the two groups. Working closely with outreach groups, the project will be piloted in County Durham, Sunderland, Tees Valley, Cumbria, and Lancashire and will involve artists in visits to local museums and galleries to augment their virtual presence online. Contact: Mike Greenwood Technical note: Taking advantage of recent developments in videoconferencing technology and the interconnection of the UK's educational broadband networks this project will teleport children into artists' studios where they can create art with the artist. Every Object Tells a Story Everyone has a particular object to which they attach a special meaning or story. Every Object Tells A Story is a website that allows people from every walk of life to make connections between objects and their own lives. They will be able to explore the rich personal meanings behind collections of museum objects, as well as behind their own personal objects. Visitors will be encouraged to join a dynamic online community where they can contribute their own stories and objects to a growing collection. The project will involve a network of regional museums, including Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, Ultralab (the learning technology research centre at Anglia Polytechnic University) and Channel 4, and will be led by the Victoria and Albert Museum. The partnership will build on the track record of all the partners in targeting a wide diversity of audiences and using a range of new technologies to reach beyond the mainstream. The project will encourage contributions from around the country through broadcasts, extensive outreach events, local websites and even a mobile video booth that will tour public spaces. Contact: Mike Greenwood Technical note: you will also be able to tell the world your story using picture or video messaging from mobile devices. Plant Culture This project uses the plants of South Asia as an entry point to many aspects of culture - food, superstition, religion, fashion, cosmetics, art as well as enhancing the public understanding of science. The aim of this project will be to create a website which brings to life the different ways in which plants are used in different communities. The virtual collection will be curated by professionals at Kew Gardens, but the multimedia content will be gathered by children from their parents and grandparents, with the aid of outreach organisations using a range of digital techniques including digital photography, editing and web publishing from the field. The project will be led by Kew Gardens, in partnership with the Museum of London, Leicester City Museums and National Museums Liverpool. The project will be available via Kew's website, as well as via printed materials in gardens big and small around the country. The electronic collection could in future be the basis for guided tours using a variety of portable electronic devices. keralamonitor.com More support for London teachers - Clarke LONDON- The most radical package yet to help teachers buy family homes in London was today announced by Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke. The £1bn announcement is part of a wider package, unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, to provide affordable housing for key workers, including teachers. The package for teachers in London is part of the Government's drive to raise standards in the capital through the London Challenge, launched in May this year. Today's announcement offers three schemes for teachers: 1. Bigger home loans for school leaders; a new Key Teacher Homebuy will provide equity loans between £50-£100k to teachers on the point of moving into leadership positions in London schools. This will be particularly useful for those teachers who are looking to purchase family-sized homes in London. 1000 leaders will benefit from this grant over the next two years. 2. Bigger home loans; the existing Homebuy scheme will allow teachers to receive an interest free loan of at least 25% of the value of the property to enable them to purchase. There is a financial cap of £50k. 3. Lower rent; teachers looking to rent will be able to access 'intermediate renting' properties from registered landlords at a level which is lower than the open market. The schemes are the latest boost for London teachers and follow on from the launch of the London Challenge in May this year. The London Challenge sets out a radical programme to transform schools and raise standards across the capital. Secretary of State for Education Charles Clarke said: "Raising standards in London schools means recruiting the best teachers and then keeping them here. But many teachers can't afford to buy a family home in the capital. Today's radical package means they can. "The Key Teacher Homebuy scheme is especially for key teachers and others who have the potential to become leaders of London's education system in the future. We know that quality leadership raises standards in schools and we want the best leaders to stay in London." London Schools Minister Stephen Twigg said: "There is already much to be proud of in London's schools, and there have been significant improvements in recent years. But there is still much more to do. "We have excellent teachers in London but the high housing costs persuade many of them to leave the city after a few years teaching. Support for family homes will help retain more high quality teachers in London and transform standards of achievement by London students." For the first time Further Education teachers have been included in the key worker initiative. Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education Minister Alan Johnson said: "This initiative offers an excellent opportunity for teachers working in FE. We now need to talk to the FE sector and work through details. The Department is already working with colleagues in the Learning and Skills Council and other key partners. We need to work closely together to ensure we satisfy the rules of the initiative to maximise potential." The key worker initiative will also help teachers outside the capital, predominately in the South East, where high house prices are also a problem in some areas.keralamonitor.com   Government notifies the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities The Government has notified the Constitution of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. This has been done in pursuance with the announcement made by the Prime Minister for the welfare of the persons with disabilities on the Independence Day. The Nine-member Commission would include the Chairperson, two full time Members and five Associate Members. They shall be persons of eminence and involved in the rehabilitation and advocacy for the rights of the persons with disabilities. The Commission would also have a full time Member Secretary. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has in a Gazette Notification issued here said that three of the Members will separately represent the persons with hearing impairment, visual impairment and locomotor disability while one each shall be nominated from the Associations of Parents/Guardians of persons suffering from mental retardation and from autism, cerebral palsy or multiple disability. Two of the members shall atleast be women. The Chairperson and other members except the Member Secretary shall be appointed for a three-year term and can be re-appointed for one additional term. They will hold office during the pleasure of the President. The Commission would recommend to the Central Government specific programme of action for facilitating full participation of the persons with disabilities in the social and economic life of the Country. This would involve provision of right education, vocational training and poverty elevation packages, employment and other support services so that the disabled persons are assessed for their abilities despite disabilities. The Commission would also review the status and conditions of Institutions delivering services in the disability sector. It would also discharge any other work assigned by Central Government from time to time. The Commission shall have the power to call information from any government, local or other authority concerned with the implementation of programme and schemes for the disabled persons. It would submit its report annually, which would include the recommendations. It is estimated that on an average 5% of the country's population suffers from some kind of disability. According to some estimates the available services cater to only about 5% of the disabled persons. The Commission is expected to help the government in bridging this wide gap between the requirement and availability of the rehabilitation services. keralamonitor.com National strategy study for Clean Development Mechanism in India launched The Minister for Environment & Forests Shri T.R. Baalu has said that India is committed to the cause of global environment and sustainable development by acceding to the Kyoto Protocol. Launching the National Strategy Study for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) implementation in India here today Shri Baalu said that work is currently in progress to prepare a detailed national inventory of green house gas, identification of vulnerability and adaptation concerns and steps taken for the implementation of the Convention. "Climate Change is a matter of grave concern for developing countries like India, which are highly vulnerable to its potential impacts on water resources, natural ecosystems, agriculture and coastal area. Despite India's low share in atmospheric green house gas concentrations and its overriding development priorities, the country is undertaking numerous initiatives that contribute significantly to international efforts for atmospheric protection, thus adopting a path of climate-friendly development", Shri Baalu said. The Minister said India's development plans balance economic development and environmental concerns. The planning process is guided by the principles of sustainable development. He said, reforms in the energy and power sector have accelerated economic growth and improved efficiency of energy use. These have been complemented by notable initiatives taken by the private sector. In the last few years, several measures have been taken like increasing the capacity of renewable energy installations, improving air quality in major cities and enhancing afforestation. Shri Baalu disclosed that a Climate Technology Bazaar and related Conferences will be being hosted by the Government of India from 10th to 13th November, 2003. To be held a New Delhi over a period of four days, the Climate Technology Bazaar will showcase climate-friendly technologies from India and around the world. In conjunction with the Bazaar, the Ministry of Environment & Forests will also host a high level International Round Table on CDM, jointly organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. This event will bring together senior representatives of government and business from India and abroad to explore how the CDM can help to master the dual challenge of addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Walter Gyger, Ambassador of Switzerland said that with its large potential of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, India could significantly influence the emerging carbon market. It is in this perspective that the NSS gains importance and its outcome will be observed with great expectations. Welcoming the gathering, Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Director General, TERI, said that India is going to be an important arena for CDM projects. India should establish a strategy to implement CDM and developing countries only stood to benefit from it. Mr. Rachid Benmessaoud, Operations Advisor, The World Bank, pointed out that with all round degradation of the environment, people had to ask themselves, what kind of world it was leaving behind for their children. We need to move into a non-carbon intensive structure, he said. Mr. Pradipto Ghosh, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests said that the Kyoto Protocal had set the ground for a negative carbon market and India now had to identify numerous market opportunities that had been created. The National Strategy Study on CDM has been initiated in India to assess the issues and opportunities presented by potential international markets for greenhouse gases offset through the CDM and to evaluate processes and methodologies to facilitate implementation of CDM in India. The main output of the 12-month long study will be the development of a national strategy for India to participate in the global efforts to reduce GHG emissions, utilizing this market mechanism as defined under the Kyoto Protocol. keralamonitor.com  MEDIA MONITOR Electronic media in the service of Distance Education Educational channels are in existence in India for over three years. Since the launch of Gyan Darshan on January 26, 2000, the bouquet of educational TV channels today has three completely digital and round-the-clock channels. In November 2001, a FM radio channel called Gyan Vani was started which too has expanded manifold in its content and reach. Gyan Darshan Gyan Darshan offers interesting and informative programmes for different categories of users such as pre-school kids, primary and secondary school children, college/university students, youth seeking career opportunities, housewives and adults. These programmes are contributed by major educational institutions including IGNOU, UGC/CEC*, NCERT/CIET*, Directorate of Adult Education, IITs, TTTIs* and other educational/developmental organisations. The time slots are convenient and the programmes are prepared with the help of experts in the field and experienced production teams. Programmes from abroad are also broadcast to offer the viewer a window to the world. Gyan Darshan transmissions, uplinked from the earth station of EMPC-IGNOU New Delhi, can be accessed all over the country throughout the year and round the clock without any break. Gyan Darshan signals can be conveniently received without any special equipment. Gyan Darshan I This is the main Gyan Darshan channel. Its programmes include the 'countrywide classroom' produced by CEC/UGC, 'technovision' produced by IITs and 'Bhasha Mandakini' produced by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan. Bhasha Mandakini, launched on September 5, 2003, Under Bhasha Mandakini, the 'Sanskrit Bhasha' language series of programmes are developed by the Rasthriya Sanskrit Sansthan in collaboration with other Sanskrit institutes of higher learning such as the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Tirupati), Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Delhi) and other Sanskrit institute and universities of repute. Bhasha mandakini is planned to include all languages in the course of time.   Gyan Darshan 2 and TDCC Gyan Darshan-2 is devoted entirely to interactive distance education. Gyan Darshan-2 and TDCC (Training & Development Communication Channel) are one-way video and two-way audio satellite-based interactive systems. Teleconference through Gyan darshan and TDCC essentially follow the same principle except that the former operates on C-band while the latter on extended C. The signals can be received across the country. TDCC is conceived as a 'close user group' and was introduced in 1993 under the aegis of DECU (ISRO) who pioneered the system of one-way video and two-way audio communication system for educational applications. TDCC has 6 up-linking facilities in the country and approximately 1000 downlinks established so far. Live interaction or teleconference is yet another and the latest intervention in the distance education system. It provides a human face to the otherwise remote and distant learner. The viewers can directly access teachers/experts in the studio during an ongoing programme, express their views and clear their doubts regarding specific topics/issues as the programme goes on. IGNOU provides free interactive telephonic facility in 79 cities through its toll free number 1-600-1-12345 for teleconferencing on Gyan Darshan-2, TDCC and IRC(Delhi). Eklavya Technology Channel Eklavya brings quality education to students pursuing engineering education. Eklavya features lectures of the courses taught at the IITs situated at Kharagpur, Mumbai, Kanpur, Delhi, Guwahati, Roorkee and Chennai. Gyan Vani Gyan Vani is an educational FM Radio channel operating through FM stations from various parts of the country. With 10 FM stations at Allahabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi already on air in the first half of 2003, the network is slated to expand to a total of 40 stations. Gyan Vani stations operate as media cooperatives, with day-to-day programmes contributed by various Ministries, educational institutions, NGOs and national level institutions such as IGNOU, NCERT, UGC, IITs and open universities. Each station has a range of about 70 km radius, which covers the entire city/town as well as the surrounding area. Gyan Vani serves as an ideal medium for niche listeners and for addressing local educational, developmental and socio-cultural requirements. The programmes are in English, Hindi and the language of the region. The broadcast duration varies from stations to station, and is in the range of 8-12 hours. IRC Besides, IGNOU and All India Radio run a collaborative venture called interactive radio counselling (IRC). Each Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., IRC is available on 189 radio stations. The programmes are produced in Hindi and English and the AIR stations broadcast IRC in the language suited to their region. The IRC programmes are prepared by IGNOU. On fourth Sunday of every month the State Open Universities conduct IRCs from Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bangalore, Patna, Jaipur, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai.keralamonitor.com * CIET: Central Institute of Educational Technology, a constituent of NCERT CEC: Consortium of Educational Communication, an inter-university center under UGC TTTIs: Technical Teachers' Training Institutes Shri Arjun Charan Sethi, Union Minister for Water Resources addressing the inaugural session of the Water Summit - 2003, organised by FICCI here today, in his opening remarks laid importance on conservation and management of water. He said that the per capita availability of water is reducing day by day due to increase in population. At the same time the water demand is increasing because of various factors such as urbanisation, industrialisation, improvement in the living standards and increased requirement of water for high yielding crops. He further elaborated that two out of three persons on earth will live in water stressed conditions. He said that the country suffers from drought and flood syndrome years after years. Considerable amount of replenishable ground water of the country is yet to be exploited but in certain pockets particularly around major cities, ground water has been over-exploited leading to lowering of ground water tables. In some areas, the over-use of irrigation water has resulted in water logging problems. These instances indicate that there is need for better understanding of the issues related to water resources and adoption of a comprehensive and integrated approach in addressing the problems. Realising the importance and urgent need, the Government of India declared 2003 as Fresh Water Year in keeping with the United Nations' Resolution declaring 2003 as International Fresh Water Year. A series of activities have been planned and taken up with the objective of increasing awareness regarding scarcity value of fresh water, conservation and efficient use of fresh water, preservation of quality and its eco-system and initiating community partnership for decision making. He further stressed the need to work jointly to realise the vision of optimal sustainable development, maintenance of quality and efficient use of country's water resource to match the growing demands on this precious natural resources with active involvement of all stakeholders in order to achieve accelerated, equitable economic development of the country. He drew the attentions of the audience to conserve each and every drop of water, preserve its quality and use without any wastage. He exhorted on the participants at the Water Summit to deliberate all related issues to come out with concrete recommendations to cope up with aspirations of various segments of the society. Shri A. K. Goswami, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources taking part in the discussion said that the per capita water availability of the country has reduced to almost 1/3rd of what it was at the time of independence due to increased water demand of the galloping population. He said that the present water requirement is likely to go 600 billion cubic meter (bcm). The requirement is likely to go up to 1093 bcm by the year 2025 and will further increase to 1447 bcm meter by the year 2050. On the other hand, it has been estimated that out of 1869 bcm of available water resources, only 1122 bcm can be utilised. However, he said that the country has a very challenging task ahead and requires integrated approach for planning and development of available water resources with stress on judicious use, least wastage and the policy of conservation for improved efficiency of water resources systems. Prof. Y. K. Alagh, an eminent water expert and planner gave an in-depth description of the water situation facing the country with focus on conservation and preservation of water. Office bearers of the FICCI gave the outline of the day's deliberations at the outset. -keralamonitor.com Iranian Film-maker admires India's peaceful and non-violent culture The Iranian film director Samira Makhmalbaf, whose film, "Five in the Afternoon" won the Golden Peacock Award in the Asian Competition Section of the recently concluded 34th International Film Festival of India-2003, has sent a message as she was not present at the closing ceremony of the festival. In her message, Samira while admiring India's profoundly peaceful and non-violent culture that has even influenced Iran's present day political culture, she expressed that India's Golden Peacock Prize belongs to all Iranians and by Makhmalbaf family tradition she dedicated it to the Iranian Cinema Museum. She also presented the cash prize of Rs. 5,00,000 to the Mother Teresa NGO active in the expansion of human rights, especially women and children in India. keralamonitor.com