Onward Online

The online world is the "new found land" of our times. Exploring this new found land and making it our next natural habitat is an exciting challenge and a discovery process. It is something similar to the venture of of the early proponents of Newfoundland settlement which offered various grandiose reasons for their schemes, but the special advantages of the island were more relevant and these were, largely, related to the fishery. However this new "online" land is much more in its offerings. Here are some observations

• Online world is a technology enabled resource. It is not constrained by the natural barriers of time, distances and sometimes it even overcomes the barrier of language.
• Online world is a general resource, however to explore and exploit its true potential one must specialise in one or the other way. Some of the general purpose tools that might be considered for specialisation are blogger, custom search engines, web site
• Online world resource is global in reach, but it must be made local to be useful

Build Career before buying..

One of students who was campus recruited by a MNC has just completed a 3-month in-company training. He told me " On the last day of our training programme we were asked to assemble at one place and we all thought that we would be receiving placement orders in one of the many of MNC's centers across India". Instead they were given 15-days paid holidays. This announcement caught most of the trainees unaware. One by one went into action mode. One of them cancelled her air ticket to home town and instead booked bus ticket. Another one downgraded his ticket from expensive Volvo bus to ordinary bus.

This seemingly insignificant event highlights one of the deeply seated trends in our youth. Tendency to spend rather lavishly even before earning it completely. In general it is good to spend when you start earning. Every spending helps someone in the economy.

The current economic down turn is very genuine and is hurting many. To be sure, it is hurting some of them very severely. But many of them have made themselves more vulnerable because above mentioned trend: committing too much before earning it. Even before they are 3-6 months into firs job, many of them have bought cars, and within an year they gone for apartments with huge EMI commitments.

Of course nothing wrong with this. They have been consciously or unconsciously borrowing a pattern of progress practised by their parental generation. The parental generation believed that the major phases of life are: complete education, find job, marriage and buildi or buy a house. With a guaranteed job for a couple decades (either in government or in a company in protected economy) and with predetermined dates of retirements such a policy made sense and in a sense was in fact necessary. Once into world of work, the system took care of promotions and pensions.

However current industrial jobs do not come with such privileges. But our youngsters presumed that kind of assurance and went ahead of proven path. To certain extent gravity of current problems faced by many of them may be blamed on it.

Our youngsters must realise that today's job world is radically different one. One must consider building career before buying cars or committing for expensive but career limiting commitment on apartment. One must build career all along the path to have any hopes of sustained career. The current career path is not of type " once educated and always progressing "kind of job world. They must spend at least first 3-5 years of career in building competencies to ensure sustained career progress. Ideally you must be the last person to be considered for layoff. That happens only when you have a strong career record- experiences and exposure. That comes only with strategic intent. Do not think that your first job is everlasting or current educational qualification is always sufficient. Consider some investments in higher education and domain expertise. Build strong career cars and apartment will follow.

About Centre for Online Excellence

The online world is the newfound land of our times. Exploring this newfound land and settling there is an exictiting challenge and a discovery process. In this blog we discover its potential, meaning. We also try to develop approaches on how to harness its potential for individual and instutional purposes.

Teaching Realities

A couple of decades ago, there was only one place to watch a movie: Film theater or talkies. You have to wait until the release of movie usually on Friday, go to the theater  buy ticket and watch the movie. Theaters had fixed and regular times for shows.

About a decade or so ago, things started changing. Introduction of CD allowed people to watch movies at places and times of their convenience such as at home and in the evening- provided they can afford CD player. Some time later Cd rental opened up movie watch opportunities ti many more on weekdays- in office- in functions and in bus during travels or in hotels during stay. In other words theater gradually lost the primary position as the place for watching movies.

Something similar has happened or happening to class room teaching and learning. While I was studying in school during 1970's, it was classroom where most or even all learning and teaching happened. if someone missed class for whatever reason, there was not second chance or any other resources to reply upon except a friendly classmate's notes or help. Things started changing slowly in late 1980's and rapidly in 90's. Learning was never confined to classroom only. Alternatives became available: tuition classes, guides, notes, coaching classes, summer coaching centers and so on. The appeal and popularity of these and other avenues for learning alternatives so much so that most students practically forced to avail or subscribe one and many time more of such services. My daughter who is appearing for X standard exam this year has many resources including exam recokner.

Because of these classroom proceedings today are so boring for students that they hate it.

With such kind of learning environment for well over 12 years or so, today students enter professional courses such as engineering or medicine or management. They find it hard to orient themselves for classroom learning.