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Raising the technology bar
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The Hindu-Intel Newspaper in Education workshop was an eye-opener for students. Experts from Intel and other companies gave them a feel of not only the basics in technology, but also its evolution.
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Participants are all ears at the workshop.
REALISING THAT technology is integral to modern education, institutions are increasingly making efforts to enhance awareness on basic aspects of technology among school students. This training is undertaken to prepare students for higher learning and equip them to understand concepts relating to technology better and make strides in technology-related career.
Keeping in view the importance of technology, The Hindu, in association with Intel, organised a technology awareness programme/workshop for students of Classes IX and X from different schools under The Hindu - Newspaper in Education (NIE) banner from July 22 to 25. As part of the workshop, experts spoke on elementary aspects of different technological areas in contemporary science and industry.
Intel, a leader in information technology, through its project, Intel Involved India, is involved in community development, training teachers in information technology and creating awareness on technology among high school students.
Some 200 students from the NIE schools participated in the workshop on all days.
On the inaugural day at the Oxford Group of Institutions, J.P. Nagar, I Phase, students from that school, Sri Rama Vidyalaya, Sri Aurobindo Memorial, A.V. Education Society, Little Flower, East West, Basavanagudi, and Holy Child Convent were present at a lecture by Sudha Mohan who spoke on Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI was the ability of a computer to perform activities normally thought to require intelligence. The activities were performed using algorithms.
Computer pioneer Alan Turing, Ms. Mohan observed, suggested that a computer was intelligent if it imitated human behaviour in an interactive test. The test then came to be known as the Turing Test. AI, initiated in 1956, was basically geared towards systems that thought and acted rationally.
The second workshop was organised at the New Horizon English School, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar. Apart from its students, those from Sree Cauvery, Indiranagar Cambridge, National Junior, Banaswadi, Maruthi Vidyalaya, ITI Central, Kendriya Vidyalaya (DRDO Campus) got an opportunity to listen to Prasanna Joeg, Engineering Manager, Intel India, on "Trends in Communication and Computing". Cellular telephony was the division of geographic areas into cells. Bangalore, for instance, may have 6 to 10 cells, depending on population density and calls. Each cell has one or more base station tower (BST). The connection between cells, Mr. Joeg said, is established by a Central Switching Office (CSO). The mobile, when switched on, registers at the nearest BST. The BST relays information to the CSO and to a Location Register (LR). When the call comes in, the CSO is determined by the LR. A page then goes out via the BST to locate the mobile. And if the mobile is on, there is a response and connection.
The following workshop, conducted at the Kendriya Vidyalaya, 18th Cross, Malleswaram, saw students from that school as well as of Sri Vani Education Centre (Machohalli), Sri Vani Education Centre (Basaveshwarnagar), Prasiddi, Bapu Composite, Sandepani Niketan, and Florence Public, R.T. Nagar.
John A. McKean, Asia Public Affairs Manager, Corporate Services, Intel, addressing the students.
Arvind Sethi, Engineering Manager, Asia Data Factory, spoke on "Life of Data Unto Information", in which he outlined the basic definitions and differences between data, information, and knowledge. Data was a raw form of tabulated/consolidated figures and text with minimal or no contextual inference. While information referred to stimuli with meaning in a context, for a receiver, knowledge, he observed, was packaged information that enabled understanding.
The concluding session of the workshop, on July 25, was held at the Army Public School, K. Kamaraj Road. Students from Bishop Cottons' Girls, Bishop Cotton Boys, Baldwin Girls, Army Public, Bangalore Military, St. Germain's Boys, and St. Mary's Public participated in the programme.
Rakesh Godhwani of Intel India spoke on "Trends in Technology and Career Management".
He dwelt on basic aspects of technology beginning with the question What is Technology? Technology, he said, is the application of practical and mechanical sciences encompassing basic and advanced subjects and touched every activity in life, directly or indirectly. Mr. Godhwani then spoke on the evolution of computation devices that included the first computer, scientific calculator, personal computer, desktop, laptop, PDA, super computers, and servers, and said that such evolution was possible only due to advances in technology.
Dwelling on the most important technological advance in recent years, the Internet, he pointed out that it was emblematic of the information superhighway that had brought the world closer. The Internet, through a new paradigm of computation and connectivity, had created a worldwide community.
The session concluded with some notes on convergence — of and between different technologies.
The response to the workshop was more than just enthusiastic. Teachers had taken that extra bit of effort to see that students got an opportunity to listen to experts. The students, taken over by the PowerPoint presentations, were more than keen to be part of the Intel family sometime in future.
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`We need to build awareness'
JOHN A. McKean, Asia Public Affairs Manager, Corporate Services, Intel, was in town on the occasion of The Hindu-NIE programme for school students. He took time-off to share some of his views on Intel, India, and education with The Hindu.
Intel takes education very seriously. What is the motto?
Intel has been into education projects for almost three-and-a-half decades. We realise that research is of critical importance and that ideas will have to come from the classroom. People need to understand how technology works and to do this we need to build awareness from within the field of education.
What is the connection you draw between technology and education?
Technology is clearly a tool for education. For instance, it can aid in the learning of language. It can help access information. It can make education itself accessible — tele-education, for instance, is an important development. And technology holds great value in the realm of higher education.
Is Intel geared towards specific objectives?
We at Intel have three objectives: workforce development, academic research in technology, and enhancing awareness about technology. The whole population need not be skilled, but we believe that any population must have general understanding of technology. This will enable a better application of technology. We also believe that the products of technology are useful to all sections of society. This makes the need for awareness all the more important.
How does Intel figure in Asia-Pacific, and India, in particular?
Figures will tell you that 51 per cent of Intel's revenues come from Asia. This makes it evident that most of our customers are from Asia and how much we depend on the continent. What we value in India is its educational standards at every level. We can see the success of Indian students in Europe and the United States. We are here both to share the benefits of technology and learn how the Indian educational system works.
PRASHANTH G.N.
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