Imagine what would
happen if you are driving you’re a car with a speed of 40 km/hour. While other
cars would be availing the speed limit by going faster at 70 km/hour and would
cover distances in lesser time, you would be left behind. This is what is
happening on the real front of information highway in Pakistan. Though we are
moving ahead, but with a slow speed and so, are left behind in a race that
needs the maximum of our speed/attention. But the good thing is the race is
still going on and we still have time to catch-up, by putting a strong foot on
the accelerator. And so as a theory says…’Realisation of the problem is half
the solution of problem’ the article might help defining roles to almost
everybody related to the EDUCATION scenario.
PROLOGUE
As Dr.
Atta-ur-Rehman said, ‘Today’s world is sharply divided by a ‘Technology
Boundary’ which separate the technologically advance countries from the
technologically backward countries. The former used there scientists and
engineers for rapid economic growth while the so-called; ever ‘developing
countries’ (which in reality are not ‘developing’ at all) are demoted to the
role of consumers of technological products, being dependent on the advanced countries
for most of their needs, (Beacon house Academic Conference 2000).
We know well that
our education system is still failing to deliver the very basic purpose of mass
education i.e. to make people literate enough to become economically useful in
today’s world, but still are afraid to admit it. Educational credentials, which
are certificates of competency in a sane society, have become a marketable
product, like soap, ghee, tea, etc. (bizarrely disheartening, isn’t it). After
attending events like The Beacon House Academic Conference, ITCN Asia, and
reading about GITEX, Pakistan Developers Conference and the Technology Industry
Conference 2004, I have come to believe that there is something really
important lacking in the Pakistani IT education scenario - ‘The correct IT
sense’. As there would always be a chance of improvement, so while we are
having international exhibitions like ITCN to promote economy through IT, we
can also make improvement in the real education scene and move further with our
curriculum improvement at the institutions.
THE NEW EDUCATION THEORY
Today’s youth are
different from any other generation before them. They are exposed to digital
technology in practically all aspects of their daily life. A few years ago IT
was used to run business and research, internet and wireless mobile
communication as easily as telephones. This technology is making today’s
youngsters the most demanding and challenging students in history and our
educational system should eagerly embrace the new opportunities this technology
offers. Education will always have to be updated and compatible according to
the time, to keep up with the evolving economy and demands of the market (both
local and international). And as almost all of education worldwide has become heavily
influenced by virtual and real education, the demand of more analytically
stronger professionals is growing who not only implement what they have learnt
but also come up with new innovative ideas on a regular basis. The latest
theory in learning is that not all students learn the same capacity for
learning. Most students learn more when they collaborate with others.
Technology can provide learning alternatives for many traditionally
‘disadvantaged’ students like online open discussions between students of
different universities from different countries studying the same
courses/subjects or taking the same degree. For instance the Global School Net
is one good resource of Classroom Conferencing through CU-SeeMe School Project.
(See www.gsn.org/cu)
COMPUTERS IN
EDUCATION
Learning starts with
a goal. Real people can’t learn by being told to learn. The real problem is
transmission of knowledge. What do we know and how do we learn it? Knowledge is
non-conscious. It is embedded in cases and stories, not in facts. Lecturing
still may produce professionals but it cannot produce researchers,
technologists, revolutionists and ideologists anymore. But yes computer-based
learning can. Computers have moved out of the laboratory and into the high
street. As Dr. Roger Schank, Founder of Virtual Education theory (and latter
courses at the Columbia University) say’s ‘computers are about to change
everything about Education’. They will be able to address the difference
between real students are theoretical students. Theoretical students sit
quietly and listen. They do what they are told and remember everything you tell
them. Theoretical students can immediately execute any detailed plan and they
remedy what they forget by studying.
Lecturing may still
work with the theoretical students but does not work at all with the 21st
century real students anymore. They are easily bored with the temporary
memorization. Albert Einstein once remarked, “One had to stuff all that jumble
into oneself for the exam, whether one liked it or not. This compulsion had
such a deterrent effect that, having passed the final exam, I lost all taste
for any reflection on scientific problems for whole year.” Computer Technology
can provide immediate feedback. It presents knowledge in a visual, more real,
graphic way, using multimedia. It uses two of the most highlights and strong
senses of VISUALISING and LISTENING in lectures, and goes on towards ‘learning
by doing’ exercises.
Research and result
show that:
• Students learn
more in class with computer-based instruction,
• Students learn
quicker with computer-based instruction,
• Students like
their class more when given computer help.
THE WORLD’S LEVEL OF
IT EDUCATION
Analysis: I was
reading a report about the Technology Industry Conference that took place at
Stanford University, CA, previous year. Attended by software and hardware
industry gains like Intel, CISCO and Hewlett Packard, it was openly discussed
and accepted that the US is not more the IT leader as far as new technology and
advancement are concerned. While I was bit surprised to read that as the
world’s largest IT industry, Silicon Valley resides in California, USA with all
the major software and hardware corporations (Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Apple etc)
having their headquarters there, the country has lost the Chinese built a
strong IT market by building strong IT professionals. Amazing, isn’t it???
Comparison: In the
same conference, the three most talked about countries, as far as technology is
concerned, were India, China, and Russia. When the discussion moved to India,
the consensus was that India is flourishing in technology not only because it
has cheaper labour – but because it has smart, intelligent people with good
academics and strong mathematical & analytical skills. In one year, India
produce more IT specialists than all of Europe combined and so do we in
Pakistan can also boast about thousands graduating in IT every year. Except
that most of our IT graduate go to the IT University with an obsolete
curriculum or an IT Institute being run by IT graduates or diploma holders (who
are not able to find good jobs in the market themselves); only to receive a
credential worth nothing. It was disheartening (not demoralizing, though) to
know the real reasons why the blue chip companies are not investing in Pakistan
good IT professionals even though we have the best technical and intellectual
minds, as compared to the Indians, Chinese or any other nation.
PAKISTAN IT
EDUCATION SCENARIO
Evaluating the
quality of IT education in the country, I am not going to count the number of
institute and academies offering IT education (a only few are up-to-the mark)
or the number of Technical graduates (mostly unemployed), or should I? As Dr.
Atta-ur-Rehman said, ‘What we must realize is that the real worth of a country
is its people – it is the quality of education with which they are blessed and
it is the ability of a country to make full use of its educated manpower for
development which makes certain nations rich and relegates others to join the
community of the poor ones’ (Beaconhouse Academic Conference 2000). While the
outer world institute offer degrees and courses in Data Mining, Entertainment
Technology, E-Commerce, Biospectrum (research in new drugs), Biometrics
(infra-red, hand or retina scanning), Infrascan (brain bleeding scan),
Telecommunication, Geo-Technology and Computer Engineering, the Pakistani
institute are still practicing lecture and written exams curricula even with
the most practical subjects. This is one of the main reasons why Pakistan is
unable to produce the kind of quality, skilled manpower that can be generated
in other parts of the world. Consequently, graduates from foreign universities
are valued as superior to those graduating locally. There is complete come lack
of co-ordination among the universities and institutes, which often gives way
to discrepancies in the standard of education being imparted by each of the
institute. They teach obsolete language and software like Fox Pro, COBOL,
FORTRAN, C Language, VB and Java to some a few.
FEAR
During my discussion
with many teachers / educators, trainers, professionals and students all over
our country, I felt apparently that new technology is still viewed by them as
an outsider with horror, and unacceptability. Hence, their encounters with it
are replete with Suspicion. For this attitude to have prevailed I am not only
critical of the institutions alone. Technology and the media are the main
culprits, having paid no attention to this growing feeling and of having done
little or nothing to defuse the situation and introduce what’s ‘new’ and
‘in-demand’, while old languages, technology and theories are still being
taught and marketed.
AWARENESS
For a new technology
accompanied by suspicion and dehumanizing effects, it is required to create
awareness on large. In the past, access to information, analysis and research
about new technology was also not available in sufficient quantity and with
enough ease to formulate a judgment. This is no longer true and requires very
little effort. Publications devote whole issue to the debate, TV channels are
filled with talk and the Internet, itself, offers more realized that it has
facilitated the educators, may it be the incorporation of the black boards,
flash cards, videotext books or computers.
ROLE OF IT INSTITUTE
& UNIVERSITIES
While LUMS, GIKI,
FAST-NU and NUST are making a difference in the local IT education scene with
degrees and courses covering Computer Sciences, New Technology, Artificial
Intelligence, Database, Data Communication, Programming Languages, Software
Engineering & Quality Assurance, Aerospace / Avionics &
Telecommunications; other IT universities and institutions are offering courses
which are obsolete, old and no more ‘in-demand’ in the practical world. These
and colleges are in no interest of updating their curriculum on a yearly basis
and have not intention of facilitating there students with education that make
them earn a good future after graduating. As a result, a great number of IT
graduates are not able to find them selves good, paying careers, as their
expertise is no more required by the job market. This is the ‘worst type of
cheating in the name of education’ we can ever do with our students. IT
institutions at any level, however, can play a very significant role improving
things. A few days ago somebody told me that if someone is outlining and
pointing the areas of errors and weakness, than he should come up or suggest a
solution, so here it is.
Updating Curriculum:
As I said earlier,
that the educational institution no matter at whatever level need to have a
concentrated, focused approach towards the regular update of the curriculum
being taught. The goal is to be actively involved with designing and
implementing a curriculum that meets the needs of the century and the next. The
curriculum always has to be latest, revised and progressive, according to the
economical demands and up to the international standards as well, so that our
professionals are also compatible to the job market abroad. Indeed the
content/theories/practices are not the only portions of a curriculum to be
updated but the way of teaching also needs upgrading applying the latest tools
and methods.
Career Counseling:
IT institutes mainly
should be working on the scenario of IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE, guiding the very
scattered, unsure/unfocused minds, by informing them about the latest
developments in the technology field and the market demands. The economical
aspect of everything in IT should be highlighted so that careers are sought and
selected accordingly.
Orientations of the
latest IT courses:
Local IT institutes
should communicate with the foreign institutions, search the Web, IT magazines;
correspond with the expert/educationists and entrepreneurs to find out the
latest happenings in the world of IT, especially the latest jobs requirements.
The information acquired so, should be accessible easily, publicized and
printed to create awareness about the importance, timeline, and market of all
that is new in the field.
Facilitating
Teachers:
IT institutes can be
a source for teacher training. They can train fresh graduates to make them
pursue teachings as a profession, later placing them on jobs at various
institutions working as a JOB BANK too. While those teachers who cannot afford
or manage to join full time degrees or courses to be updated in computer-based
teaching should be facilitated by institutions through IN-HOUSE or short-term
training courses. One good example has already been initiated two years back by
an academic research and training organisation with the name of New Century
Education. They offer a 6-8 months course called Advance Teacher Training (ATT)
facilitating teachers around the latest theory of IT-coordinated lessons, i.e.
teaching primary school children through computer-based learning. With two
batches of IT trained primary teachers in the market, this is a one of its kind
e-learning course, and perhaps the every first in the whole country. (See
www.nceonline.com).
Facilities Schools:
Taking IT as a
subject taught in schools, or subjects being taught with the help of IT
(IT-Coordinated lessons), institute are useful for
schools/colleges/universities who do not have computer teachers or access to
computer labs. Most importantly, IT institute can play a role in setting up
centres for students; centres that use varied forms of technology, such as
computers, multimedia and robotics to complement the syllabi. Established
school like The Beaconhouse School System and Education Services/Foundations
like The Citizens Foundation and The Aga Khan Education Services are playing a
vital role in this regard by helping out other ‘infant’ schools to settle down
in a much better and organised way. But still focused effort it to be given at
the quality of education in remote areas where it is most deteriorated.
Creating
Professionals:
Today’s economies
are largely service based economies where almost all jobs require ‘knowledge
workers’. Educational institutes need to respond to the needs of the knowledge
economy. Students want education that is accessible, convenient and ofcourse
according to the demand of the business world. Under the new economy, where
students would plan for a four-year degree, they will now be planning for a
forty-year degree. In other words, education will continue through most of their
lives, as each new breakthrough in science, technology, or economics will come
much faster it did before. Very few institute in Pakistan like Iqra University,
The Career Hut, IBA, LUMS and GIKI (some others too) respond to the need of an
industry based education, which makes the students really compatible to the
needs of the professional world. Thus the students of these institutions have a
job market ready to embrace them even before they pass-out. Others need to
follow a curriculum likewise which include internship and training enabling a
students to understand the way of professional working during his or her
studies.
Developing Trainers:
World’s fastest
growing corporations and organisations train their employees to gain the
competitive edge over the untrained individual/companies in the new economy.
High tech multimedia centres should replace correspondence and video, and
university and college programs must be tailored to an individual’s needs as
opposed to the ‘one size fits all’ system that is prevalent today. In this
reference Jinnah Public School & Computer Academy is running an computer
training program successfully, training professionals inside the campus from
different cities, others need to follow by making attempts in ‘out-of-campus’
training program similarly.
ROLE OF INTERNET
Internet is an
enabling technology which needs to be used for the benefits of society it may
be used as a tool for this. Encouragement, however, has to come from the
decision makers, the intellectuals, and the professionals. The Pakistani
society needs to make conscious efforts to use modern technology towards the
delivery of content relevant to our needs, be it educational, service-oriented
or pure entertainment. With the development of the World Wide Web (with its high
speed delivery of information) it is easy to find out what is in and out. It is
above all a communication tool – one that allows teachers, students and
professionals to communicate with other students, colleagues and specialists
abroad and ask them what they are doing and what is HOT?
ROLE OF TEACHERS
Are teachers, to
blame at all? I believe they must bear some, if not all responsibility for the
way things are. A commitment to a profession – especially one that holds the
key to the development of societies and nations – demands that they keep up
with all modern methodologies and study their advantages & disadvantages.
The main problem is the ‘We-know-what-Education-needs’ attitude leading to a
very weak and incompatible education system. Wrongfully called ‘de-humanising’,
the Internet provides an opportunity for teachers to expose their students not
only to a vast array of informational resources but more importantly to human
resources from around the world. Teaching should be a voyage of discovery rather
than imparting of information or facts. The teacher should help in grasping a
basic structure of the subject so that the student may be able to learn by
himself – the latest development in the subject even when he leaves the
institution. Teachers need to be current in contact and have passion for the
profession of teaching. IT is not a subject to be learned and taught on a
‘once-and-for-all’ basis. The teachers are really required to be updated,
always.
ROLE OF STUDENTS
In open forums and
seminars I have heard students blaming the education system for not providing
quality or economy based education. But some of the blame lies on their
shoulders too. Students need to do some checking, research and discussion
before getting themselves into a degree/course or diploma, no matter how short,
affordable or convenient it is. They need not to see the free structure first
but the credibility of the institution and the demand of that peculiar
course-expertise in the job market. Information no matter of whichever type is
good but should be relevant always. ‘Relevant’ means economically relevant in
this context. While on other issue, if our brightest graduates take up the
teaching profession, if being offered an appropriately attractive salary
package than, this would be a major step in the right direction. I am extremely
critical of the theory that one can only make a good career and a splendid
living while working in a multinational or a bank only. This is no more true.
Teachers (good ones only) are highly paid today, infact the very few of the
PhD’s in our country are mostly associated with teaching. So why not the best
of our graduates??
The internet is the
greatest equalizer the world has ever seen. Even an IT professional in a rural
area of Pakistan with a computer and an internet connection has access to the
same knowledge as a person sitting in Silicon Valley. You can get trained
through e-learning, share ideas with professionals and colleagues and most of
all find out about everything that is going-on inside and outside the country
especially in the economy world. Therefore at an individual’s level there are
almost no barriers in acquiring ‘knowledge’. Hence a student before going to
buy a 4 year degree in IT (or even a shorter course) should take the trouble of
searching through websites, meeting career counselors and reading some context
to find out the ‘real demand’ of his/her future expertise in case of taking
that course.
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Our present
government is trying to promote IT (in all its means) more than anything. The
realization, however, only would come by creating a favorable climate for
foreign companies/investors and venture capitalists by developing both TRUST
and PROFESSIONALS (as did China). Developing software parks or policies is not
going to attract investments. The government can also help this process by
opening up its accreditations and records of the most updated/upgraded
educational institutes to the public and making them available through the
internet. It could encourage the development of exact, useful educational
contents (curricula) for institutes all over the country. Private or public
sector projects should also be supported by the government in terms of
donations, accreditations, and licenses as a reward in return of their good
work towards betterment of education standards. I am completely confident to
say that finally we have got some leaders after long times that are Really
Making ‘CHANGES’.
ROLE OF PUBLICATIONS
Fortunately a
country with an ‘Insufficient IT Education level’ has asunder of publications
covering IT and Technology issues ’sufficiently’ with more than half a dozen
magazines covering technological issues’ it is astoundingly and this more than
satisfactory at present (perhaps we should call for celebration). The best
three of these publications cover technical, academic, corporate/private,
government, international and the public sector issues on a regular basis,
however one good advice for these publications is that a scenario like that of
Pakistan (unaware) need more awareness. An easy way to do it is to arrange open
discussions between there readers and the writers, both panels comprising of
students, teachers, private/corporate sector representatives and IT
professionals.
ROLE OF
PRIVATE/CORPORATE SECTOR
Pakistan is one
lucky country to have received services by the corporate sector which was meant
to be given by the public sector in real. For instance through Intel’s TEACH TO
THE FUTURE program, participating teachers receive extensive training and resources
to promote effective technology use in the classroom. This program has been
especially launches to target public and private school teachers to facilitate
their daily curriculum and enhance students learning capability. As per
official figures, our 75000 teachers have been successfully trained by the
Intel to date. On the other side, NCR Corporation has also initiated one of its
time NCR Teradata university program in Data Warehousing connecting with 6
universities of Pakistan including LUMS, NUST, IBA, COMSATS, FAST and MUET to
introduce data warehousing courses at graduate and post graduate level. The IT
Excellence awards, also initiated by NCR in 1997 are annual awards events
acknowledging achievements in IT by medals, certificates and IT awards. This is
one great step to words ‘ACKNOWLEDGMENT’, which is not a usual practice in our
country. (See www.itexellenceawards.com). Effort, however, must be given
towards scholarships at the local institutions, Internship Openings, and
creating job markets.
ROLE OF EDUCATION
CONFERENCES/EXHIBITIONS/SEMINARS
To generate an
interest on large and adopt IT at home, work and business,
Public/Private/Government sector organisations arrange seminars, conferences
and exhibitions very frequently. ITCN and PDC are few examples. This is a great
step, however, a focused efforts is missing as ITCN was a totally commercial
event (that also disastrously arranged) bringing the same features and names
every year and not attracting new investors or names from the international scene
even after 4 years of its inception. The emphasis of an EXHIBITION should be
generating interest of investment by foreign giants in the local market, which
was more centered towards ‘Earning through Sponsorships’. Perhaps a major
missing point to be noted is that no effort has been done yet for an ‘IT
Education’ conference or seminar to facilitate teachers, students and fresh IT
professionals.
CAREER IN IT
We have this dogma
in our young minds that they only need a credential (degree) to find themselves
a career in life. That might be one requirement but not certainly all of it.
Apart from possessing the necessary technology and business skills,
professionals have to be creative, inquisitive, willing to take risks,
result-oriented, opportunity-hunting, willing to learn and best be a team
worker. After a lengthy research and discussions, I was able to formulate that
the present Pakistani job market holds opportunities for people having
expertise in Software Developers, Analysis and Assurance Computer Engineering,
Geo-Technology, Telecommunications, Project Management, Hardware and
Networking, Data base and System Administration, Content editing, and most of
all TEACHING. This one field might not hold enough attrition (especially in
terms of a good package and a challenging job) but yes, if you want to make a
difference than you might go for it applying that you get your self both of the
above mentioned things by proving your self a good students at exams, projects
and presentation.
WHAT’S OUT THERE AND
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?
That ‘SCHOOL’ is no
longer the place where the bulk of a students learning takes place, and may
even be the place where interest in learning is often destroyed by doing
temporary memorisation. Most agree that the needs of education today (and a
much closer ‘tomorrow’) are totally different from those of yesterday. The
speed of change, coupled with the effects of globalization, has also added new
twists. While technology alone does not answer all needs it will be the
educator’s most useful ally. The ‘one-size-fits-all’ education philosophy is
not only invalid but will ultimately do more harm than good. New methods are
evolving. Educators must, like scientist in a lab, thinker and prod the process
of CHANGE and ADOPTION. We are witnessing a totally new dimension of education.
To keep pace with the rapid technological change taking place globally, we must
adapt to these changes, or the left behind. We have new tools that can
transforms the process of education it self. We need to understand these tools
and their potential and to involve them in our evolving as a technologically
aware nation. We have new, computing needs and opportunities in society, and we
can’t afford to have them compromised. Education is the key for over success in
the individually and collectively, and our current patters are downheartedly
obsolete. We have to build up an education system that constantly upgrade its
responses, and transforms it self according to the needs and demands of the
time. Pakistan is very promising market. We have a population of more than 140
million, with most of the young ones speaking the language of technology. We
have a government how has never been more open to the prospects of progress. We
have made significant investment. With that population, we have thousand of
students with an IQ level in the genius category but we don’t give all of them
a challenging educational environment, which unleashes their creativity. They
are bound to attend institution where they learn to memories and reproduce facts
in examinations. We need to do what ever is needed to be done to give over
students a competitive edge to be right up there at the forefront.
