Technology is something that has fascinated even the Gods… even those teeming thousands from the Indian mythological tales. Our own Ramayana and even the Mahabharata are filled with so many incidents that go on to prove that the Gods were madly in love with technology. When I told this to my nephew, he cautiously asked me to play safe and not talk about this in a loud voice lest any of the modern religious leaders gets to hear it. ‘There will be a literal pandemonium,’ he ended with a shrug.
I thought for a while and then asked him, ‘Let me click your picture with just two or three of your medicine books.’ We did that and his grimace at the sheer weight is obvious in the photograph. Then I asked him, ‘Do you go on the internet sometime to search for information?’
Traditional learning is getting weightier and more difficult
Caption: Traditional learning is getting weightier and more difficult
Education is poised to converge into a highway where learning and e-learning merge
Caption: Education is poised to converge into a highway where learning and e-learning merge
‘Yes, I do that often,’ he answered.
‘What do you do there,’ I asked, and seeing his puzzled expression, added, ‘I mean, which sites do you reach out for? What sort of information do you seek? And do you get what you want?’
‘There are plenty of relevant websites out there and they have all the relevant information that I need,’ he said, ‘and that information gives me enough content even for my preparation for my PG entrance that I’m preparing for.’
There was a pause and I said nothing as I could see that he was trying to marshal his thoughts in a formation for further advance into the answers that I was seeking.
He continued, ‘Websites help. Discussion forums help as they can be interactive and give me answers that may take me ages to discover in text-books.’ There was another pause before he went on, ‘There are a lot of blogs too where people post the latest information about the latest happenings from the world of medicine. Doctors love such blogs, forums, and websites.’
The point that my nephew was trying to make was that education, learning, and e-learning were complimenting each other and that e-learning wasn’t just what is there in a CD or a DVD that runs on the computer.
Thus,
Education = Learning = E-learning
And
E-learning = Info on CDs and DVDs + Websites + Forums + Blogs + ebooks + audio input from audio books on the PC + audio input through meaningful discussions using tools like Skype
The point is that e-learning isn’t something that is limited to just one or two conventionally known routes and is an area that is constantly being explored and added dynamically. Therefore, education is no longer limited to classrooms and the printed books. The entire world is a classroom, so to say… and the entire world can actually be accessed through various tools that are used in e-learning.
At the start of this article I had talked about technology fascinating even the Gods. I’m quite sure that even if Lord Krishna were to come into the modern world, he would surely try to woo Radha and the other Gopikas by making notes on his Samsung Tab. The Pandavas would strategise for the Mahabharata war on the move and this would be possible by the newest gadget that is now available in the market: the Tablet. Technology is moving ahead with such a speed that I wouldn’t be surprised to find any of our Gods appear magically and demand to take with them some of these wonderful gadgets that are available to the humans today. Well, if this were to actually happen, the discussion would go something on these lines:
The TAB can woo even the Gods
Caption: The TAB can woo even the Gods!
‘Vatsa, you were thinking of me,’ Lord Krishna would say, ‘so I’m here. Now I’d want you to tell me something about this tablet that you’re having with you. I’ve been watching you do a bit of e-learning and I find the process impressive!’
I would obviously be a confused initially, but after regaining my composure would say, ‘Yes, lord the Samsung Tablet that I have with me is a 7 inch marvel, weighs just 380 gms, has great stereophonic sound, and allows me to do my e-learning through e-books, audio-books, PDFs, books on Kindle, content on a Word document and a lot of other formats.’
‘Ah! This is so much like what I said in the Gita,’ he’d say, ‘remember verse 23 in chapter 11?’ And I’m sure I’d immediately open a pdf of the Bhadwat Gita and show his own words to him:
Seeing Your great form with many faces, many eyes, many arms, many thighs and feet, and many terrible tusks and stomachs, O Mighty Armed, the worlds are terrified and so am I.
-Bhagavad Gita 11.23
He will then probably say, ‘Yes, the Tab indeed is like the Almighty Brahma! I am pleased to see this universal form which was never seen by me before, and at the same time my mind is terrified with fear. Therefore, please reveal to me Your previous form. O God of Gods, O Refuge of the Universe, be gracious to me. What I’ve just said is also in the Gita – verse 45, chapter 11.’
‘Well sir,’ I’d want to go on, ‘the tab is used not just for reading content that is already downloaded. You can get a blistering 3G speed on the move and be ready with whatever information you need at whatever time.’
‘That means I can dedicate this wonder gadget, my verse 43 in chapter 11 also.’
O God of Incomparable Power, You are the Father of this creation consisting of movables and immovables. You are the Adorable One, The Preceptor, and the Glorius One. There is no equal to You in the three worlds, much less can any one excel You.
-Bhagavad Gita 11.43
Well, I’m sure the Gods will also be impressed with the TFT capacitive touchscreen, the 16M colour resolution, the precision of the camera, and the video playback qualities too. Truth is that the hand-held devices today have become excellent tools for e-learning that even the Government and the Hon. HRD Minister too realise… no wonder then that technology is poised to reach the poorest of the poor and the Gods are looking down from the heavens above with a lot of envy!
A recent article quoted Rahul Shrivastava of Simon & Schuster India: ‘According to a survey conducted this year among 10 countries, nowhere have more people bought and downloaded eBooks than in India, where 24% have tried at least one.’ The same article points out that even Lipika Bhushan of Harper Collins admits that ‘there are young Indians who are very active online.’
It is obvious then that even the worldly trends are in favour of an extension towards e-learning… this is not just a possibility but an inevitability now. Education is thus poised to become a heavenly convergence of traditional learning with its modern cousin, e-learning! E-learning is here to stay… so it is time for everyone to begin by merging the Tablet into their lifestyle!!
The Education Post_06 August 2012
Arvind Passey
Written on 28 July 2012
Published in ‘The Education Post’ of 06 August 2012
8 comments
gulzar says:
Aug 7, 2012
You Guys are Just Awful.
U are Telling It(Tab) Even Can Shake Gods.
O You Fool ,, FoolIsh
The Very meaning of God Or Lord is almighty the All knowing. Work On it Before U Say A Word.
The Quran says: “Nothing in the heavens or on earth can induce weakness or impotence in God; indeed, God is all-knowing and all-powerful.” (35:44)
The Quran says: “The sun, the moon and the stars are all at His command. Be aware that creation belongs only to God; it is His penetrating command that in its exalted purity creates the world and all it contains.” (7:54)
Arvind Passey says:
Aug 7, 2012
Yes, you’re right from your own perspective. However, what I primarily implied were the Gods in their human avataar.
Your comment though prompts me to remark that even the real Gods (if there are any) would certainly be appreciating the technological advancements and would want to try and test them all! After all temptation is so much associated with the Gods!! Moreover, Gods symbolise an unquenchable urge to learn… this is what the post was all about from a purely metaphysical angle. I am not sure, however, if your God is tech-challenged or not… if he/she is, then pray for improved performance. 🙂
By the way, even Gods love worldly vices once in a while.
sanchit says:
Aug 7, 2012
these guys are nutcases
Arvind Passey says:
Aug 7, 2012
Nobody is a ‘nutcase’… because everyone has a right to express his/her opinion in a civilized way.
Ashok says:
Aug 8, 2012
I agree with Arvind Passey.
To Gulzar, stick to your quran and progress.
Vladimir (@socialmediatry) says:
Aug 9, 2012
Yes, the whole world is changing rapidly, and the way the kids learn is just one aspect. New generations read less in general (books and/or e-books). Their excuse for not reading regular books is that everything that “they need to know” can be googled out. Yes they say it, but they are certainly not doing it enough to compensate for “the good old way” of learning.
Raktima says:
Aug 25, 2012
This era of smart devices has touched everyone – people own(and use) them or at least know about them and want to use them.
While yes, the power of smart devices and not to forget, search engines, have made it possible to gather information – e-books, forums etc. easily in usually pocket friendly way, I do sometimes miss reading book(s), turning the pages..and not worrying that a hole in my lap’ll be burnt (from laptop usage) if not a hole in my pocket.
🙂
Arvind Passey says:
Aug 25, 2012
Well, this debate will be active and live for many years… print isn’t going to suddenly fade away or disappear. I personally prefer a ‘real’ book in my hands than any electronic gizmo. I am never able to focus well while reading on my Tab, phone… or even the laptop.