Free and Open Source Softwares that can used in Teaching Learning Process

We have seen in recent times how ICT has enabled us to carry out academic activities even though it has been severely affected by  situation created by Covid-19. Schools and colleges have shifted to online teaching mode to run the academic activities during these times. Many new tools have also been developed and some tools that were previously available got popularity during the pandemic times. Now let us list some tools that can used in teaching and learning process.

1. GeoGebra is an interactive geometry, algebra, statistics and calculus application, intended for learning and teaching mathematics and science from primary school to university level. GeoGebra is available on multiple platforms, with apps for desktops, tablets and web.

2.Avogadro is an advanced molecule editor and visualizer designed for cross-platform use in computational chemistry, molecular modeling, bioinformatics, materials science, and related areas. It offers flexible high quality rendering and a powerful plugin architecture.

3. Bhuvan, is an Indian web based utility which allows users to explore a set of map based content prepared by Indian Space Research Organisation. The content which the utility serves is mostly restricted to Indian boundaries and is offered in 4 regional languages.

4. Audacity is a free, easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. The interface is translated into many languages. You can use Audacity to: Record live audio.

5. OpenShot Video Editor is a free and open-source video editor for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS.

6. Freeplane is a free, open source software application for creating mind maps, and electronic outlines.

7. Tux Paint is a free, award-winning drawing program for children ages 3 to 12 (for example, preschool and K-6). Tux Paint is used in schools around the world as a computer literacy drawing activity. It combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and an encouraging cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program.

Source: https://www.wikipedia.org/
  https://itpd.ncert.gov.in//

List of Initiatives by MHRD, UGC and its Inter University Centres (IUCs) - Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) and Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) for Online Learning

1. SWAYAM online courses: 

https://storage.googleapis.com/uniquecourses/online.html provides access to best teaching learning resources which were earlier delivered on the SWAYAM Platform may be now viewed by any learner free of cost without any registration. 

2. UG/PG MOOCs: 

http://ugcmoocs.inflibnet.ac.in/ugcmoocs/moocs_courses.php hosts learning material of the SWAYAM UG and PG (Non-Technology) archived courses. 

3. e-PG Pathshala: 

epgp.inflibnet.ac.in hosts high quality, curriculum-based, interactive e-content containing 23,000 modules ( e-text and video) in 70 Post Graduate disciplines of social sciences, arts, fine arts and humanities, natural & mathematical sciences., 

4. e-Content courseware in UG subjects: 

e-content in 87 Undergraduate courses with about 24,110 e-content modules is available on the CEC website at http://cec.nic.in/ 

5. SWAYAMPRABHA: 

https://www.swayamprabha.gov.in/ is a group of 32 DTH channels providing high quality educational curriculum based course contents covering diverse disciplines such as arts, science, commerce, performing arts, social sciences and humanities subjects, engineering, technology, law, medicine, agriculture etc to all teachers, students and citizens across the country interested in lifelong learning.

6. CEC-UGC YouTube channel: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/cecedusat provides access to unlimited educational curriculum based lectures absolutely free. 

7. National Digital Library: 

https://ndl.iitkgp.ac.in/ is a digital repository of a vast amount of academic content in different formats and provides interface support for leading Indian languages for all academic levels including researchers and life-long learners, all disciplines, all popular form of access devices and differently-abled learners.

8. Shodhganga: 

https://shodhganaa.inflibnet.ac.in is a digital repository platform of 2,60,000 Indian Electronic Theses and Dissertations for research students to deposit their Ph.D. theses and make it available to the entire scholarly community in open access. 

9. e-Shodh Sindhu 

https://ess.inflibnet.ac.in/ provides current as well as archival access to more than 15,000 core and peer-reviewed journals and a number of bibliographic, citation and factual databases in different disciplines from a large number of publishers and aggregators to its member institutions including centrally-funded technical institutions, universities and colleges that are covered under I2(B) and 2(f) Sections of the UGC Act. 

10. Vidwan: 

https://vidwan.inflibnet.ac.in/ is a database of experts which provides information about experts to peers, prospective collaborators, funding agencies policy makers and research scholar in the country. 

Read Full Document: On-Line-Learning-ICT-initiatives-of-MHRD-and-UGC

Source: https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/1573010_On-Line-Learning---ICT-initiatives-of-MHRD-and-UGC.pdf

Introduction to Web 2.0 and Web 3.0

The term web 2.0. means such internet applications which allows sharing and collaboration opportunities to people and help them to express themselves online.

Web 3.o is referred to as an intelligent web or third generation of internet-based services. 

It is an extension of web 2.0 in which information is given well defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation.

"Semantic Web" is sometimes used as a synonym for "Web 3.0”

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Introduction to E-learning, Mobile-learning, Virtual University, Wikipedia, MOOCs and SWAYAM

E-learning is a computer based educational tool or system that enables us to learn anywhere and at anytime.

It is a learning process facilitated and supported through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

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ICT and Multimedia as Technology-enhanced Learning Resources

What is Multimedia?

•Derived from the word “Multi"  and “Media"
–Multi

• Many, Multiple,

–Media

• Distribution tool information presentation text, graphic, voice, images, video etc.  

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BUSINESS DATA PROCESSING

Data are collection of numbers, alphabets or some facts which are unorganized, but able to be organized into useful information.
Information, on the other hand, gives meaningful facts to the user  by using the data. Information is obtained by processing the raw data.
Data processing is the process of converting the data into information. The computer processes data to give meaningful information by following set of  instructions given by the user.

                   
There is no hard and fast rule for determining when data becomes information. A set of letters and numbers may be meaningful to one person, but may have no meaning to another. Information is identified and defined by its users.

For example, when you purchase something in a departmental store or shopping mall, a number of data items are put together, such as your name, address, products or items you bought, the number of items purchased, the price, the tax and the amount you paid. Separately, these are all data items but if you put these items together, they represent information about a business transaction.

Data Processing Functions:

Data processing may involve various processes, including:

• Validation – Ensuring that supplied data is correct and relevant.
• Sorting – "arranging items in some sequence and/or in different sets."
• Summarization – reducing detailed data to its main points.
• Aggregation – combining multiple pieces of data.
• Analysis – the "collection, organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data."
• Reporting – list detail or summary data or computed information.
• Classification – separation of data into various categories.

Electronic Data Processing Modes:

Computers are programmed to process data in different ways. Examples of processing modes are:

1. Online Processing

2. Real-Time processing

3. Distributed Processing

4. Time-Sharing

5. Batch Processing

6. Multitasking

7. Interactive Processing


Online Processing
In this processing mode, data is processed immediately it is received.
Example: When booking a seat on an airline, the seat is booked immediately. This is to avoid problems of double-booking. other example of online processing is when playing computer games online

Real-Time Processing
In real time processing the computer processes the incoming data as soon as it occurs, up-dates the transaction file and gives an immediate response that would affect the events as they happen.
There is no much difference with online processing however with real-time processing, the outcome of the processing is required immediately to influence decision making and not necessarily through online means but can be within a machine.
Example: in nuclear power stations, a certain level of temperature is required to be maintained for effective disintegration of atoms. If the temperatures are not controlled, the system may cause an emergency situation- like in increase or decrease in slight temperature fluctuations, therefore computers are used to control the air conditioning systems at the plant because they are programmed to provide instant answers upon a slight change in temperature has occurred- that is what we call real-time processing
Another example: is the use of humidifiers and dehumidifiers in the computer lab, when there is a lot of humidity, computers turn on the dehumidifiers and vice versa

Distributed data processing
These points to dividing (distributing) processing tasks to two or more computers that are located on physically separate sites but connected by data transmission media; there may be a central computer that receives input from the remote computers (terminals), processes the data and updates the master file. If required, the output can be communicated back to the remote terminals.
Example: When you withdraw money from a bank, your records are transacted and updated in the main server computer which will also update client computers across the bank branches divide.

Time-Sharing
Just as the name suggests, time-sharing refers to many terminals connected to a central computer and given access to the central processing unit apparently at the same time this sounds like ‘round robin’. Each user is allocated a time slice of the CPU in sequence.
The amount of time allocated to each user is controlled by a multi-user operating system. If a user’s task is not completed during the allocated time slice, he/she is allocated another time slice later in a round robin manner.

Batch Processing
In batch processing, data is accumulated as a group (batch) over a specified period of time e.g. daily, weekly or monthly.
The batch is processed at once. E.g. in a payroll processing system, employees details concerning number of hours worked, rate of pay, and other details are collected for a period of time, say one month. These details are then used to process the payment for the duration worked.
other areas where batch processing can be applied include:

• Processing bank cheques
• Printing of bank statements
• Updating of a stock database

Multiprocessing
Multiprocessing refers to the processing of more than one task apparently at the same time. This is possible in computers like mainframes and network servers.
A computer may contain more than one independent central processing unit which works together in a coordinated way. At a given time, the processors may execute instructions from two or more programs or from different parts of one program simultaneously.

Multi-programming
Also referred to as multitasking- refers to a type of processing where more than one program are processed apparently at the same time by a single central processing unit.
Unlike multiprocessing, in multitasking, the computer has only one CPU. The computer allocates each program a time slice and decides what order they will be executed.

Interactive Processing
There is a continuous dialogue between the user and the computer.
As the program executes, it keeps on prompting the use to provide input or respond to prompts displayed on the screen.

Free Internet to Passengers at Railway Stations (RailWire)

Free Internet to Passengers at Railway Stations (RailWire)

Indian Railway is providing free Wi-Fi Broadband facility to its passengers. This initiative was taken to contribute towards the fulfillment of Digital India dream.

This project has been taken by RailTel Corporation of India Ltd, in collaboration with Google as the technology partner.

The initiative started initially by providing this service to 400 stations around India, but as of now the number has increased to 1600 stations being connected with the fast free Wi-Fi connectivity.

This service has provided numerous benefits to the regular as well as occasional travelers. Many a times we have face the cellular network problems at railway stations, which give a hard challenge to take updates about the train running status and  use other Internet services. But RailWire has given the solution to this by providing a fast and free  Internet with strong signal quality in its railway platforms and surrounding coverage areas.

People have also started using this service to kill their boring wait time for trains by watching Youtube, listening online musics and many other stuff for entertainment.

There were also some news about some youths using this network for their study and preparation of different competitive exams.

Therefore, we hope that Government will keep taking up initiatives like this and will make this service available to remaining stations soon.