http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?queryed=9&username=&useremailid=&parenteditioncode=9&eddate=9%2f8%2f2009
DNA Mumbai, page 8
Are Std VIII textbooks promoting IT brands?
Priya Ramakrishnan
The state board is working as brand managers for Microsoft, or so it
would seem. The book cover of the subject guide to teachers of
Information Technology for Std VIII students has an in-the-face
Microsoft brand name and logo. That apart, the syllabus, covered in MSc
IT by University of Mumbai, holds forth on products marketed by private
players such as Microsoft and Oracle. A team of educationists has
pointed out to the education department that the IT teaching in the
state is product-driven rather than technology-based.
"It is not fair to have brand names mentioned in the text and logos
shown in the illustrations. Students are taught Microsoft Word, Excel
and Powerpoint rather than softwares which are liberally licensed," said
G Nagarjuna, chairperson, Free Software Foundation India (FSFI).
Free softwares are those which grant users the right to study, change,
improve its design, copy and distribute it free of cost, like Linux
system and Open Office. Another educationist, Jitendra Shah, former VJTI
professor also agreed with Nagarjuna. "We are only creating a favourable
monopoly in the market. Why is the government promoting specific brands
in the name of education," he questioned.
An IIT Bombay professor, Sridhar Iyer, has already designed curriculum
for the primary classes in IT which contains broad-based knowledge.
These books are also being translated in Hindi and Marathi. "We have
proposed to the government that we can help in designing a curriculum
that focuses on developing IT skills rather than specific usage skills,"
said Nagarjuna.
However, the education department officials shrugged off the issue
claiming that the curriculum designing is not handled by the government
and passed the buck on to the Maharashtra State Bureau of Text Book
Production and Curriculum Research, an autonomous body.
--
Vinay Sreenivasa
IT for Change
91-98805-95032
[email protected]
http://itforchange.net
http://public-software.in
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