Prof.MM Pant and Dr. Ramesh Sharma with their passion for mobile lifelong learning have planned Meetups for Sundays from 10 am to 1 pm to deliberate over educational matters of relevance to the future, in particular in the context of readiness for the 4th Industrial revolution.
They are primarily designed to provide an opportunity to participants of members pursuing life-long learning.
SMILE (Sunday Meetups 4 Innovative Learning Expeditions) is about creating and fostering a community of self-Directed life-long learners, who are active seekers of learning experiences beyond the formal School or College environs.
In this age of rapid knowledge obsolescence, social learning in groups of common shared interests is often sought and found. There is no age restriction, but the nature of themes chosen for a specific date, would indicate who would benefit more from them, but all themes could also have a generic interest.
The main benefit would be ‘learning’ though in a diverse group there would also be ‘social’ learning as well as bonding and making new friends.
Their next Meetup is scheduled for Sunday 10th July at the WOODs from 10am to 1pm. In advance to that Meetup, the team is doing a one week Whatsapp course on the same theme beginning Monday 4th July till Saturday 9th July in which even those who can’t attend in person on the 10th can participate. We will create a separate Whatsapp group for that which will start getting formed from Monday June 27th. Those who are interested in joining the Whatsapp group for that course module may please make a request accordingly. This group continues as a general group interested in the broad issues.
“To succeed in the already arrived 4th Industrial Age there will be 3 new major ways of acquiring knowledge, and most learners (young or not so young) today are ill equipped to benefit from them. These are :
1: Learning with MOOCs
2: Getting Mentored
3: Social and Peer learning
It is our endeavour to build these skills, competencies and abilities amongst all those who would like to pursue them,” says Prof. Pant.
For ease of access, the primary model of learning is to use mobile phones for learning, with WhatsApp as the main communication tool.
The WhatsApp based course on ‘ Learning with MOOCs’ will be launched from Monday 4th July 2016. Prospective learners can request to join here. The key resource person for this course is Dr Ramesh C Sharma and Prof MM Pant is an enabler/facilitator.
For in person interaction, there will be a SMILE Meetup on Sunday 10th July 2016.
The flow of the WhatsApp course on ‘ Learning with MOOCs’ is as follows:
Learning with MOOCs: DIY degrees & qualifications
Monday July 4th : Day 1: The Nuts and Bolts of MOOCs:
Topic 1.1: The story of MOOCs
Topic 1.2: MOOCs in the USA , UK, Europe, Singapore and Australia…..
Topic 1.3: SWAYAM : the Indian MOOC initiative
Tuesday July 5th : Day 2: Learning with MOOCs
Topic 2.1: A survey of learning opportunities with MOOCs
Topic 2.2: How to choose an appropriate MOOC?
Topic 2.3: MOOCs for success in the 4th Industrial Age
Wednesday July 6th: Day 3:Requisite learner skills set for learning with a MOOC
Topic 3.1: Being active self-directed learners
Topic 3.2: Share ideas & participate in discussions
Topic 3.3: Effective time management & avoiding procrastination
Thursday July 7th :Day 4: Learning how to learn?
Topic 4.1: The learning curve
Topic 4.2: Meta-Learning
Topic 4.3: Durable learning : make it stick
Friday July 8th : Day 5: DIY degrees & qualifications
Topic 5.1:Recognition of learning with MOOCs
Topic 5.2:Trends in acceptability of MOOC credentials
Topic 5.3:Beyond MOOCs : what next?
Saturday July 9th: Day 6; Wrapping Up and tying loose ends
Throughout the week : The next steps
Topic 6.1: Books, weblinks and Apps
Topic 6.2: MOOCs and OERs
Topic 6.3: Getting Mentored
