Let’s Learn together:

Posted on August 28, 2020 by mmpant

Let’s Learn Together:

About 110 years back, Charles Eliot, the President of Harvard University, compiled and edited a 51 volume anthology of classic works from world literature. In his speeches he had said that the elements of a liberal education could be gained by spending 15 minutes a day from a collection of books that could fit on a five foot shelf. The publisher P.F.Collier and son exhorted Eliot to develop this collection of works, and the Harvard Classics was the result. 

In due course, this became available as a set of DVDs: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HARVARD-CLASSICS-FULL-SET-ALL-72-BOOKS-ON-DVD-WORLD-FAMOUS-LITERATURE-FICTION-/163689097518

As we enter the third decade of the 21st Century at the intersection of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the 4th education revolution, the young have to be technically sound with the mental dispositions that result from a good liberal education. Robert A Aoun, President of the Northeastern University proposed an education in “humanics” as the descriptor of a Robot-proof education. 

The New Education Policy 2020 refers to the need for multidisciplinary education, rather than a following a narrow single discipline, the need for learning to learn and……..

Towards these goals of a world class multidisciplinary education, I have created the following program suited to the learners of the 3rd decade of the 21st Century. While Eliot had kept 15 minutes a day as the time needed, I am proposing about 20 minutes a day, of not just reading text, but watching videos or hear audios…a multiple media mix. 

Schematics of my program:

In September 2020: 20 minutes/week ( on Fridays) [ 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th] 

In October 2020: 20 minutes twice a week ( on Mondays and Fridays) 

In November 2020: 20minutes thrice a week ( on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) 

In December 2020: 20 minutes 4 times a week ( on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays) 

From January 2021: 20 minutes 5 days a week ( Monday to Friday) 

The topics for each day would be in one of the following broad domains: 

  • Information and Communication Technologies ( ICT) including Quantum Computing
  • BioTechnology including Quantum Biology
  • Cognitive Sciences including Neuroscience
  • Philosophy, Literature and Life
  • Inspirational excerpts from biographies, autobiographies and obituaries

In the first few months, there may not be a set pattern to the appearance of the topics within the domains, but from January 2021, one day of the week would be devoted to each domain. 

The 4 topics planned for September 2020 are : every Friday

  • What is a Faustian bargain?
  • What is Cassandra’s curse? 
  • What is worth learning ?
  • What is complexity?

The 9 topics planned for October 2020 are : every Monday and Friday

  • What is the Midas touch? 
  • What is Occam’s Razor? 
  • What is abiogenesis?
  • What is a fallacy?
  • What is a Fermi problem/ estimate?
  • What is narcissism?
  • The Yaksha Prasna
  • What are vanity metrics?
  • 55 words of inspiration 

The 13 topics planned for November 2020 are: on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

  • Questioneering
  • Design Thinking
  • Utilitarianism
  • What is a paradox?
  • Religion without revelation
  • The importance of emotional intelligence
  • The idea of justice?
  • On being the right size?
  • What is consciousness
  • Knowledge Representation
  • The significance of Computational Thinking
  • Overcoming Maths Phobia
  • Brain Computer Interface

The 18 topics planned for December 2020  : on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays

  • Tragedy of the Commons
  • What is DNA and why it matters?
  • What is Epigenetics?
  • The importance of Ikigai
  • The Science of information
  • What is life?
  • What is a low hanging fruit?
  • What is thinking out of the box?
  • What is IoT ( Internet of things)?
  • What is 5G?
  • What is Blockchain?
  • What is Quantum Computing?
  • What is disruptive innovation?
  • What is FOMO ( fear of missing out)?
  • What is ‘freemium’?
  • What is ‘sui generis’ 
  • What is ‘ swarm intelligence’?
  • What is the ‘ Gig economy’?
  • This is a tentative sequence of topics. It may be tweaked as new ideas and suggestions keep coming up……

About mmpant

Prof. M.M.Pant has a Ph.D in Computational Physics, along with a Professional Law Degree, and has been a practitioner in the fields of Law, IT enabled education and IT implementation. Drawing upon his experience in world class international institutions and having taught in various modes of Face-to-Face, Distance Learning and Technology Enhanced Training, Prof. Pant is now exploring the nature of institutions which will be successors to the IITs, which represented the 1960s, IIMs, which represented the 1970 and Open Universities which were the rage of 1980s & 90s. He believes that the convergence between various media and technologies would fundamentally alter the way learning would be created, packaged, and delivered to learners. His current activities are all directed toward actual implementation of these new age educational initiatives that transform education in the post Internet post WTO era.. Prof. Pant, has been a Former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and has been on the faculty of IIT – Kanpur (the premier Engineering institution in India), MLNR Engineering College and Faculty & Visiting Professor - University of Western Ontario-Canada. He has been visiting scientist to research centers in Italy, England, Germany & Sweden and has delivered international lectures with about 80 papers published. During his association of almost 15 years with the IGNOU, Prof. Pant has served as the Director Computing and has been the Member of All Bodies (i.e. School boards, Academic council, Planning board, Finance committee and the Board of management). With his interest in Law, backed with practice of Law in a High Court, and his basic training in Science and IT, Prof. Pant has been particularly interested in the Cyber Law, Patent & trade mark issues, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues etc. and has been involved with many activities, conferences on “Law & IT” Prof. Pant is presently; • Advisor to Media Lab Asia - Chairman of working group on ICT for Education, chairman of PRSG handling projects on ICT for education. • Lead Consultant for an ADB funded project for ICT in Basic Education in Uzbekistan • Member of the drafting Group for India’s National Policy on ICT in education • Chairman of the group creating books for class 11 and 12 students on ‘Computers and Communication Technology’ appointed by the NCERT • Preparing a ‘Theme Paper” for the NCTE in the area of ICT and Teacher Training • Advisor and mentor to several leading Indian and Multi-national Companies in the area of education. Prof. Pant has in the recent past been ; • Member – Board of Management – I I T, Delhi for 6 years (two consecutive terms) • One-man committee to create the Project Report & Legislation for Delhi IT-enabled Open University • Advisor to the Delhi Government on Asian Network of Major Cities Project (ANMC-21) distance learning project in association with Tokyo Metropolitan Government. • Chairman Board of Studies, All India Management Association With his mission to create and implement new business opportunities in the area of e-learning & learning facilitation, Prof. Pant has promoted Planet EDU Pvt. Ltd., as its Founder & Chairman, along with a team of highly experienced and skilled professionals from Education & Training, Operations, IT and Finance.
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5 Responses to Let’s Learn together:

  1. Pingback: My response to the New Education Policy 2020: | Prof.MM Pant’s WhatsApp VishwaGurukul

  2. Pingback: Let’s Learn Together: | Prof.MM Pant’s WhatsApp VishwaGurukul

  3. Nisha says:
    August 31, 2020 at 7:35 am

    Looking forward to enriching learning experience

    Reply
  4. Sandeep Khanna says:
    September 13, 2020 at 3:18 am

    We will be benefited by learning so many new topics.

    Reply
  5. Sandeep Khanna says:
    September 13, 2020 at 3:21 am

    We will be benefited by reading so many new topics.

    Reply

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