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Joining up

Lutfor Rahman
NOWADAYS, technology affects practically all activities in our life. Digital technology has covered the operation of all levels of education from kindergarten to doctoral studies. The new technology has even started challenging higher educational institutions worldwide to redefine their student constituencies and teaching practices. Bangladesh has just started a journey on a new vehicle equipped with digital technology and run by local national experts and technologists.
The higher education institutes in Bangladesh, particularly private universities, are opening new departments related to digital technology. The People’s University of Bangladesh is one of the oldest private universities, and has departments of Computer Science and
Engineering (CSE) and Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (ETE). The departments are rich in digital technologies. I teach students of both departments and topics like satellite communications, radio communications, data communications, optical fiber communications, Laser and nano-technology automatically become part of our discussions.
Teaching modern technology subjects is very interesting and exciting, because the students want to learn more about the innovations. In a class of two hours duration, most of the time is utilised in answering questions about the devices with applications, status of Bangladesh, future of Bangladesh, problems and solutions, and possibility of students' inclusions in nation building activities with digital technology.
Interestingly, the students have discovered that their knowledge of physics and mathematics of higher secondary level is enough to understand the technologies of satellite communications, fiber optics etc. They just need an experienced and qualified guide who can answer their questions according to their requirements. The concerned teacher must have
academic, industrial and research experience at home and abroad. Otherwise, technology-based higher education will never emerge in the country.
At the initial stage, a survey conducted among the students and the researchers revealed that students were interested only in a certificate, which they need for their career development. After three
classes on satellites, I found that the students were very thirsty for knowledge about modern technology. They are very interested in learning about availability of satellite communications in Bangladesh. Neighbouring countries have launched satellites, but Bangladesh has yet to do that. This indicates our backwardness in technology.
Students in Bangladesh have no scope of observing satellites that revolve around the earth in fixed orbits, but the internet has made things easier for them. From the websites they can learn the details about q the satellites, and this learning has 9 encouraged them significantly. 5 Opportunities for open discussions o increases their confidence as well.
I I teach a research-oriented course at “ People's University of Bangladesh. Here, learning occurs outside the traditional educational environment, using the World Wide Web to deliver interactive education programs, especially in higher education. Questions and issues of why and how the Web can be used as a delivery mechanism are causing concern. I like to share some of the results of my observations and discussions with students of telecommunications.
Digital technologies have also gener-
ated many conflicting claims and predictions as to the present, and mainly future, effects that the internet and World Wide Web might have on higher education environments. On one hand, the emergence of the new technologies has broadened access to many new student clienteles and contributed greatly to social equity in higher education; and on the other hand, the continuous development of advanced and complex technological infrastructures widens the digital divide between developed and developing countries, and between rich and poor.
Most academics in advanced countries have eagerly adopted the technological capabilities provided by the internet in their research activities and, at the same time, many professors still feel reluctant to incorporate technologies in their teaching. The digital technologies gave rise to many new providers of higher education and increased the competition in the academic global market. At the same time, we are witnessing a growing trend of collaborations and convergence of academic practices enhanced by the new media.
Prof. Lutfor Rahman is Founder Vice-Chancellor of Science and Technology University in Rural Bangladesh, and teaches at People’s University. Email lutfor@agni.com.