EDUCATIONAL NEWS

The incident happened in the hostel room of the student on Thursday and triggered a spontaneous overnight protest by the NIT students. Read details below.

A Wi-Fi technician was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a girl student at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), here, police said on Friday.

The incident which happened in the hostel room of the student on Thursday triggered a spontaneous overnight protest by the NIT students and they had to be pacified by the administration and police.

Also read: Andhra Pradesh college hidden camera row: What is voyeurism and are spy cams now tool for such acts in hostels?

Through the agitation, the students demanded the arrest of the culprit and also condemned the purported “victim shaming.” It was given up later today after the police announced the arrest of the man and an official apologised for the incident, said police.

Also read: Over 35% of 3,885 doctors, mostly women, feel unsafe during night shifts: IMA study

“It has to be ascertained how a male worker was allowed inside the women’s hostel where one of the cameras was not working,” Tiruchirappalli superintendent of police Varun Kumar told reporters.

The culprit was arrested immediately after the affected student gave a complaint to the police, he said, and added that women’s safety should be accorded a priority.

Also read: Chhattisgarh: Students of maoist-affected districts to get interest-free loans for technical, vocational education

Women police have been asked to interact with the girl students to ascertain if there had been similar instances in the past, the SP said.

The complainant had claimed that the technician entered her room under the pretext of fixing up the Wi-Fi on Thursday night and allegedly misbehaved with her, police said.

News / Education / education news / Man arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with NIT student in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli, details here

Rick Hess:Arne, some readers may not know much about your efforts since you served as secretary of education for President Obama. Can you talk a bit about what you’re focused on and what drew you to that work?

Arne Duncan:Since 2016, my primary focus has been on reducing gun violence in Chicago. I have helped develop and lead an organization called Chicago CRED that engages with individuals at extreme risk of shooting someone or being shot and helps give them a pathway out of the streets and into the legal economy. This very much came from a place of personal pain. As a teenager, I used to play basketball on the south and west sides, and some of the older guys would protect me and give me safe passage—and I started losing some of them to gun violence. As CEO of the Chicago public schools, I lost a student to gun violence on average every two weeks. As secretary of education, my worst day ever was Sandy Hook, and when I returned to Chicago in 2016, gun violence was worse than I had ever seen it. I just could not stand by and do nothing. Everything else felt secondary.

Hess:What’s that work involve, and what have you learned from it?

Duncan:I work with hundreds of mostly young men, but also many women, to help them change their lives. Most of them grew up in street life, where guns, drugs, and the illegal economy were the only paths open for them. They never had the chance to live normally. We’re trying to give them an opportunity to thrive by supplying them with a life coach, trauma treatment, education, and job training. Throughout this work, I have learned that we have overlooked so much talent. These men and women are leaders, they are creative, and they are capable of anything.

Hess:When it comes to school safety, what kinds of solutions do you think have the most promise?

Duncan:If you’re talking about the kind of mass shootings that have happened in places like Sandy Hook and Parkland, I am 100 percent in favor of laws that reduce access to guns—especially assault weapons. If you’re talking about in-school violence that mostly does not include guns, I would like to see less focus on police and more reliance on people with trust and respect who can intervene before disputes escalate. Many people who work for Chicago CRED have criminal backgrounds that prevent them from working in schools, but they have a lot to offer to young people. They understand their lives because they have lived it. They can earn their trust in ways that people who have not lived the street life never can. They can de-escalate situations brilliantly. They don’t talk down to students who are in situations similar to the ones they were in growing up. And the young people see themselves in our guys and think,if they can do it, so can I. They’re just this huge untapped resource to help reduce gun violence, but they’re not in a position to do that because of employment barriers. We need to change that.

Hess:Looking back, what’s the most important lesson you think you learned during your time in Washington as secretary of education?

Duncan:Listening is an underrated skill. If you want to be helpful to people, you really have to listen to them and let them know they have been heard. Once you do that, you can have a better dialogue. The experience also affirmed that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. I knew this as a district leader in Chicago, but traveling around the country and seeing schools all across America reinforced it. The job is not about telling people what to do. It’s about giving them the support and opportunity to succeed.

Hess:I’m curious if there’s a time or issue during your tenure as secretary where you wish you could’ve had a do-over?

Duncan:I think the teacher-evaluation issue was one that I had hoped we could make more progress on, but teachers just felt beaten up over it. We had the union leaders on board, but they couldn’t convince their members that this would help them and strengthen their profession.

Hess:What do you think people get wrong about Obama’s education record?

Duncan:There’s a false narrative that we forced change upon states and districts, but we really didn’t. We were more about carrots than sticks. We tried to change the incentive structure to do the right thing—raise standards, provide some educational options to people, strengthen the teaching profession, and turn around struggling schools.

Hess:What do you make of the education landscape today?

Duncan:The landscape is mixed. Reform has taken a backseat in the Covid era, and now, we’re just trying to catch up. With the Covid-relief funds drying up, there are new fiscal challenges for school districts and states. I’d like to see us shift our focus onto things like expanded early learning, high school rigor, and postsecondary access. I’d like to see us foster more tolerance and lessen tension over issues like race, gender, and academic freedom.

Hess:You mention “high school rigor,” which is something that gets less attention than it deserves. What do you have in mind?

Duncan:More AP classes. More opportunities for college-level courses. More postsecondary training. Basically, our education system ought to respond to the students and what they are asking for—and what they’re ready for. Many of them are ready for a bigger challenge even in high school. It may sound radical, but an education system ought to help every student go as far as they can and as far as they want. Most schools aren’t built like that.

Hess:During your tenure in Washington, you had some well-publicized tensions with the teachers unions. What do you think of the role the unions are playing today?

Duncan:At best, unions are effective advocates for teaching and learning. I don’t see them standing in the way of change today, but I also don’t see a lot of people trying to drive change. Instead, school systems are just trying to keep their heads above water—and it’s hard to drive change in that environment.

Hess:Your point here about leaders “just trying to keep their heads above water” reminds me of adiscussionyou and I had last year about a dearth of leadership in education today. What could change that?

Duncan:I think the issue will come back around again. Someone will issue a new report showing that we are still at risk of falling behind in the technology race or something else. The large segment of silent parents who are not interested in the culture wars but just want their kids to get a good education will find a new voice. It’s inevitable that some great new learning approaches will emerge, and people will start asking,why can’t all kids have that?I have faith that people will demand more of their schools.

Hess:What are the biggest changes you see since your time as secretary?

Duncan:Enrollment declines in some big cities like my hometown of Chicago have real consequences. It seems that some parents are giving up on the system. Also, it’s less of a front-burner issue than it was when I was in Washington. Another shift is the emergence of culture wars, which are distracting and counterproductive. There’s a difference between education as a voting issue and education as a political football. It should unite us—not divide us.

Hess:Obviously, there are lots of clickbait culture warriors. But there are also more serious figures on left and right who’d argue that these cultural debates aren’t a distraction but a reflection of fundamental tensions. What’s your take for those navigating all this?

Duncan:Parents and teachers can have an honest discussion about when and how to introduce a topic like sex education into schools, but when it devolves into banning books by Toni Morrison orTo Kill a Mockingbird, it seems we have lost sight of the goal—to show our children the truth about ourselves and our history. Schools should be safe places for everyone—regardless of race, gender identity, immigrant status, etc.

Hess:Is it still possible for Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on education?

Duncan:As chair of the Hunt Institute, I work closely with the former Republican governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez. In addition, I have always gotten along with my predecessor as education secretary, Margaret Spellings. I have always worked closely with governors on both sides of the aisle. It’s the culture warriors who want to do things like ban books who are driving us apart. But most of that is hype. I have a lot of faith in parents and teachers to stand up to the extremists when it comes to the education of their children.

Hess:OK, last question. As you and I’ve discussed before, it feels like civic leaders and public officials are less focused on school improvement than they were a decade ago. What do you think it will take for that dynamic to change?

Duncan:The truth always helps. Let’s just get back to telling the truth about our kids and our schools—the progress, the outcomes, the good, the bad, and the ugly—and trust that people will get beyond their differences and do the right thing for their kids.

The scholarship will support two partial MBA scholarships each year for academic years 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28. At Uoffer Global, we are supporting international students worldwide to reach their maximum potential and to gain access to the best of education. For the University of Oxford, this initiative broadens its reach, attracting a diverse and global talent pool.

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Key points:

Eighty-two percent of college students say they’ve used AI technologies, compared to 58 percent of high school students, and students are now near even with teachers in adoption (67 percent vs. 66 percent), according to the second annual State of AI in Education report from learning platformQuizlet.

The report explores AI implementation, perception, and impact from both U.S. students’ and teachers’ perspectives.

Key findings include:

• Students who use AI technology for school use it to do research (46 percent), to summarize or synthesize information (38 percent), and to generate study guides or materials (31 percent)
• Students studying three or more hours a night during the school year are more likely than their counterparts to say AI technologies have positively impacted their efficiency (62 percent), learning support (60 percent), and creativity and critical thinking (53 percent)
• Students are more likely than teachers to say AI creates a more equitable education system (41 percent of students vs. 33 percent of teachers)
• 48% of high school students say they’re not sure if they will use AI technologies to help prepare for college applications or standardized tests like the SATs and ACTs–only 7 percent of students have done so already

Higher education is leading the AI charge

This academic year marked the first full year that students, teachers, and administrators had access to generative AI solutions–and it’s clear that some students have been quicker to adopt this technology than others. More than four out of five (82 percent) higher education students have used AI technologies compared to just 58 percent of high school students. More college students also report that their institutions have established a code of conduct regarding AI use compared to high school students (41 percent vs. 18 percent).

“College students are adopting AI at a rapid pace, illustrating that this technology isn’t a trend but rather a profound shift in how they learn and engage with curriculum,” said Meghann Lomas, senior director of product at Quizlet. “Students want to use AI responsibly, and guidance from educators and administrators, along with the edtech companies building these solutions, can help them.”

Survey findings also indicate that high school teachers are more likely to be approached by their students with permission-based AI questions (67 percent vs. 52 percent). In contrast, college teachers are much more likely to get questions about proper use cases (59 percent vs. 40 percent). This data indicates that many students are cognizant of how and when they use AI, which may contrast with some initial concerns that students would use this technology without question.

Higher ed’s adoption of AI translates to outcomes and compared to high school students, more higher ed students report AI technologies have had a higher positive impact on efficiency: (63 percent vs. 53 percent), learning support (59 percent vs. 52 percent) and access to personalized learning or study materials (52 percent vs. 49 percent).

When it comes to the positive impact of AI on students, educators see different results: high school teachers report that the number one impact of AI on their students’ overall learning experience is that students are more confident (58 percent), while higher education professors report that the number one impact is that students learn new concepts faster (49 percent).

Despite greater adoption in higher education, when asked how AI is reshaping education, more than half of high school teachers and higher education professors (52 percent) feel positive or neutral about the technology’s impact on learning.

The AI hype gives way to more tempered expectations

The State of AI in Education report shows that teachers are more tempered in their optimism about AI’s potential to impact education this year compared tolast year.

“The introduction of generative AI in education sparked a variety of hopes and fears for education,” said Lomas. “The data shows that while AI has proven to help support student effectiveness and develop personalized learning resources, it hasn’t yet prompted the changes many people were concerned about–like replacing the vital role our educators play in students’ lives.”

When it comes to the future of education for teachers, 38 percent say AI will have a positive impact–down from 51 percent in 2023. While teachers say that AI has made their students more confident (51 percent) and has helped them learn concepts faster (49 percent), confidence in impact to pandemic learning losses have been tempered. Thirty-six percent of teachers indicate that AI will somewhat or greatly help address learning loss caused by the pandemic, compared to 48 percent in 2023.

Further, only 28 percent of high school and college teachers said AI technologies positively impacted their students’ overall learning experience, while 46 percent of students reported the same. This number is nearly flat year over year; in 2023, 47 percent of students reported that AI technologies positively impacted their learning experience.

“Both students and teachers report that AI hasn’t yet resulted in a massive sea change for education,” said Lomas. “But more incremental changes are actually a good sign. It means that the most important stakeholders in education, teachers and students, have a better understanding of how to deploy AI in a practical way, which builds on the foundation of education.”

This even-handed outlook could be attributed to the real-life challenges of leveraging and applying AI in education. While the 2022-2023 academic year was focused on many potential applications and eventual iterations of AI, the 2023-2024 academic year provided the opportunity for educators and students to engage with this technology more deeply, understanding its limitations and constraints.

Gaps remain in AI guidance and regulation

Only seven states have issued guidance on how to approach AI in education. Ambiguous or nonexistent guidelines on AI usage in the classroom are a primary concern for teachers, who listed a lack of oversight as a top three concern (49 percent) for AI in education.

In 2024, 69 percent of respondents say their school has not yet established a code of conduct or an advisory for AI technology–down slightly from 72 percent of respondents saying the same in 2023. When asked who they would trust to create guidelines for fair and safe use of AI in education, students and teachers said schools and school districts (65 percent), state and/or federal governments (34 percent), and technology companies (31 percent) are the three most trusted groups.

“A reliable framework for AI use is necessary to ensure we’re applying this technology responsibly and thoughtfully,” said Maureen Lamb, dean of Academic Technology and Innovative Pedagogy at The Ethel Walker School. “Clear guidelines help educators and students build a dynamic learning environment that plays to AI’s strengths in supporting learning outcomes.”

Many teachers are now taking it upon themselves to discuss proper AI use with their students. Nearly half (49 percent) of students say their teachers have talked to them about AI usage for school, up significantly from 37 percent in 2023. Additionally, almost half (49 percent) of respondents who believe AI impacts equity in education point to teacher adoption of these technologies as an equity driver.

“Teachers play an important role in bringing students into the world of AI, but it takes a collective effort to ensure that students have equitable access to these technologies,” said Lomas. “Support from school systems and districts as well as public and private sector organizations is critical to both supporting teachers and successfully integrating AI into education.”

This press release originally appeared online.

eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.

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IIT Kanpur’s Scholarship Programmes

Merit-cum-Means Scholarship:This scholarship provides a full tuition waiver and a monthly pocket allowance of Rs 1,000 for the duration of the program. As this is a merit-cum-means scholarship, students must maintain a minimum CPI of 6.5. However, if the CPI falls below 6.5 but remains above 6.0, the pocket allowance is withdrawn. To apply for this scholarship, students only need to submit their parental income certificate. This scholarship is available to students from categories other than SC/ST, with an annual parental income of less than Rs 4.5 lakh.
INSPIRE Scholarship: This scholarship offers an annual scholarship of Rs 30,000 per semester, along with a research grant of Rs 20,000. It is available to students in the BS programs who are within the AIR 10,000 as per the CML in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics departments. This is also a merit-based scholarship, requiring students to maintain a minimum CPI of 6.0.
Free Basic Mess Scholarship:This scholarship is available to SC/ST students with an annual parental income of less than Rs 4.5 lakh. It covers the basic mess bill and provides a pocket allowance.
Donor Scholarship: The institute awards 129 scholarships to meritorious and needy students. According to the official website, the eligibility criteria for this scholarship are as follows:

Sports Scholarships:A maximum of 20 scholarships per year, amounting to Rs 1,000 per month for 9 months, are awarded to IIT Kanpur students who demonstrate leadership in sports-related activities on campus, contributing to the development, growth, and increased participation in various sporting activities.
For more information on scholarships, students can click on this link.

BTC has become a hot topic among investors as the 1st US Federal reserve interest rate to have a major shift in monetary policy in on the table for Sept 18, the next month. This shift in sentiment is contributing to a growing risk-on appetite for risk assets, including Bitcoin. This trend is expected to positively influence Bitcoin price, potentially driving it higher.

Focusing on BTC price chart, the BTC/USDT pair is currently lying between the $58K – $61K range on the 4-hour timeframe.As BTC currently sits on crucial 4-hour support, the question arises: Will this renewed risk-on appetite help Bitcoin recover its recent losses?

Given the growing risk-on appetite and the potential for upcoming rate cuts, closely monitoring Bitcoin performance in September will be vital as it could set the direction for BTC in the coming months.Moreover, BTC’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) is nearing extremely oversold levels. While an immediate rebound may not occur, historically, such RSI levels have often preceded significant price reversals.

For now, BTC remains near the lower end of this range, so vigilance is necessary. Bitcoins price action, influenced by the growing risk-on appetite, could see a recovery from recent losses, especially if critical support levels hold. As of now, at the time of writing this article, BTC is trading nearly $60,600 and has seen a jump of 1.7% in its price in the last 24 hours.