'Can do' spirit is essence of India: US education delegation

Inspired by India's "can do" spirit, American leaders from school education sector have said US educators need to take the same approach as India in planning for times when technology fails and develop a "Plan B" as an alternative.
"The 'can do' spirit is the essence of India. There is an optimism that life can get better and that education is at the heart of making that happen. The people of India are truly its greatest asset -- investment in human capital is viewed as a means to grow India into a strong nation," Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) said in a report.

The report was prepared by the school system technology leaders' delegation which made a 11-day trip to India last November.
The purpose of the trip was to see how is India accelerating educational success through information and communications technologies and what is the country doing to redefine and advance the skills of students today.
There is always a Plan B when technology fails, it is not used as an excuse but as a way to be creative when the Internet or power fails, the report said.
India starts with the fundamental premise that things can and will change, it stated.

"India has successfully addressed inequities by leveraging educational innovation," said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.

"By visiting and observing their practices up close, we are able to share their powerful story with educators and policymakers to help further transform and personalise learning all across North America," Krueger said.
"What India is doing to accelerate success at each grade level is truly incredible. Hopefully the lessons we learned will inspire greater and more impactful educational innovation in all North American school systems," said Irene Spero, Chief Strategy Officer, CoSN.
During the visit to India, the delegation members met with key government and education officials as well as leading NGOs to get a first-hand look at the role of technology in India's formal and informal education systems.

They also visited both public and private schools to get a better sense of how technology is being used in learning.
The report 'Incredible India: Endless Possibilities' captures its observations and poses questions for policymakers and educators outside of India, particularly in the United States and Canada, to consider.
The 20-page report recommends US education officials to always develop "Plan B".
In India, there is always a "Plan B" if first attempts at technology do not work or resources are missing.
The Indians have found ways to work around the lack of connectivity and even the absence of electricity without sacrificing education, the report said.

"US educators need to take this same approach in planning for times when technology fails and develop a Plan B, not as an excuse, but as an alternative," it said.