By Subia Khan
Finally, one industry sector seems to be in good shape and it only has New Year resolutions to thank for it. Well, gym owners across the city are witnessing a surge in registrations before January 1 ticks in with many denizens vowing to stay in shape this year, gulp their last beer (they promise it’s their last) on December 31 midnight. Gymnasium owners say they are now in the pink of their health.
Major gyms in the city have observed a rise of over 40 per cent in the number of people hitting gyms in early January. “We ask our new members to give in writing their reason for joining the gym. And in many applications they cite their New Year resolution,” says Vijay Kumar, regional manager, Talwalkar’s Fitness Centre, noting that the last leg of the year is indeed witnessing a surge of sizezero enthusiasts.
From an average of two new entrants a day, he is now registering ten or more each day.
“We are receiving a lot of calls from people these days inquiring about gym charges and our time schedules. It is the same in all other cities during this season. Since this our first January in Hydertheir New Year agenda, the first thing that comes to mind is indeed a six-pack ab or an hour-glass figure. Raj Dua, a software engineer, says he has been planning regular workouts for last few months but it is only now that he has actually joined a gym near his house in Banjara Hills. “The whole week of merrymaking, eating out and boozing too are other guilt factors that prompted me to do so,” he adds. Weighing 82 kg, Dua’s only ‘dua’ is to get in shape in 2009.
Fuelling this mass determination of putting their best ‘figure’ forward the coming year, many gyms are offering lucrative discounts, clearly to net more resolution conscious clients. For instance, Body N Soul at Banjara Hills has declared a concession of 15 per cent, informs Dhananjay Reddy, the owner. Habibs too is offering a 30-35 per cent cut on its regular charges.
How long the resolution lasts would be best indicated in the 2009 December gym rush. Vijaya Krishnamurthy, business partner with Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty and Exclusive Gym in Jubilee Hills.
Monday, December 29, 2008
City Turns a Deaf Ear to Noise, Literally
By Ayaan Khan
Have you ever wondered why the constable on the road will not listen to pleas to let you off the hook for that petty violation? Chances are he probably didn’t hear you in the first place. An informal survey done by the Society to Aid the Hearing Impaired (SAHI) revealed that about 74 per cent of traffic policemen who were studied in the city suffer from irreparable hearing blocks.
In fact, any policeman who has put in more than four years of work at a stretch on the traffic beat is bound to turn hearing impaired, it said. Apparently most Hyderabadis could face the same fate as these poor traffic constables, if their lifestyle preferences don’t change.
Complaints of hearing loss are on the rise, warn ENT specialists, citing increasing noise levels—outdoors and indoors—as reasons. With every occasion in the family or festival celebrated with loud music and bursting of firecrackers, the average person’s exposure to unhealthy noise levels has increased manifold.
Roads are the biggest irritants. The AP Pollution Control Board has identified that noise pollution in urban areas is higher when compared to rural areas. “ This is because of an increase in the number of vehicles and the population,” says Rajeshwar Tiwari, member secretary of the Board.
In a survey of ambient noise level at major traffic junctions the Board found the noise levels at Punjagutta, Nagarjuna Hills circle and other places in the city to be close to 100 decibels during the day, as against an acceptable standard of 80 decibels. Anything beyond this standard can damage one’s cochlea (fine hair cells in the inner ear) leading to permanent loss of hearing. “Needless honking in Hyderabad is higher than any other city in the state,” cautions Tiwari.
Dr E C Vinaya Kumar, head of the ENT department, Apollo Hospitals says, “We do not realise what damage high intensity noise pollution can do to our ears.” Prolonged usage of gizmos like the iPod and the head phone could also lead to hearing ailments like partial deafness. Nerve deafness is not only related to age, but also due to trauma caused by a sudden loud noise, continuous exposure to cell phone or other devices. Those who frequent noisy clubs or pubs are also at risk.
Many youngsters do not notice that they are gradually going deaf, say specialists. While regular ear check ups and usage of ear plugs at noisy events could prevent the onset of deafness, one must be alert to symptoms.
Tinnitus sensation, characterised by a ringing or hissing feeling in the ears, as well as an inability to catch words that are softly spoken are some symptoms signalling the beginning of deafness.
Dr V Shanti, consultant ENT surgeon at Care Hospital says it is best to consult an ENT doctor. “Self-medication and ignorance of the right medicine usually worsens the problem. Ear drops in particular must be used only on prescription.” Vinaya Kumar sounds a warning note for the season, “Music at parties could range anywhere between 100 and 120 decibels, so if you cannot avoid such instances, use an ear plug because it can reduce noise levels by nearly 20 decibels.” So if your New Year party plans involve a pub or an event where DJs or bands belt out loud music, take care that it won’t literally blast your y’ears’ away.
Have you ever wondered why the constable on the road will not listen to pleas to let you off the hook for that petty violation? Chances are he probably didn’t hear you in the first place. An informal survey done by the Society to Aid the Hearing Impaired (SAHI) revealed that about 74 per cent of traffic policemen who were studied in the city suffer from irreparable hearing blocks.
In fact, any policeman who has put in more than four years of work at a stretch on the traffic beat is bound to turn hearing impaired, it said. Apparently most Hyderabadis could face the same fate as these poor traffic constables, if their lifestyle preferences don’t change.
Complaints of hearing loss are on the rise, warn ENT specialists, citing increasing noise levels—outdoors and indoors—as reasons. With every occasion in the family or festival celebrated with loud music and bursting of firecrackers, the average person’s exposure to unhealthy noise levels has increased manifold.
Roads are the biggest irritants. The AP Pollution Control Board has identified that noise pollution in urban areas is higher when compared to rural areas. “ This is because of an increase in the number of vehicles and the population,” says Rajeshwar Tiwari, member secretary of the Board.
In a survey of ambient noise level at major traffic junctions the Board found the noise levels at Punjagutta, Nagarjuna Hills circle and other places in the city to be close to 100 decibels during the day, as against an acceptable standard of 80 decibels. Anything beyond this standard can damage one’s cochlea (fine hair cells in the inner ear) leading to permanent loss of hearing. “Needless honking in Hyderabad is higher than any other city in the state,” cautions Tiwari.
Dr E C Vinaya Kumar, head of the ENT department, Apollo Hospitals says, “We do not realise what damage high intensity noise pollution can do to our ears.” Prolonged usage of gizmos like the iPod and the head phone could also lead to hearing ailments like partial deafness. Nerve deafness is not only related to age, but also due to trauma caused by a sudden loud noise, continuous exposure to cell phone or other devices. Those who frequent noisy clubs or pubs are also at risk.
Many youngsters do not notice that they are gradually going deaf, say specialists. While regular ear check ups and usage of ear plugs at noisy events could prevent the onset of deafness, one must be alert to symptoms.
Tinnitus sensation, characterised by a ringing or hissing feeling in the ears, as well as an inability to catch words that are softly spoken are some symptoms signalling the beginning of deafness.
Dr V Shanti, consultant ENT surgeon at Care Hospital says it is best to consult an ENT doctor. “Self-medication and ignorance of the right medicine usually worsens the problem. Ear drops in particular must be used only on prescription.” Vinaya Kumar sounds a warning note for the season, “Music at parties could range anywhere between 100 and 120 decibels, so if you cannot avoid such instances, use an ear plug because it can reduce noise levels by nearly 20 decibels.” So if your New Year party plans involve a pub or an event where DJs or bands belt out loud music, take care that it won’t literally blast your y’ears’ away.
Videogames may help Aging Brains Multi-Task
By Sarah Williams
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Videogames may help Aging Brains Multi-Task
By Sarah Williams
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Videogames may help Aging Brains Multi-Task
By Sarah Williams
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Older adults might want to take an interest in their grandchildren’s’ videogames, if early research on the brain benefits of gaming is correct.
In a study of 40 adults in their 60s and 70s, researchers found that those who learned to play a strategy-heavy videogame improved their scores on a number of tests of cognitive function. Men and women who trained in the game for about a month showed gains in tests of memory, reasoning and the ability to “multitask”.
The findings suggest that videogames that keep players “on their toes” might help older adults keep their brains sharp, the researchers report in the journal Psychology and Aging. This is the first published study to suggest as much, so it’s important not to overstate the findings, said senior researcher Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Still, he said that the results are “very promising”, as they suggest that strategy-based videogames can enhance reasoning, memory and other cognitive abilities that often decline with age.
The study included 40 older adults who were randomly assigned to either the videogame group or a comparison group that received no training in the game. Over 1 month, the gamer group spent about 23 hours training in ‘Rise of Nations’, an off-the-shelf videogame where players seek world domination.
Study participants who trained in the game ended up improving their scores in several areas of a battery of cognitive tests, Kramer and his colleagues found. But Kramer said that more research is needed to confirm and extend the findings.
Find the Perfect Tutor on Internet
By Madhavi Jain
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
Find the Perfect Tutor on Internet
By Madhavi Jain
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
Find the Perfect Tutor on Internet
By Madhavi Jain
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
When Raghav Mahajan was struggling with his French course last year, help was just a click away. “A friend in the US who is very good at the language uploaded videos on YouTube so that I could learn. That’s the only way I managed to get my diploma,” says the 20-year-old, who has landed a job with an advertising agency in Mumbai.
From mastering French and Pilates to solving algebraic equations or the Rubik’s cube, more and more Indians are finding their tutors online. Thanks to the countless how-to videos posted on sites like YouTube, do-it-yourself learning has become a growing trend.
It can even get students an IIT education without going to IIT. Vivek, who is doing his bachelors in engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, couldn’t get admission into the elite institute but that hasn’t stopped him benefiting from lectures that IIT and IISc professors have posted on YouTube in a project funded by the Indian government.
The institutes, who took their cue from US universities, began posting course content on YouTube in January and already 40 streaming hours of IIT teaching video is available for students whether they are in Nagpur or New York.
“In our country, there is a huge shortage of teachers. So the idea behind the project was to give engineering students a chance to access quality peer-reviewed course content for free,” says Mangala Sunder Krishnan, chemistry professor at IIT-Madras who is one of the co-ordinators for the project. It’s been quite a success judging from the fact that one lecture on basic electronics has been viewed by a whopping 100,000 viewers. Under Phase 2 of the project, quality teachers from other institutes besides the IITs and IISc will also be roped in to prepare lecture videos, says Krishnan.
But not all information is as reliable as that posted by the IITs. A problem with the user-generated model of YouTube is that students have no way of verifying the source or the information, point out some academics. Despite these reservations, YouTube, Wikipedia and similar sites dubbed by techies as part of “Web 2.0” are attracting students who enjoy learning in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace.
“It’s often embarrassing for a student to ask a teacher too many questions, specially when it is about something basic that he or she is expected to know,” says Salman Khan, a math tutor whose 700 videos have become quite a hit with students abroad and in India. Based in California, this hedge fund manager of Indian origin says he spends one to three hours a day making videos.
“A student may not have got the classroom lecture, but once they see a video, they say, ‘Ah, this is what it is about’. They can also pause a video or watch it as many times as they like,” says Khan who gets dozens of requests from Indians who want help solving problems.
And has he learnt anything from YouTube? “My wife and I did try out a sooji halwa recipe last week,” laughs Khan.
It’s riffs and not recipes that drew Sandeep, 14, to YouTube. “I had to give up guitar classes because the tutor lived far away from home. But I checked out YouTube and figured out that the videos made it very easy to pick up songs,” says Sandeep. He has learned to play ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’.
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