Theorizing the Untheorized: The Indian Context of ODL Pedagogies

This paper is a deliberation on some crucial aspects of teaching-learning transactions in open and distance learning (ODL). This system, with its relative newness, has given cause for much debate within India regarding questions of 'openness', modes of pedagogy and teaching, the principles nurturing these modes and thus the ultimate question of 'quality' in education. The continuance of this debate also reflects the difficulty of any adequate theorization, which anchors knowledge-dissemination processes in institutions of higher education on the whole. The absence of an adequate contextual theorization keeps out of sight a sense of complacency in continuing with inherited assumptions regarding academic transactions in the ODL mode. Since ODL is still an evolving field in India, it is clear that unless some clarity is achieved with regard to the assumptions that guide academics in open and distance learning, the problematics of quality and equity must haunt this mode. Keywords: openness, pedagogy, quality, equity, exit-criteri

Effectiveness of Open and Distance Education and the Relevance of ICT: A North-East Indian Perspective

In today's Knowledge Society, it is almost accepted by common agreement that open and distance learning (ODL) has enabled people to develop different levels of proficiency in various fields. The application of information and communication technology, commonly known as ICT in ODL has not only made teaching-learning an interesting activity, but has also helped in inculcating a practical mindset among the learners. ICT-enabled learning as a surrogate system of the conventional ODL has released a lot of avenues for the people. In this context, it is not surprising to find that the relevance of ICT in the education sector of the North Eastern part of India has been being increasingly realized in recent times. The National Knowledge Commission of India too that has laid unprecedented attention on the ICT sector and its use in educational purposes, thereby helping to restore the potentials of ICT to every individual hailing from each and every corner of India. This paper seeks to address some of the assumptions that ICT enabled teaching learning has the potential to drastically change the educational scenario of the North Eastern part of India. Key Words:ICTs and Open and Distance Learningin North East of Indi

A retrospective autopsy study of histopathologic spectrum and etiologic trend of fulminant hepatic failure from north India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is rapidly fatal and liver transplant is the treatment of choice. The condition is known for its heterogeneity of defining criteria, clinical presentation, histologic spectrum and etiologic factors. The etiology of FHF varies widely, some of which includes viral hepatitis, drug overdose and idiosyncratic drug reactions. The identification of the etiology of FHF is critically important, because it influences the management. A histopathological classification of FHF has not been reported earlier in the literature.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The current study was conducted retrospectively on 224 autopsies at a tertiary care hospital in India. In all of these cases the liver was examined grossly and microscopically. Clinical findings, serological data and immunohistochemical findings were correlated with the morphological subtypes and a consensus morphological classification was formulated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Young females, especially those in the reproductive age group were most susceptible to the disease. Hepatotropic viruses and drugs were the likely causes in most of the patients. Clinical presentation is important, as delayed onset of encephalopathy or the subacute FHFs lead to maximum mortality. After careful gross and microscopic examination the morphological findings of FHF were divided into four distinct categories. Histologic typing can sometimes be misleading if solely made on H & E slides without application of special stains.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Fulminant hepatic failure is a medical emergency, proper histological categorization can help in deciding the treatment modalities.</p

Sexism, Language, and Women: A Study of Some Proverbial Expressions Used in the Barpeta District of Assam, India

Today, issues related to gender and sexism in language have received unprecedented critical attention, because the language used to represent women in our society is typically gendered. A woman often faces different nuances of gender stereotyping to which one is exposed since one’s childhood—at home, in the locality, in schools and in the day-to-day social exchanges. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore the emotional, domestic, cultural and social territories as well as the personal spaces of women and discuss how in our society, the politics of language influences our perceptions about women. This paper is based on an area specific research conducted on the sexist proverbial expressions on women by the Assamese speaking people of the Barpeta district of the state of Assam, India. The research is based on locally available secondary sources. Proverbial expressions treating women negatively are only used as part of the research. The important finding of the research is that the embodiment of sexism in the proverbial expressions in Assam often assign an inferior status to women and that, from local to global, biasness against women is still widespread despite rising awareness about the politics of language in a homosocial world

Birds of a feather flock together? Diversity and spread of COVID-19 cases in India

Arresting COVID infections requires community collective action that is difficult to achieve in a socially and economically diverse setting. Using district level data from India, we examine the effects of caste and religious fragmentation along with economic inequality on the growth rate of reported cases. The findings indicate positive effects of caste homogeneity while observing limited impact of economic inequality and religious homogeneity. However, the gains from higher caste homogeneity are seen to erode with the unlocking procedure after the nationwide lockdown. We find that community cohesion through caste effect is relatively dominant in rural areas even when mobility restrictions are withdrawn. Our findings indicate planners should prioritize public health interventions in caste-wise heterogeneous areas to compensate for the absence of community cohesion. The importance of our study lies in empirically validating the causal pathway between homogeneity and infection and providing a basis for zoning infection prone areas