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Digital Curriculum puts BBC at heart of online learning
MUMBAI: The BBC’s Digital Curriculum, a new public service, will provide interactive learning materials via the internet to support the school curriculum.
The BBC will now play a significant role, as part of a public/private partnership, in the development and introduction of the world’s first comprehensive ‘Curriculum Online’ service launched by the British Department for Education and Skills in 2002.
The new BBC service will use the power of interactivity to provide a range of compelling multi-media content. Students will be offered a mix of digital learning resources including video, flash animations, interactive games, printable worksheets, text pages and illustrations providing a variety of ways to learn.
These will be offered within a ‘Virtual Learning Environment’ which will provide the space online where students can interact with the resources, giving them flexibility to navigate through the service in the way best suited to their style of learning.
It will also allow teachers to personalise and manage the service. The ?150 million service will be built up over a five-year period and will cover subjects from across the curriculum at all levels, including minority subjects and materials for those with special educational needs.
The BBC’s service will be available via the internet at school, at home or in the community (for example at community centres, libraries or internet cafes), or for whole class teaching using an interactive whiteboard. Users with a simple narrowband connection will be able to access around 70 per cent of the materials and to download the more sophisticated elements for storage and use offline, while users with broadband links will be able to use the entire service in real time online.
The conditions set by Britain’s Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell while approving BBC Digital Curriculum included requirements to:
– Innovate and promote educational and technological experimentation- the service must innovate continually, and exploit the extensive archives of the BBC and its media rich resources, and promote technological and educational experimentation.
· Work closely with the DfES Curriculum Online Content Advisory Board. The BBC must follow the Board’s recommendations, where possible. Curriculum Online is a DfES initiative providing access to high quality digital content to all teachers.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
