Online Education
Article | July 12, 2022
Ukraine is an East European country with sophisticated infrastructure and a European cultural feel. Ukrainian universities offer international students the opportunity to pursue their dreams and realize their potential through quality education. The Ministry of Education and Science (Ukraine) recognizes and regulates medical universities and their courses. The six-year MBBS degree is one such course that is offered in universities in Ukraine to impart learning with a humanitarian touch.
The Medicine Course
MBBS in Ukraine is not only a course but an opportunity that turns novice aspirants into noble doctors. The six-year course pedagogy bestows students with the much-desired knowledge, skills, and clinical training that instills capability in them to think beyond excellence. The topmost universities provide an amicable ambiance for learning and holistic development.
Why Ukraine?
Student exchange programs in collaboration with healthcare institutions in the EU, India, and other countries make the admission procedure hassle-free. Ukraine has the upper hand over China, Russia, and other Central Asian countries in terms of living conditions, the medium of education, exposure to European culture, and affordability issues. For instance, in Ukraine, the medium of education is in the English language, while in some universities in Russia, international students pursue the degree bilingually (three years in English and the rest in Russian).
Eligibility for the MBBS Course
All universities have their own admission criteria, such as some universities have a requirement of 50 percent in Class XII (PCB), while others require 60 percent. The fundamental requirement for every candidate is to qualify for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) exam. Indian citizens and overseas citizens of India can approach the Ukrainian universities for direct admission after clearing the NEET exam, which is valid for three years.
Essential Prerequisites
• A passport
• Mark sheets of Class X and XII (duly attested by the Ministry of External Affairs, India)
• Original copy of the birth certificate
• An official letter of invitation issued by a Ukrainian university
• Reports of HIV tests.
Points to Remember
• Every year more than 3000 (approx) students from India submit applications forUkrainian universities. Maximum admission inquiries are received in June, and the admission process is closed by August.The applications are entertained on a first-come, first-served basis and the minimum age is 17 years and the maximum is 23 years.
• The TOEFL or IELTS scores are not required.
• The fee structure ranges from $4200 (?3,10,800 to $8000 (?5,92,000) per year. There are options for yearly recurring payments.
• The average living cost per person is $180 - $200 (?13,320 to ?14,800).
Krok Exam KROK is a licensing exam that applies to Ukraine’s medical education system and it must be cleared by students to complete the MBBS course. The KROK -1 exam is conducted at the end of the third year, while the KROK-2 exam is conducted at the end of the sixth year to assess the overall progress of students. Failure in the KROK exam leads to disqualification from the MBBS course.
Recognition of the MBBS Degree
Ukrainian Medical Universities are registered with the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) and are listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). All universities in Ukraine offer a legitimate degree that is recognized by WHO and ECFMG. The degree is approved by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Medical Council of Canada (MCC).
The Standard of Education
The experiences of the current students reveal that there is a good and strict academic atmosphere. There is no room for indiscipline, and the successful completion of the course requires strenuous and sincere efforts. It is not just medical education that is a prime concern in universities; rather, they focus on the overall development of students. The educational standards incite students to partake in extramural activities, international seminars, and conferences. One more positive aspect is that universities are reforming and upgrading their syllabus to match the syllabus of the USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Examination).
Myths
There are rumors prevalent regarding educational standards, exams, classes, and academic pedagogy. But all such rumors are baseless because the educational standards and the pedagogy are unique in themselves. For example, a concept of “rework” widespread in universities requires every student to pass the daily tests that are conducted based on previous lectures. If a student doesn’t qualify within the stipulated duration, then he/she bears a penalty.
List of Universities
32 top-class universities offer affordable quality education to international students. Out of these, 16 are approved by the Medical Council of India. The top 5 universities are –
1. Lviv National Medical University – It is one of the oldest universities in Ukraine (Estab. 1784)
2. Ivano Frankvisk National Medical University
3. Vinnitsya National Medical University
4. Denipro State Medical University
5. Zaprozhiya State Medical University
Living Conditions and Safety
Ukraine has a cold temperate climate. The Climate certainly plays a crucial role in adaptability for many candidates especially for Indians because they are accustomed to the hot, humid, and seasonal climate. The safety of the child is a major concern for Indian parents especially when it comes to unexplored international locations. But the experiences of the students and alumni reveal that Ukraine is even safer in general for students and in particular for girls than India.
Future Prospects of MBBS Graduates
Alumni of Ukrainian Universities can pursue their careers either at international locations or in India. However, to start their medical practice in India students have to qualify for a licensing examination - NEXT (National Exit Test). Students are anxious about these licensing exams and they fear that whether the international MBBS degree would be accepted in India or not. But all such apprehensions are baseless because these licensing exams are qualifying and are compulsory for all students.
Parents and students can placate their apprehensions and clear their doubts by reaching out to info@ukraineeducation.org. This is the official channel via which all the legitimate information, guidance, and cooperation can be received.
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Education Technology
Article | July 27, 2022
When we talk about technology in current time and age, the first thing that pops up in our head is Data Science. There are a million reasons for saying so. The market is full of job opportunities, multiple field applications, growth, higher demand and much more. Data Science is not like other technologies which come and go instead; it is here to stay. Why I say so is that this stream has multiple co-streams that have sub-streams and the web is getting dense. The best part is due to its universal usage the technology is developing at lightning speed. Due to its high demand and lack of supply, the salary bracket of a Data Scientist is way more when compared to other technical streams irrespective of your experience.
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Education Technology
Article | October 7, 2022
Virtual learning is a great way to ensure accessibility and continuity of education. With schools and higher education enthusiastically adopting hybrid forms of online and classroom learning, measuring the outcomes has become crucial. Monitoring facilitates the ability to gain insight into the effectiveness of learning programs. It provides educators the insight and feedback they need to design better educational programs, engage students on a deeper level, build a collaborative classroom, and boost smart classroom management.
This is especially essential when a virtual learning component is involved. With learners scattered geographically, the importance of monitoring students becomes a pressing challenge.
While it has been traditionally done through a variety of approaches like assignments, quizzes, practical exams, and so on, with digitalization in classrooms, educators must now incorporate new monitoring techniques and assessment protocols to ensure they have a solid insight into overall student progress. Here are ways to monitor students with classroom management.
Interactivity in the Classroom
Interactive lessons are one of the best teaching devices. Not only do they engage learners, but they also ensure longer retention of information. In addition, they enable teachers to monitor the benefit of classroom management software. Many classroom management software solutions offer the ability to integrate interactivity within remote learning classes. Some of these include:
Chat boxes that let teachers and students interact with each other. Some tools offer the virtual equivalent of raising a hand in class, allowing students to take part in conversations just like in a physical classroom.
Polls that allow teachers and professors to maintain the attention of the whole class by encouraging them to answer questions, provide feedback, or responses to enrich classroom conversations.
Whiteboard tools give learners and educators the ability to draw, write, or point to images so they can evoke interaction with the classroom while leading a discussion.
Breakout rooms enable students to form smaller groups, which lets teachers assign group projects and activities in real-time.
Seamless Collaboration
Communication and collaboration are the bedrock of effective learning. In a virtual environment, both can take a hit. However, with the right approach and the tools to support it, it’s possible for educators to enhance classroom collaboration and monitor the learning progress of their students. Here are some tools that can help educators ensure collaboration in the classroom:
Video discussion that enables teachers to create video rooms within the classroom to facilitate face-to-face discussion for different topics. Learners can choose to either record videos or communicate in real time.
Portfolio creation tools that let students work on a project and use images, text, gifs, and videos to enrich discussions and improve collaboration among groups
Gamification in online learning combines the best of entertainment and education. For trivia and quiz-based assessments,
Peer-to-peer Feedback
Peer-to-peer feedback in the classroom is often neglected, but it is an important form of collaborative learning. Additionally, it provides a great way to track progress, compare teacher feedback, and monitor collaboration. In higher education, this is an especially vital resource. A significant challenge that educators face in encouraging peer feedback is getting learners to be more specific. This can be achieved through
A study by Springer revealed that students give better peer feedback when it is anonymous. It allows learners to provide more in-depth and specific input. With online tools, this is made easier and faster.
With anonymous feedback, it is easy to get carried away. This is why some tools allow students to flag particular feedback for a teacher’s review as well as add their response, making the process truly democratic.
Receiving feedback is an impactful way to learn, and by learning to give the right feedback, learners get to form a new perspective on a subject, ensuring smart classroom management.
Final Thoughts
Remote learning classroom management software has made it simpler to reach learners and create a thriving educational environment. However, remote learning poses challenges in monitoring student progress. And yet, with so many new tools and classroom management platforms, monitoring in education is easier than ever. Educators can monitor students with classroom management and contribute to building more efficient learning approaches. They can also keep a close eye on the progress of individual students and introduce new lesson plans and tasks based on the insights they receive
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Education Technology
Article | December 9, 2021
What role will artificial intelligence play in the future of education? For educators, AI can feel like an exciting development — or a terrifying unknown.
AI technology is advancing quickly and creating solutions once thought impossible. It’s widely available in various technologies and, in many places, already being integrated into the classroom. The pandemic spurred the development of educational technology out of necessity, including the development of AI. Suddenly, educators needed ways to obtain more information virtually.
“We were starting to work on AI during the pandemic, but it sped up because there was a huge demand for it. All these things were happening online, and teachers were saying. I don’t know what’s happening in my classroom anymore."
- Mike Tholfsen, principal group product manager at Microsoft Education
With educators busier than ever, Tholfsen says, the greatest benefit AI can offer them is time. AI programs can gather data teachers would traditionally have to gather themselves manually.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Trying to define artificial intelligence is a bit like asking about the meaning of life: You will get a slightly different answer from everyone. At its core, AI is an area of computer science addressing the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers.
Michelle Zimmerman, a classroom teacher, researcher and school leader at Renton Prep Christian School in Washington state and author of the book Teaching AI: Exploring New Frontiers for Learning, notes that psychologists and neurologists in the field don’t even agree on what counts as human intelligence.
The definition also changes over time. Not too long ago, simple calculators were considered AI, while the term now is associated with a variety of innovative technologies, such as those that power content filtering and endpoint security.
Artificial Intelligence vs. Machine Learning: What’s the Difference?
Though not all AI involves machine learning, it is a popular subcategory of the technology. Machine learning refers to machines that process vast amounts of data and also have the capacity to get better at it the more they “learn,” Zimmerman says.
“You can train models with machine learning to improve things. An example is speech-to-text technology,” Tholfsen says.
“Machine learning needs a lot of data to train it to look for patterns and understand what it is looking for. The more data, the more refined or accurate the results. The results, though, are only as good as the data included,” Zimmerman says.
How Can AI Be Used in K–12 Education?
AI is already playing a role in many classrooms and has promising benefits that can be integrated now and in the future.
Intelligent tutors
What if an AI program could play the role of a teacher or coach, leading students through lessons and even motivating them? Nancye Black, founder of the Block Uncarved and project lead for ISTE’s AI Explorations program, says AI can support learners in a variety of ways. As a Columbia University researcher, she’s exploring how avatar interactions impact students. “There is some really promising research around the use of AI agents supporting girls and students of color, who are able to — in a lower-risk situation — ask for help and have social learning, even when they are learning independently,” Black says.
Reading workshops
If educators could host reading workshops around the classroom with each individual student, they would. Instead, AI-powered products such as Microsoft’s Immersive Reader can help educators focus on improving education for the 1 in 7 learners who have a disability, Tholfsen says. The product uses text decoding solutions to individualize instruction.
"Machine learning needs a lot of data to train it to look for patterns and understand what it is looking for. The more data, the more refined or accurate the results.”
- Michelle Zimmerman Classroom Teacher, Researcher and School Leader, Renton Prep Christian School
Translation capabilities
Translation technology is improving quickly, and these tools include more dialects and language nuances every day. A teacher in New York, for example, used AI technology to host a virtual parent night for families who speak multiple different languages, Tholfsen says. Microsoft Translate allows the teacher to generate a code, which broadcasts to everyone connecting to the stream. It translates the speaker’s language into listeners’ languages without the necessity of a human interpreter. “Listeners can type or speak back in their languages, and it cross-translates, so when you type back in Spanish, it goes to me in English, translates to Mike in Italian, and to the person speaking Arabic or Chinese,” Tholfsen says. “It’s like the Star Trek universal translator.”
Low-vision accessibility
Accessibility checkers are helping educators increase access for low-vision students. “We use AI and computer vision to identify what is in an image and generate a caption,” Tholfsen says. “It’s a massive timesaver to do auto-captioning on images, so people are much more likely to make their content accessible.”
The implementation of AI tools won’t replace educators but will instead help them save time. The tech can be customized to fit any classroom, putting educators in control of the AI tools — not the other way around.
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