CSI Communications On – Knowledge Digest For ... - Spoken Tutorial

ISSN 0970-647X | Volume No. 35 | Issue No. 6 | September 2011 ` 50/-
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CSI Communications
Knowledge Digest for IT Community
This is a reprint of the article “Spoken Tutorial: A Collaborative and Scalable Education Technology”,
by Prof. Kannan M. Moudgalya. It appeared in CSI Communications, September 2011, Pages 10-12.
IT & EducaTIon

Cover Story
Prof. Kannan M Moudgalya
Member, Standing Committee, National Mission on Education through ICT
Professor, IIT Bombay
Spoken Tutorial:
A Collaborative and Scalable Education Technology
A spoken tutorial is a an audio-video tutorial that explains
an activity performed on the computer. An expert explains the
working of a software, by demonstrating it on the screen, along
with a running commentary. A screencast software makes a
movie of the entire activity, both the screen and the spoken part.
This movie is the spoken tutorial. The running commentary can
be in English or in any other language.
Spoken tutorial is a recording of an actual session. As a
result, it can capture every step that is required to explain an
activity. This completeness, combined with an accompanying
audio-video tutorial makes the spoken tutorial the best way to
document and to explain a software or a computer based activity.
Creating a document in any other way is inefficient. A ten minute
video, for example, can have about 100 screen transitions.
Imagine the work involved in taking screen shots and using them
to create a pdf document.
The size of the video created is of the order of 1MB per
minute, for a 800x600 screen size in normal resolution. The file
size needs to be small for transmission through low bandwidth
and also to pack a large number of tutorials on a CD, meant for
countrywide circulation.
We have been using this methodology to create a series of
tutorials in open source software families, such as LaTeX, Scilab,
GNU/Linux, ORCA and Python. We have selected the duration of
a typical spoken tutorial to be about ten minutes long. Although
only a small topic can be covered in ten minutes, by stringing them
together, one can come up with study plans that are capable of
teaching advanced topics as well.
Our approach involves the creation of a script before creating
the video, just as a movie is based on a script. It is possible to
translate the script into other languages and use it to change
the audio part only - screen shots continue to be in English. The
effort required to change the audio is only about 5% of creating
the original. For example, visit http://spoken-tutorial.org/Xfig_
CSI Communications | September 2011 | 10 www.csi-india.org

Spoken_Tutorials and see the Gujarati link
for Simple diagrams. This method has the
potential to reach out to people weak in
English, while not compromising on the
employability.
Spoken tutorials can also be used
to bridge digital divide. For example, one
can use it to explain how to write emails,
how to buy train tickets online, and how
to open a bank account. One can explain
how to do a web search and locate low
cost agricultural loans. We can also make
available information on primary health
care and first aid. Finally, unlike print ads,
the Internet based ads can be more easily
located. The government has mandated
all government agencies to issue Internet
based ads for recruitment. In my opinion,
not having access to IT makes one a
second class citizen. Spoken tutorial has
the potential to empower every child in
our country.
The target audience for a spoken
tutorial is a remote child, working alone at
midnight without anyone to help her. This
is the only time when she will get time to
study, after completing all her chores. In
order to make this technology accessible
to her, we restrict ourselves to free and
open source software (FOSS) only. The
low cost tablet PC to be launched by
MHRD soon, will make the required
hardware also within her reach.
The task at hand is huge. Creation
of 10,000 original spoken tutorials and
to dub them into 20 Indian languages
seems to be a good target to set. We
have an honorarium of ` 5,000 to create
one original tutorial and Rs. 1,500 to dub
it into a local language. Required funds
are available through a generous grant
from the Ministry of Human Resources
Development (MHRD).
Although extremely easy to create,
quality has to be ensured to make the
spoken tutorials useful. Thus the targets
make the spoken tutorial project a
mammoth task. To do this in a reasonable
time, participation by many people in a
collaborative manner is indispensable.
How to ensure quality when the creators
could be disparate people, such as
students, housewives and unemployed,
seems to be a good R&D problem to
address in the area of educational
technology. This is a problem our group
has been working on for the past three
years.
http://spoken-tutorial.org/
I will now highlight the collaborative
nature in creation and use of spoken
tutorials. Let me begin with the creation.
The sequencing of the tutorials and their
content is to be decided by an expert.
The script for an individual tutorial can
be written by a person who knows that
activity well - she need not be an expert
in the entire software. Novice check of
the script is an important requirement of
our process. A novice who has validated
a script can create the tutorial through
screencast, and also get paid for it. Our
project must be one of the few that pays
a person to learn.
Using a novice to do the check and
to encourage them to create the tutorial
increases the number of people available
for the project. Moreover, this makes
even the beginners wanted and actively
helped by the experts. Contrast this with
the procedure to interact in FOSS forums,
where the beginners are nobody and a
wrong question could invite the wrath of
the experts and may even force the novice
to leave FOSS completely for good.
We came up with the idea of novice
check after interacting with the office
bearers of the Web and Coding Club at
IIT Bombay. Although there are more than
1,000 members in this club, not more than
about 5% are experts. It will be interesting
to try our methodology and see if we can
encourage a large number of beginners
to become experts in select areas. The
above discussed problem of expert-
novice interaction is universal and hence
our model can be deployed in any college,
for example.
Let me now talk about translation
and dubbing. We need people who have
a good command over a language to
do the translation. We have found the
people from the previous generation
to be mature and capable of providing
good translations. Unfortunately, they
are not necessarily comfortable in giving
the voice and dubbing, as this involves
the use of technology. This is where our
younger generation comes in. Although
may not be good in translation, they are
quite comfortable in speaking and using
modern technologies. We have honoraria
of ` 1,000 and ` 500, respectively, for
translation and dubbing of a ten minute
spoken tutorial.
This approach allows difficult
technologies also be made available to
languages with low population, such as
Sanskrit and Boro. One need not have
experts in the domain. What is required is
for one to translate only the spoken part.
I would like to point out another form
of collaboration that has happened in
dubbing. The creator of PHPacademy has
agreed to give his video tutorials on PHP/
MySQL to be used by our project. Our
PHP programmers, who hail from rural
areas, have found it difficult to transcribe
and create the script of these tutorials, as
the accent is difficult to follow. The school
going IIT Bombay campus children have
had no difficulty in transcribing, however.
The fact that they are raised in a city and
exposure to English from early childhood
makes them eminently suitable for this
task. As a matter of fact, they also dubbed
the tutorials in “Indian English”. These
tutorials can now be used by anyone who
aspires to be a web designer, irrespective
of their command over English and
irrespective of the quality of teachers
they have. This shows the effectiveness
of collaboration - contribution by a few
people, even children, can help the entire
society.
How does one learn through these
tutorials? Open the tutorial, reduce
the size of the screen and keep it in one
corner of the desktop. Open the target
software by the side. Listen to a command
in the tutorial, pause and practise on the
software. If the command works, go to
the next one. If not, rewind and listen to
it again. Repeat until the entire tutorial is
completed. One needs a head phone and
a computer for this type of learning. It
allows every participant to learn at their
own pace and in their own language. As
these tutorials are created for self learning,
the domain expert need not be present to
conduct the workshop. The organiser of
the workshop only needs to know “how
to use” this material. As a result, anyone
can conduct these workshops. We have
validated this approach through student
club organised workshops in a college in
Alwar, Rajasthan and SASTRA university in
Thanjavur. We provided the instructional
material through a CD and moral support
through Skype. We also conducted online
exams, before and after the workshops
and gave certificates. The Alwar students
showed an 85% improvement after the
workshop. Moreover, all of them passed
the second test.
CSI Communications | September 2011 | 11

http://spoken-tutorial.org/
member Krishnakant Mane conducted a to follow them strictly. For example, we in every workshop.
workshop Using for ORCA visually impaired spoken children tutorials, at with ask the a set participants of instructions to use to the be command followed as there We could have be completed many types of about questions 400
our IGNOU, staff Delhi. member Al- though Krishnakant there were Mane a lot in pdf the latex workshop. only to The compile participants the LATEX have and tutorials. difficulties, We many are now experts trying are required to get
conducted of chaos in the a morning, workshop such for as computer visually to documents. follow them If instead strictly. they For example, try the in partners every workshop. who will share our enthusiasm
impaired not booting, children head phone at IGNOU, not working, Delhi.
Although etc., in the there morning, were there a lot of was chaos a pin in drop the
morning, silence in such the as afternoon, computer as not everyone booting,
head was learning phone not on their working, own. etc., Those in who the
morning,
lagged behind
there
would
was a
have
pin drop
completed
silence
the
in
the
unfi nished
afternoon,
tutorials
as everyone
on their own,
was
at
learning
home.
on their
For
own.
the
Those
last
who
three
lagged
weeks,
behind
we
have conducted spoken tutorial based
would have completed the unfinished
workshops at IIT Bombay. We ran the
tutorials on their own, at home.
LATEX workshops every day, from 6 pm
For the last three weeks, we
for two hours. More than 200 students
have conducted spoken tutorial based
went through these workshops, half of
workshops
them being
at
Ph.D
IIT
students.
Bombay.
We
We
have
ran
now
the
LaTeX
started
workshops
linux workshops.
every day,
Once
from
again,
6 pm
for there two is an hours. enthusiastic More than response 200 students from the
went campus through community. these workshops, half of
them A being word Ph.D about students. the conduct We have of these now
started workshops linux is in workshops. order. We have Once come again, up
there with a is set an enthusiastic of instructions response to be from followed the
campus in the workshop. community. The participants have
A word about the conduct of these
we command ask the latex participants and get stuck to use because the
command TeXNicCenter pdflatex does only not to know compile how the to
LaTeX locate documents. the resulting If instead dvi fi le, they we try claim the
command helplessness. latex In and view get of stuck this, one because can
TeXNicCenter
say that our process
does not
is rigid.
know
But
how
if one
to
locate
wants to
the
learn
resulting
LATEX
dvi
in two
file,
hours,
we claim
there
seems to be no better way. Moreover,
helplessness. In view of this, one can
this approach allows non-experts also
say that our process is rigid. But if one
to conduct the workshops, an important
wants to learn LaTeX in two hours, there
requirement for scalability. This approach
seems to be no better way. Moreover,
will also allow one person to handle a
this approach allows non-experts also
large number of participants. The only
to
help
conduct
the organiser
the workshops,
has to give
an
is
important
to point
requirement
out what instruction
for scalability.
is not followed
This approach
and to
will ask the also participant allow one to person start the to 10 handle minute a
large tutorial number from scratch. of participants. If the organiser The gives only
help domain the dependent organiser has answers, to give we is to need point to
out worry what about instruction their competence. is not followed Moreover, and to
ask as there the participant could be many to start types the of 10 questions minute
tutorial and diffi from culties, scratch. many If experts the organiser are required gives
domain dependent answers, we need to
to create We have the content completed and about to organise 400
tutorials. workshops. We We are are now now trying working to with get
partners a startup who at IIT will Madras share and our enthusiasm
an NGO in
to Bengaluru. create the We content hope to generate and to organise at least
workshops. 600 more We tutorials are now and working conduct with 100
a spoken startup tutorial at IIT based Madras workshops and an NGO by 31 in
Bengaluru. March 2012, We the hope last to date generate for at funding least
600 by MHRD. more But tutorials there are and indications conduct that 100
spoken
this project
tutorial
will continue,
based workshops
as the National
by 31
March
Mission
2012,
on Education
the last
through
date for
ICT
funding
that is
by
funding
MHRD.
this
But
project
there
is
are
likely
indications
to continue
that
in
the next plan period as well.
this project will continue, as the National
We invite all readers to participate
Mission on Education through ICT that is
in our project. We also need the state of
funding this project is likely to continue in
the art technologies. A summary of this
the next plan period as well.
project is available at http://spoken-
We invite all readers to participate
in tutorial.org/What_is_ our project. We also a_Spoken_Tutorial.
need the state of
the art technologies. A summary of this n
project is available at http://spokentutorial.org/What_is_
a_Spoken_Tutorial.
workshops is in order. We have come up worry about their competence. Moreover,
n
About the Author
About the Author
Prof. Kannan M. Moudgalya received a B.Tech degree in chemical engineering from IIT Madras, a Master of Electrical Engineering
Prof. degree Kannan from Rice M. Moudgalya University and received a Ph.D a B.Tech (Chemical degree Engineering) in chemical degree, engineering also from from Rice IIT Madras, University. a Master He has of been Electrical a professor Engineering at IIT
degree Bombay from for 22 Rice years. University He spent and one a Ph.D year (Chemical at the University Engineering) of Alberta degree, as a also visiting from professor. Rice University. He has been a professor at IIT
Bombay Prof. Moudgalya for 22 years. works He in spent the areas one year of control, at the University simulation, of mathematical Alberta as a visiting modelling professor. and education technologies. He has been
Prof. applying Moudgalya feedback works control in the techniques areas of for control, optimal simulation, utilisation mathematical of computing modelling systems. and His education students have technologies. used feedback He has control been
applying techniques feedback in diverse control problems, techniques such as, for quality optimal of utilisation service, optimising of computing resource systems. allocation His students and admission have used control feedback for web control based
techniques applications. in diverse problems, such as, quality of service, optimising resource allocation and admission control for web based
applications.
Prof. Moudgalya has a large number of publications in international journals and conferences. He has written two textbooks:
Prof. (1) Digital Moudgalya Control, has published a large number by John of Wiley publications & Sons in and international (2) Optimization: journals theory and conferences. and practice, He jointly has written with Prof. two M. textbooks: C. Joshi,
(1) published Digital by Control, Narosa. published by John Wiley & Sons and (2) Optimization: theory and practice, jointly with Prof. M. C. Joshi,
published Prof. Moudgalya by Narosa. held the posts of Associate Dean (R&D), Head of Offi ce Automation and Head of Distance Education, at IIT
Prof. Bombay. Moudgalya He is currently held the a Member posts of of Associate the Standing Dean Committee (R&D), Head of the of National Office Automation Mission on Education and Head through of Distance ICT. He Education, contributes at
IIT to this Bombay. Mission He through is currently projects a Member in the areas of the of Standing spoken tutorials Committee (http://spoken-tutorial.org), of the National Mission on open Education source software through (http:// ICT. He
contributes scilab.in), talk to to this a Mission teacher (http://co-learn.in) through projects in the and areas virtual of labs spoken (http://co-learn.in/web tutorials (http://spoken-tutorial.org), sbhs).
open source software
(http://scilab.in), talk to a teacher (http://co-learn.in) and virtual labs (http://co-learn.in/web_sbhs).
CSI President Mr. M D Agrawal launches
PHP & MySQL Spoken Tutorials at IIT, Mumbai
PHP and MySQL Spoken Tutorials were launched at the hands of CSI President Mr. M D Agrawal on 30th August 2011 in IIT, Mumbai.
The Spoken Tutorial project is the initiative of the “Talk to a Teacher” project of the National Mission on Education through Information
Communication through Technology, launched by MHRD, Govt of India.
A variety of Spoken Tutorials on various Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in various Indian regional languages are made
available through this project.
For further information about this initiative, please use following web links –
http://spoken-tutorial.org/What_is_ a_Spoken_Tutorial
http://spoken-tutorial.org/wiki/index.php/Project_Overview
For inquiries about CSI Communications magazine, please write to csic@csi-india.org
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CSI Communications | September 2011 | 12 www.csi-india.org