Engineering knowledge and skill transfer through multi-media communication

Abstract

In the conventional education system the sources of knowledge and skill receive more attention than the factors of knowledge dissemination. Knowledge dissemination media, specially with the development of multi-media communication technology, will become an important factor for the future education. Thus, the rapid development of the information and the" communication technologies may bring an unprecedented structural change in the education system. The total cost involving teaching fees, educational materials and living and health expenses etc. for a foreign student in a Canadian representative university is currently US$ 42,925. FUl1hermore,there are problems of cultural and languages barriers. In the proposed model knowledge and skill transfer will be possible through the multimedia communication. Tele-turorial teleconferencing with teachers and fellowmate are now possible." Through the Internet a student of Bangladesh can be a student of McGill University of Canada without physically moving to Canada. So knowledge and skill transfer becomes time wise and space wise flexible. This mode of knowledge transfer can be more interactive. For an undergraduate engineering education of 120 credit the total cost involving teaching fees, Internet changes, educational materials and living and health expenses is estimated to be Tk.14,22,392 (I.e. I . US$ 33,566). Developing countries like Bangladesh should encourage such changes and be prepared to take advantage of the technological development of the 21st century.