DR. M. ABDUL SAMAD IBRAHIM

Areas of Expertise

Media Advocacy; Electronic Media; Broadcast; Distance Education; Educational Technology; Interactive Electronic Media using Terrestrial and Satellite Technologies; Organization Behaviour and Communication; Human Resource Development; Curriculum and Instruction Design and Development

Brief Bio

Dr. M. Abdul Samad Ibrahim was Additional Director at the State of-the- Art, Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC) of the world’s largest Distance Learning Institution — the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOIJ). As a senior educational technologist, he has worked with distinction in the field of educational technology for over 30 years covering digitalization of education from development of e-content to delivery and management using multi channels harnessing the best practices including OERS and MOOCs.

He has incorporated behaviour change rooted in the evolution and revolution of Distance Learning though satellite-based applications to new media for training and development in collaboration with such institutions of repute as the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Due to his eminence he was voted for a full term as a member of the Board of Management of the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Special mention may be made of his research on education in postmodern societies with focus on fast developing continents such as Africa in which he highlighted the need of education to become circular moving from the advancements of development and progress through an informative engagement with science and technology back to being embedded in one’s mother community.

He is a learning analyst who sees development as a construct which is multi- discursive with educational technology being a site of discursive contestation where knowledge based on a constructivist foundation needs to be made responsive to societal needs of the relevant population furthering the push towards SDG 2030 goals. His recent Publications include such germinal work as:

• The Indo African Rainbow of Telelearning
• Tele —Education on Gyan Darshan and Pan African e-Network
• Combating Terrorism with National Integration and Education
• Essays on Television as a Medium of Education and Communication.

Educationally, he did PhD, MPhil, MA in Mass Communication, and PG Diploma in Science Journalism.

At IGNOU, he was closely involved in the development of Gyan Darshan - the Educational TV Channel of India (bringing over 100 institutions onto broadcast platform) and Gyan Vani - the FM Radio Network for Education and Development, which are path breaking events in the history of distance education and developmental communication in India and have helped in securing a strategic place for education in mass media. As an innovator in training and development, he actively promoted the concept of democracy at the grassroots level, addressing issues of community participation in integrated development and empowering the weaker sections including women. He encouraged local action, productivity and creativity, overcoming barriers of geography, language and literacy through the Training and Development Communication Channel (TDCC), which involved satellite based interactive media applications like video teleconferencing started in collaboration with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) and IGNOU since 1993 by designing and conducting various developmental and educational capacity building programmes.

High Achievements:

• Dr. Abdul Samad’s documentary "Unity and Diversity" brought fame to IGNOIJ when it was shown abroad in South Africa in the Centenary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda. It was also given the honour of being the first production to be telecast by the Indira Gandhi National Open University. The documentary was a fine example of conflict resolution down the ages in Indian history and culture. It was a tribute to the uniqueness of Indian civilization and its faith in plurality of culture.
• His work has won wide recognition and awards like the AWIC award for national integration for "Visitors from the Village" Published in English and later translated into Hindi and published by CBT which is a unique conceptualization of conflict resolution at the local level popularizing and promoting communal harmony amongst children.
• Papers such as - "Mediated Communication: Face to Face with Television" for the Indo-French Seminar on "Science-Image-Society". 1998 were marked by their profound approach on the subject covering the interpretative processes of mediated communication involving accommodation of its activities and its content in the practices of everyday life.
• The expert paper prepared for the National Integration Council of Uttar Pradesh in 1990 drew wide appreciation and was taken note of by the Prime Minister also. At the XIII AAOIJ (Asian Association of Open Universities) held at Beijing, China in 1999 the paper- "Use and abuse of Technology" was selected for presentation because of the important issues raised in it questioning the rise of new technologies and linking it to the reduction in options available to the masses of the developing countries. One of the causes of both international and national conflict.
• Examples of innovative approach include the model developed for the Certificate Programme on Management of Forests by Rural Women offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University and supported by a number of national and international bodies of repute. This model was so much appreciated that it was showcased at the international conference- "Recent Trends in Educational Technology and Training" held in New Delhi in 1993. Similarly, the model prepared for introducing innovative practices, skill development, information and knowledge upgradation in the Agriculture Sector was given the pride of place at the National Conference on Water Shed Development Project for Rain Fed Areas held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on July 18, 2000.