BarCamp- Goa
website::http://www.barcampgoa.org/
Twitter: @barcampgoa
All photos in this post courtesy Rahila Afreen and Niju Mohan
BarCamp Goa first edition was held on 30th October, 2011 at Theater 4, Bits Pilan Complex, Verna Goa.
This was the first edition of BarCamp that was held in Goa.
The first lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Perception vs Reality” was presented by Bijon Saha:
Bijon Saha stated “We see, what we want to see rather what our subconscious mind wants to see.”
He showed how illusions were created and the various theories of illusions and gave an explanation on each of those theories. Some of the illustration that were given included Charlie Chaplin illusion rotation, prospective images, Nobuyuki kayara dancer, voluntarily and non voluntarily change in direction, Hugo Zuccarelli holophonics among many others.
The second lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Supercharge your career with blogging” was presented by Mohit Pawar, Blogideas
Mohit says "Write and Blog for satisfaction" he spoke his journey to success in blogging. He showed the participants the various platforms that can be used to start blogging and the use of various applications. he also showed how just by sending an email you can post onto a blog just to show that you don’t have to be very techy to be a blogger. He also spoke on the mistakes that are committed by blogger and some of which were the mistakes that he himself did as a beginner. He stressed on CONSISTENT efforts by a blogger, keeping in TOUCH with the flowers of the blog, making post of 400 words and above and the most important PROMOTION of the blog.
The third lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “EyeRIS” was presented by Bhupesh and Ashok of Cybermatics.
They displayed their product EYERIS it was a medium that was designed to handle multiple inputs on Windows 7. They also have a linux version of the same. It was an ideal and very helpful tool for the teacher as it would use multimedia to the max.Tthey took us on a virtual trekking of the Himalayas. They showed us the use of various google and Microsoft products like MS- Surface, MS-Collage, MS- Surface lagoon, Google sketchup. The device can be used to overcome the constraints of the teachers with physical disability. The EYERIS is a small device with a censor that is defines the points of any surface and makes it a total touch screen surface. You can used the internet, play videos, copy videos, edit pictures and even save the full lecture, there by making the sessions very lively and interactive. Beyond the teaching class. They showed us how it can be used in various professions like architects etc. But as Bhupesh says, this medium in no way is meant to replace the TEACHER but to assist them in teaching the students in a better way.
The fourth lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Green Building” was presented by Ms. Tallulah Dsilva, architect
Ms. Tallula spoke on green architecture. Landscaping should be livescaping. It should maintain the continouty of the landscapes. She spoke on the importance of green tops and green walls. She also gave examples of the living bridges that are constructed in some villages. She states concrete won’t last forever but structures made of wood and mud can last forever. She stressed on the use of traditional systems that have least impact on nature.
After the fourth lecture was followed by a lunch break
The Fifth lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa after the lunch break was taken Mr. Niju Mohan.
Niju Mohan was instrumental in organising the BarCamp in Goa. He spoke on how Bar Camp started and that it was an informal learning platform where one see a lot of likeminded people get together and share ideas and have a learning session.BarCamp is an ad-hoc unconference born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment.NO SPECTATORS, ONLY PARTICIPANTS. Attendees must give a demo, a session, or help with one, or otherwise volunteer / contribute in some way to support the event. All presentations are scheduled the day they happen. Prepare in advance, but come early to get a slot on the wall.There are no rules for a BarCamp. Presentations promoting specific commercial products or companies are discouraged.
The Sixth lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa was on Microfinance presented by Mr. Amrit Pal.
He stated that it was a entrepreneurship which was a non money making which in turn has a social standing. He spoke on the history of microcredit and how it started by Muhammad Yunus a Bangladeshi economist and founder of the Grameen Bank, an institution that provides microcredit (small loans to poor people possessing no collateral) to help its clients establish creditworthiness and financial self-sufficiency. He spoke on how the use of micro credit can help those that have no access to modern banking facilities. He also spoke on how using the mediums of mobiles text (sms) service could be used in microfinance that could help those in need. He also spoke on the drawbacks and failures linked to microfinance where organization that started as microfinance and nonprofit moved on to be big financial organization that started charging exorbitant rates of interests and started giving loans without proper scrutiny and then in turn resorted to unlawful ways in recovering the dues.
The seventh lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Playing with CSS”, was presented by Mr. Aniket Pant.
Aniket pant is a very young boy who took me by surprise, if not the entire class with his knowledge and expertise in CSS. He not only showed what CSS was all about but went a step forward and showed how CSS could be used to makes photos and logs that could replace the likes of Adobe. He then asked the participants to ask him to do something and when was told to make a dancing ball on the screen. He using CSS not only designed a ball on the screen but made it move and added text to it. He showed the movies that were made with CSS like "dreams in Rome". He made the use of CSS look so simple. He ended the class with a quote "Make things, Change them and Play with them"
The Eight lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Acting and Directing” was by Goan Director Mr. Milroy Goes.
Milroy shared his journey from being a salaried employee to making big in directing movies. He has directed many short film and documentaries and is working on a couple of movies ever since he did his first short film VENGEANCE (2007). Milroy shared how it was just a dream and no support from any of his close ones. It was only his brother that stood by him dream. Milroy along with his brother and a few of his college friends made the movie with all the available recourses like using his own house for the shoot. He states it was a “Zero Budget” film. He did shoot his movie and sent it to the Film Festival. His movie was not selected for screening. But that did not stop him he went on and did a number of film. He states he is still learning and when he looks back at his earlier films he knows that he could have done a lot more to improve them.
The Ninth letcture of the day at BarCamp Goa ”Novel Writing Month” was by writer Ms. Sonia Rao.
She spoke on NaNoWriMo. She spoke as to how from being a dentist, a stage actor and how she today is a well accomplished writer. She spoke on what led her towards being a writer. It was a way for erupting her inner lava of emotions and stories onto paper. As a writer she said "Bring out the message in you" as "Each one has a story to tell". She said everyone has a writer hidden in them and that they just need to be given a push to write. She also spoke on the Nation Novel Writing month.
The tenth lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa “Engineered governance Revolution” was delivered by Mr. Manuel Caldeira
Manuel Caldeira dedicated his lecture to the “Unknown Indian youth”. He spoke on Engineered Governance revolution/ Solution towards making a strong and respected India tomorrow. His lecture was indeed a great vision towards making India a better tomorrow which will be good for everybody.
The Eleventh Lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa, Creating positivity within "Attitude of Gratitude" was delivered by Mr. Amey Hegde
Corporate Trainer Amey Hegde spoke on "Attitude of gratitude". He spoke on the Zen Theory and how meditation was started in India (Dhyan) later spread to china (Chan) and went on to Japan (Zen). He stressed on the fact that "if one is grateful, one sleeps better, and wakes up better". He says "Gratitude was noticing good things in life". He had a interactive session wherein he first asked the participants to share the three things that god has blessed us with. Later he asked us to share one good thing that happened on that day in our life "for me it was my friend who helped in getting to Barcamp, as I had just arrived from the tour from North India the previous night and was very tired. I woke up late on 30th, started my bike and proceeded from Calangute towards Verna. The fuel in my bike was over mid way, there was a petrol shortage all over Goa. I had no money as I forgot to carry my wallet. I could not think of anyone other than my friend who had gone on a tour with me to Delhi. I called him up and apprised him of the problem, he was there in a matter of 10 minutes with fuel and money. That was the reason I managed to reach the Barcamp". He told the participants to write a Gratitude Diary for 21 days to develop an attitude of Gratitude which would bring a positive change in their lives.
The twelfth lecture of the day at BarCamp Goa was “Android toast” was presented by Mr. Prajyot Mainkar (CEO of SPM Softwares, BITSian and an android developer by profession.)
He spoke on the evolution of Android and the impact it has today on the world. Android was Danger before it was taken over by Google and it was called Android thereafter. It works on Open Handset alliance. Mandi Rubin, Mr.Rich miner and Larry page. He spoke on the latest of android i.e "Icecream sandwich android". He himself is a android application developer. He shared of the applications done by him as well as some of the android applications created by other android developers including the "just baked braille type" application that I found very innovative and very beneficial for the blind.
It was an amazing day spent at BarCamp Goa, It was indeed a learning experience.
