Avatara Beta - First functionality due 1st half 2015
Agama is designing and building software to streamline and maintain many essential processes in the intricate structure of Agama Course, Teacher and International Centre management and will offer this software package as the keystone of the Agama Global Network. This software will be known as Avatara. This document is an indication as to where Avatara is headed in the coming years.
In 2015 Agama Centres will have the opportunity to observe and comment on the functionality of the Avatara system in its development phase through current online modules and other manual processes which will mirror the future functionality of the online system. Avatara will establish the systems sequentially as available. These will be Beta systems and no guarantee of performance can be made until the systems are tested and debugged. Agama Centres and teachers can use the digital functionality of the agamayoga.com website, database, social network and smart device application when available and free of royalties for 2015. Active fees for teachers and centres and some student registration fees still apply.
Avatara will be a user account, internet based system where all Agama Students, Teachers, Centres and Management from around the world will connect and co-operate. The intention of Avatara is threefold:
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To ensure proper high quality Agama teachings are delivered all over the world through Agama Centres, Studios, Teachers, and online Digital content by defining what Agama is and setting guidelines for who, where, when and how Agama is taught.
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To ensure that the delivery of Agama teachings is beneficial and prosperous to all participants. This includes removing the perception of competition between Active Teachers, Centres and online digital content and establishing an enforceable operating code of conduct and dynamic royalties system.
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Avatara will provide scalability through ‘system liquidity’ to ensure Agama Students and Teachers can move through the system of Teachings and Agama Centres seamlessly from city to city, country to country, from physical to digital and back; sharing in the benefits of a well-managed global network.
The Avatara system will comprise various digital modules:
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Website listing of:
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Agama Teachers biography
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Agama Centres Profile
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Agama Courses listed in the Course calendar
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Promotion of current events
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Online Student Database
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Agama Social Network - ‘Agamaloka’
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Agama ‘Practice Manager’ Smart Device Application
The first stages of these developments will run as prototypes in 2015 at Agama Training Centre in Thailand. The features in the first Beta software include:
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New website design focus on the Agama Global Network showcasing Courses, Centres and Teachers from all over the world in a modern communication format.
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Coordination throughout the Agama Global Network such as communication of courses through an online dynamic calendar, social networking of teachers and students.
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Modular design to ensure additional components/apps/services are added by the developer later as the scope of the Agama Global Network and its requirements grows.
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On device functionality to ensure that Student, Teacher and Class registration can be achieved locally via scanning on smart device and, in the event the internet connection is not functional, a post registration sync process will be utilised.
Avatara will focus on the automation of recording the teachers and student's attendance to classes. These components are the heart of the software:
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Scheduling teachers in classes
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Automated record of students participation in classes
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Updating a database of hours taught for each teacher and the teachers title
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Maintaining the current balance of Agama Credits (an in house points/discount system) in the teachers and students accounts for course discounting.
Some proposed future functionality for students and teachers
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Visual attendance record available to student via login and tablet/phone application.
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Multiple optical scanning devices operating simultaneously in different countries
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Online application for students and teachers to access and upload resources, calendars, teachers or access digital 'classes'.
Avatara takes the approach of ‘open source spirituality’ in the future of the Agama Global Network
The recipe for success is simple when Agama is stripped to its fundamental components. If you have a teacher and a student you have a class. The key to Agamas success is teachers, and to encourage and promote teachers as part of the Agama Global Network, Agama must be the best at connecting teachers with as many students as possible. Agama must be a viable career path for teachers with the Tantric objectives of spiritual evolution and financial prosperity. This will ensure the best quality teachers choose and continue to teach Agama.
Therefore an open source model is desirable where the proceeds of all Agama activities are distributed in a royalty’s hierarchy as part of a wealth distribution system.
Dynamic Royalties System for 2016
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Name and Logo - All courses and commercial activities which are held under the banner of Agama will pay a royalty for the use of the name and logo.
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Intellectual Property - Agama Teachers are invited to submit courses they have designed for approval to Agama curriculum assessment in order to expand the Agama offering and allow the network of teachers to be inventive. Agama cannot design all the material and others will have inspirations regardless. There will be an author’s royalty for any material registered in the Avatara system. Submissions can commence immediately.
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Introduction Donation and appreciation Donation - Every Agama student will need to create a login and user account in the Avatara database. The process will be facilitated through an individualised gateway. This ensures that if a particular Active Agama teacher or Agama Centre introduces a student to Avatara, that Active Agama teacher or Agama Centre would continue to receive a donation from every transaction made by that student for 12 months. Upon expiry of this compulsory period, students will be able to choose to whom the donation is made by selecting an Active Agama teacher or Agama Centre.
Operations
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Administration and Overheads - Any course held in an Agama Centre will have to share proceeds with the branch principal. This should be guided by a standard course fee set by Avatara international including a consideration for the location of the branch and a negotiation between the principal and teacher.
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Marketing - Avatara International will provide promotion services via the website of Agama, the social network, community and various other avenues. This can be enhanced through local efforts by Agama Centres and Teachers
Delivery
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Teaching and Facilitating - A share of proceeds is offered to Facilitators for holding any of the courses.
The curriculum coupled with the system will ensure that people have an incentive to contribute, participate and learn with Agama and encourage the movement of students between Agama centres.