Vol. 7 No. 2 December, 2001
The Newsletter of Commonwealth Educational Media Center for Asia
The Commonwealth of Learning
| From the Director's Desk...... |
In
our last issue of EduComm Asia, we explored information and
communication technologies, mostly of the computer kind.
We looked at access and equity, the importance of investing in
people and the fact that much learning, at least in the Asian context, is
collaborative with the teacher playing a pivotal role.
To be
effective, today’s teacher needs to be empowered and the learner must be
involved in the interaction as an active participant.
And almost all communication technologies, paradoxically, can be
accused of alienating the very communities they seek to serve simply because
of inadequacy of the content, and the lack of cultural synergy between the
provider and the user.
Lost in the
din of the debate on the role of new information and communication
technologies are the tried and tested radio and television.
Up until the early 1990s, these media were the major disseminators of
educational content to dispersed populations.
Countries and companies vied with each other to set up educational
broadcasting services. That is,
until all of us became fascinated by the awesome power of the computer and
the Internet.
When one
reads the policy and plan documents of major players in development, there
is a sudden renewal of interest in educational broadcasting—not so much as
one central unit broadcasting to a national audience, but as small, local,
and highly flexible systems providing timely and relevant content developed
with community participation. It
is for this reason that this is a theme issue on educational
broadcasting.Things have turned a full circle, and the “digital divide”
has come to be recognized as a hurdle to the deployment of information and
communication technologies for developmental purposes.
Scenarios of liberalization, privatization, and globalization, are
what Mr. Kiran Karnik, President of NASSCOM discusses in the guest column of
this issue. He looks at the challenges and the opportunities facing
educational broadcasters today.
We
profile a case study of community radio in Uganda written by our COL
colleague, David Walker. Our
book review this time is on community radio.
It has been
very difficult to choose from many different experiences with open and
distance learning and with the use of information and communication
technologies that participants at the November events in New Delhi were
exposed to. From the
International Colloquium on ”Emerging Scenario in Open and Distance
Learning” and the exhibition showcasing India’s experience in distance
education to the International Roundtable on Educational Broadcasting in the
Commonwealth—all were a treat for the mind.
Once the reports of the conferences are ready, we hope to bring you
vignettes and cameos in our future issues.We shine our spotlight on Media
Lab Asia, a unique partnership between
three IT giants. And we
move to simple issues on our section on SMART Tips.
Our other
usual features such as BiblioFile and Worth While Webs are also there in
this issue. We hope you enjoy
this issue as much as we have, putting it together.
| Dr. Usha Vyasulu Reddi |
Re-engineering Educational Broadcasting
Kiran Karnik
CEO and president of the National Association of
Software Services Companies of India, Kiran Karnik gave the keynote address at
the first-ever International Roundatable on Educational Broadcasting hosted by
various Commonwealth organizations from
Nov. 26-30, 2001 in New Delhi.
This is an edited version of his
speech.
There was
a time, in the not too- distant past,
when broadcasting was a government
monopoly in a majority of the Commonwealth countries. In most countries, those with access to television only had a
choice between watching the only available channel or switching off the TV set.
A captive audience was guaranteed for any educational programme,
requiring the producer to focus purely on the pedagogic aspects of the
programme. Those simpler, idyllic
“good old times” have now forever gone.
Today, many countries have loosened the goverment’s hold on broadcasting. While privately-owned terrestrial channels have been permitted in some countries, satellite and cable TV channels are commonplace in almost all countries. At the same time, the political-economy of most countries has led to a move away from State funding and subsidy in sectors such as broadcasting, requiring the public broadcaster to increasingly raise its own revenues. The effect of this has been very substantial. Further, the Internet has added a new dimension and opened up new possibilities. Clearly, competition and commercialisation - which characterise the broadcasting environment in almost all Commonwealth countries today – will have a major impact on educational broadcasting. In what follows, we examine this issue and look at strategies that may be appropriate in the prevailing context.
We noted earlier the new compulsions on the public broadcaster to raise
at least a part of its financial requirements.
While some countries (most notably, UK) continue to have arrangements by
which funding flows to the public broadcaster through a license fee on
receivers/sets, many countries have moved towards a commercialisation model,
where the public broadcaster meets some of its financial needs through selling
air time to advertisers. This
inevitably requires the broadcaster to skew its programme content towards
“popular”, mass-appeal programmes, leading to the so-called
“dumbing-down” effect. Even in
the UK, there is criticism of BBC for such dumbing-down and giving in to
pressures in terms of programme content and scheduling (e.g. changing the time
of the prime news bulletin), so as to retain its audience share in an
increasingly competitive environment. In the less prosperous, developing
countries, there is the additional factor of a disproportionate premium (greater
gain in terms of advertising revenues) for reaching the high-income segments.
Thus, there is more revenue to be gained by attracting an audience of the
economic elite, rather than reaching out to the far larger numbers of
disadvantaged and deprived. The
elite, with comparatively far less dependence on broadcasting as a
delivery-mechanism for education, have little interest or need for educational
programmes. Moreover, even within
the space of educational broadcasts, a programme that deals with the latest
business practices will attract far more advertising support/revenue than an
adult literacy programme – even though the audience size for the latter may be
ten times that of the former.
Thus, the compulsions of the new political-economic paradigm have a two-fold effect. First, the public broadcaster has to fend for itself, and the impact is inevitably a reduction in the time and/or priority for educational (and other non-frivolous) programmes. Second, within the now-reduced space for education, the compulsions of advertising (revenue) push the broadcaster away from adult literacy, primary education and other such programmes, and towards elite-interest professional and specialised ones.
Yet, the very technologies that pose a challenge to the dominance of the public broadcaster – especially satellite television – are the ones that offer hope as well. Today, with extensive cable networks in many countries (in India, for example, cable TV is estimated to reach into about 40 million homes), and digital technologies that lower costs by enabling 6 or 8 TV channels to broadcast through a single satellite transponder, it is easy and not too expensive for the public broadcaster to initiate new channels. This opens up the possibility of having specialised (or niche) channels for specific audiences or for particular subjects.
In India, for example, the public broadcaster (Doordarshan for TV) has collaborated with the Indira Gandhi National Open to create a new dedicated eucationl channel (Gyan Darshan). Similarly, using newly opened FM frequencies, IGNOU is setting up a chain of dedicated educational radio stations called Gyan Vani. These examples in India point to the opportunities offered by new technologies. This includes using satellite technology and new digital compression technologies to create new TV channels with small investments.
Opportunity has also arisen from the aforementioned privatisation of radio, with
FM licenses being sold to private parties.While this is a promising development,
one needs to keep in mind the concern that a dedicated educational channel in a
multi-channel environment may end up being marginalised.
For example, what if most cable systems choose not to carry this channel?
Already,
India’s educational TV channel Gyan Darshan is facing this problem and
seeking to overcome it. The
temptation is to follow the method used by some private and commercial channels,
which is to pay a “carriage fee” (directly or indirectly) to each gatekeeper
(the cable systems). While this may
be one solution, it is difficult to monitor (in India, there are thousands of
cable systems) and is temporary. Also,
while it may ensure carriage, it does not ensure viewership: the audience may
yet prefer other channels. Therefore,
it may seem a better bet to place greater emphasis on a “demand-and-pull”
solution rather than one that is solely “supply-and-push”. This would require extensive marketing aimed primarily at the
potential audience. To many in
education, “marketing” has too many commercial connotations and they are
loathe to link a social good like education with it; yet, it is a powerful tool
and one that education cannot do without in these days of competition.
Technology,
we noted earlier, has made it possible to create new TV channels with
comparatively small investments. Another key technological development, of immense importance
to education, is the creation and rapid growth of Internet.
Its possibilities are, even now, unfolding and it seems that we have so
far scratched only the surface of what is possibly a goldmine.
With its wide reach, comparatively low cost, immense versatility and -
most importantly – two-way (or rather, multi-way) and interactive
capabilities, the Internet has endless possibilities for education.
Used by itself or in conjunction with broadcasting, it can greatly
enhance education. Potentially, it
can make education an “anytime, anywhere, any subject” activity.
The information and communication technology (ICT) revolution has opened
up new avenues for a whole host of applications, and it is only appropriate that
education also make full use of this powerful new tool.
Admittedly,
computers are still expensive, which certainly limits the spread and usage of
the Internet. However, costs are
decreasing rapidly, even as uses and utility increases, while computers and the
Internet are already as cost-effective a tool of education as TV (just as TV is
possibly as cost-beneficial as radio).
From a broader perspective, the relevance and importance of combining educational broadcasting with ICT becomes even greater when we look at Commonwealth values and how best to propagate them. The core values of democracy, literacy, justice and equality require dissemination and access to information. They also require education to provide the means through which information can be assimilated and used, and necessitate universal availability of high quality education to ensure equity and to facilitate active participation in the democratic process. Education, in the broadest sense of the term, is therefore an essential foundation for fostering values recognised by the Commonwealth as vital. In light of this fundamental importance, education must be recognised as a key ingredient that acts as the foundation for values now universally recognised as the basis of the emerging world order.
It is this importance of education that makes its universalisation so important and urgent, underlining the crucial role of educational broadcasting as a means of widening reach and providing greater equity. Despite competition and commercialisation of broadcasting, educational programmes must find a major place in broadcasting. As argued above, a multi-pronged strategy should be followed:
1. Despite financial constraints, governments must continue to support meaningful public broadcasting, including especially educational programmes.
2. Educational programmes need to take account of the competitive environment and focus not merely on content, but also on production values and “packaging”.
3. Educational broadcasting as a whole and specific programmes need to be marketed.
4. The Internet and ICT in general need to be fully exploited for educational purposes, and educational broadcasters should use these technologies to complement and supplement broadcasting, introducing an element of interaction into their one-way programmes.
In executing the detailed elements of this broad strategy, the experience of different countries in one or more aspects will be invaluable to others. Therefore, one of the very useful approaches would be for Commonwealth countries to share experiences in this area and to map out means of moving ahead. This experience-sharing will be particularly relevant because almost all the Commonwealth countries began with (and often yet have) a public broadcaster modeled largely on the BBC structure. Given this common genesis, even where subsequent evolution has diverged, there will be a lot to mutually learn and share.
Kiran Karnik was previously the director of Consortium for Educational Communication, as well as the CEO of Discovery India. The conference organizers were the Commonwealth of Learning, the Commonwealth Broadcasters Association, and the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia.
THE GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY AWARDS 2001
The
intent of the Peabody Awards is to recognize outstanding achievement in
electronic media, including radio, television and cable. The competition is
open to entries produced for alternative means of electronic distribution,
including corporate video, educational media, home-video release, World Wide
Web and CD-ROM.
A
station or organization may submit more than one programme or series in each
category. However, a particular programme or series may be entered only in one
category. The award categories are:
-
News
-
Entertainment
-
Programmes for children
-
Education
-
Documentary
-
Public service
-
Individuals, institutions or organizations
Entry
deadline: 15 January 2002
For
more information, contact:
The George Foster Peabody Awards
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Sanford Drive at Baldwin St
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602 - 3018 USA
Tel: 706-542-3787 Fax: 706-542-9273
Email: peabody@arches.uga.edu
URL: www.peabody.uga.edu
Excellence in Distance Education Awards
2001-2002
DEADLINE: 31 JANUARY 2002
Call for nominations and submissions
Honorary Fellows of COL
The designation of Honorary Fellow of COL recognises individual, outstanding contributions to distance education.
Award of Excellence for Distance Education Materials
In 2002, COL will present up to three awards for excellence in distance education materials, produced by publicly funded or not-for-profit Commonwealth organisations or institutions.
Award Recognising Distance Learning Experience
This award category was developed to provide a forum for the expression of student experience in learning through distance education.
To submit entries or to obtain further information, please contact:
Honorary fellows of COL : Mr. Brian Long, COL Vice President blong@col.org PH.+1.604.775.8267
EDEA
recognising institutional achievement : Ms. Andrea Hope, Education Specialist (Higher Education) ahope@col.org
PH.+1.604.775.8226
EDEA recognising distance education materials : Ms. Helen Lentell, Education Specialist (Training and Materials Development) | hlentell@col.org PH.+1.604.775.8270
EDEA recognising distance learning experience : Mr. Vis Naidoo, Education Specialist (Education Technology) vnaidoo@col.org PH.+1.604.775.8261
Media Lab Asia is the world’s largest academic research program dedicated to bringing the benefits of new technologies to everyone, with a special focus on meeting the challenges in education, health, and economic development.
With core participation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) renowned Media Laboratory, seed-funding from the Government of India, and participation of more than one dozen leading technical and business universities, Media Lab Asia focusses on technologies that respond to the needs of the vast number of individuals living in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The role of Media Lab Asia is to facilitate the invention, refinement, and dissemination of innovations that benefit the greatest number possible of the world’s neediest people. Media Lab Asia works with industry, NGOs, and governments, to bring these innovations to every village in Asia. The key to success for the Lab combines the creativity of entrepreneurs with the technical know-how of universities. As it works to cultivate sustainable and culturally appropriate solutions, particular challenges will include the need to operate in many different languages, as well as the need to support local culture and tradition.
Media Lab Asia consists of regional laboratories and participating grassroots communities, with headquarters in Mumbai, India, and a research program office within the MIT Media Laboratory. Each regional laboratory is formed around several core projects, each involving academic, industrial, and village community partners. The first regional laboratories are in Mumbai, Pune, Tamil Nadu, Kanpur, Lucknow, and New Delhi, each equipped with world-class research facilities and co-located at existing universities or corporate research centers. Regional laboratories are networked together by high-bandwidth connections to facilitate easy collaboration.
Faculty and research staff from the associated academic institutions are core participants. In addition, each regional laboratory has a small permanent senior research staff that is independent of the associated academic institutions, and researchers who have short-term appointments of three to five years; students and researchers from sponsoring organizations, including companies and NGOs.
Media
Lab Asia Partnerships
Media Lab Asia’s initiatives revolve around partnerships with three core groups — research institutions, industry and NGOs. The Media Lab at MIT has considerable experience in working with all three groups and Media Lab Asia seeks substantial inputs and long-term collaboration within these sectors.
Media Lab
Asia and Industry:
The focus of Media Lab Asia is the development of new technologies for emerging
economies, such as India and Malaysia. These
are huge markets that are now opening up to information and communication
technologies (ICTs) and offer vast potential for industry growth.
Advances in microprocessors, embedded systems, wireless communications,
and other new technologies offer tremendous opportunities to develop new
business models. By sponsoring
Media Lab Asia’s research, companies get access to next-generation
technologies that will shape our world, interaction with the world’s foremost
technology gurus, access to a large pool of intellectual property, and active
support for commercializing market opportunities.
Media Lab Asia and NGOs: Media Lab Asia seeks the active involvement of NGOs who have a track record of development projects that have improved the lives of the poor. By partnering with the Lab, NGOs get access to some of the finest thinkers in the area of technology and development. The Media Lab at MIT has been involved in several award-winning projects in this area over the last several years.
Through close collaboration with industry and governments, Media Lab Asia scales up projects so that the benefits go to a larger section of society. Partner NGOs also have royalty-free rights to intellectual property generated through collaborative work.
Media Lab Asia and Academia: The Media Lab at MIT is one of the foremost research institutions in the world. For the last 20 years it has been a pioneer in new technology areas, with over 180 companies participating in its sponsored research program. Media Lab Asia brings this increasingly important funding to India for the first time. Media Lab Asia seeks to work with world-class research labs and scientists in a joint effort to shape the next generation of information and communication technologies. Collaborating researchers get an opportunity to work with leading MIT faculty. Researchers also get an opportunity to experience the hands-on, laboratory-centric research culture of the MIT Media Lab, a research model that is becoming increasingly popular with researchers, universities, and students alike.
Media Lab Asia’s Research Goals
The Media Lab Asia’s research program is rooted in a handful of basic tenets.
These include:
· The young are a country’s most precious natural resource, and with the aid of new technologies can serve as an army of teachers.
· Penetration of new technologies is best achieved through a viral and entrepreneurial approach.
· Technology-enabled innovations will only flourish if they are part of the daily lives of all people, at all levels, including entertainment and leisure.
· Being rural can mean being rich; and inventive telecommunications can stem the tide of urbanization and the growth of slums.
MLAsia
Projects
Media Lab Asia applies a project-based, multi-stakeholder approach to research. In doing so, it draws on the MIT Media Laboratory’s successful experiences in transmuting research into widely-distributed, on-the-ground projects with strong industry support.
Three recent examples include the Computer Clubhouses (winner of Drucker Award for best nonprofit innovation in America); the LINCOS (Little Intelligent Communities) projects (winner of the Alcatel Award for Science and Technology based development projects in Latin America); and the SARI (Sustainable Development in Rural India) project in Tamil Nadu, India.
While there are many places where technology innovation can potentially effect development, Media Lab Asia’s research program places special emphasis on projects that touch all sections of society — from villages to cities, from government officials to local agriculturists, from kids to seniors, from athletes to the disabled. Media Lab Asia’s research is organized around four broad themes:
Digital Village: Realizing Gandhi’s vision of a sustainable village through culturally appropriate use of new technologies. Digital tech, biotech, and nanotech should not erase traditional culture but can instead enhance it and make it sustainable. Our goal is to create a digital ecology that maintains traditional values and community while opening economic and expressive opportunities.
Tomorrow’s Tools: Wealthy urban societies envision a world of pervasive digital intelligence. In rural societies, these same small, intelligent, embedded systems can have even more impact by transforming traditional handicrafts, agriculture, education, and healthcare.
Bits for All: How can we bring digitally enabled services to everyone on earth? From synthetic aperture satellite links constructed from dozens of cell phones, to bicycle computers and wireless networks, we are exploring new, cost-effective methods of connecting every person on earth.
World Computer: A computer for kids, for the illiterate, for communities, for everyone. Language, electrical power, literacy, and personal wealth are some of the problems that prevent participation in the digital revolution. We are creating computers and system software that transcend these barriers to bring digital services to everyone.
When technology and its benefits are available to everyone, regardless of location, occupation, language, or financial issues, all people will be enriched by the sharing of knowledge, culture, and information. Media Lab Asia works to bridge the gap between rich and poor, enfranchised and disenfranchised, rural and urban, educated and uneducated, to help all people live healthier, happier, safer, and better lives.
Media Lab Asia is currently looking for creative, socially conscious scientists who can invent the next generation of computing and communications technologies. If you have a Ph.D., in electrical engineering, computer science or related technical areas and have published papers in peer-reviewed international journals, write to jobs@medialabasia.org.
Do you have questions about
Media Lab Asia?
Media Lab Asia (India)
Samruddhi Venture Park
Central MIDC Road
Andheri (East)
Mumbai 400093
Fax 91 22 8379158
email: contact@medialabasia.org
http://www.medialabasia.org/
| Case Study....... |
Portable FM Radio use in Uganda
Introduction
Radio
can cut across geographic and cultural boundaries.
Given its availability, accessibility, cost-effectiveness and power,
radio represents a practical and creative medium for facilitating mass
education in a rural setting. However,
radio still continues to
be an underutilized technology in education.
This is where COLME steps in. Among
other goals, it
aims to provide new skills in the use of technology for the disadvantaged, and
provide media models that will stress local participation and transfer of
knowledge and skills.
The
project works under the premise that from a learner’s point of view, radio
is user friendly, accessible and a well-established medium.
From an educational provider’s point of view it is easy to set up,
produce and broadcast programmes.
Media
projects in radio stations and projection, video and audio production, and
computing solutions have all been part of the work of COLME in the past
several years. The focus here is
a portable FM radio station that has been implemented as an element in media
projects undertaken by COL in a number of countries in the Commonwealth such
as Uganda, Namibia, Guyana, Belize, and South Africa.
In this
issue of Educomm Asia, we focus on the Ugandan experience.
Keys
Elements to Success
There
are number technological factors that are important in the initial needs
analysis before a station can be considered.
First the physical landscape must be conducive to an FM signal to reach
the intended target audience especially if rebroadcast of the origin station
signal is not possible due to cost or licensing regulations.
If
the landscape is mountainous then there will be difficulty in the signal
reaching a large radius of users. Secondly,
the station target audience must have radios or access to radios.
Thirdly, there must a situation where there is a steady flow of content
and a regular broadcast schedule. Fourthly, the station must be targeted to
the local users so that they can directly relate to the content, language, and
situations discussed.
In
the feasibility stage before station implementation, certain conditions must
exist to improve the element of sustainability.
In-country stakeholders are identified for each of the stations.
Their role is to ensure infrastructure is in place for FM radio and
that all licensing and issues pertaining to community broadcasting are dealt
with.
Another
important factor is that the broadcasts are in languages that are used daily
in the local community level. The
national or regional stations do not have the capacity to aim linguistically
or at the level of information detail for rural community issues.
Community-based stations can be effective if well managed in providing
information and training directly to the community.
In
the case of the COLME installed community station in Uganda, it was imperative
that the station be able, by law, to rebroadcast Radio Uganda in the event of
important political announcements.
Therefore, among the technological upgrades in the design of the
station, including the addition of an interface for telephone calls,
we implemented extra microphone inputs for group discussions, and a
more powerful transmitter, a facility for radio rebroadcast of the national
government station and international broadcasters.
The
overriding factor to the success of these stations has been the proper
community access and ownership, which was paramount in the initial project
design. If the station is or
becomes an integral part of the voice of the community and local interest
groups have an equal say in the information that is disseminated via the
station, then there is a lesser risk of failure in the long-term
sustainability of the station. This
can be achieved with good station management that works with community leaders
and committees consisting of both political and community leaders.
There is community participation and information input from local
groups, NGO’s and community leaders.
The
local stakeholders, with the aid of COLME, will provide on going evaluation of
the stations via listener surveys and media expert evaluation.
Workshops will be given in production and survey techniques that will
aid broadcasters with improving programming to suit the needs of the
community. Local broadcasters
will be tapped to train in advanced broadcasting techniques and programme
development that will improve community radio personnel. Portable tape
recorders are used extensively in the field for information gathering.
A Solar Station on
the Move
Apac
(pronounced ‘apatch’), Uganda is located in the northern region of Uganda.
This COLME project was a cooperative effort with the Minister of State
and Tourism, The Right Hon. Akaki, to work with community leaders to implement
an FM radio station in the Apac region.
The
COLME feasibility study revealed several limitations with the electrical
infrastructure, which was not reliable. This
was a result of load sharing throughout the country (Apac would not receive
power for several days). The
power was also not usable for electronic equipment due to the dramatic power
fluctuations. Therefore, it was
decided that in order to maintain a reliable broadcasting schedule and develop
the station as a center point to community activities by different groups,
Radio Apac would be operated entirely by solar power. This would free the project from the constraints of
electrical situation and the tariffs associated with it.
A configuration was determined, in consultation with a solar
distributor in Kampala, to allow the station to stay operational during the
eighteen-hour broadcast day.
Eleven
solar panels and ten deep cycle batteries were installed at the station, which
now provides lighting and all the station power requirements for daily
broadcasting. A solar system also
drives a VHF radio system, and a computer network (see Figures 2 to 4).
The VHF radio system provides a direct live to air device that can be
used for interviews and events in the local community. A second small solar
system, which powers the retransmission, is installed 45 kms away from Apac at
a high elevation, , picking up the main station’s signal on 92.2 FM and
retransmitting it on 106.5 FM. Therefore the station signal now covers a
radius of over 100 kms. Planning is underway to extend the station capability
to include audio and video production facilities also to be driven by solar.
The total potential listening audience is over one million persons.
A 64 Kbps data downlink via WorldSpace onto the station’s computer
provides health and educational information.
Also the service provides meteorological information for farmers in the
local community that can be read on the radio after be received via the data
downlink. This system is also
being used in several development projects throughout Africa.
A
committee was organized and a station manager appointed.
This person works directly with the community to create programming and
allow the development of community involvement.
The station has a rebroadcast facility incorporated for programmes from
the national broadcaster as well as the BBC and WorldSpace.
Conclusion
As seen by the Apac model, radio is an effective system for delivery of education to large numbers of people. It facilitates information exchange at the community level, acting as a “community telephone” and can be effective in literacy and formal or non-formal education.
Analogue systems for radio will be supplanted by digital broadcasting in the coming decade, however digital radio will pose issues including cost of radio receivers and renewal of broadcasting infrastructure. Analogue radio systems, such as the portable solution that COL and others have utilised in community FM radio initiatives, can be effective in delivering education to the masses without the high infrastructure costs associated with radio broadcasting.
With community broadcasting not only can broadcasters focus on addressing local needs through their own produced programming, but also have the choice among a tremendous variety of quality educational content that is available via rebroadcast from national and international sources whether it is delivered via satellite or via the Internet. Rebroadcasting also should be balanced with the needs of the local community and the provision of appropriate and relevant programming content.
There
is a marriage between the digital and the FM analogue systems that is taking
place. The convergence also
includes Internet streamed audio-based broadcast that can effectively be
employed by the community FM station in a rebroadcast mode.
Will
we be able to say in ten years that radio’s potential for educational
delivery to millions of disadvantaged groups has finally been realised?
With the many
varied formulas for convergence of digital and analogue technology and the
vast selection of content and
tools to create original culturally sensitive material for education at the
community level, we state clearly —
yes.
But
will the bodies that regulate frequencies for community radio initiatives
reform regulations to reflect the current technological developments and
pressing need for mass media to meet the goal for education for all in the
next ten years? We can only hope.
The next ten years should see the harnessing of radio, analogue, and more so digital, as the powerhouse for delivery of education. Governments should be prepared to adjust broadcasting regulations to adhere to technological developments and realities, and also consider community based mass media delivery as an effective solution for improving a nation’s human resource development towards the goal of education for all.
| Biblio File..... |
Watkinson,
John (2001) Convergence in
Broadcast and Communications Media, Butterworth-Heinemann: Oxford ISBN: 0240515099
This
book offers concise and accurate information for engineers and technicians
tackling products and systems combining audio, video, data processing and
communications. Without adequate
fundamental knowledge of the core technologies, products could be flawed or
even fail. The author has
provided a definitive professional guide, designed as a standard point of
reference for engineers, whether you are from an audio, video, computer or
communications background.
Kanwar,
Asha S. and
Taplin, Margaret
(Eds) (2001) Brave New Women of Asia: How distance education changed
their lives, The Commonwealth of Learning: Vancouver.
This
book of case studies aims to inspire and encourage women to participate in
open and distance learning. Going
through the case studies, potential women learners will find most of their
fears are unfounded. Other
questions in their minds about how to cope with studies after a long delay, at
a mature age or without regular tutorials will be answered as they read about
other women like themselves.
Ramanathan,
Sankaran and Becker,
Jorg (Eds) (2001) Internet
in Asia, AMIC: Singapore ISBN: 9971-905-87-6
The Internet is the fastest-growing medium of communication and has
evoked various responses ranging from optimistic predictions to pessimistic
views. As it is new, its impact
cannot be fully ascertained or adequately quantified.
However, as the contributions in this book emphasize, its impact and
presence in the Asian region cannot be ignored. The fifteen contributions in this book by European and Asian
scholars are aimed at filling immense gaps in this area.
Starting with an overview of the situation in Asia, the book reports
the growth and development of the Internet in some 13 countries.
Collis,
Betty and Moonen, Jeff (2001) Flexible learning in a digital world:
Experiences and expectations, Kogan Page: London ISBN: 07943371X
This book is about leaning, teaching and education, and the role that technology plays in bringing about improvements for students, educators and institutions alike. It provides much more than an expert assessment of learning and teaching technology. With a strong central vision and a coherent, progressive structure, this will be essential reading for teachers, educators and developers, as well as for those dealing with flexible learning technology in practice.
| Software Review...... |
BTEC Professional Diploma in Principles of Teaching, Learning and Testing
Teaching, the mother of all professions, has become complex as society advances in the age of information technology. The role of teacher continues also to become increasingly important in the life of every individual. However, it is not easy to find successful and effective teachers. A good teacher, who is more than just a subject expert, always leaves behind an indelible impression on us. To be a good teacher, it requires professional training of high standard. e-Gurucool.com, one of the leading education companies in India is now offering an on-line professional diploma in Principles of Teaching, Learning and Testing in association with Edexcel International, United Kingdom.
Objectives
The objectives of this course are as follows:
- To help teachers better and make the delivery of subjects more effective.
- To develop each teacher taking this course as an efficient and effective teacher, evaluator and paper-setter.
- To impart professional inputs from experts in the field of higher education.
- To expose teachers to new methodologies and research studies in teaching and learning.
- To prepare teachers in scientific analysis and evaluation of their students’ progress.
The Programme
Overall, the course aims to develop every teacher taking this course as an efficient and effective teacher, evaluator and exam author. Consequently, the course carries a mandate to expose teachers to new methodologies and research studies in teaching and learning. The course is divided into 12 units of 30 hours duration each, including 12 hours of online study, two hours of recap, two hours of testing, eight hours of assignment/practice and six hours of additional reading. The units are as follows:
1. Systems Approach to Problem Solving
2. Syllabus Analysis
3. Educational & Instructional Objectives
4. Teaching and Learning
5. Testing and Evaluation
6. Design of Selection Type Items
7. Design of Supply Type Questions
8. Design of Internal Assessment
9. Design of Practical/Laboratory/Field work
10. Design of Grading System
11. Test and Item Analysis
12. Question Banking
Features
Each unit consists of the following features:
Description of the unit: Brief outline and practical explanation of the concepts discussed in the chapter.
Pre-requisites: Specific guidelines and explanations of what you should be familiar with before you study the chapter.
Summary of outcomes: A list of outcomes of learning in observable terms and evidences for learning becomes very easy to check.
Content: Explanation and concept building. Plus, reinforcement of your understanding through relevant examples that illustrate the concept.
Subject specific examples: Learners can choose examples of applications of concepts learned in every unit in a subject of their choice.
Assessment requirements: Lists evidence to be produced for having achieved the objectives.
Objective type self-evaluation tests: Exhaustive practice on subjective questions that closely simulate the actual examination pattern.
Assignment / Practice: A set of simple assignments and practice experiments that illustrate the concept and reinforce understanding through doing.
Every unit is followed by test. Without completing the test, the learner is not allowed to move to the next course. This is done in order to promote serious learning form the units, which are interactive. There is also a feature to download the whole unit at one go so that you can save valuable Internet time.
Interactivity
The course site contains a variety of interactive features to allow interaction and dialogue. Some of the interactive facilities are:
eValuate
This is a personal performance tracking module that helps you monitor your progress after every test. It tells you where you stand among all students who’ve taken the same test and gives you personalised feedback about actions you should take.
eDialogue
Chat — You can chat with subject experts in India at specific times. This will help you clarify doubts and open your mind when your course mates ask questions which you still haven’t thought of.
Discussion Forum — You can post a query for other members enrolled in the course and participate in discussions on subjects or issues relevant to your exam.
eSolutions
E-mail queries — Allows you to email your questions to subject experts, round-the-clock. Replies should arrive within 72 hours.
eTools
Bookmarks
— Helps earmark a test / Web page / unit which you can look up quickly and
easily at a later date.
Notes — Enables you to make your own notes online in a text-pad format. You’ll even be able to share these notes with other teacher friends!
All these come to you for a nominal price. This course should go a long way in developing the expertise of teachers not only in school education but also in institutions of higher learning.
www.egurucool.com
Boost
for Remote Learning
Mobetrain,
a mobile computerized education and communication unit, mounted on
customised container trucks was recently launched in Accra, Ghana. The
unit, launched by the Deputy Minister of Communication and Technology, Mr.
John
Achuliwor,
is designed to provide a versatile multipurpose electronic learning
(e-learning) opportunity and environment without terminal or network
constraints. The Mobetrain built by 2a Communication, an Information
Technology (IT) company, will help students and communities to receive tele-education
and remote learning. The van can take about twenty people at a time. Mr.
Achuliwor said his Ministry would pursue the necessary policies and
programmes that would enable ICT to be taught in every corner of the
country.
He
however said, “while the Ministry is taking account of the advantages of
the use of
Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) in education it is also seeking to
minimize the life of becoming overly dependent on imported training
materials that cannot be customized to better condition.” He said the
prospects for a rapid transformation of the nation’s fortune would be
greater if we can introduce our schools to the use of ICT and also emphasise
the training in the curriculum of the schools.
The
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 2a Communications, Mr. William Asante
described the project as a unique and innovative example of an electronic
resource centre that addresses technology
issues.
http://www.allafrica.com
| Technology Tracking...... |
e-Books
Technology
Tracking in this issue focuses on
rapidly changing e-Book technology. Picture
this – carrying a virtual library of books in your palm while on a long and
boring train journey, and being able to increase the size of the text, change
the font, electronically bookmark pages, annotate pages for future reference,
write the reviews from anywhere and send it to a website or to a friend via
e-mail! Sounds like science fiction? No, this is possible with the today’s
e-Book technology.
e-Books
are not just about having content in digital format to be read in a computer
screen over a network or a personal computer or a handheld device. The term
e-Book involves much more, including a host of hardware and software issues.
A number
of portable e-Book devices are available in the market in different shapes,
sizes and prices. They are
basically of two types: dedicated readers with proprietary software, and
Portable Digital Assistants (PDAs) for more general use.
The latter can be an e-Book reader with functions of an organizer or a
mobile laptop.
PDAs
offer simple, quick, fun and smart ways to communicate, teach and learn wherever
you go. With a PDA, a teacher, student or administrator can do amazing things:
access the Internet wirelessly, take notes, calculate, sketch ideas, collect
data, access resources, manage activities and courses and instantly beam
information to others. In September 2001, the University of South Dakota
distributed Palm handheld devices to all of its first year undergraduate
students and plans to make active use of it in teaching learning situation. The
PDAs normally run on a window-based Operating System (OS) or Palm OS.
Microsoft launched its latest OS for PDAs as Pocket PC 2002 in October,
2001.
Gemstar
eBook TM
1100 is one of the dedicated e-Book reader available in the market. About
the size and weight of a paperback book, the REB 1100 provides a reading
experience just as good as a traditional book, but with powerful electronic
features such as a built-in dictionary, word search, and touch screen for notes,
highlighting and bookmarks. You can turn pages, change the text orientation,
enlarge the font size and turn on a back light for the screen just by pushing a
button. The battery lasts about
20-40 hours without re-charging. The
modem is built-in to access the Internet and download e-Books.
Adobe
Acrobat is the most popular program for creating e-Books. The Acrobat reader is
a free product to read e-Books and is available for desktops and laptops. The
files are called Portable Document Format or PDF. With the acquisition of Glassbook Reader by Adobe, it has
developed special e-Book reader for PDAs. The
Pocket PC 2002 includes Microsoft Reader for reading e-Books. There are few
other software programs for reading e-Books.
While
the e-Book has emerged as a new way of information dissemination with its
potential for use in distance education for highly mobile people, it has not yet
become popular for a variety of reasons including high cost of the hardware,
incompatibility of e-Books from one brand to other, limited availability of
e-Book literature and general lack of awareness.
Open e-Book Forum, the international trade and standard organization for
the e-Book industry is working towards development of standards and
specifications for e-Book developers.
Open and Distance Learning institutions can take advantage of this new
technology to provide easy and wide access to learning resources by transforming
and/or developing lessons suitble for use in PDAs.
E-book technology has the potential to transform e-learning to
mobile-learning!
Websites:
http://www.ebook-gemstar.com
http://e-books.org/
http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/
http://www.palm.com
http://www.pdamart.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/default.asp
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/PDA.html
Written
by Sanjaya Mishra, PhD
| Worth While Web..... |
The
Internet and its World Wide Web has become a great source of information.
However, finding quality and reliable information is still a problem.
Below is a select list of peer-reviewed e-journals in the field of
distance education and educational technology.
Australian Journal of Educational Technology
is a collection of research and review articles in educational technology,
instructional design, educational applications of computer technologies, and
educational telecommunications.
http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/ajet/ajet.html
Educational
Technology & Society
is a quarterly e-journal published by the International Forum for Educational
Technology and Society.
http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/
Educational
Technology Review (ETR),
originally a print journal, has been transformed into an on-line publication to
not only increase timeliness of content but also to enhance every issue with the
current and future electronic resources and tools available on the AACE website.
http://www.aace.org/pubs/etr/index.cfm
Global
E-Journal of Open and Flexible Learning is a forum for exchange between the developed and developing worlds.
The focus is on planning and management, innovations and change, and
research and development in these fields.
http://www.ignou.edu/globalejournal%5Cindex.htm
Interactive
Educational Multimedia is
a space for dialogue and reflection about the application of the multimedia
technologies in education. The
publication is open to all those who wish to propose articles on this subject.
http://www.ub.es/multimedia/iem/
Interactive
Multimedia Electronic Journal of Compute-Enhanced Learning
(IMEJ) looks to provide a forum for innovations in computer-enhanced learning,
and to advance the acceptance of electronic publication as a legitimate and
valuable form of academic discourse.
http://imej.wfu.edu/
International
Journal of Educational Technology (IJET)
is a new journal in the field of educational technology, sponsored by affiliates
of The Graduate School of Education at the University
of Western Australia and the College of Education at the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign.
http://www.outreach.uiuc.edu/ijet/
International
Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning
explores advance theory, research and practice in open and distance learning
worldwide, published by Athabasca University, Canada.
http://www.irrodl.org/
Journal
of Asynchronous Learning Networks looks at original work in asynchronous learning networks (ALN),
including experimental results. The journal adheres to traditional standards of
review and authors are encouraged to provide quantitative data.
http://www.aln.org/alnweb/journal/jaln.htm
Journal
of Interactive Media in Education is published by the Knowledge Media Institute of the Open University
United Kingdom. http://www-jime.open.ac.uk/
Journal
of Library Services for Distance Education reviews the issues and challenges of providing research/information
services to students in formal post-secondary distance education.
http://www.westga.edu/~library/jlsde/
TechKnowLogia
is a forum to explore the role of information technologies in the
development of human and knowledge capital; to share policies, strategies, and
experiences in harnessing technologies for knowledge dissemination; and review
the latest systems and products of technologies of today.
http://www.techknowlogia.org/
Technology
Source, a peer-reviewed
bimonthly periodical published by the Michigan Virtual University, provides
thoughtful, illuminating articles that will assist educators as they face the
challenge of integrating information technology tools into teaching and into
managing educational organizations. http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp
The
Journal of Distance Learning Administration welcomes manuscripts based on original work of practitioners and
researchers with specific focus or implications for the management of distance
education programs.
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/jmain11.html
The
Online Chronicle of Distance Education and Communication
provides information about distance education produced by Nova Southeastern
University.
http://www.
fcae.nova.edu/disted/index.html
| Smart Tips..... |
Introduction
There are several purposes of research, including problem solving and knowledge generation. Whatever its purpose, it requires knowledge of scientific methods of research. There are several inter-related aspects in research methods. While planning a research project, it is necessary to carefully choose from several alternatives keeping in mind their interrelatedness and even interdependence. A research proposal is a plan-document and serves as a road map for a study. The quality of a research proposal is directly dependent upon the knowledge and expertise in research methods.
Depending upon the purpose, research proposals can differ in their
content and structure. When
students propose research, they are largely interested in creating new knowledge
and/or revalidating knowledge in different context. Institutionally funded
research projects have different agenda; usually they sponsor research in their
respective domains of concern. For
example, CEMCA prefers research studies in the field of media and distance
education (See information box). The
research proposals submitted to any funding agency must fall under its areas of
concern. This is the first
criterion.
The funding agencies normally get the research proposals reviewed by
external experts. The experts
review the proposals from the following standpoints:
- Correspondence between the rationale and the objectives
- Relevance of the chosen methodology to achieve the research
objectives, and
- Project management, namely, costing, time, research capability of the
investigator and the project organization.
It is advisable that someone writing a research proposal for funding
keeps these management issues in mind and develops research proposals on the
basis of the following steps.
Steps
in the Research Proposal
A proposal provides an insight into the step-by-step plans of the would
be researcher. It works as a
guideline for this person as well as the funding agencies. The most common and accepted pattern of a research proposal
can be developed under the following subjects:
§ Rationale of the study
§ Review of the previous research
§ Objectives of the study
§ Methodology of the study
§
Expected Outcome of the research
§
Time Frame of the study
§ Cost Estimates involved in the research
§
Appendices
Rationale
of the Study
Rationale of the study deals primarily with justifications — why should the study be taken up; what is its relevance; and how important it is. It provides a broad overview of what the writer knows about the broad framework of the study. From this broad framework, the researcher narrows down to the problem under study. This section should be able to convince the funding agency of the relevance and importance of the problem.
Review
of the Previous Research
Review
of previous research helps the proposer understand the existing knowledge in the
problem under consideration. It
demonstrates the proposer’s grasp on the research in the related field(s). By
this the researchers satisfy the funding agencies as well as themselves that
they are familiar with the research work.
The review of the literature should be done keeping the objectives of the study in mind. It is also done to derive guidelines for the methodology of research. The researcher derives implications for sample, research design, variables, research instruments, data collection and statistical techniques for data analysis.
There are four main basic patterns of reviewing literature. These are:
§ Researcher presents the findings of the studies against the names of the author in a linear sequence without linking one study with the other.
§ Researcher clusters studies around a finding.
§ Researcher describes a phenomenon or proposes a new hypothesis based on analysis of researches; meta-analysis often does this.
§ Researcher develops a conceptual framework and tests it through review of previous research.
Out of these four patterns, the last pattern of developing a conceptual framework helps the researchers to compare and contrast issues and findings, identify the gaps, overlaps and contradictions and also derive methodological implications.
Objectives of the Study
Objectives are the foundations of any research project and they guide the entire process of research. There are four main attributes of a well-written objective:
o Clarity: The objectives should be clearly stated by the researcher so that it indicates what the researcher wants to investigate.
o Measurahility: Objectives should be stated in such a manner that they are measurable.
o Comprehensiveness: The statement of the objectives should be comprehensive to cover each and every aspect of research
o Judiciousness: Objectives should be stated in such a way that they are justifiable.
Objectives ask research questions to which answers are sought through a particular research. The research questions offer a good support for stating research objectives.
Methodology of the Study
Methodology is probably the most important part of any research proposal. This indicates the plan of action of a research project. Reviewers use this section to assess feasibility of a project and its likely outcome. Hence, this section should be carefully drafted,preferably under a few components like research design, research instruments, data collection and data analysis.
Research Design: These include descriptive and normative surveys, historical research, case studies, and experimental studies. There are further divisions in most of these broad categories. It is the set of research objectives that dictate and inform the choice of research design. For example, if the research goals are to determine status of a phenomenon, a researcher is likely to choose survey; whereas if the research goals are to ascertain the impact of an innovative teaching strategy on student learning, researcher ought to adopt one or other form of experimental design. It is essential to carefully choose the appropriate research design so that stated objectives of research may be achieved.
Sample: A researcher cannot collect data from the entire universe, and instead must choose a smaller number of people or objects to represent the relevant universe of the project. The proposer should clearly define the sample size, type of sample and sampling technique. Sample size depends upon the nature of objectives of the research project, e.g. for surveys, samples are usually large. More important is the sampling technique; for that determines the quality of response and relevance to the research goals.
Research Instruments: There are various types of research instruments like tests, questionnaire, interview schedules, and observation. The researcher should carefully choose or develop a research instrument depending upon variables being measured. The reason for choosing a particular research instrument should be obvious. The validity and reliability of the instrument should also be given. The proposal must indicate whether the researcher plans to choose one of the existing
instruments. If the researcher opts to develop a new instrument, the proposal should outline how it is developed.
Data
Collection: This section should indicate the procedure of data collection and importance is attached to the management of quality of data. The proposal should preferably indicate whether the data will be collected from primary or secondary sources, and whether through personally administering the tests and/or by mail. The proposal may als^have to mention the methods of ensuring authenticity of the data, and anticipated problems of quality of data, if any.
Data Analysis: Data analysis can be either qualitative or quantitative, depending upon the nature of data and the research objectives. The researcher has to carefully choose between qualitative and quantitative options, and justify the choice. In quantitative research, data can be analyzed using parametric or non-parametric statistics. Again, the researcher must justify the choice of parametric and non-parametric tests. This section can also describe how the data will be organized (eg. tables and/or graphs). Similar arguments will also be necessary in case of choice of qualitative methods.
Expected Outcome
It is recommended to document the expected outcome of a research project. The outcomes can be tangible and intangible. For example, besides the understanding of a new relationship between two variables in a research project, a newly designed research instrument and a new methodology (adopted and tested in the research projects) are
also outcomes of the project,
though not explicitly stated as research goals.
This is useful since it offers grounds to assess cost-effectiveness of a
research.
Time
Frame
A estimated time frame is necessary for ascertaining both feasibility and optimality, including cost-benefit analysis for funded projects. This section should indicate time for various activities like review of literature, designing research instruments, data collection, data analysis and writing the report. Graphical presentation often helps in locating sequential and parallel operations. The time schedule must be realistic, yet outline the shortest time possible. This helps both the researcher and the funding agency to commit and monitor a time frame.
Cost
Estimates of the Study
This section should include the estimates of all the costs involved in the research project. The budget should be presented under certain major heads, like staff along with rate of compensation, equipment, travel, stationery, contingency, institutional overhead, and miscellaneous. The cost estimate should also indicate direct/indirect contribution of the proposing institution. These can be presented in a tabular form.
The funding agencies usually specify the norms and also as how the budget should be presented. It is useful to be familiar with funding agencies funding policies and norms. Costing of the project plays a crucial role on the funding agencies’ decision to provide the financial assistance to the researcher.
Appendices
This
section contains any supporting detail that the proposer wants the reviewers to
examine. This includes the resumes
of the proposers, list of key personnel and advisers to the project, etc.
If there are two or more appendices, they should be labeled as Appendix
A, Appendix, B etc. A list of books and articles on the topic should also be
included as bibliography among the appendices.
Conclusion
Research is a serious business. Executing good research projects require understanding of research methods and managerial skills. A good research proposal is one that simultaneously indicates the competence or mastery on research methods and the skills of project management. It is a road map that offers not only the funding agencies basis for funding decisions, but also gives the researcher a charter. It is worth investing time in carefully planning a research proposal and carefully drafting it. Time invested at this stage pays rich dividends in saving time at the execution stage.
It is important to reemphasize the need to understand and appreciate the concerns and policies of the funding organization before proposing a project. A proposal, even if of high quality, can get rejected just because it falls outside the purview of the funding institution. To save a proposal from the possible rejection at the hands of experts due to technical grounds, it is advisable to consult experts at the design stage of a proposal.
Finally, there is no shortcut to good research or even writing good research proposal. This article is no exception. It offers a panoramic view. For the depth and ‘brick and mortars’ of research, a conscientious proposer must consult standard books on research methods.
Dr. Madhu Parhar is Reader in Distance Education, STRIDE, Indira Gandhi
National Open University, New Delhi. A Specialist in Educational Technology and
Distance Education, she is coordinator of the Course on Research Methodology for
Distance Education at IGNOU. E-mail:
madhuparhar@yahoo.co.in
Criteria for
Evaluation of Research Proposals at CEMCA
A.
Investigator(s) and Institutional Affiliation
1.
The researcher’s professional/academic training, past performance as
revealed in the CV.
2.
The researcher’s demonstrated awareness of previous alternative approaches
to the proposed problem/research as demonstrated through publications.
3.
Probable adequacy of available or obtainable infrastructural and /or technical
support by the parent institution indicated/committed through official
endorsement of the proposal.
B.
Internal Structure of the Topic and Design
1.
Possibility of the research leading to significant, valid and conceptual
generalizations.
2.
Possibility of the research leading to significant improvement in present
practice and/or innovative approach to solve a present problem.
C.
Relevance
1.
Possibility that the research can serve as the basis for innovation and/or
improved technology application in education.
2.
Expected contribution of the research to technology assessment in education
— showing effects of existing and/or proposed technolgies. Identification of
possible immediate end users (beneficiaries) of the results.
| Regional Roundup.... |
New
VC of Dr.BRAOU
The
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University has a new vice-chancellor.
Prof. V.S. Prasad, a veteran of open learning in India, joined Dr.
BRAOU as its Vice Chancellor on 26th October 2001.
Prof.
Prasad brings decades of experience to the position, including more than 30
years as a teacher in formal and distance education insitutions across India.
He was previously acting vice-chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National
Open University, and director of IGNOU’s distance education council.
“I
look forward to working together with you all to further the cause of distance
education,” he wrote recently in an open letter to university staff and
students.
We congratulate Prof.
Prasad and wish him all the best in his new assignment.
Education
made a basic right
The
Lower House of the Indian Parliament unanimously passed a Constitution
amendment Bill (93) making education for children in the age group of 6-14
years a fundamental right. The amendment was passed by 346 for and none
against after a debate lasting almost four hours. The Bill was based entirely
on the new education policy formulated in the mid-90s and on the
recommendations of a Parliamentary committee. The funds for such a gigantic
task would be channeled through committees approved by the state governments
and local government bodies.
Source: timesofindia.com
Net hits the Malaysian highway
If
rural children
can’t
get to the
Internet,
then bring the Net to them.
That’s the
working principle of the Mobile Internet Unit, a United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) initiative, that has put the Internet and its World Wide Web on
wheels. A specialized 40-foot
bus, equipped with computers and a modem, is roaming the Malaysian
countryside, ready to train up to 20 children at a time in the ways of
information technology.
Before the specialized bus rolled into Tunjang, a small town deep in the country’s norther rice bowl, 12-year-old Nafizah Ismail had never used the Net.
“We
realized that the Internet can connect us to the outside world,” said the
12-year-old, who has been able to prepare her homework on the computer, surf
the Internet, send e-mail and even design Web pages since the bus arrived one
day in April.
Thanks
to the UNDP’s two-year experiment, Nafizah is one of more than 2,800 rural
children whose education now includes information and communication
technology. In continued efforts
to bridge the digital divide between developed and developing countries, the
project has been expanded, supplementing the original bus with seven
scaled-down versions.
The
Malaysian government has plans to further boost the successful project by
financing two buses in each of its 14 states by 2005.
The United Nations agency
has launched similar projects in Ghana, while other countries like Lebanon and
Iran are considering their options in adopting this mobile approach to putting
their poorest schools on-line.
The
Malaysian leg of what some are calling “a bookmobile for the Internet age”
has not been a seamless venture. Besides
the technical obstacle of not having phone lines in every village for the
Internet connection, organizers also face resistance from the country’s
social conservatives, ranging from Muslim clerics to village politicians, and
even the parents themselves.
Kang
Wai Chin, the Mobile Internet Unit’s project manager, said she hoped to show
critics that the Internet is valuable to their children’s education.
The
bus program consists of an eight-hour course delivered in one-hour
installments. It covers basic
computer training, such as how to use a mouse, and moves towards more complex
activities like sending an e-mail or using word processing programs.
After
staying up to two weeks in one area, the bus rolls on to the next stop, but
not without leaving behind a PC for students to practise what they’ve
learned, and for instructors to integrate into the curriculum.
-- edited from the New York Times