[GKD] DOT-COMments eNewsletter: The DOT-COM Alliance in Macedonia

[Barbara Fillip]

 DOT-COMments eNewsletter - July 2005 (Issue 12): 
 The DOT-COM Alliance in Macedonia

The DOT-COMments eNewsletter brings you news from projects implemented
under the umbrella of the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and its three
cooperative agreements - dot-GOV, dot-EDU and dot-ORG.

Whenever possible, dot-EDU, dot-GOV and dot-ORG have worked together
within a country at the request of a USAID Mission to ensure that
individual dot activities complemented each other in support of the
Mission's objectives.

This issue of the DOT-COMments newsletter presents four facets of the
DOT- COM Alliance's work in Macedonia, covering connectivity, small
business, government and education sectors. Macedonia is a country where
the USAID Mission has engaged all three dot mechanisms to support its
objectives. In doing so, the USAID Mission has tried to leverage the
potential of ICT across its program portfolio in the country.

Newsletter index page:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/index.php

*
The four articles listed below focus on projects in Macedonia
*

1. Economic Growth & Employment - e-BIZ Project - dot-ORG

The e-BIZ project (formerly referred to as I-LEAD Project) helps
Macedonia address high unemployment by building the capacity of small
and medium enterprises (SMEs) to use information and communications
technologies (ICT) in local and international markets.

Read the full article at
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=128


2. Education - E-Schools.mk Project - dot-EDU

This project prepares Macedonian youth for employment through
ICT-informed education programs and improves the quality and relevance
of instruction at the primary and secondary school levels.

Read the full article at
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=132


3. Connectivity - Macedonia Connects - dot-ORG

The main objective of this project is to provide low-cost and
sustainable broadband access to 460 Secondary and Elementary schools
dispersed throughout the country. Secondary objective is to spread
broadband internet access to rural populations with emphasis on small
business enterprises, local governments and consumer market with an eye
towards increasing Internet use beyond existing low levels.

Read the full article at
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=127


4. ICT and Government - IMPACT Macedonia- dot-GOV

The IMPACT Macedonia Project is aimed at improving productivity and
accountability in the public sector leading to a smaller, more
efficient, and less corrupt public sector. The environment for
investment will be improved as the investment community gains confidence
in a country where the public sector's financial operations are
increasingly open and transparent.

Read the full article at
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=125


**
This issue also includes the following short articles:
**

5. Last Mile Initiative Team Assesses Central Asian Republics & Starts
eCenters Project
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=126

6. Knowledge Product Highlights: The Energy Solutions Toolkit for ICT
Projects
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=129

7. Exploring the DOT-COM Alliance Digital Library
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=130


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Information Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org 
(202) 884-8003




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[GKD] POWERING ICT: An Energy Solutions Toolkit for ICT Projects

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD Members,

I am pleased to announce that the Energy Solutions Toolkit for ICT
Projects is now accessible through the DOT-COM Alliance web site. This
toolkit has been developed in collaboration with Winrock by the dot-ORG
program, implemented by the Academy for Educational Development (AED),
under funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID).

The toolkit is designed to help ICT program managers, decision-makers
and entrepreneurs select the most cost-effective mix of ICT and energy
systems for projects in off-grid and poorly electrified areas.

The toolkit is still a prototype and we are looking forward to receiving
your feedback will help ensure that the toolkit is able to effectively
provide clear, accessible tools and information. If you would like to
help us improve the toolkit, we kindly request that you review the
prototype and fill out the online feedback survey by July 30, 2005.

You can access the toolkit at:
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/Toolkit.htm>. On this page, you will
find 1) a short presentation about the toolkit; 2) a link to the toolkit
itself; 3) a link to the survey form to send us your feedback.

Feel free to forward this information to colleagues who might have an
interest in the toolkit. I look forward to the feedback and will be
working on revisions in August.


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Communication Specialist
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003




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[GKD] DOT-COMments eNewsletter - Special Issue on Gender Perspectives

[Barbara Fillip]

DOT-COMments eNewsletter - May 2005 (Issue 11)

The May 2005 issue of the DOT-COMments newsletter is now on the DOT-COM
Alliance web site. This issue focuses on Gender. The full newsletter
can be accessed online at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/index.php

Forward articles to your friends and colleagues, let us know what you
think of the articles, search for articles by country or type of
activity, or explore the rest of the DOT-COM Alliance site.

Here is a list of articles in the May 2005 issue:

1. Editorial: A Gender Perspective
What has the DOT-COM Alliance done to address these issues and ensure
women's ability to take advantage of IT opportunities? The articles in
this May 2005 issue of the DOT-COMments eNewsletter provide some answers
to this question.
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=120>


2. Women and ICT Policy
Focusing efforts into increasing women's participation in policy,
regulatory and advocacy issues is an effective and powerful way to
achieve competitive and fair levels in the ICT sector. This has the
potential to increase the role of women in community decision making,
where they can influence policy issues at any government level. With
increased participation, women can then ensure that gender issues are
taken into account in ICT resource planning and administration.
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=122>


3. Gender Strategies in dot-ORG Projects
What do dot-ORG projects in Mali, Brazil, Macedonia and Uganda have in
common beyond the fact that they all involve the provision of some form
of information technology? They have all designed strategies that take
gender into account, strategies that ensure that women have the same
opportunities as men to access and utilize information technology.
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=121>


4. Marching for Gender Equity in Peru
High in the Peruvian Andes a grassroots movement supporting gender
equity has taken hold. Led by a group of primary school students and
their teachers, the community of Cerro de Pasco is taking a closer look
at the implications of equal treatment and rights for men and women in
the public and private spheres.
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=119>
  

The DOT-COM Alliance is funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID): (GDG-A-00-01-9-00, dot-GOV;
GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU).

You can subscribe to the newsletter through the DOT-COM Alliance web
site or email me directly to be added to our mailing list.


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Information and Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org





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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] RFI: Survey Instrument for ICT Needs Analysis of

[Barbara Fillip]

LGs
Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

On 5/23/05, Vesper Owei <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> asked:

> Does anyone have or know of a survey instrument, (e.g., a
> questionnaire), that can be used to elicit information from the LGs on
> their ICT needs.

The closest I have seen is a report on an assessment study done in
Ethiopia:
http://www.uneca.org/codi/Documents/WORD/Woreda%20Study.doc

The methodology for collecting data isn't addressed in depth in the
short report mentioned above. There is a little more information in a
Presentation at:
<http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/10908775261ICT_PENETRATION_AND_USAGE_IN_E
THIOPIA-Dr._Assefa.ppt>


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD-DOTCOM] Use of GIS to Support Local Administration of Municipalities

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD List Members,

Earlier this year, USAID organized a workshop on Decentralization and
Local Governance in the Asia and Near East Region. The workshop took
place in Cairo, Egypt. You can find out more on the workshop's web site
<http://www.localgovernance.org>. I was lucky enough to be attending
the workshop and to present in a panel on "IT and the Media". One of my
co-panelists made a presentation on a very interesting project in
Lebanon where ICT is being used to support local administration at the
level of municipalities.

Link to the Presentation:
http://www.localgovernance.org/binderdocs/pres_freij.pdf

One element of this project in Lebanon, which is also present in one of
our dot-ORG projects in Central America is the use of GIS (Geographic
Information System) to assist local planning and track all cadastral,
financial and administrative data related to the community.

"The Geographic Information System (GIS) dramatically increases the
accuracy of information utilized in municipal operations and planning
through computerized 'mapping' of more than seventy layers of physical,
financial, and personal data. Electronically linked to administrative
and financial databases, the system provides a wealth of information
that will be used in the planning, inspection, audit, assessment, and
collection processes. The GIS is a powerful tool that can be used by
municipal councils in assessing the needs of the community, and in
identifying, implementing, and sustaining economic development projects
related to tourism, industry, agriculture, and other sectors.
Importantly, use of the GIS will enable decision-makers to promote
transparency and accountability in the appraisal and collection of taxes
and fees, ensuring that, for example, outdoor advertising licenses and
construction permits are issued appropriately."

>From the SUNY / CLD web site:
http://www.suny-cld.edu.lb/ui/systems.aspx

I was wondering if there were other examples of successful use of GIS
for local government?

Actually, as I wrote the last sentence, I decided to do a little web
search and came upon what looks like a goldmine:

Lessons that can be learned from using GIS in LGUs in developing
countries (part of a larger student thesis):
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/thesis/thesis1/less4.htm


Best regards,
Barbara Fillip

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Communication Specialist
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Help Improve Local Governance?

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD List Members,

Last January, dot-ORG attended a USAID workshop on Decentralization and
Local Governance for the Asia and Near East Region and presented some of
dot-ORG's activities in support of local government.

I think some of the materials that were produced for that occasion can
be of some value to this discussion. Here are the links:

**An article in the DOT-COM e-Newsletter of March 2005, highlighting the
potential of ICT in supporting local government and decentralization
URL: 
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=117

**The dot-ORG powerpoint presented at the USAID workshop
URL: 
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/resourceptrdb/uploads/partnerfile/upload/24
5/ICT&LocalGov2.pdf>

**A list of web-based resources (links) related to ICT and local
governance
URL:
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/resourceptrdb/uploads/partnerfile/upload/24
6/List%20of%20Resources.doc>

**The website of the USAID workshop with links to all presentations and
background materials
URL: http://www.localgovernance.org/

Best regards,

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Communication Specialist
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to:
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For past messages, see:
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Re: [GKD] RFI: ICT Demand Patterns in Africa

[Barbara Fillip]

Hi Peter,

On the DOT-COM Alliance site, you will find a recent assessment report
for the Community Learning and Information Centers (CLICs) in Mali. This
is a USAID-funded project implemented by dot-ORG which includes 13
CLICs. The report includes some interesting data about demand in the
shape of the revenue share of specific services. The report does look
at the issue from the point of view of the access providers and in the
context of the access providers' efforts to supply services that are in
demand and that can help them become sustainable. I hope it helps in
some way!

See:
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/resourceptrdb/uploads/partnerfile/upload/27
6/mali_MnE.pdf>


Best,


Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Communication Specialist
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003



On 4/18/2005, Peter Baldwin wrote:


> ...The reason for this posting is to request information on examples
> anywhere in Africa of sustainable and potentially scalable applications
> of ICT in the realm of local governance, education, health care, mobile
> banking, or private enterprise. I am preparing a report for infoDev
> which will examine up to five case studies in order to assess demand
> patterns for ICT in as-yet-unserved areas. This report will focus not so
> much on access providers as what people and companies are doing with
> that access. If you know of examples in any of these areas that you
> think provide particularly insightful information, please share them!




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[GKD] DOT-COMments eNewsletter - March 2005

[Barbara Fillip]

DOT-COMments eNewsletter - March 2005 (Issue 10)

Welcome to the DOT-COMments eNewsletter, the newsletter of the DOT-COM
Alliance. The March 2005 issue of the DOT-COMments newsletter is now on
the DOT-COM Alliance web site. The full newsletter can be accessed
online at <http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/index.php>.

Make sure to try out our new "Feedback" feature, which allows you to
comment on individual articles and let us know what you think about
them.

Here is a list of articles in this newsletter:

1. Editorial: Reformulating Basic Questions
What are we doing to address the digital divide? Should we focus on cell
phones or telecenters? What is the real impact of ICT interventions?
Most importantly...are these the right questions to focus on?
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=118


2. Cybercrime Bilateral Workshop and Official Meetings in Peru -
Supported by dot-GOV
As field support to assist with the prevention of cyber crime in
developing nations, dot-GOV helped the Department of Justice with a
joint APEC/DOJ workshop on "Cyber Crime Legislative Drafting Training",
held at Santa Clara near Lima, Peru 9-11 December 2004. The workshop was
delivered by a team of DOJ experts from the Intellectual Property and
Cyber Crimes Unit and an APEC representative from Canada.
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=115


3. ICTs for Participatory Health and Livelihoods Skills Training for Mon
Migrants
ICTs for Participatory Health and Livelihood Skills Training is a pilot
project designed to harness new digital camera technologies to help
cross-border migrants learn basic health and livelihood skills that can
improve their well-being even under the harsh realities of stateless
migrant experience.
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=114


4. ICTs, Decentralization and Local Governance: Exploring the Potential
In a context of decentralization, local authorities face increased
responsibilities, limited resources, and at times, limited human
resource capacity. In such environments, strategic investments in ICTs
can really pay off.
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=117

  
5. Mali: Selected Snapshots of 12,000 CLIC Clients
After 10 months of operation, most of the Community Learning and
Information Centers (CLICs) that were established under the dot-ORG
pilot funded by USAID/Mali are taking off. Early challenges in building
a client base and establishing reliable Internet connections have been
overcome, yet other challenges remain ahead.
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=113


6. They Counted Money in the Basket: Exploring Electronic Payment
Options in Nepal
USAID/Nepal asked dot-GOV to provide two experts who could speak from
practical experience about the challenges faced by businesses and NGOs
under the current Electronic Transaction Act of Nepal, and what other
measures might be needed to create a more enabling policy environment.
URL:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=116


The DOT-COM Alliance is funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID): (GDG-A-00-01-9-00, dot-GOV;
GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU).

You can subscribe to the newsletter through the DOT-COM Alliance web
site or email me directly to be added to our mailing list.


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Information and Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Aliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Can Technology and a Business Approach Make Globalization Work for the Poor?

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD List Members,

By "business approach"  do we mean an approach that relies on market
mechanisms?  Have we failed to see that the poor represent an important
market?

For example, it's generally accepted that the private sector will only
go so far in deploying IT infrastructure because some areas are simply
not profitable (hard to reach areas, areas where the people's purchasing
power is minimal).  To address this problem various solutions have been
developed, in particular involving government policies that provide
incentives for the private sector to go where it would otherwise not go.

Should we revisit this consensus and ask ourselves how the private
sector decides to invest or not invest in a particular area?  Are those
decisions based on false assumptions regarding the purchasing power of
the poor?  Or are we talking about small, local entrepreneurs taking
advantage of their knowledge of local markets?

A couple of related resources of interest:

Can ICTs help the urban poor access information and knowledge to support
their livelihoods?
http://www.unhabitat.org/programmes/ifup/conf/Theo-Schilderman.PDF 

Making Knowledge Networks work for the poor
http://www.itdg.org/html/icts/knowledge.htm 



Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Information and Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
(202) 884-8003




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative
Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's
Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org
provide more information.
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<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html>

[GKD] DOT-COMments eNewsletter - Fall 2004

[Barbara Fillip]

 and
communication technologies (ICTs). This support has included working
with the NEC to create and maintain a national voter database, print
fraud- resistant voter registration cards, network regional Commission
offices, and pilot hand-held computers to collect and validate voter
registration information. This article focuses on the field testing of
the hand-held computers for voter registration.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=13


+ 09. Macedonia Takes Initiative with New e-Government Strategy +

A workshop to refine the e-government strategy of the Government of
Macedonia was convened in March 2004. The workshop, sponsored by the
USAID/Macedonia in cooperation with the Macedonian Commission for
Information Technology (CIT) and the Ministry of Innovation and
Technology of the Government of Italy (I-MIT), took place on 15-16 March
2004 in Skopje, Macedonia.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=20


+ 10. Helping Small Thai Businesses Make the Most of the Internet for
e-Commerce +

A seminar on "e-Commerce solutions for Thai SMEs was convened in
Bangkok, Thailand in June 2004. The objective of the seminar was to
impart practical skills and to share lessons learned from successful
companies that faced challenges similar to those faced by Thai SMEs.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=16


+ 11. Mali - CLIC Regional Training to Build on Sustainability Efforts +

In order to strengthen the network of Community Learning and Information
Centers (CLICs), regional training has taken place to ensure that the
CLIC managers and staff have the necessary tools to collect and analyze
data that will enhance sustainability.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=19


+ 12. Women's Literacy and Technology in Vanga - A New World of
Opportunities +

Women in the community of Vanga, in the Bandundu province of the
Democratic Republic of Congo are coming to the Community Resource
Learning Center to enhance their literacy skills and learn how to use
the Internet with the help of a local trainer and ICT champion,
Marie-Jeanne wa Musiti.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=17


+ 13. Pre-School Education Prevails in Honduras +

Preschool age children have the chance to learn in their communities
through Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI)
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=18


+ 14. Using ICTs to Develop Educational Materials for Rural Tribal
Classrooms in India +

In selected areas of India's Jharkhand state, dot-ORG has begun
implementing a pilot project to explore the use of digital ICTs, such as
computers and digital cameras to promote culturally relevant educational
content in the local language. Project Manager, Kelly Morphy headed to
Jharkhand in August along with local consultant Aich Paramita Choudhury
to meet with prospective project partners, visit schools and meet with
teachers and other education leaders to begin project implementation
plan.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=22


+ 15. Launching into Action - Interactive Radio Instruction in India +

The dot-EDU T4 India project and the State government of Karnataka added
to India's Independence Day celebrations with the launch of the
Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) series Chukke Chinna (choo-kee
chin-na), on August 16, 2004 in Bangalore.
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id=23


In addition, I would like to encourage you to explore our remodeled web
site and try out our new search tools. Start at
<http://www.dot-com-alliance.org> and search by region, sector, or by
type of intervention.

The DOT-COM Alliance is funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID): (GDG-A-00-01-9-00, dot-GOV;
GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG; GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU).


Best regards,

Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Information and Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Alliance
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org





***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization***
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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Cyber-Security and Human Rights

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD Members,

I must confess that a few weeks ago, my understanding of cyber-security
issues was limited to what I had learned from unfortunate experiences
with computer viruses and the dangers (real or perceived) of using a
credit card to make online purchases.

While helping to organize and attending the DOT-COM / InterAction
Cyber-Security event that took place on the 16th of September, I
certainly learned a great deal, yet the more I learn the more I realize
how much I do not know. If I've learned anything in the past few weeks,
it's that cyber-security is an issue that should receive more attention
from everyone, from individual computer users to small business owners
and policy makers. Yet that does not mean we should all become
cyber-security experts.

To start addressing this week's specific questions focusing on human
rights and cyber-security, I'd like to relay some comments that were
made during the "Questions & Answers" session that took place during the
September 16 Speaker Series event, after the presentations by the
panelists. I am copying below the question and the answer by one of the
panelists, Jim Dempsey.


Question from the audience:
How much anonymity should people have a right to when they are online?

Response from Jim Dempsey (Center for Democracy and Technology):

"Due to the very design of this technology, we create and leave behind
footprints. Assembling those requires effort, but to mandate some kind
of uniform authentication process or uniform traceability requirement to
be built into the technology will have lots of unintended consequences
for policies that we favor (whistleblowers, various kinds of online
health inquiries, access to information). Look at a country like China
and the huge efforts it's putting into controlling the technology, and
tracking down democracy advocates. Also think about it from a security
standpoint and how hackers might well be able to use things that are
designed for traceability and identification purposes.

The relative anonymity that the Internet offers serves a number of
important policy goals, separate from privacy goals. This is similar to
the ability to walk into a store and buy a newspaper without identifying
ourselves.

Lots of technical measures can be taken by network operators to
authenticate packets. These are generally not regulatory steps. Egress
filtering provides the ability to identify packets coming out of a
server and identify whether they're authentic. It provides an increased
ability to identify the source of an attack on a network. End to end
authentication for all packets would have adverse impacts. It's a trade
off. You can't find everybody every time, but the price of finding
everybody every time comes at the expense of other social policies we
favor. A technique that may be perfectly good in the hands of the US
Dept. of Justice may not be so desirable in the hands of the government
of China."


It's really a question of finding the right balance, isn't it?

You can access Jim Dempsey's presentation as well as the other
panelists' presentations on the DOT-COM web site at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/events/cybersecurity.htm 


Best regards,
Barbara Fillip
Information & Dissemination Coordinator
DOT-COM Alliance
AED - Technology Center
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tel: (202) 884-8003
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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[GKD] Reminder: Cyber-Security in Dev. Environments

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD Members,

This is a reminder that the DOT-COM / InterAction Speaker Series event
on "Cyber-Security Issues in Developing Country Environments" will occur
tomorrow afternoon. Address and contact details are below:

Event:  DOT-COM / InterAction Speaker Series
Topic:  Cyber-Security Issues in Developing Country Environments
Date:  September 16, 2004 (Thursday)
Time: 4:00-5:30 pm
Location: Academy for Educational Development (AED), 1825 Connecticut
Avenue, Washington, D.C., NW

RSVP: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 

For more information:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/events/cybersecurity.htm 


For those who missed it the first time, here is a brief summary of the
themes to be discussed at this event:

On the edges of the expanding wave of Internet connectivity, digital
technologies offer tremendous opportunities for stimulating economic
growth and human development. The technologies, however, often extend
beyond the reach of existing regulatory regimes and current
technological safeguards, making international development environments
increasingly the scenes of cyber-crime.

Creation of viruses, electronic snooping, server hijacking to relay
pornography, and fraud are only some of the current challenges affecting
those working to extend the benefits of new media. Cyber-security
measures taken in response to these trends, however, may be misused to
curtail privacy, freedom of expression or other democratic values.

Development agencies and governments increasingly find themselves at the
intersection of these trends. How may they respond to the challenges in
ways that help the benefits of new media grow, without compromising
individual freedoms?  As governments, businesses, and private citizens
struggle to balance security concerns with the unparalleled
opportunities that digital technologies offer, it is vitally important
to be actively engaged in the policy debates - both to learn what works
and to help define the balance between security and privacy.

Speakers
-
* Cyber-security and developing countries - an overview by  Jim X.
Dempsey, Executive Director, Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)

* Cyber-security and economic growth - private sector perspective by
Jody Westby, President, the Work-it Group

* Cyber-security and the need for legal infrastructures by Richard
Downing, Senior Counsel, Computer Crime and Intellectual property
section, U.S. Department of Justice.

* The context for cyber-security and international development by
Jonathan Metzger, ANE Internet Development Adviser, U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID)

A Q&A session and a reception will follow the presentations.





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[GKD] ANN: Cyber-Security Issues in Int'l Development Environments

[Barbara Fillip]

DOT-COM/InterAction Speaker Series: Cyber-Security Issues in
International Development Environments

September 16, 2004 4- 6pm
Academy Hall, AED Conference Center
1825 Connecticut Ave, NW 8th floor, Washington, DC

This event is open to the public
-

On the edges of the expanding wave of Internet connectivity, digital
technologies offer tremendous opportunities for stimulating economic
growth and human development. The technologies, however, often extend
beyond the reach of existing regulatory regimes and current
technological safeguards, making international development environments
increasingly the scenes of cyber-crime.

Creation of viruses, electronic snooping, server hijacking to relay
pornography, and fraud are only some of the current challenges affecting
those working to extend the benefits of new media. Cyber-security
measures taken in response to these trends, however, may be misused to
curtail privacy, freedom of expression or other democratic values.

Development agencies and governments increasingly find themselves at the
intersection of these trends. How may they respond to the challenges in
ways that help the benefits of new media grow, without compromising
individual freedoms?  As governments, businesses, and private citizens
struggle to balance security concerns with the unparalleled
opportunities that digital technologies offer, it is vitally important
to be actively engaged in the policy debates - both to learn what works
and to help define the balance between security and privacy.

Speakers
-
* Cyber-security and developing countries - an overview by  Jim X.
Dempsey, Executive Director, Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)

* Cyber-security and economic growth - private sector perspective by
Jody Westby, President, the Work-it Group

* Cyber-security and the need for legal infrastructures by Richard
Downing, Senior Counsel, Computer Crime and Intellectual property
section, U.S. Department of Justice.

* The context for cyber-security and international development by
Jonathan Metzger,  ANE Internet Development Adviser, U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID)

A Q&A session and a reception will follow the presentations.

Post-Event Discussion on Global Knowledge Discussion List

Following the DOT-COM/InterAction Speaker Series: Cyber-Security Issues
in International Development Environments on September 16, DOT-COM and
InterAction are hosting a month long follow-up discussion on GKD,
starting September 20th, examining current examples of how
cyber-security is impacting international development, economic growth,
government services, and private citizens. The discussion will share
current experiences of policy responses and challenges faced in
developing countries.

For more information on how to join this discussion, please visit
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/discussiongroup.htm

DOT-COM/InterAction ICT Speaker Series Background
-
The DOT-COM/InterAction ICT Speaker Series, funded by USAID (DOT-COM)
and the Markle Foundation (InterAction ICT Working Group), is intended
to explore ways in which Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) impact development efforts.

The main goals of the speaker series include sharing information about
innovative and effective uses of technology in development efforts,
building a community around a broad spectrum of information technology
interests, and exploring gaps and challenges to effective implementation
and use of technologies in development.

For More Information
------
Barbara Fillip, DOT-COM Alliance
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Tel: +1 202 884-8003

Brian King, ICT Working Group Manager, InterAction
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Tel: +1 202 667 8227




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[GKD] ANN: ICT4D Training Materials Available Online

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The self-paced training modules on ICT4D that I have developed over the
past few years of teaching ICT4D online are now posted on my website.
Feel free to send me comments and to use the materials for educational
and nonprofit uses. If anyone intends on using the materials, updating,
adapting and otherwise transforming them, I would love to hear about it.
The materials were developed using Eclass.building 2.5
<http://www.eclass.net>.

General Entry to the site:  http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com 
Direct link to the materials: 
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/ICT4D03SP/index.htm

Here is a list of modules:
1. What is ICT4D?
2. What is the Digital Divide?
3. Addressing the Digital Divide
4. ICTs and Learning
5. ICTs for Better Health
6. ICTs and Agriculture
7. eCommerce
8. eGovernance
9. Telecenters
10. Knowledge Networking

If there are any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
President
Knowledge for Development, LLC 
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What Are the 'Right' Resources to Foster Professional Development?

[Barbara Fillip]

maintenance) may also have an impact in terms of scalability.  It may be
possible to find the three or four technical specialists to support a
pilot project that makes use of a sophisticated technology, but
impossible to find the 1000 technical specialists that would be needed
should the pilot be scaled up... In this hypothetical case, the scaling
up would require training 1000 of these technical specialists or finding
another approach than that used in the pilot project.


Barbara Fillip
Knowledge for Development, LLC
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com




This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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Re: [GKD] Invitation to Seminar: 'Ensuring Universal Access to Knowledge and Services through Telecenters'

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear Colleagues,

I am following up on an invitation to participate in a video-seminar
that was sent to this list earlier today. We have now added another
element to the event that will allow for even broader participation. An
online discussion will take place starting today and for approximately
two weeks on the Community Informatics listserv.

A series of questions will be posted at regular intervals to generate
comments, feedback, reactions, etc...

Michael Gurstein, who moderates the Community Informatics (CI) listserv,
is inviting all interested parties to subscribe to the CI list to
participate in this time bound discussion focused on telecenters.

The Community Informatics e-community consists of two e-lists --
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; and
[EMAIL PROTECTED] These lists are concerned with
community based and bottom up processes of enabling the achievement of
community objectives through the use of ICTs (Community Informatics).
The lists are hosted by Michael Gurstein on behalf of the Community
Informatics Research Network (CIRN) <http://www.ciresearch.net> .

To subscribe to the discussion send an email to:

   [EMAIL PROTECTED]

In the body of the message type:

   Subscribe communityinformatics



Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Consultant
[EMAIL PROTECTED]





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[GKD] ANN: ICT for Development Online Course

[Barbara Fillip]

Hello Everyone,

This is a quick reminder that the upcoming English session of ICT4D
(Information and Communication Technologies for Development) will start
February 2nd. There are a few places left at this time.

ICT4D is an online course that brings together people from around the
world to learn and share experiences and knowledge around Information
and Communication Technologies for Development.

This session will have a special theme:  Mainstreaming ICTs in
Development projects to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals.


Participants already registered for the upcoming session will be
participating from the following countries:  Ethiopia, India, Tanzania,
Philippines, US, Peru, Ghana, Syria, Iran, Kenya, Congo, Bangladesh, UK,
Uganda, Thailand... and I may be missing a couple more

Please check out the details on the Knowledge for Development website at
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/ictsen.htm> or
email me for details at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Also of interest:

1. The CD-ROM available for self-paced training
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/CD/CD.htm 

2. The second Spanish session of the course, scheduled for April-July
2004.
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTsp/ictssp.htm 


Warm regards,
Barbara Fillip
Knowledge for Development, LLC
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




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[GKD] ICTs for Development - a Distance Learning Course

[Barbara Fillip]

Information and Communication Technologies for Development is a distance
learning course bringing together participants from around the world to
learn about the potential of Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) to address development challenges facing many countries of Asia,
Africa and Latin America.

The upcoming session of Information and Communication Technologies for
Development will start February 2nd and will end April 4th, 2004 (a
12-week session).

Registration begins December 1st, 2003.

Read the syllabus online
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/syllabus_icts.htm

Read some testimonials from previous sessions of the course
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/testimonials.htm

See some sample materials from the newly updated course CD-ROM
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/ICTs-Intro/index.htm

Learn more about courses offered by Knowledge for development, LLC
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/courses.htm

See also the related self-paced learning CD-ROM
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Teaching/ICTen/CD/CD.htm

Please direct all inquiries to [EMAIL PROTECTED]

A note about scholarships: 10 scholarships will be allocated to
developing country participants.  However, I already have too many
applicants and no additional applications will be accepted for this
upcoming session.

  

Best regards,

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D. 

President 

Knowledge for Development, LLC 

http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com 




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Re: [GKD] RFI: Teacher & Co-ordinator Manuals for ICT Centres

[Barbara Fillip]

Hello David,

The one manual I can immediately think of is the Handbook for Telecenter
staff that can be found at:
http://ip.cals.cornell.edu/commdev/handbook.cfm 

Barbara Fillip
Knowledge for Development, LLC
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com


David Babington-smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Can anyone recommend a good source for finding free manuals and training
> materials for ICT training centres? We are a non-profit programme
> looking to resource our partners around the world (mainly small
> charities teaching IT to street kids and the disadvantaged). The ideal
> types of manuals we are looking for are:
> 
> - Start up manual (how to set up an ICT, tips on legal, staffing,
> technical issues etc)
> - Co-ordinator's manual - how to run an ICT centre
> - Technicians manual - basics of looking after an ICT centre with
> computers, printers, software etc
> - Teachers training manual / course - not necessarily a technical course
> in MS Office, but more the softer skills of using IT in the classroom




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[GKD] Online Course: ICTs for Developing Countries

[Barbara Fillip]

Hello all,

This is a reminder that registration is now open for the ICTs for
Developing Countries course offered online through the USDA Graduate
School. The course starts April 14 and runs for 12 weeks. It is
delivered through a combination of CD-ROM for the course materials and
email discussion list (a Yahoo group). Tuition is US$295. You can
find out much more on the web site of Knowledge for Development at
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com>

I am the course instructor for this English version of the course. A
Spanish version of the course is also available for the first time. The
Spanish version is being taught by Mila Gasco.

Please note that the scholarship application process for the upcoming
session is now closed (both for the Spanish and English versions of the
course) and no further applications will be accepted for that session.

You will also find a free tutorial on "Learning to learn online" on the
web site of Knowledge for Development. If you have questions, feel free
to contact me at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
  
Best regards,
Barbara Fillip, PH.D.
President,
Knowledge for Development, LLC
http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com   




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[GKD] Global e-Learning for Development: Lessons Learned

[Barbara Fillip]

additional resources, etc..). In
addition, the summaries become a useful resource to further develop and
improve the Instructor's Notes.

As a side note, while most research on CMC (Computer mediated
communication) in education has focused on the analysis of class
discussions, I am also interested in looking at one-on-one interactions
between instructor and participants. I think these are also essential
to the success of the online learning experience and class discussions
can't be analyzed in isolation from the one-on-one communications.

You can find out more by reading the two documents in the Lessons
Learned section of my web site at
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Lessonslearned.html>

That's it for now! Any feedback would be very much appreciated.


Best regards,
Barbara Fillip
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com>





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[GKD] ICTs for Development: Course Announcement

[Barbara Fillip]

COURSE TITLE: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for
Developing Countries
Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

INSTRUCTOR: 
Barbara Fillip, Ph.D. 
Independent Consultant, Researcher, Instructor 
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com> 

INSTITUTION 
United States Department of Agriculture - Graduate School, aka USDA
Graduate School. Evening and Weekend Program - E-learning. For more
information about the USDA Graduate School, see the school's web site at
<http://grad.usda.gov>

Note:  the USDA Graduate School has nothing to do with agriculture
except its institutional origins.

COURSE DURATION AND SCHEDULE 
12 weeks: September 14-December 14, 2002 
This will be the fourth online session of the course. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES 
The course is meant to give participants: 
1.  A clear conceptual framework for addressing issues related to the
use of ICTs for sustainable development purposes and the identification
of key issues and relevant concepts;

2. Specific examples of ongoing activities in developing countries that
involve the use of ICTs for development purposes, covering fields such
as education, health, e-commerce, agriculture and e-governance;

3. A broad picture of ongoing programs and activities undertaken or
supported by bilateral and multilateral agencies as well as the private
sector and non-governmental organizations.

DELIVERY MODE 
The course is delivered through a combination of CD-ROM and email-based
discussion list.  All communications are email-based.  Course materials
are provided on a CD-ROM.  Participants are not required to have access
to the web to enroll. However, participants need a reliable email
account.  For additional information regarding computer requirements,
see the syllabus at <http://knowledgefordevelopment.com/Syllabus.html>.

CERTIFICATE 
While the USDA Graduate School does not grant degrees and this
particular course does not belong to any "certificate program",
participants who do complete all the requirements to receive a grade
will be given a "certificate of completion" for the course.

BEFORE REGISTERING 
1. Read the syllabus 
The syllabus has been posted on the instructor's web site at
<http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Syllabus.html>

If you do not have access to the web, request a copy of the syllabus by
sending an email to the instructor at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.

2. Is this course for you?

* Look at the self-assessment questions to find out.  The questions can
be found at <http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/SelfAssessment.html>

* Check the sample course materials posted on the instructor's web site
at <http://www.knowledgefordevelopment.com/Samplematerials.html>


REGISTRATION 

Each session is limited to 30 participants.

The USDA Graduate School is providing 10 tuition-exempt places for
participants in developing countries. Additional information to apply
for these places can be found in the syllabus. The application process
for the tuition-exempt places started JULY 1, 2002. As a result of high
demand, the application process is becoming increasingly competitive. If
you are interested in applying, please do not delay.

Tuition: US$269 
Registration online starts AUGUST 12, 2002. 
Go to <http://www.grad.usda.gov> 
Follow instructions to register online.  The course code is PUAP2270.
More detailed instructions can be found in the syllabus.


Best regards,
 
Barbara Fillip 





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[GKD] Online Course: ICT for Developing Countries

[Barbara Fillip]

COURSE TITLE
Information and Communication Technologies for Developing Countries

INSTITUTION
United States Department of Agriculture's Graduate School, aka USDA
Graduate School. Evening and Weekend Program - E-learning

Note: the USDA Graduate School has nothing to do with agriculture
except its institutional origins.

COURSE DURATION AND SCHEDULE
10 weeks: April 15 to June 24, 2002
This will be the third online session of the course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course is meant to give participants:
1.  A clear conceptual framework for addressing issues related to the
use of ICTs for sustainable development purposes and the identification
of key issues and relevant concepts;

2. Specific examples of ongoing activities in developing countries that
involve the use of ICTs for development purposes, covering fields such
as education, health, e-commerce, agriculture and e-governance;

3. A broad picture of ongoing programs and activities undertaken or
supported by bilateral and multilateral agencies as well as the private
sector and non-governmental organizations.

DELIVERY MODE
The course is delivered in asynchronous mode.  All communications are
email-based.  Course materials are provided on a course web site (using
Blackboard as a platform) and on a CD-ROM.  Therefore, you do not need
access to the web to participate.  If you have no (or limited) access to
the web, you need an email address that can handle a significant volume
of messages and a CD-ROM drive on your computer.

BEFORE REGISTERING
1. Read the syllabus
The syllabus has been posted on a demonstration site.  
Go to http://www.blackboard.com/courses/100867
Enter the site through the "guest access" button.  You will find the
syllabus in the course information area.

If you encounter difficulties accessing the site or the syllabus,
request a copy of the syllabus by sending an email to the instructor at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

2. Is this course for you?  Take a quiz to find out.  
Go to http://www.blackboard.com/courses/100867.
Enter the site through the "guest access" button.  Follow the link in
the announcements to take the quiz.

REGISTRATION

Tuition: US$269  (US$15 discount will apply if you register early)
Online registration starts March 4th, 2002 through the USDA Graduate
School web site.
Go to http://www.grad.usda.gov
Follow instructions to register online. The course code is PUAP2270.

The USDA Graduate School is providing 10 tuition-exempt places for
participants in developing countries. Additional information to apply
for these places can be found in the syllabus. There is a simple
application form to be filled and returned to the instructor by March
13, 2002.


CONTACT
Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web site: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2mjvc




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[GKD] RFI: ICTs to Help the Disenfranchised Help Themselves

[Barbara Fillip]

Hello GKD'ers!

I am trying to document uses of ICTs by disenfranchised groups, with a
focus on applications that are meant to "help them help themselves". I'm
looking for projects that specifically focus on women, children/youth,
the disabled, ex-combatants, child soldiers, refugees and internally
displaced persons (IDPs), ethnic/language minorities, very isolated
populations (not just rural populations), urban poor I am trying to
focus on direct uses of ICTs by these groups and not on efforts to
strengthen organizations that may be helping these groups (not sure this
makes a lot of sense yet).

This work is being done for JICA-USA, the Washington, D.C. office of the
Japan International Cooperation Agency.  While I cannot guarantee that
the final report will be made public, I will develop a resource list to
be distributed through this list (if appropriate) or individually to
those who might request it. The resource list will include a listing of
case studies, relevant web sites and web-based documents.

Thank you for your help in identifying interesting experiments or case
studies!  I'm also interested in ideas for things that haven't been
tried yet!

Best regards, 
Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Researcher/Consultant
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2mjvc
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]


Unrelated to this work with JICA-USA, the Spring 2001 course materials
for my course on ICTs for Developing Countries are available at
http://www.blackboard.com/courses/100867.  You can access all materials
by entering the site as guest.  Email me if you have any difficulties!





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[GKD] ICTs for Developing Countries: Course Report

[Barbara Fillip]

Hello all:

I've mentioned my course on Information and Communication Technologies
for Developing Countries on this list in the past.  The first online
session of the course ended on June 25th.   Some members of this list
were participants in the class.   I'm now starting to prepare for the
next session that will be offered in September and I've written up some
"notes to myself" as an informal assessment or review of what happened
in this past session of the course, what went well, what I will do
differently next time.  Anyone interested in the notes (it's a rather
long and unpolished document of 30 pages) is welcome to email me asking
for the document.

It was quite a learning experience and I look forward to the next
session.

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Researcher/Consultant
NEW SITE http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2mjvc





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Re: [GKD] Request input on DOT Force Report, draft 2

[Barbara Fillip]

Dear GKD list members,

As I read the second draft of the DOT Force's report, I was reminded of a
report I wrote about three years ago on aid coordination in Africa (Key
Frameworks for Aid Coordination in Africa, JICA-USA, 1998).  The report
highlighted the different levels of coordination on the continent and
existing coordination mechanisms, showing a continuum between donor-led
coordination and coordination instruments and processes that had more
African "ownership", including country-specific, government-led
coordination.  While the study didn't pay enough attention to NGOs and
civil society as partners in coordination efforts, it did one thing that
I think is still useful: it identified three different levels of
coordination.  Today nobody really likes to talk about "aid
coordination", everyone is talking about "partnerships".  The ultimate
goal is basically the same, combine brains and resources and have a
greater impact without wasting too much in duplication.

Three three levels of coordination identified in the study were:
1) Global level consensus building
2) Operationalization
3) Country-level implementation

To get back to the DOT Force and ongoing process, I see the report as an
illustration of what can be done at the global level in terms of
consensus building.  You'll note that Appendix 3 of the report talks
about "A Possible Operational Framework".  While I didn't quite
understand how the three dimensional cube works, it looks like the
equivalent to what the "operationalization" level in my report was about.
Who is going to do what, where and how?  This, however, is probably more
feasible at the regional level than at the global level and could allow
for differentiation at the regional level.  Even regional differentiation
is not enough.  It is at the country level that real coordinated
implementation must happen, within the context of National IT strategies
or similar instruments.

It is quite possible that the same levels of coordination (consensus
building, operationalization and local-level implementation) are
replicated at the country level.  There must be a consensus building
process within the government, civil society and the private sector which
develops into an operational plan and then coordinated implementation of
activities within the country.

Perhaps these are not levels of coordination but rather processes.  It's
probably not completely linear either.  Consensus building is an ongoing
process.  It doesn't stop once operationalization starts.

Just some thoughts!
Best regards,

Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Researcher/Consultant
808 S. Veitch St.
Arlington, VA 22204
http://homestead.juno.com/bfillip




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[GKD] Online Course: ICTs for Developing Countries

[Barbara Fillip]

ONLINE COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT
As a follow up to my message in December regarding the development of the
online version of my course on Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) for Developing Countries, I am happy to announce that the upcoming
online Spring 2001 session of the course is now open for registration.

COURSE TITLE: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for
Developing Countries: Bridging the Digital Divide

OFFERED THROUGH: USDA Graduate School  (http://grad.usda.gov)

START DATE:  April 16, 2001
END DATE: June 25, 2001

COURSE CODE: PUAP2270E-W01

TUITION: US$250

DEMO SITE
I have set up a demo site using the free version of Blackboard and you're
welcome to visit.  Go to http://www.blackboard.com/courses/100867 and log
in as a guest.  You'll find the tentative syllabus and some other
documents on the demo site that will give you an idea of what a
Blackboard course site looks like and what the course is about.  The real
Course Site for the April-June Session will use the latest version of
Blackboard (5.0) and has more advanced features.  Technical requirements
are detailed in the tentative syllabus posted within the "Course
Information" area of the demo site.

TO REGISTER
You will also find a link on the demo site to register through the USDA
Graduate School's web site.  You can register online or print the
registration form to register by mail.  It's also possible to register by
phone, and fax (see Registration information at http://grad.usda.gov for
more details about all the options).

Enrollment will be limited to 25 participants and registration is done on
a first-come first serve basis.  I look forward to any feedback about the
demo site.  Do not hesitate to contact me for any additional information.
Feel free to redistribute this message to anyone who might be
interested.

Best regards,
Barbara Fillip, Ph.D.
Researcher/Consultant
(703) 521-6462
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://homestead.juno.com/bfillip/index.html




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