RE: [DDN] ICT for Development research from Berkeley
Hi, I'm working on Digital Divide related topics. I have spent one year (Oct 2003-Oct 2004) in Sri Lanka, as volunteer coordinator in the startup of an IT Training Center (ITTC). The ITTC is managed by a local ngo and we started it from scratch, involving more than 500 students. We built the ITTC starting with 8 desktops and after seven months we had 50 laptops (Pentium 1), a Local Area Network (LAN) with one server (Pentium 2), an Internet connection shared on the LAN, a Database and an internal web site with administration, teaching and learning tools (such as online resources, online tests, etc.). One of the main goals was the training of local people as future teachers, also able to run the school after the volunteers. I was the only foreigner until May and after new volunteers came from Japan, in May 2005, and from Spain, in August 2005, and again from Japain in Oct 2005. So far, the ITTC has had a very strong impact on the local community, allowing many students (almost none of them had touched a computer before) to have both basic literacy and a deeper touch in IT. Of course we also had to face some questions on the relationships with local attitude, surely not so frenetic as in western countries (or developed world); the real impact was on people, not about physical resources availability. To be short, the question is how to deal with fast technology and slow attitude. If you are interested in such a topic I will try to send you more details about whatever you'll ask. Thanks Raffaele Moles -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Joyojeet Pal Sent: Sun 23 Jan 2005 8:24 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: [DDN] ICT for Development research from Berkeley Hi All, I had posted to the group earlier a plan I had of teaching a class this year on IT for Development at University of California, Berkeley. We have started teaching the class (I will post the syllabus and slides shortly, and can mail them offline to anyone who wants them). At this point, I am looking for projects for my students which are both worth their time, as well as useful to the general body of knowledge on IT and Development. If there is anyone out there who is interested in research in a specific direction, and would like to have me get a few students to work on it for you (gratis), please drop me an email. I have a group of highly competent and qualified students (evenly split between masters, doctoral and bachelors), and am going to assign class projects over the coming weeks. Essentially a typical project would be a short research document (15-20 pages), including a presentation of the project and a defense in front of the class of research design and conclusions. If you have projects in mind that you are interested in having people work on, please send me a short _one or two-page description_ on what you would like done, and specify whether you would consider being a mentor for the project. Also include any contact information students would need to get in touch with you and discuss the project to greater detail. Please cc this reply to joyojeet(at)berkeley.edu. If a proposal interests a group of students, they will use the initial brief to work on a paper, and update you from time to time on their work, and perhaps seek some guidance (and access to information if the project centered around a topic to which propreitary information is needed). I will give preference to projects for which the research is in the public domain. Thanks, Joyojeet ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] ARC system created: SMS to Email in Tsunami hit areas nowineffect
I certainly did not mean to talk in terms of predicting an earthquake. The problem is that I know so little about all of this. But I am getting the feeling that the following may be true: 1) the last eartquake that caused the tsunami was a big earthquake. 2) Many communities who got no warning could have gotten one. 3) a way to do this might involve sending out text messages on cellphones. 4) if someone tried to setup up such a system, they would be false positivites, because not every big eartquake will generate a tsunami. 5) that this is partly an issue of bridging the digital divide because so many of the people who had no warning also do not have ready access to the internet. Steve Elster [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 9:20 AM Subject: Re: [DDN] ARC system created: SMS to Email in Tsunami hit areas nowineffect John Hibbs wrote: Steven Elster wrote: I have written my friend in India, and he says: there are plenty of cell phones around here, even in the tiniest villages. He further goes on to say that a cell phone earthquake warning system was in fact in place in at least one village here on the southeast coast. They got notice; everybody was evacuated in an orderly fashion and not one life was lost. Students of earthquakes know only a few things for absolute certain. They include the fact that if a geographic area has never had an earthquake, it never will. A good example is Korea. Which hasn't had an earthquake yet that we know of? One never knows. The experts also know that if any area has ever had a shake, it can be unreservedly assured there will be more. What nobody knows is.when? While I salute, body and soul, the efforts to provide warnings that can go instantly and affordably to everyone on the planet with a radio, television, phone or computer, I suggest we be careful about promises impossible to keep. Predicting earthquakes - at least for now - is a fool's game. Umm. As far as I know, I wasn't talking about predicting earthquakes. I leave that to seismologists (who 'didn't know who to call' about the tsunami), but the system by which they warn people is something which can be worked on... Such that it's not dependant on people 'not knowing what phone number to call'). Preparing for their aftermath is not. And used in disaster relief when nobody is warned, or even when people were warned. Earthquakes are not the only disasters. In fact, not knowing who to call in an age of so much lauded technology is much more of a disaster, IMHO. If we can't use all this knowledge and technology to save lives, we're pretty much doomed anyway. That's part of what happened, and what has been swept under the rug - conveniently. We may as well go down kicking and screaming, right? -- Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linuxgazette.com http://www.a42.com http://www.worldchanging.com http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net Criticize by creating. Michelangelo ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] narrated flash web tour of various DDN members' pro bono work
hi everyone - to help folks better get to know each other in the DDN community, i'll be producing a series of narrated flash web tours telling and explaining about DDN members' work. in the first of the tours that i'll be creating i'll be focusing on the pro bono work people are involved with -- whether it be web design, teaching, computer refurbishing, video production, or anything of that sort. i'll be placing these same web tours on the web in mp3 format, so those of you who have more time to listen than to view can meet DDN members via your portable mp3 player. i'm inspired to do this by visiting the web site of DDN member matthew burton. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/msburton/ the quantity and quality of matthew's pro bono work is impressive by any measure. if you have involved yourself in pro bono projects that are documented on the web (in text form), thanks for letting me know and i'll add you to my schedule of folks for narrated flash tours. i may not be able to cover everyone's work, but i'll do my best to spotlight as many as i can in the coming months. the tool i'll be using is camtasia studio, for windows. i'd just as soon this be a group project, so if others would like to join in as producers, thanks for letting me know. i'm new to camtasia studio, but am happy to share what i know. - phil -- Phil Shapiro [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.his.com/pshapiro/ (personal) http://teachme.blogspot.com (weblog) http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/pshapiro (technology access work) http://mytvstation.blogspot.com/ (video and rich media) We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. -- Dr. Konrad Adenauer ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
RE: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge? content management
Libraries have been managing content since they came into being. The best example of a content management system is the card catalog, now the online public access catalog - the call number is the address where the item lives, and the subject headings are the various ways you organize the materials so you can find a book or video looking under numerous headings. I did a quick search of articles and found this one that talks about a system of organizing not just web site content but other internal tools. Don't forget to look into this field before you start developing your own management systems - there may already be something out there! Title: Creating an Internal Content Management System , By: Sennema, Greg, Computers in Libraries, 10417915, Jan2004, Vol. 24, Issue 1 snipIn recent years, many libraries have created dynamic Web sites that are database-driven, that is, maintained and populated with content stored within what can be loosely termed a content management system (CMS). In 2001, Jed Koops, the Hekman Library systems programmer, and I created a CMS called Hobbes (library staff liked the play on the words Calvin and Hobbes). Since then, Hobbes has grown into a hybrid of CMS and intranet to include not only Web site content, but also a variety of internal tools used by librarians to help them complete some of their daily tasks. snipHobbes is a Web-based tool that uses Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts written in Perl to store, query, and return results from data stored in a series of related SQL tables. Because it is Web-based, librarians can easily manage data without knowing Perl or SQL and can be authenticated into the system using the college's existing online directory Siobhan Champ-Blackwell, MSLIS Community Outreach Liaison National Network of Libraries of Medicine - MidContinental Region Creighton University Health Sciences Library 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178 402-280-4156/800-338-7657 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://nnlm.gov/mcr/ (NN/LM MCR Web Site) http://medstat.med.utah.edu/blogs/BHIC/ (Web Log) http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/siobhanchamp-blackwell (Digital Divide Network Profile) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Taran Rampersad Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 8:41 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge? content management Pamela McLean wrote: Another very basic question from Pam Stephen Snow wrote: (snip) (but I have found a use for the web and for a content management system). Content management system? Does that do what it sounds as if it might do? Is it a *system* that would help me to *manage* the *content* (currently stored on my computer in the best way I can figure out - a rather haphazard way which requires a level of *management* that is rather over-stretching my unaided mental faculties)... Is that what it does - manage content? Is it affordable? Is it set-up-able, and usable, by a non-techie who wants straight forward practical help - not a lot of playing around, and steep learning curves, and coaxing things to work? If so - how do I become transformed into a person with a (fully working) content management system? Pam Hi Pam. You know, you might think it's an easy question that you ask - but instead you're asking a very significant question. I'll get to that. Yes, a Content Management System (CMS) manages content, but it's almost always mentioned with reference to a website. And with a website, it does exactly that - it manages content. And they are very easy to install, though the customizability of the system is directly proportional to the personal investment of installing. A lot of people, even with websites, don't know how they want to manage their content. In the context of the personal computer, I would *love* to tell you that this is exactly what it does, and that it's easy to install for such use, and so on. But it's not there yet, and the question you ask is significant because I think (after you asked) that it should be there. What a content management system does is it stores content in a database - the majority of these databases being a MySQL database, which is available at no cost (or, if you want to buy it...). The majority of CMS tools are available at no cost; I'm a big fan of Drupal and am often tinkering with it because I'm that sort of person. What a Content Management System allows you to do is file the same content under different names without having to store it more than once, which is exactly what I need on my machine! LOL. I think quite a few people could use such a system. Now you have me wondering how to create such a system. I'll take that to the FLOS community. ;-) -- Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linuxgazette.com http://www.a42.com http://www.worldchanging.com http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net Criticize by creating. - Michelangelo
[DDN] David Warlick's podcast, Connected Learning
Hi everyone, For those of you who are interested in the role of podcasting in education, edtech guru David Warlick has just started his own podcast, Connected Learning. http://davidwarlick.com/podcasts/ http://davidwarlick.com/podcasts/xmls/connected.xml Dave's involved in professional development for teachers, so he's planning to start teaching educators how to integrate podcasting into the curriculum. -- --- Andy Carvin Program Director EDC Center for Media Community acarvin @ edc . org http://www.digitaldivide.net http://www.tsunami-info.org Blog: http://www.andycarvin.com --- ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge?
I am enjoying this thread...quick thoughts, also take into account how the internet and services provide for the interpersonal sharing and viral sharing of content on the internet. For example, someone who is totally tuned into sports will still have a chat client or two running, and this leaves a channel open for them to encounter new feeds of content that people in their social network may send. Take for example a simple forwarded email for some petition protecting or rejecting some behavior, or a forward with a simple link for an organization raising funds for Tsunnami Relief. It doesnt matter so much if people are tuned into these things or not...it is the ability to spread the word...you may have a better chance to reach people to get them to take a specific action, and maybe this specific action will get them to add a channel, spread the channel, or look for more channels to share with their network. I dont think it is so important that everyone go and download a news aggregator to get the most out of RSS, but use RSS in existing mediums like chat clients such as Messenger or Yahoo Chat, or build a new and better client that will let people get the most socially out of RSS, like letting them publish their feeds lists for friends, like the idea of Del.icio.us and social bookmarks. Services need to be improved and streamlined. Adding an RSS channel to a news aggregator seems like a very raw and initial form of the use of RSS, and a dead end. But using RSS in a more social manner to let people tap into their social networks and networks outside their immedaite surroundings could really help news spread, like you can do w- a web based aggregator like bloglines to publish your personal feeds or feeds related to a specific conference or event. Extending the ability to use a tool like messenger to let people easily cast various types of data to their social networks, and also letting them offer their lists of whatever type of information, like a personal classifieds list, will let people take advantage of RSS without the need to know what it is...like people use the internet and have no idea what http is or what html is. It is up to service providers to make RSS more useful and usable in the way that people use or will learn to use the internet, and using RSS in the most socially contagious (spreadable and sharable) manner may be consistent with the most useful and used tools like email and chat. I wrote some more about chat use and extending chat clients here: http://www.developmentseed.org/blog/?q=node/139 and here http://www.developmentseed.org/blog/?q=node/91 Best, Ian On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 12:21:57 -0500, Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Historically, the older readers are the more likely they are to read a newspaper. Certainly, this won't extend extensively to online journals, but online news readers undoubtedly will be older. And it's quite true that college-age students read little news, online or off. Well, that history is based on a medium of paper. We won't really know how things change for another 25 years... which is driving publishers of content absolutely bonkers. -- Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linuxgazette.com http://www.a42.com http://www.worldchanging.com http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net Criticize by creating. Michelangelo ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. -- Ian Ward Dy mn gen mn. ~Haitian Proverb ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] Virtual Teacher Workshop Classroom Exploration of the Ocean 2005 Launches Today!!!
NOAA Ocean Explorer Education This is an electronic news update about the NOAA Ocean Explorer Education Program. To learn more about these news updates and how to be put on the distribution list, please read the instructions at the end of this email. *** Virtual Teacher Workshop Classroom Exploration of the Ocean 2005 Launches Today!!! Dramatic new discoveries from todays ocean explorations, deep-sea mysteries still being uncovered, and historic maritime events from the past all shape our lives and fascinate educators and students alike. Beginning today, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrations (NOAAs) Office of Ocean Exploration, its National Marine Sanctuary Program, the National Geographic Society (NGS), and the College of Exploration will bring these exciting topics to your classroom through a three-part virtual teacher workshop that will focus on efforts currently underway to protect and conserve special places in the ocean, and explore still unknown areas of the deep ocean. Classroom Exploration of the Ocean 2005 is open to all educators. Resources include access to research findings, lesson plans, links to news stories, magazine articles, video clips, and Internet links. In addition, all participants will receive NOAAs Office of Ocean Explorations educational resources and other educational materials from NOAA and NGS. Lesson plans will showcase underwater video, stills and interviews with leading scientists and ocean explorers. The workshop will be offered in three parts as follows: Part One January 24 - February 6, 2005: Conference Introduction by Dr. Rita Colwell, Former Director of the National Science Foundation Building the Worlds Second Largest Marine Protected Area: The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Andy Collins, Education Coordinator, NOAA National Ocean Service Hawaii's Deep-Sea Precious Corals, Amy Baco-Taylor, Visiting Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Part Two April 4-17, 2005: Mysteries and Sirens of the Deep Shipwrecks and Underwater Sound: What Can They Teach Us? Part Three October 10-23, 2005: Extreme Environments, Underwater Observatories, and Technology An Avalanche of New Resources for the Classroom For more information and to register, visit http://www.coexploration.org/ceo.; In partnership with the University of Southern California, graduate credit will be available at a cost of $50 per credit. -- Paula Keener-Chavis National Education Coordinator/Marine Biologist NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration Hollings Marine Laboratory 331 Fort Johnson Rd Charleston, SC 29412 843.762.8818 843.762.8737 (fax) [EMAIL PROTECTED] We are components of the terrestrial ecosystem and so we are inclined to assume its structure is the norm and can be used to interpret the oceans. We have already seen that the scale of the oceanic ecosystem makes this a dangerously self-centered assumption. The oceans are different. Peter Herring, 2002, The Biology of the Deep Ocean, Oxford University Press Forwarded by Bonnie Bracey [EMAIL PROTECTED] com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] good question, charlie. i believe the web site below is the most active on this topic. http://www.muniwireless.com/reports/ -- Phil Shapiro [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.his.com/pshapiro/ (personal) http://teachme.blogspot.com (weblog) http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/pshapiro (technology access work) http://mytvstation.blogspot.com/ (video and rich media) We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. -- Dr. Konrad Adenauer ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
RE: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Muniwireless.com is a great resource. For a research overview of municipal wireless efforts, see paper: William Lehr, Marvin Sirbu Sharon Gillett. (2004).Municipal Wireless Broadband: Policy Business Implications of Emerging Access Technologies, (PDF) (Slides). Draft paper, May 2004. Paper presented at London Business School Conference on Competition in wireless and wireline services, May 14, 2004. On the rpcp.mit.edu website under Research-Papers. There are also related papers on wireless and universal access, and broadband open access. Emy Tseng Senior Policy Advisor Community Technology Foundation of California [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Phil Shapiro Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 11:33 AM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] good question, charlie. i believe the web site below is the most active on this topic. http://www.muniwireless.com/reports/ -- Phil Shapiro [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.his.com/pshapiro/ (personal) http://teachme.blogspot.com (weblog) http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/pshapiro (technology access work) http://mytvstation.blogspot.com/ (video and rich media) We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. -- Dr. Konrad Adenauer ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Charlie, et al., I'm trying to develop a mechanism in which to do so. I am proposing an alternative model of collaborative action research: it needs to be sustained (ongoing), open, collaborative, not rooted in turf and ownership, and receptive to energies of volunteers. For now I am describing a sort of research commons, and have three projects in mind. One is the project you are describing. I am experimenting with it a bit here: Join the State-by-State ICT Policy and Practice Project: http://www.omidyar.net/group/state-by-state/ I'd want a more extensive tool set, for the open research collaborative, and am working on defining those. Right now the content is not there, but it easily could be, given the right framework and committed parties. Regards, MM --- Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. = ___ Michael Maranda President, The Association For Community Networking (AFCN) President, CTCNet Chicago Chapter Vice President, NPOTechs www.afcn.org www.ctcnetchicago.org www.npotechs.org http://del.icio.us/Tropology/ Join the State-by-State ICT Policy and Practice Project: http://www.omidyar.net/group/state-by-state/ ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge?
Since using computers is normal activity for today's youth, they are accustomed to using computers. Therefore, when I engage my classes in computer-aided discussion, younger students accomplish it much more quickly. Oh, that's not to say older students can't do it or don't like it; I've just learned to keep an eye on them for the first few weeks of class. Chatting on computers is new to older students -- older meaning anyone out of their teenaged years. Last year, a middle-aged lady dropped by composition class because she wanted to take a computer science class before she tried online discussion. I assured her I could teach all she needed to know about computers to succeed in my class in 15 minutes, but she didn't believe me. Once they get the hang of it, the older students are just as active in the online discussion as the recent high school graduates. In fact, some of my older students have been better at online discussion because they're returning to school in mid-career and have seen how much computer-aided communication is needed to today's professional world. Since computer gaming has acclimatized students to using computers, it has -- ironically -- prepared them for studying in today's academic culture, to navigate the digital divide. Jim Flick ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Phil Charlid: Another good site is that of the American Public Power Association, www.appanet.org. Click on the Legislative/Regulatory button and you will find great info including a whole section on Community Broadband. Chuck Sherwood Senior Partner Community Media Visioning Partners (508) 385-3808 (voice) Phil Shapiro wrote: Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] good question, charlie. i believe the web site below is the most active on this topic. http://www.muniwireless.com/reports/ ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Free Press is also doing great work to support the growth of community wireless networks: http://www.freepress.net/wifi/ - Frannie Phil Charlid: Another good site is that of the American Public Power Association, www.appanet.org. Click on the Legislative/Regulatory button and you will find great info including a whole section on Community Broadband. Chuck Sherwood Phil Shapiro wrote: Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- ~~~ Frannie Wellings Policy Fellow, the Electronic Privacy Information Center ~ http://www.epic.org Director, The Public Voice~ http://www.thepublicvoice.org 1718 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 200 Washington, D.C. 20009 USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] +1 202 483 1140 x 107 (telephone) +1 202 483 1248 (fax) ~~~ ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge?
This thread puzzles me from a number of perspectives. First, RSS while a powerful aggregating search tool is still mapping brick space into click space, the same as what we are currently doing with e-learning using the standard Learning Management Systems and their variances. It has, as has been carefully and repeatedly noted, the propensity for overwhelming the individual and, as some have mentioned regarding the developing world, chewing up costly bandwidth. What this list, in its pragmatic, tip-of-the-iceberg, manner shows is that self-organizing networks of human biocomputers probably is a more effective learning/sorting and aggregating vehicle. The corporate world, as Knowledge Management clearly shows, has embraced these self-organizing communities and have developed a variety of web deliverable vehicles for enhancing these. Wiki's offer a peek at the possibilities as do blogs. Second there has been a side thread about the indifference of youth to using these knowledge systems and becoming committed to more than vegging out in front of the telly after classes. Let us dismiss the idea that this is the older generation just upset with the profligate ways of today's young folk. Perhaps one needs to look at the gaming community to see that there is life and hope, particularly if one follows the MMRPG world (Massive Multiplayer Role Playing Games) where networks of participants engage each other at levels far expanded from the action on the screen. And one can not overlook the efforts now with the domain of serious games which are a much wider genre than just those used by the military or tech folk to check out systems. What one might just be seeing is a bifurcation impacted by the arrival of the web and big pipes. What this means for the digitally disenfranchised may not imply just wiring the world and putting a computer in the hands of all. That would be falling into the same trap that concerns me (see above). thoughts? tom abeles ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] TechSoup.org's event on Web Accessibility happening now
Good morning and happy Monday. We're having an online event on Web Accessibility and I thought that some of you might be interested. The official announcement is below - it would be great to see you there. Best, Sarah ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Announcing TechSoup's http://www.techsoup.org latest national online event on Web Accessibility Join us the week of January 24-28, 2005 in TechSoup's Community at http://www.techsoup.org/webaccessibility/ If you re color blind and you've visited a site where you can't read the colored text on the colored background, or your job uses older browsers and you can't access some Web sites, you already know the challenges faced by many users who attempt to view inaccessible Web design. Designing an accessible Web site entails ability for all users no matter their disability, experience, or the software/hardware their using. Topics Include: *Defining Web Accessibility by its codes/laws and guidelines. *Explaining accessibility features for different types of users *Free Web Accessibility Audit: Give us your URL and we'll check your site for accessibility and recommend quick fixes. We will also show you what your site looks like to someone with a disability *Tools and web sites for automated code validation and accessibility checkpoints. * How far should your organization go towards Web accessibility? What is the minimum standard for accessible design? This event at http://www.techsoup.org/webaccessibility/ is hosted and moderated by Susan Grossman of Finishing First, a development company specializing in accessibility. This week-long event will demystify Web accessibility. We will explain what it is, what the laws are, who it applies to, how to check for accessibility, and how to fix accessibility issues on your web site. Come join us and submit your web site for a free accessibility review with pointers on quick fixes for your issues. http://www.techsoup.org/webaccessibility/ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sarah Hawkins Associate Editor, TechSoup.org. CompuMentor 435 Brannan Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94107-1234 Voice: 415.633.9350 Fax: 415.512.9629 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.compumentor.org http://www.techsoup.org ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
In a message dated 1/24/2005 1:11:10 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? Thanks, Charlie Meisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charlie: Jim Baller a Washington lawyer is probably as up on this as anyhone. He has a daily electronic newsletter that is an excellent source of news on this and other telecom related topics. Don Samuelson ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
Re: [DDN] RSS: The Next ICT Literacy Challenge?
At 3:25 AM -0500 1/23/05, Stephen Snow wrote: . That is how this current information tool development feels to me: lots of glitter and not much substance. Lots of information, but not much actual communication. What Stephen Snow writes about, quite eloquently, and as others have touched upon, is the essential problem of making those 40' foot vans outside of Walmart a go-er. i.e. if the ordinary Jack and the ordinary Jill can't find a use for learning the skills offered by Van employees, or don't need the downloadable stuff -- and the only ones excited about Van machinery are kids interested in video games or geeks interested in novel gadgets, well then --- -as the WalMart guy said to me --- ...Ya, shurr, John, this is neat stuff (head scratching); but, tell me John, --- what VALUE - either perceptive or real - will Jack or Jill ascribe to it? If the answer to that very perceptive Wallmart question can't be provided in a few cogent sentences backed by real life examples that stand up to hard examination, then maybe we should cool our own jets? Perhaps changing the world might just have to wait one more generation? Or even two? ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
RE: [DDN] Municipal broadband efforts in the US
Is anyone out there tracking the various state-level initiatives to either block or encourage the deployment of broadband networks by local governments? I know there are a handful of actions underway in Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts and Minnesota. Is there anyone monitoring these developments in a central location? [Marnie Webb] There's also an Omidyar Network group that covers this topic: http://www.omidyar.net/group/state-by-state/ One of the threads collects various resources: http://www.omidyar.net/group/state-by-state/news/2/ :mw Marnie Webb CompuMentor, www.compumentor.org TechSoup, www.techsoup.org Extension 337, ext337.blogspot.com ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
RE: [DDN] ICT for Development research from Berkeley
At 12:41 PM +0100 1/24/05, Raffaele Moles wrote: If you are interested in such a topic I will try to send you more details about whatever you'll ask. Please do. In fact the work Raffaele talks about is so salutary, I thought it worthy of a re-read. Raffaele Moles wrote: I'm working on Digital Divide related topics. I have spent one year (Oct 2003-Oct 2004) in Sri Lanka, as volunteer coordinator in the startup of an IT Training Center (ITTC). The ITTC is managed by a local ngo and we started it from scratch, involving more than 500 students. We built the ITTC starting with 8 desktops and after seven months we had 50 laptops (Pentium 1), a Local Area Network (LAN) with one server (Pentium 2), an Internet connection shared on the LAN, a Database and an internal web site with administration, teaching and learning tools (such as online resources, online tests, etc.). One of the main goals was the training of local people as future teachers, also able to run the school after the volunteers. I was the only foreigner until May and after new volunteers came from Japan, in May 2005, and from Spain, in August 2005, and again from Japain in Oct 2005. So far, the ITTC has had a very strong impact on the local community, allowing many students (almost none of them had touched a computer before) to have both basic literacy and a deeper touch in IT. Of course we also had to face some questions on the relationships with local attitude, surely not so frenetic as in western countries (or developed world); the real impact was on people, not about physical resources availability. To be short, the question is how to deal with fast technology and slow attitude. If you are interested in such a topic I will try to send you more details about whatever you'll ask. Thanks Raffaele Moles ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
[DDN] New Community Technology Review available now
The Winter 2005 Community Technology Review is now available (http://www.comtechreview.org). In the aftermath of the election and the defunding of the Technology Opportunities Program (see reflections by TOP Director Tony Wilhelm and AFCN President Michael Maranda), it is also a time of exciting developments in community technology. With 40 articles, updates, perspectives and reviews, e-Liberation: Broadband, Wireless, Blogging, Podcasting, Open Source, Community eBay, Digital Divide Network points to specific articles as well as themes in covering projects from Philadelphia, New York City, San Diego, Minneapolis, Champaign-Urbana, IL, Columbia, SC, Illinois and Ohio. International coverage includes an extended Introduction to the new Journal of Community Informatics, model/best practices from the Ecuadorian Rainforest and the Owerri Digital Village in Nigeria, and Teen Mobile Phone Culture in Japan. With TA to nonprofit stories on NPower Arizona, TechXchange Philadelphia, the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities, and CompuMentor, the issue includes additional policy, advocacy, and organizing coverage as well as a resource section with book and software reviews. Online now at http://www.comtechreview.org, with a 56-page hard copy format edition also available. . We've had a great response to the issue from some of our preview readers who say it's the best yet! -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Peter Miller Community Technology Review http://www.comtechreview.org ___ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
