Re: [GKD] Value of World Bank Website

[Margaret Grieco]

Piggybacking connectivity.

Scott Robinson's posting on piggybacking donor connectivity in
developing countries in order to ensure rural access to the digital
world hits the spot. There is a developing donor awareness of the need
for rural connectivity but it remains largely a blind spot with
discussions of rural infrastructure focusing on low end water and road
improvements. A mapping of donor sponsored connectivity would show as
Scott Robinson's post suggests many opportunities for extending
connectivity in line with 'economic' projects. Such a mapping could
usefully appear on the World Bank site.

Margaret Grieco
Professor of Transport and Society
Napier University 
and 
Visiting Fellow
Lucy Cavendish College
University of Cambridge




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Re: [GKD] Literacy -- A Forgotten ICT?

[Vickram Crishna]

Richard Labelle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I guess that this all depends on what is meant by literacy. Not being
> able to read and write does not preclude being able to develop, test and
> use technology and reading and writing may not be necessary to use some
> of the newer ICTs. People can afterall communicate orally and the use
> visual cues and messages, including drawings, to communicate.

Living and working in India makes one peculiarly alive to the need for
communications that are not language sensitive, or transcend language
sensitivity.

We (at radiophony... http://www.radiophony,com) have been struggling
with the creation of a software that will enable people with severe
physical difficulties to gain computer literacy, so that computers can
become very versatile AAC (assisted and augmented communication)
devices. In the process I do not think a single one of us (an extended
workgroup based in Yahoo Groups) has not realised with some force that
there really isn't much difference between helping those who cannot move
much and those who cannot use English. Once you have eliminated the
keyboard and mouse as a necessary adjunct of computing (interacting with
the computer), it is not a big step to 'junk' English either (in order
to get one's work done).

Much of the problems with traditional interfaces has to do with the need
to punch particular keys. This goes away when you have only a limited
number (as low as one) click devices.

Please contact me offlist if you would like to discuss this further. I
somehow think (empirically and intuitively) that this will have a huge
impact on our understanding of communications, going forward.
-- 

Vickram




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Re: [GKD] Value of World Bank Website

[John Lawrence]

This seems a good candidate for a thoughtful case study, especially
appropriate during the International Year of the Mountains. I am amazed
that mountains symbolize essential communications sites for cell towers
and other hardware, yet the people dwelling in those same mountains
seldom seem able to reap the benefits (economic, technological) in their
own indigenous communities, even in industrialized countries. The
advantages of modern ICTs seem to skip over them. Perhaps Martha Davies
could comment on this Andean example, since she has done so much to help
bring ICTs to local communities in Peru.



Scott Robinson wrote:

> Peter Burgess' recent post is on the mark. His comments re
> accountability and the lack of same in the "Development Business" are
> germane to any evaluation of the World Bank Group, its websites and
> investment strategies. A recent discovery of mine merits mention here:
> an IT for development and community telecenter conference in northern
> Peru two months ago programmed a visit to a highland village
> inaugurating a low power community radio station (using truck batteries
> for power). En route to and fro our group shoehorned into two
> microbuses passed the largest gold mine in Latin America, Minera
> Yanacocha. With its satellite-fed Internet connection to its offices on
> the p…ramo, above 3500 meters, it seemed logical to request the company
> offer fixed wireless connectivity to the many villages within and on the
> perimeter of its extensive subsurface mineral concessions impacting
> several communities. Upon return home, I discovered there is a dispute
> being adjudicated by the internal IFC Ombudsman office re this mine, and
> that IFC has a 10% equity share in the operation (with Newmont Mining,
> Denver, Colorado).
>
> We can only ask why can't the good World Bank / Int'l Finance Corp.
> planners and program officers see fit to add a minor line item in the
> project budget that would offer the virtues of connectivity to those who
> have none and whose livelihood is placed at risk by toxic, mercury
> spills in their delicate Andean highland econiche?






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Re: [GKD] Value of World Bank Website

[Katie Bannon]

Dear GKD Participants,

To follow on Peter Burgess's comments re the lack of value of the World
Bank's website.

It seems to me that many of the comments reflect an unhappiness with the
World Bank itself rather than with the website.  Stated issues included
unhappiness with the perceived: a) dominance of the WB in development
thinking, especially in the north, b) general institutional lack of
accountability, and c) lack of independent analysis of results.

Taking these perceptions at face value, I would argue that instead of
the web exacerbating the above issues, the WB website is in fact one of
the best tools to address them.

By making WB data and research, etc available to everyone w/ an internet
connection, more people have access to information that allows them to
do their own research, publish their own papers, and come up with their
own viewpoints. So, far from consolidating a dominant viewpoint, the web
in fact facilitates diverse opinions.

Additionally, by publishing project and country information (including
the name of the task manager), the WB enables the public to hold it and
its partners accountable.  Implementation of the revised disclosure
policy will make even more information available.  Transparency aids not
only accountability, but also participation, through mechanisms such as
online consultations about policies or strategies (clearly a downside
here is the lack of connectivity in many areas).

Lastly, the WB has an entire site devoted to evaluation of its results
run by the independent OED department, see
http://www.worldbank.org/oed/. While this certainly doesn't replace
independent analysis by other groups (which indeed would be very
useful), it certainly provides a good base for those interested in the
subject.

So, while I agree that there are certainly many areas for improvement in
the development process and institutions, I think the web, especially
the WB website, is a phenomenal tool for making it more open,
responsive, inclusive, and accountable.

Best regards,

Katie

Katie Bannon
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
World Bank Web Team

Note: The above does not represent the view of the World Bank but is my
own personal opinion.




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Re: [GKD] Literacy -- A Forgotten ICT?

[Lesley Andrews]

The discussion on literacy is interesting and could probably be as wide
ranging as the discussion on ICT.

I agree with the suggestion that literacy is a fundamental skill
required for participation in a Knowledge Society.

On the other hand, if the objective is merely to communicate information
from the developed world to the developing world then perhaps this
could be done through the use of pictures and icons.

My worry here is that this does not fully accommodate the need for the
developing world to communicate their knowledge and information. At
worst the communication becomes one way - from the developed to the
developing countries. and at best the developing countries are limited
in what they are able to communicate. This seems to me to be rather
patronising! If developing countries are to become full participants in
the Global Knowledge Society then it is surely vital that education is
available for all to develop literacy skills. Perhaps this also means
that English speaking nations should not shy away from the need to
provide support in the teaching of English language. This is not 
necessarily imperialism (although it might be for some) - it is a matter
of addressing the reality of today's world.


Lesley Andrews
EOS
Educating for an Open Society



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[GKD] Digital Dividend Project Clearinghouse

[Junko Sagawa]

Dear Ms. Lim and other GKD members,

I would like to introduce the Digital Dividend Project Clearinghouse
, which is a
fully-searchable repository for ideas and shared experience on
digitally-enabled projects providing services to underserved populations
in developing countries. It covers approximately 600 projects, and about
50 projects are added every month. Ms. Lim, I hope this database will be
a good source for you in finding Southeast Asia projects.

The Clearinghouse is part of the Digital Dividend project, which
explores creative business approaches, public-private partnerships, and
other sustainable ways of bridging the global digital divide.

We recently began producing a bi-weekly newsletter that provides the
latest news about Clearinghouse project highlights, funding and
collaboration opportunities, and information about our web site updates
and features. If you are interested in the Digest, please e-mail me at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

I hope this information help you.

Thanks,

Junko Sagawa
Communications Associate
Digital Dividend Project
http://www.digitaldividend.org/

World Resources Institute
http://www.wri.org





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