[GKD-DOTCOM] How Can Local Governments Use ICT To Improve Their Efficiency?

[Teruhiko Teru2 Yoshimura]

Dear Femi and Pamela,

Thanks for your interesting points. I would like to continue to discuss:

>From the government side, transparency and accountability through ICTs
is one of the very important agenda, but at the same time, from local
people's point of view, participation through ICTs is very significant
for development.

For successful implementation of e-government initiatives, necessary
knowledge includes technical skills as well as an understanding of the
information society, information management, potentials and impacts of
ICTs, effects of the digital divide, and ICT literacy. The successful
implementation of e-government initiatives also demands fundamental and
institutional changes in the work processes. Consultations and
collaboration with stakeholders (citizens and the private sector) should
be a salient feature of most e-government activities.

E-government does not happen with the mere introduction of computers and
creation of websites. Government officials need specific knowledge,
skills, and capacity to use e-eovernment as an effective interface
between citizens and the government. It must also be noted that while
e-government initiatives have made major contributions to a country's
economy through the increasing numbers benefitting from access to the
knowledge economy, large sections of the population continue to live in
poverty and engaged in informal sector activities. Their needs and
voices are overlooked in the development process.

E-government can help address these vulnerabilities, and the needs of
the poor and marginalized for economic development, social development,
and environmental management.

So, considering these issues, we could design a training curriculum for
government officials.

 
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Teruhiko "Teru2" YOSHIMURA (Ph.D), Researcher
Human Security Programme
United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
Nagono 1-47-1, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450-0001,Japan
TEL:+81-52-561-9522, FAX:+81-52-561-9374
E-mail:[EMAIL PROTECTED], URL: http://www.uncrd.or.jp/
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-




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Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] RFI: IT Training Curriculum for Rural Community Local Government

[Molly E. Uzoh]

Femi,

The information on "How Can Local Governments Use ICT To Improve Their
Efficiency?" is right on target. Silvie and the other contributors also
have very good ideas. However the key driving force or the core content
of the "IT Training Curriculum for Rural Community Local Government"
will usually come from the community/audience itself. In other words,
the outcome of your "ANALYSIS OF THEIR NEEDS AND SKILLS" and your
knowledge of what will augment their deficiencies will eventually
translate to a FUNCTIONAL ICT Training Curriculum for your audience. If
the curriculum is not planned within the CONTEXT of the NEEDS of your
audience you might get quite a few ICT Training Curricula that are quite
interesting and very good, however they might not be practically
applicable to the immediate needs of the audience. Hence whatever they
learn during the training might not be applied efficiently.

Again Femi, there are several options but based on experience, I know
that a collaborative curriculum works better for adult learners
(especially the leaders/executives.) Extracting their needs from them
and designing the curriculum within their context of application expands
their locus of control. Hence they learn more and utilize their new
learning faster and better.

Feel free to give me a call to discuss it further. This is what I do for
a living. I can also bring in an insider perspective into your project
because I am from Nigeria. Have a nice day.

~~~
Mary (Molly) Uzoh
Chief Learning Officer
Learning Right Technologies
P. O. Box 51616
San Jose, CA 95151
Phone: (408) 531-1967
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

About  Learning Right Technologies

Headquartered in the heart of the Silicon Valley of California, Learning
Right Technologies is a certified minority (African American) woman
owned, small business that specializes in ICT consulting and educational
services/tools. We provide interactive multimedia e-learning curriculum
development, FOSS implementation, technical training, educational and
television production, research services. Our team of consultants is
made up of hi-tech professionals with academic specialization in
computer science, mathematics, instructional technology, multimedia
design including video streaming, database administration, as well as
several years of management, and very strong hands-on technical
experience in delivering learning services to schools, government
agencies, small to medium size businesses, and high tech corporations.
We have just completed the design and development of a prototype of a
series of interactive multimedia e-learning software. Therefore, we are
available to start as soon as you need us. At www.learningright.com, we
respect your right2learn the right thing, the right way; and at the
right place, the right time and the right price.




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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
. 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




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[GKD-DOTCOM] RFI: IT Training Curriculum for Rural Community Local Government

[Peter Jack]

Dear Colleagues,

All GKD Members interested in IT training curriculum for Rural Community
Local Government in Nigeria should contact me as we are developing a
nationwide curriculum for Nigerian citizens in preparation for
e-Government implementation.

Our first reference for the core material is the UK e-Citizen Syllabus
developed by the British Computer Society. I would like us to work
together to standardise the material for various applications with only
some additional topics relevant to the communities as it affects their
sustainable development (eg. Farming, Fishing, Arts and Crafts, etc).


Peter Jack
National eLearning Institute
National Information Technology Development Agency
Plot 695 Port Harcourt Crescent
Garki Area 11
Abuja
Nigeria

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
08033122299




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