[GKD-DOTCOM] RFI: IT Training Curriculum for Rural Community Local Government
Dear GKD Members, A friend of mine, Professor Vesper Owei of George Washington University, is in the process of organizing a training seminar for Nigerian Local Government officials. It is a 3 week session. I was working with him gathering information on what would be the most appropriate ICT topics for rural local government officials, most of whom have no formal training in basic computer skills, as the traditional occupation of most people in their community is farming. The challenge is to design an ICT training program for the leadership of the local govenment in a way that exposes them to the benefits ICT can have on the larger rural community. So my question is: Has anyone on this List worked on an IT training curriculum for a rural population's local government? I am curious about the list of topics covered. I will appreciate any inputs. Femi Oyesanya 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For past messages, see: http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
[GKD] Nigeria: Silicon Valley Transplant
Nigeria: Silicon Valley Transplant By Femi Oyesanya [EMAIL PROTECTED] A recent Nigerian Newspaper article cited the Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir El-Rufai, as saying that the Nigerian Government has given the approval for the building of a Technology Village. Nigeria will be building its own Silicon Valley on a 650 hectare property, located in a suburb of the Federal Capital city, Abuja. The Newspaper article quoted El-Rufai as saying, we want to create a city of knowledge in Abuja. And on the way to the airport, we have got about 650 hectares of land we have reserved out of the Abuja master-plan. What we hope to do with the technology village, which is going to cost us between $300 to $400 million is to have the highest quality infrastructure attracting the best brains in information and bio-technology, pharmaceutical and Information Technology (IT) research to work in Abuja. (1) The decision to build a Technology Village must be the Federal Nigerian Government solution to addressing gaps that exist in Technology growth. Several studies have noted that Nigeria lags behind in most Technology development. A formal study conducted in 2003, by the Economist Intelligence Unit and IBM, concluded that E-business in Nigeria faces serious obstacles: inadequate telecoms infrastructure, unreliable power supply and authorities who, by and large, lack the means to push e-business forward (2) In short, there are two primary reason for Technology Development failures in Nigeria: (a) Lack of Technology Development supporting Infrastructure, such as Power Supply, Water Supply, Fiber Optics Telecommunications Network, Transportation, etc. (b) Lack of appropriate Technology Development and Technology Growth Acceleration Policies. The proposed Nigerian Silicon Valley sounds impressive at first analysis, given the problem with basic Infrastructure; one can argue that a Technology Village can isolate itself from some of the infrastructural problems. For example, the Village could have its own Independent Power Plant, Water, Supply, and Transportation System. A Nigerian Silicon Valley could be an artificial Technology Oasis. This Technology Oasis would be home to Nigeria's Technology Development, Technology Research, and Technology Service Industries. The Oasis would serve as the nerve center for Nigeria's Technology research and innovation. Venture Capital entrepreneurs would pour Investment Capital into the Oasis, product development would create jobs, and Nigeria would witness a Technology growth revolution. The above wishful thinking, has to be the line of thought that went into the decision making process, that now has the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory wanting to dish out 650 hectares and spend $400 Million on a venture that has key success factors of business clusters like Silicon Valley, California, missing. Silicon Valley is not just hectares of Land. Silicon Valley is a special habitat for innovation and entrepreneurship. It consists of dense, flexible networks and relationships among entrepreneurs, investors, university researchers, consultants, skilled employees -- connecting people to ideas.(3) Abuja and its surrounding satellite towns, do not yet have the supporting underlying Technology readiness capacity needed to transplant a Silicon Valley clone. The first missing element of success, which arguably might be the most important, is that Abuja does not have a major research oriented University. Outside of governmental affiliated research bodies, such as: National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), and a few others, Abuja lacks the Research and Development composition that we see often around California's Silicon Valley. For example, Abuja University was founded only in 1988, and has not yet matured into a research oriented academic institution. On the other hand, Silicon Valley, California, is the home of University of California, San Francisco, Stanford, and the University of California, Berkeley. According to an article written by Andrew Issacs, Executive Director, Management of Technology Program, University of California, Berkeley, In Silicon Valley, there were many contributing factors: (A) gradual development of the Venture Capital industry (B) gradual improvement in local universities (C) gradual influx of technically strong labor (D) gradual growth in government investment in RD. These factors reinforce each other, over time making it more difficult for it to happen anywhere else. (4) It is also shocking that the recently released, National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) did not have a provision for building a Technology Village. Understandably, the national economic plan can be revised
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Cyber-Security and E-commerce
In a message dated 10/4/2004, Barry Coetzee [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In economies where the total number of e-commerce transactions are in the 1000's there is no point in installing or using any technology that costs more than a couple of thousand US$. It would not be sustainable. Furthermore, If the cost of protecting the IT Asset is more than the asset, why invest at all in Security mechanisms? 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What Activities Are Offering Online Professional Development for Educators?
This leads to another question. Is the Professional Development Curriculum that serves effective use in a Developed Country appropriate in a developing Country? For example, will the ISTE/NCATE NETS standard be an appropriate tool in Rwanda? In a message dated 6/25/2004, Bonnie Bracey [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is the area in which I work. Welcome to The George Lucas Educational Foundation's Professional Development Modules Home Page http://glef.org/foundation/courseware.php These free teaching modules were developed by education faculty and professional developers. They can be used as extension units in your existing courses, or can be used independently in workshops and meetings. You can tailor them to your local situation. I just finished working in Jordan, Egypt and Greece. The parts that are American or not local after downloading, take them out. Each module includes articles, video footage, PowerPointÆ presentations, and class activities. They draw from the wealth of GLEF's archives of best practices and correlate with ISTE/NCATE NETS standards __ Femi Oyesanya All reification is a forgetting 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What Are the 'Right' Resources to Foster Professional Development?
Besides lacking the basic infrastructure, some of these communities also lack informal professional development support systems that we now see on the Internet. For example, I am yet to see any informal collaborative groups for Open Source Software use or development with roots in Africa. Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] There needs to be: 1) Basic Infrastructure 2) Formal Professional Development Support 3) Informal Professional Development Support On 6/22/2004, Gary Garriott [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In UNDP we have talked about a development dynamic in which a structured dialogue involving multiple aspects of ICTs takes place represented by all sectors of society and that this process, once set in motion, can lead to enlightened and sustainable national policies and strategies toward the information society http://www.opt-init.org/. __ Femi Oyesanya All reification is a forgetting 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Do We Evaluate ICT-Enhanced Professional Development?
I think we can use DEA (Data Envelopment Anaysis) to calculate the efficiency of a Professional Development Program. Software for DEA can be found at: http://www.wiso.uni-dortmund.de/lsfg/or/scheel/ems/ __ Femi Oyesanya All reification is a forgetting 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What Are the 'Right' Resources to Foster Professional Development?
Policy foundations are very important. However, since NGO's may have limitations on how they impact local policy in these other Countries, one way might be to tailor the Professional Development in such a way that it recognizes the limitations of local policy. Professional development evaluation and ICT training needs assessments may need to recognize socio-economic and Infrastructural limitations, and where possible, accommodate these limitations. There needs to be synergy with the local condition and policy for that matter. In a message dated 6/16/2004, Losira Okelo [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I agree with Mlenge - policymakers have to be more involved in making sure ICT resources are distributed equally. ..snip... I would like to know what we can do to actively involve policy makers to support educator initiatives. __ Femi Oyesanya All reification is a forgetting 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Do We Evaluate ICT-Enhanced Professional Development?
It might be difficult to evaluate ROI of ICT-Enhanced Professional Development, most of the benefits may not be quantitative. However, I think if you have performance baselines, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is one Econometric model that can be used to evaluate efficiency. An article on DEA can be found at http://www.emp.pdx.edu/dea/homedea.html#Applications But the issue with DEA, might be how you define performace baselines. On 6/14/2004, Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator asked: 1. Can we effectively measure the costs, benefits, and educational impact of ICT-enhanced professional development initiatives? If so, what is the best approach -- are there concrete examples? 2. Can we measure return on investment (ROI) for these initiatives? If so, how? 3. Are there methodologies for evaluating the soft side of training activities, e.g., the cultural, technological, or social appropriateness of different approaches? 4. Are there methodologies for measuring the cost of effectively bringing particular models to scale? 5. What is the best way to disseminate and promote the use of lessons learned? __ Femi Oyesanya All reification is a forgetting 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
