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The Transition of Community Multimedia Centers (CMCs) towards Lifelong Learning
Günther CyranekAdviser for Communication and Information in MERCOSUR
(Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay y Uruguay) and ChileUNESCO Cluster Office in Montevideo
9th IFIP World Conference onComputers in Education, AGORA Track
Bento Gonçalves, Brazil, 30 July 2009
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Societies split by the Digital Divide
NO ACCESS
developing regions / countries
rural areas
disadvantages social class
low level of education
jobless
elderly people
ACCESS
developed regions / countries
cities
middle & high social class
high level of education
employees
young people
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Reasons of Digital Divide
• Mental access
Lack of elementary digital experience caused by lack of interest, computer anxiety, and unattractiveness of the new technology
• Material access
No possession of computers and network connections
• Skills access
Lack of digital skills caused by insufficient user-friendliness and inadequate education or social support
• Usage access
Lack of significant usage opportunities
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The Structure of Knowledge Societies
Towards Knowledge Societies. UNESCO World Report 2005, Paris: UNESCO.
Knowledge Societies
Inclusiveness Pluralism Equality Accessibility Participation
Freedom of Freedom of expressionexpression
Universal access to information and
knowledge
Respect of cultural and linguistic
diversity
Quality education
for all
Information literacy
CreativityCritical and analytical thinking
Communication skillsAccess to mass media and their content
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Effects of Knowledge Societies
Cultural Enrichment
Social Development
Political Empowerment
Economic Growth
Knowledge
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Communication Skills Map
REASONING
Thinking skills
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Speaking Listening
LITERACY
Reading Writing Numeracy Other basic skills
ICT SKILLS - MEDIA LITERACY
ICT use Use of networks Filter media messages
Analyze media messages
Other ICT/media
skills
INFORMATION LITERACY
Other information
skills
Communication and ethical use of information
Organization of information
Articulation of information
need
Location and access of
information
Ralph Catts/Jesus Lau (2008): Towards Information Literacy Indicators. Paris: UNESCO, p. 5.
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Pluralism of learning opportunities (1)
Educational and training programs
Experience-based learning
PrimarySecondary EducationHigher
Presence
Virtual/Distance
Lifelong learning
Work experience
Social learning experience
Personal experience
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Pluralism of learning opportunities (2)
Relation between education and learning is changing:
From a monopole of official standardized education to a vast offer of learning opportunities
From offer-focused to demand-focused education
From standardized curricula to modular, individualized curricula
Curriculum and qualification are of citizen’s own responsibility
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UNESCO principles of ICT for Education
• Gather best strategies and practices of knowledge sharing
• Raise awareness among political and institutional stakeholders
• Create a demand for ICT based lifelong learning among various social groups
• Use open processes, open outputs, open participation approach
• Educate skills as well as citizenship, values and attitudes
• Guarantee impact and sustainability
• Learn from evaluation
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Community focus
• Create communities of practice
• Leverage communities by focusing on their needs
• Foster self-organization of community learning
• Support local partnerships
• Provide content, methodologies and topics of local interest
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Community Access to Knowledge Societies
• Enlarge community access and people’s participation in knowledge societies
• Support multimedia centers of schools in poor areas
• Strengthen the cooperation among national networks of telecenters / community multimedia centers
• Development of accessible educational resources
• Development of open source software, e.g. to improve access of blind and near-sighted people
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• Learning environment in the heart of the community
• Social club bringing together various community groups
• ICTs as part of a general plan towards community development
• Open access to information via ICT and radio
• Contextualization of contents
• Local production of multimedia content
• Constructivist approach to education
• Tutorials in distance learning
Community Multimedia Centers (CMC)
Informal media and ICT education
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ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (1)
1. Clear project outline
2. Holistic, inclusive and sustainable approach
3. Local ownership and community involvement
4. Develop not only skills, but a state of mind
5. Government support
6. Multi-stakeholder involvement
7. Flexibility to find innovative solutions
8. Appropriate technological environment
9. Development of social skills
10. Involvement of women
10 key factors of successful capacity buildingRed RUTELCO experiences:
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ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (2)
• Bad human resources management
• Lack of skills and / or commitment among tutors
• Short-term project planning, lack of sustainability
• Insufficient use of strategic alliances
• Lack of networking and knowledge exchange among CMCs
• Lack of teamwork and coordination
• Potential of ICTs for telework and its benefits widely unknown
Obstacles impeding successful capacity buildingRed RUTELCO experiences (1):
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ICT for Capacity Building in CMCs (3)
• Lack of flexibility within standardized digital inclusion programs
• CMC activities unnoticed by parts of the community
• Lack of interest on the part of people in need of care
• Inefficient fundraising and funds management
• Hardware useless to run modern software
Obstacles impeding successful capacity buildingRed RUTELCO experiences (2):
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Lifelong learning within the Plan Ceibal (1)
2006: Presidency of Uruguay starts nationwide campaign to overcome the digital divide
2007-2009: in cooperation with OLPC all children enrolled in public primary schools receive XO laptops free of charge
Secondary school students following in phase two of the project
Laptops to be used in and out of school by children and their parents
Internet access guaranteed in schools, in many areas also at home
Open source learning software for children and parents downloadable
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Lifelong learning within the Plan Ceibal (2)
Parents invited to explore the XO laptop’s options together with their children and independently
In cooperation with CMCs and public-private partnerships training workshops for parents on:
• Information literacy
• e-government and e-governance
• e-business and e-banking
• Dependent and independent teleworking
http://www.ceibal.edu.uy
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UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (1)
Policy advice
• Integrating lifelong learning perspectives in education policies and education sector plans
• Mother tongue and bilingual education
• Strengthening literacy policies through a gender-equality perspective
Capacity building
• Textbook series on perspectives on adult learning
• Adult basic education program
http://www.unesco.org/uil
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UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (2)
Research
• Mother tongue and bilingual education
• Recognition, validation and accreditation of non-formal and informal learning and experiences (RVA)
• Post-basic education and training for youth
• Status of adult education
Advocacy and networking
• Regional conferences in support of global literacy
• Working group on non-formal education
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UNESCO Promotion of Distance Higher Education (1)
Research study on implementation, standards and practices of distance higher education in LAC
Distance higher education mainly emerging within the last 10 years
175 higher education institutions offering distance education modules
165,000 students enrolled in distance education courses
High disparity throughout the region
Postgraduate specialization and training courses most frequent type of studies
IESALC/UNESCO (ed.) (2004): La Educación superior virtual en América Latina y el Caribe, Quito.
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UNESCO Promotion of Distance Higher Education (2)
UNESCO Chairs of Distance Learning (CUED) and e-Learning (UOC) in Spain
Instituto Internacional de la UNESCO para la Educación Superior en América Latina y el Caribe (IESALC):
Research, promotion of virtual distance education• foster dialogue among institutions• coordinate initiatives• promote standardization of distance education • inspire learning through international best practices
2009 World Conference on Higher Education• chances of ICT development for higher distance education: • web 2.0 for more interaction• media and ICT mix creates and improves learning opportunities
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UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers
Objectives• To constitute a common set of guidelines that professional development providers can use to identify, develop or evaluate learning materials or teacher training programs in the use of ICT in teaching and learning.
• To provide a basic set of qualifications that allows teachers to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning, to advance student learning, and to improve other professional duties.
• To extend teachers’ professional development so as to advance their skills in pedagogy, collaboration, leadership and innovative school development using ICT.
• To harmonize different views and vocabulary regarding the uses of ICT in teacher education www.unesco.org/en/competency-standards-teachers
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Thank you for your attention!
Günther CyranekAdviser for Communication and Information in MERCOSUR and ChileUNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean Montevideo, Uruguay
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