06. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 6 (PCF6), 2010
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Browsing 06. Pan-Commonwealth Forum 6 (PCF6), 2010 by Subject "Centres for Educational Technology"
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PublicationLinking corporate to community technology centers( 2010-11)Learning Links Foundation (LLF), a Delhi based not-for-profit organisation tries to provide a bridge between leading corporate houses and rural community technology centers. Since its inception in 2002, the foundation has successfully linked over 500 community technology centers with various corporate houses. The key strength of the Foundation lies in bringing international experience to solving local issues across geographical boundaries. // The Foundation sees the community technology as a national movement that sprung up around the country based on need and has now coalesced into a unified movement. The Foundation’s Community Development Initiatives cover a broad spectrum of activities across communities- children and professionals, through models that address critical issues affecting quality of life and the future of adolescents, children and adults. The focus is on developing an environment that will address the need continuum across - educational, social, life skills, recreational and workplace readiness for children, adults and communities. The community development initiatives are propagated through a community based environment outside the formal school setting and include learner curriculum and structured training for community centre staff. // Since 2004, the Foundation has been implementing programs for development of technology skills in children from the heart of rural India, extending learning opportunities beyond the classroom. The focus is on developing interest and helping the learners make connections with their own communities through technology driven projects. Over the past three years, the Foundation has trained more than 90,000 learners across 23 States and 4 Union Territories throughout India in partnerships models. // The vision of LLF’s programs is to foster partnerships between underserved communities and students in order to support holistic care. Over the past year, our team has been working to implement this for the several community groups in India and other parts of Asia. At the same time it has created opportunities for students from various disciplines to work and collaborate amongst each other in order to effectively advocate for vulnerable populations. This offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in learning and community education, tenets that help showing innovative pathways to the knowledge society. // We will share some case study based innovative ways of community outreach and development experiences which have been facilitated by LLF having close corporate linkages with some leading corporate houses like Intel, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, etc. We'll also discuss a variety of community technology programs, the many different ways they are funded and the creative ways they reach out to the community. -
PublicationSupporting Community Learning with Digital Technologies and Knowledge for Societal Development: Open and Distance Learning to Educate Rural Farmers by Enhanced Blended Learning Management System through School ICT Laboratory in Malaysia( 2010-11)Purpose – This research was attempted to examine the feasibility of open and distance learning on educating rural farmers in improving the quality of their knowledge and upgrading their livelihood through the school ICT Laboratory in the village vicinity. The rural farmers could use the internet facilities and connectivity of the school ICT laboratory not only to communicate but also to acquire knowledge on agriculture. The culture of using technologies in acquiring first hand agro knowledge and the fluctuating produces prices have great influence in determining the quality of their livelihood. // Design/ methodology/ approach – Five dimensions of enhancing open and distance learning to educate and improve livelihood of Malaysian farmers through the secondary school ICT laboratory (demographic, technology availability, rural farmers; learning culture and leadership of village chieftains) were examined to determine the success of supporting community learning in the digital age: enhancing open and distance learning to educate and improve livelihood of Malaysian farmers. // Finding - In general, there are significant differences among factors stated above which will upgrade the rural farmers’ livelihood and be competitive with their peers from other sectors. The usage of the school ICT laboratory by enhancing open and distance learning could be beneficial to the rural farmers by upgrading their knowledge on seeding, cloning, fertilization, proper usage of agro chemical and bio technology etc in fostering the production quality agriculture produces’ as well as avoiding the agro middleman’s preying when there is fluctuation of the agro produces price. In addition, the rural farmers could use the ICT facility to foster friendship, exchange of ideas and networking among their peers in the region. // Research limitations/ implications – This study represents an addition to the extant literature on supporting community learning in the digital age: enhancing open and distance learning to educate and improve livelihood of Malaysian rural farmers through the school ICT laboratory. // Practical implications – Enhancing digital technology in improving farmers’ livelihood is of paramount important in the upgrading of not only the farmers livelihood but national economy. It is utmost important for the maximization in the utilization of digital technologies provided by the government initiative to improve its efficiency and integrity on quality assure of ODL in producing quality human capital. // Originality/ value – This study provides further groundwork for the quality utilization of open and distance learning platform in educating rural farmers.
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PublicationWeb Centres for Rural PNG: For Socioeconomic and Rural Development( 2010-11)The international community has a high interest in implementing a development strategy that would be in accord with the resource-poor situation of developing countries and marginal areas. This strategy recognizes the potential enhancement of the different capacities in low-income areas that a significant increase in education and skills development by having access to information via information Centers would enable those marginal areas “to produce wealth”. Therefore, the establishment of Rural Community Web Centers would provide that shared access to education and information to Rural and marginal areas.