|
|
|
|
ANNEX 5
UN ICT Task Force Working Group 3 Global eSchools Initiative Mainstreaming ICT into the Community For Discussion Purposes OverviewThe Task Force functions as a facilitating, catalytic and advisory body that serves as a bridge between the ICT and development communities. As such the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a key area for the TF and its Working Groups in that it can play an important role in providing policy guidance on the area of ICT and development for the Summit. Indeed, the TF should provide substantive input to the WSIS and to its preparatory process. It will be crucial to raise political awareness and make the case for ICT and Development, particularly with regard to the catalytic role of ICT in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Therefore, the TF proposes a high profile initiative that can be adopted by the Heads of Government at the WSIS. The initiative encourages all the TF Working Groups (WG) to work together towards a common goal that (can be announced at the WSIS 2003 and, if implemented) will have a comprehensive, positive impact on the manner in which development assistance is delivered as a result of the enabling role of ICT. Proposal: The Global eSchools Initiative - Mainstreaming ICT into CommunityTo connect xx % of local communities, within developing regions, to the Internet by 2015 utilising region wide educational/community infrastructure. Providing access to the Internet utilising the educational/community infrastructure would be an action-orientated, highly beneficial and a tangible method of addressing a number of MDGs objectives through the utilisation of ICT as a facilitator of educational, societal and economic development. Within this proposal it is envisaged that the educational/community infrastructure, i.e. schools, will act as Internet and ICT access points for local communities. This serves the development goals of (1) quality education for all and (2) the mainstreaming of ICT into community. In economic terms this proposal is justifiable due to the broader societal dimension (as a basis for investments), including other government efforts such as providing infrastructure, alleviating poverty, democratisation etcetera. It is a large-scale initiative, which the unique nature of the UN ICT TF can help catalyse and support, aiming to include xx % of local communities from all developing countries in this initiative by the year 2015 (to coincide with the initial target dates of the MDGs). Key supporting ideas:-Some smaller-scale projects have been carried out and others are in progress (therefore there is an existing basis for reference and “spring boarding”), but needs are higher by orders of magnitude on what has been achieved to date. -There is an opportunity to achieve various dimensions of sustainability for such an initiative: social (demand), institutional (commitments) and economic (low level of investment). -Investing in community and education is coherent with the approach of “Planning for Future Issues, Using Future Assets”. -Beneficial wider impact on communities from integrating ICT into schools: •Students and teachers will build awareness and transmit benefits of ICT to their immediate environment (family, friends, business) •ICT infrastructure (including telecommunications) can also help serve other developmental needs of communities (health, access to markets, eGovernment services, etc.). -There is a multi-stakeholder approach (governments from North and South, development agencies, local institutions, civil society organisations, private sector, academia, media, etc.); everyone has a role to play. -There is a strong developmental perspective: the eSchools Initiative can display linkages to the majority of MDGs. For example, it can make substantial contributions to the global efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. If the eSchools initiative were successful in implementation, it would provide a basis in terms of best practice and lessons learnt for other important initiatives where ICT is utilised, as noted not only for educational and the mainstreaming of ICT into the community purposes but also for other MDGs such as health and poverty reduction. The WSIS also offers an excellent platform to achieve political buy-in for the eSchools initiative. It could be flagged to leaders after the Prepcom, February 2003 and formally announced at the Geneva 2003 WSIS event. It would provide world leaders, from the public and private sectors, assembled at WSIS with an opportunity to highlight their strong commitment to community development/education and to establish a firm link between ICT and their use for educational and development purposes. By setting a simple yet hugely challenging target such as the eSchools, it should be possible to motivate governments, business and civil society towards a common task that could have an extremely positive impact. The challenge should generate a high level of enthusiasm across the various sectors. What does the Task Force need to do?Supported (resources/funding) by a number of Working groups a study should be undertaken by the TF to examine the potential/need and viability for such an initiative as eSchools - Mainstreaming ICT into the Community. If the findings of the study are positive, the Task Force should agree the target and then request each WG to address how to achieve this target as part of their work specifically looking at the areas within their own ambit. Each WG will, of course, continue to deal with the many other issues as already identified. (Note: This proposal is developed with the full realisation that to a large extent a significant number of children within developing regions are not in schools, especially if they belong to excluded groups. Indeed, most of the e-learning initiatives so far have put ICT into richer schools or those that, following the first point, do not reach excluded groups. Because of the relative value of the knowledge carried by ICT every child with access to it is relatively advantaged over those without. For these reasons, a concerted attempt to meet MDG learning targets should focus on developing new models of community based, ICT supported learning relying on mutual self help and local content, especially traditional modes of teaching (story telling, etc.) These could be developed, as with other forms of community ICT access, in association with the private sector on a sustainable basis It is realised that several initiatives such as eSchools are currently been undertaken. These include the Commonwealth of Learning Electronic Network for Schools and Education (CENSE), Canada’s Schoolnet, Africa Schoolnet, the World Bank’s Global Development Learning Network (GDLN), the Ausaid/World Bank Colombo Plan and the UK Government’s Imfundo project. eSchools could act as the catalytic force that pulls all the separate initiatives together to promote ICT and community development/education). January 2003
B. At the national level, University ICT and Education Volunteer programmes would allow for students to serve their internships or thesis work (typically for a semester or a year) to build teachers capacity, after having gone through special training at the university. These students would then help implement “train-the-trainers” schemes, at primary and secondary schools. C. At the local level, teachers that had already gained skills to properly integrate ICTs into the learning process would help train other teachers. ICT-savvy students would also support in their own schools as well as in supporting community needs for ICT capacity-building. D. Online Volunteers would also be involved around the world, through services like UNV’s Online Volunteering (through the NetAid web site) in support of the entire initiative. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
