elearning_label_learning_and_society
Proiecte
Improving the use of Sign Language in Vocational Training for Deaf Persons in Europe
23 Martie 2003
Sign Language Europe (SLE) will address the issue of the integration of young deaf people into mainstream vocational training provision across Europe.
The project will establish a network of providers currently offering such provision and will further develop a short series of visualised modules for initial testing with vocational training providers.
The network of existing institutions and colleges providing courses for young people with hearing impairment will initially allow analyses to be undertaken as regards provision across the involved countries.
A study and series of interviews will be undergone across these institutions in order to prepare a position statement of the current level of provision.
Beyond this, four individual training modules will be created, in all partner languages (NL, EN & SK) in CD-Rom format, for piloting with the target group (i.e. mainstream providers of vocational training) and the results of this experimentation recorded in a final evaluation report.
The long-term impact of this project will be that of creating a permanent structure for collaboration between institutions able to respond to the demand from young deaf people wishing to undergo mainstream vocational training, in addition to the establishment of initial standards for the development of visualised training materials (based on sign language) for use by the target group.
The network of existing institutions and colleges providing courses for young people with hearing impairment will initially allow analyses to be undertaken as regards provision across the involved countries.
A study and series of interviews will be undergone across these institutions in order to prepare a position statement of the current level of provision.
Beyond this, four individual training modules will be created, in all partner languages (NL, EN & SK) in CD-Rom format, for piloting with the target group (i.e. mainstream providers of vocational training) and the results of this experimentation recorded in a final evaluation report.
The long-term impact of this project will be that of creating a permanent structure for collaboration between institutions able to respond to the demand from young deaf people wishing to undergo mainstream vocational training, in addition to the establishment of initial standards for the development of visualised training materials (based on sign language) for use by the target group.
Proiecte
Supporting Excellence in e-Learning
21 Martie 2003
SEEL is a consortium that will focus on the impact of quality assurance policies in e-learning at local and regional levels.
The SEEL initiative is a response to a growing recognition that learning in a knowledge economy and society probably requires the development of new skills, new visions and new models that will diverge from the traditional approaches whose roots were grown in the industrial society. This new e-learning environment will almost certainly require new quality assurance models in order to ensure that its full potential is exploited to the benefit of the broadest possible constituency.
At a practical level, the SEEL project will attempt to address the following concerns of regional stakeholders:
- How, as an authority in charge of a district or a region can I implement quality initiatives and how can I measure the impact of the policies in education and training?
- How, as an individual learner or parent, can I identify and assess – and contribute to - the quality of learning resources, programmes or services?
- How, as a producer, can I provide quality learning resources, programmes or services, and make them known to my clients and prospects?
- How, as a corporate or organisational buyer of learning products or services, can I obtain and implement quality learning services for my staff – or my constituency, if I’m a local, regional or national public service?
- How can we implement quality schemes while supporting change, innovation and creativity for improved organisational and individual learning and performance?
In order to measure the impact of the knowledge economy and society on quality assurance, SEEL will engage in a series of activities whose result will provide the information required to make informed decisions on quality assurance:
- Regional benchmarking: a comparative study of how different regional and local authorities implement quality assurance schemes in different European countries and an assessment of their current and potential impact on local and regional development.
- Pilot programmes: support for the implementation of existing quality assurance programmes in order to identify specifically cultural issues and evaluate the acceptability of transnational approaches, and the feasibility of a common approach to the quality of the different components of an elearning environment.
- Focus groups: consultation of regional policy makers and key actors in the field of education and human resource management on issues of quality assurance in such different dimensions as technical, organisational, people, resources and processes.
Dissemination of results will be carried out by
- Conference and seminars: online and physical conference will be held in co-operation with key actors from public and private sector. The first conference – Quality Policies for eLearning Regions and Cities will be held in Lisbon on 19-20 May 2003
- Guidelines: to disseminate the results of the SEEL project in a format that will be a practical tool for decision makers
- Quality award: to promote the importance of quality in the field of e-learning (to be awarded at the final conference in 2004)
- Newsletter: which will be a supplement to existing newsletters and publications
Project partners will work towards the creation of a network of regional resource centres on excellence in e-learning. This network will develop forward-looking models to assist local and regional authorities - key stakeholders in life long learning and policies – to deploy high quality learning infrastructure and services. This initiative will in turn make a major contribution to towards Europe’s being recognised as a leading provider of quality e-learning services and products. The first centre will be located in Poitiers, with the support of the Poitou-Charentes region.
SEEL is an open initiative and welcomes the participation of all those wishing to join the network.
At a practical level, the SEEL project will attempt to address the following concerns of regional stakeholders:
- How, as an authority in charge of a district or a region can I implement quality initiatives and how can I measure the impact of the policies in education and training?
- How, as an individual learner or parent, can I identify and assess – and contribute to - the quality of learning resources, programmes or services?
- How, as a producer, can I provide quality learning resources, programmes or services, and make them known to my clients and prospects?
- How, as a corporate or organisational buyer of learning products or services, can I obtain and implement quality learning services for my staff – or my constituency, if I’m a local, regional or national public service?
- How can we implement quality schemes while supporting change, innovation and creativity for improved organisational and individual learning and performance?
In order to measure the impact of the knowledge economy and society on quality assurance, SEEL will engage in a series of activities whose result will provide the information required to make informed decisions on quality assurance:
- Regional benchmarking: a comparative study of how different regional and local authorities implement quality assurance schemes in different European countries and an assessment of their current and potential impact on local and regional development.
- Pilot programmes: support for the implementation of existing quality assurance programmes in order to identify specifically cultural issues and evaluate the acceptability of transnational approaches, and the feasibility of a common approach to the quality of the different components of an elearning environment.
- Focus groups: consultation of regional policy makers and key actors in the field of education and human resource management on issues of quality assurance in such different dimensions as technical, organisational, people, resources and processes.
Dissemination of results will be carried out by
- Conference and seminars: online and physical conference will be held in co-operation with key actors from public and private sector. The first conference – Quality Policies for eLearning Regions and Cities will be held in Lisbon on 19-20 May 2003
- Guidelines: to disseminate the results of the SEEL project in a format that will be a practical tool for decision makers
- Quality award: to promote the importance of quality in the field of e-learning (to be awarded at the final conference in 2004)
- Newsletter: which will be a supplement to existing newsletters and publications
Project partners will work towards the creation of a network of regional resource centres on excellence in e-learning. This network will develop forward-looking models to assist local and regional authorities - key stakeholders in life long learning and policies – to deploy high quality learning infrastructure and services. This initiative will in turn make a major contribution to towards Europe’s being recognised as a leading provider of quality e-learning services and products. The first centre will be located in Poitiers, with the support of the Poitou-Charentes region.
SEEL is an open initiative and welcomes the participation of all those wishing to join the network.
Proiecte
European Quality Observatory
21 Martie 2003
The European Quality Observatory (EQO) is an internet-based repository implemented as a portal which will promote the use of appropriate quality management (QM), quality assurance (QA), and quality assessment (QS) concepts for E-Learning in different communities.
The main objective is to provide a central facility for developers, managers, administrators, decision makers, and end-users to find a suitable approach for their organizations’ needs. Especially national, regional, and local needs and requirements will be included in the observatory, leading to a European Quality Community. The main objectives can be summarized as following:
- Providing a conceptual framework for the description and harmonization of quality approaches.
- Implementing and developing of Standards: The project will be directly linked to standardization groups of CEN/ISSS (Workshop Learning Technologies) and ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36 in order to directly transfer results from standards committees to the users and vice versa. One of the main outputs is the development of a European Quality Framework, a harmonized reference model for E-Learning Quality.
- Providing an internet-based repository for quality management, quality assurance, and quality assessment approaches in the field of E-Learning.
- Structuring, comparing, and reusing quality approaches for the field of E-Learning.
- Providing recommendations for the use of quality management, quality assurance, and quality assessment approaches for various target groups (e.g., end users, HE administrators, developers) and for specific purposes (e.g., process improvement, product transparency, domain-specific purposes, national/regional/local needs).
- Providing services to support the implementation of quality approaches in organizations. Users will be able to use internet-based applications that they can implement quality approaches (such as process models, quality criteria) adapted to their context, objectives, and experiences.
- Establishing and supporting a European community of practice in order to reach a common understanding of the concept of “E-Learning Quality”.
The main steps towards a working community of practice and a complete repository can be described as following:
- Collection of Quality Approaches: In this phase, quality approaches (QM, QA, QS) shall be collected and described. The description will contain attributes, helping to classify the approach for search, retrieval, and adaptation purposes. This phase is based on the results of the CWA Quality Assurance of the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies, where a collection of approaches is already provided. Therefore, the focus is on reuse of quality approaches, not original research on this field.
- Conceptual Design/Classification of approaches: The approaches collected in phase 1 will be classified in a classification scheme which provides a structured approach to search and retrieval purposes. The classification scheme is also based on the classification of the CWA Quality Assurance of the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies. This classification contains the following attributes: general data (e.g., name, description, source), methodology, target groups, processes, results / products, assessment criteria, and standards. The European dimension of this project is obvious: Based on the diversity of approaches of and perspectives on quality, a transnational exchange of experiences and a harmonization is necessary. This project will generate a European quality community which will improve the quality of e-learning.
- Development of the quality repository, search engine and adaptation tool: Based on the classification, an intelligent search engine for quality approaches will be developed. Users will be able to submit, search, retrieve, and adapt quality approaches for their specific needs and purposes (e.g. searching for certain domains, adapting approaches for a certain organization, submitting own approaches). Furthermore, users will be able to add quality approaches to the observatory. The repository is based on a repository for thesauri, developed by EUN within the CEN/ISSS WS Learning Technologies. The most important function is the adaptation of quality approaches for users: users can adapt generic quality approaches (e.g., process models, product criteria) to the needs and requirements of their organization. This tool will enable developers, users, and decision makers to easily implement quality mechanisms in order to improve the quality of their E-Learning processes and products.
- Community and expertise: A community of practice (the users of the repository) will provide additional experiences and expertise for quality assurance approaches. By this dynamic approach, the exchange of experiences, evaluations, and expertise will be facilitated. The network will consist of users, organizations, and other networks creating, researching, or using quality assurance methods for E-Learning. Different topic-centred works-groups will be facilitated to improve specialized discussions.
- Evaluation: The repository will be continuously evaluated by external experts in order to improve the concepts and developments, but also the acceptance within the community.
The project will create a European community of practice and a valuable source of quality-related information and services. Combining the experience of the project consortium (University of Essen, European Schoolnet, MMB Institute, CERTH-ITI, Ecole Nationale de Ponts et Chausses) and the users, EQO will lead to a harmonization and increased use of quality approaches in Europe. The results will be directly transferred to the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies Standardization, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36, and to PROMETEUS. These liaisons are integral part of the project in order to transfer results to relevant research, practice, and standardization communities.
- Providing a conceptual framework for the description and harmonization of quality approaches.
- Implementing and developing of Standards: The project will be directly linked to standardization groups of CEN/ISSS (Workshop Learning Technologies) and ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36 in order to directly transfer results from standards committees to the users and vice versa. One of the main outputs is the development of a European Quality Framework, a harmonized reference model for E-Learning Quality.
- Providing an internet-based repository for quality management, quality assurance, and quality assessment approaches in the field of E-Learning.
- Structuring, comparing, and reusing quality approaches for the field of E-Learning.
- Providing recommendations for the use of quality management, quality assurance, and quality assessment approaches for various target groups (e.g., end users, HE administrators, developers) and for specific purposes (e.g., process improvement, product transparency, domain-specific purposes, national/regional/local needs).
- Providing services to support the implementation of quality approaches in organizations. Users will be able to use internet-based applications that they can implement quality approaches (such as process models, quality criteria) adapted to their context, objectives, and experiences.
- Establishing and supporting a European community of practice in order to reach a common understanding of the concept of “E-Learning Quality”.
The main steps towards a working community of practice and a complete repository can be described as following:
- Collection of Quality Approaches: In this phase, quality approaches (QM, QA, QS) shall be collected and described. The description will contain attributes, helping to classify the approach for search, retrieval, and adaptation purposes. This phase is based on the results of the CWA Quality Assurance of the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies, where a collection of approaches is already provided. Therefore, the focus is on reuse of quality approaches, not original research on this field.
- Conceptual Design/Classification of approaches: The approaches collected in phase 1 will be classified in a classification scheme which provides a structured approach to search and retrieval purposes. The classification scheme is also based on the classification of the CWA Quality Assurance of the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies. This classification contains the following attributes: general data (e.g., name, description, source), methodology, target groups, processes, results / products, assessment criteria, and standards. The European dimension of this project is obvious: Based on the diversity of approaches of and perspectives on quality, a transnational exchange of experiences and a harmonization is necessary. This project will generate a European quality community which will improve the quality of e-learning.
- Development of the quality repository, search engine and adaptation tool: Based on the classification, an intelligent search engine for quality approaches will be developed. Users will be able to submit, search, retrieve, and adapt quality approaches for their specific needs and purposes (e.g. searching for certain domains, adapting approaches for a certain organization, submitting own approaches). Furthermore, users will be able to add quality approaches to the observatory. The repository is based on a repository for thesauri, developed by EUN within the CEN/ISSS WS Learning Technologies. The most important function is the adaptation of quality approaches for users: users can adapt generic quality approaches (e.g., process models, product criteria) to the needs and requirements of their organization. This tool will enable developers, users, and decision makers to easily implement quality mechanisms in order to improve the quality of their E-Learning processes and products.
- Community and expertise: A community of practice (the users of the repository) will provide additional experiences and expertise for quality assurance approaches. By this dynamic approach, the exchange of experiences, evaluations, and expertise will be facilitated. The network will consist of users, organizations, and other networks creating, researching, or using quality assurance methods for E-Learning. Different topic-centred works-groups will be facilitated to improve specialized discussions.
- Evaluation: The repository will be continuously evaluated by external experts in order to improve the concepts and developments, but also the acceptance within the community.
The project will create a European community of practice and a valuable source of quality-related information and services. Combining the experience of the project consortium (University of Essen, European Schoolnet, MMB Institute, CERTH-ITI, Ecole Nationale de Ponts et Chausses) and the users, EQO will lead to a harmonization and increased use of quality approaches in Europe. The results will be directly transferred to the CEN/ISSS Workshop Learning Technologies Standardization, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36, and to PROMETEUS. These liaisons are integral part of the project in order to transfer results to relevant research, practice, and standardization communities.
Proiecte
European Social Enterprise Training
20 Martie 2003
It will improve the quality and level of availability of training related to employees within Third Sector organisations (non-profit organisations providing public utility services).
Building upon the results of the previously funded Frontiera project, EuroSET will undergo an initial skills analysis across the partner countries with the results influencing the development of a common European training model.
The project will introduce a training structure for Third Sector employees, to comprise; cluster training (to meet common staff training needs), enhanced access to both ongoing and university-level training and in-sector harmonisation of both educational and vocational training.
Outputs will include; a report on existing levels of training and on training needs, a dedicated project website, a network of relevant training bodies and Third Sector organisations (to encourage interaction and thus the availability of demand led education and training) and a specialised training module aimed at improving professional skills across personnel in the Third Sector.
All products and materials will be produced in both printed and electronic format and in all partner languages (IT, DE, DA, ES, SV, CZ & SI). Dissemination of the results is proposed through use of existing partner networks (and respective websites), through the production and distribution of printed publicity materials and through the release of articles to relevant press and journals.
The project will introduce a training structure for Third Sector employees, to comprise; cluster training (to meet common staff training needs), enhanced access to both ongoing and university-level training and in-sector harmonisation of both educational and vocational training.
Outputs will include; a report on existing levels of training and on training needs, a dedicated project website, a network of relevant training bodies and Third Sector organisations (to encourage interaction and thus the availability of demand led education and training) and a specialised training module aimed at improving professional skills across personnel in the Third Sector.
All products and materials will be produced in both printed and electronic format and in all partner languages (IT, DE, DA, ES, SV, CZ & SI). Dissemination of the results is proposed through use of existing partner networks (and respective websites), through the production and distribution of printed publicity materials and through the release of articles to relevant press and journals.
Articole
World Practices and Projects for e-Inclusion
17 Iunie 2005
This article provides concrete examples on initiatives running to bridge the gap between "the have" and "the have not" in the knowledge society.
On 11-12 December 2002, in Rome, a workshop on e-inclusion brought together representatives of organisations working to help reduce the digital divide in the world. The workshop aimed to enhance the so-called Global e-Inclusion Movement (GeM).
In this meeting, the participants identified forteen areas of e-inclusion activity. In this article we summarize the 10 first areas providing concrete examples on initiatives running currently on each one. The whole 14 activity areas, as well as the purpose and strategy for enhancing the Global e-Inclusion Movement, could be consulted through the attached document "Report for Post-Workshop (Rome) Development of the Global eInclusion Movement".
1. ICT recycling
Many people and organizations give away ‘obsolete’ IT equipment. The task for the GeM is to support the scaling up and beneficial impact of this activity to the maximum and for the benefit of as many excluded people as possible. This means collecting, transporting and supporting the effective implementation of the IT equipment in a context of capacity-development (e.g, capacity for adaptation to local conditions, use, maintenance, repair, and training).
Organizations such as Computer Aid Initiative and World Computer Exchange help to collect and transport IT equipment to places where it will again play a useful task.
2. School twinning today
It is common for cities and schools to twin i.e., establish relationships with a spirit of partnership to support and learn from each other through exchange visits and support to specific programmes of action. This concept has huge potential for global scaling up by:
· expanding what is happening already to the maximum potential;
· expanding the concept to other areas of activity such as higher education, health and even business and NGOs.
The Global Teenager Project enhance secondary pupils ICT skills and while increasing their understanding of other cultures by staging lively, global classroom debates in cyberspace. Digital Partners’ Global Classmates is a platform by which classrooms all over the world are working with each other and creating global understanding. NetAid World Schoolhouse connects people and organizations to projects that are putting more of the world's children into school.
3. Business relations for e-inclusion
This action space seeks to scale up and build on actions of importance for e-inclusion already implemented by the private sector. At least two generic lines of action can be distinguished:
· Business knowledge-support and funding by philanthropic entrepreneurs or organizations, focused on supporting business plan and development of e-inclusion grassroot projects. This kind of action is implemented by organizations such as Digital Partners, Development Space or the Global Youth Incubator (GYI) created by the Digital Youth Consortium in partnership with the Glocal Forum.
· Win-Win e-inclusion value networks, focused on exploiting opportunities to contribute gainfully to e-inclusion in the local and international value chains or networks of every type of organization. A example is provided by the company Datamation India, a leading IT services firm that decided to pursue a systematic programme of employment opportunities for poor and needy women trained in ICT. The e-inclusionsite.org uses e-commerce/e-advertising principles to raise funding for projects from poor areas of the world, where the site sponsors are effectively buying web advertising and potential click-throughs from the visitors to the website who click out of their support for the cause of e-Inclusion.
4. Learning environment on e-inclusion innovation and entrepreneurship
This e-inclusion learning space is focused on helping build systematically strategic innovation and entrepreneurship capacities of e-inclusion grassroot projects and, more widely, of all those people in leadership and influential positions in all types of organizations concerned with social responsibility for a better world.
Santa Clara University, for instance, will implement a three-week training course on entrepreneurship for the seven grass-root projects from poor countries selected by the Global Junior Challenge in December 2002. This course aims at increasing the entrepreneurial and business capacity of the projects. In the same vein, Stanford’s Digital Vision runs a fellowship programme that offers “outstanding technologists the opportunity to come to the campus of Stanford University”. This educational work and other conducted in many other parts of the world can act as the foundation for the development of a systematic learning environment focused on innovation and entrepreneurship for e-inclusion. For instance, there are various organizations that collect ICT best-practice stories: OneWorld, IICD, Development Gateway, Bytes for All, Association for Progressive Communications, Global Knowledge Partnership, Benton Foundation, Digital Partners and Youth Creating Digital Opportunities.
5. e-Volunteering for e-inclusion
This e-inclusion volunteer space is focused on joining forces to expand systematically and to the maximum expression the enormous potential of e-volunteering activity. Inside the environment of the global movement, e-volunteering clearly has synergies with, for instance, “university twinning” and “environmental ICT recycling”.
NetAid Online Volunteering, for instance, connects volunteers to poverty-fighting organizations around the world via the Internet It offers opportunities to do volunteer research, writing, programming, networking and other activities without leaving hom. Also, UNVolunteers and NetAid support experienced individuals who desire to help e-inclusion grassroot projects by spending a period of time (six months to a year) attached to some specific project in a developing country. Furthermore, the concept has now evolved towards the promotion of networks of universities that are willing to work together and provide resources to expand the reach of e-volunteering for the benefit of poor areas of the world.
6. e-Government for e-inclusion (e-Citizenship for All)
This e-government for e-inclusion space is focused on joining forces o work and promote the implementation of e-government to strengthen e-democracy and e-citizenship for all, including transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation at all levels of government.
Organizations such as Bytes for All and the Development Gateway have worked extensively on e-government collecting information and best practices as well as stimulating discussions. Cities and Regions Associations such as Telecities and ERIS@ are also working on e-government and e-inclusion with Telecities recently launching an award on “e-Citizenship for All.” In addition, the European Commission has funded various programmes, although the e-inclusion focus has been poor. At the moment a CEC new call for projects proposals on e-government is open.
7. Free/open software for e-inclusion.
This e-inclusion space is focused on joining forces to work and promote the development and implementation of free/open source software (FOSS) for e-inclusion. It is closely linked to e-government in that many governments are implementing, planning or considering adopting FOSS.
For e-inclusion it is clear that FOSS is intrinsically more inclusive than proprietary software and has much larger potential for software capacity development and hence employment in developing countries. Many organizations are working on FOSS and a European project involving three European networks of cities and regions is in the process of creating a FOSS constituency focused on e-government. This constituency will prepare a workprogramme to be presented to the CEC for potential funding in year 2004. Contacts have already been established –or are in the process of being established- with other key organizations such as the Free Software Foundation and emerging processes such as the Free Software Consortium.
8. Awards for e-inclusion (Many challenges, one spirit)
This “awards for e-inclusion space” is focused on the systematic identification of synergies and collaboration between all Challenges and other awards to enhance the impact of the value delivered to projects.
Some examples are the Stockholm Challenge Award, the Global Junior Challenge, and The Tech Museum Awards that were able to provide greater value to winning projects, particularly from poor areas of the world. It is also the case for the Technology Empowerment Network that uses the Challenges to select projects from poor areas of the world and helps mobilize support for them through its extensive network of members.
9. World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) for e-inclusion (up to 2005)
This “WSIS for e-inclusion space” is focused on the exploitation of synergies between the GeM and the WSIS process leading to Geneva, December 2003. The aims are:
· participating and influencing the information-society agendas of governments and other high-level forums on the information society;
· enhancing the opportunities and impact of value delivered to grassroot projects through the promotion of appropriate governance and concrete programme of actions.
For the e-inclusion movement the WSIS provides an important forum to present and promote the process. In fact, at Geneva, the youth are also organizing an Arts Expo to be permanently exhibited at the website of TakingITGlobal. And even prior to Geneva, this Arts Expo will be exhibited in France in August in an event organized by AnimaFac. For the future, the aim is for the Arts Expo to become a permanet hub for young artists and a global platform for regional/local cultural diversities.
10. Fund-raising for e-inclusion
This action space focuses on the identification of sources, preparation of strategies for fund-raising and definition of norms and procedures to ensure transparency, accountability and best value to and from all projects and activities associated to the movement. An important concept of the fund raising is the clicking mechanism that combines elements of e-advertising with awareness raising and donation.
A major role can be played here by national and international organizations that run programmes that may include funding for e-inclusion projects such as CEC, InfoDev, Development Gateway, UNDP, various foundations and others.
In this meeting, the participants identified forteen areas of e-inclusion activity. In this article we summarize the 10 first areas providing concrete examples on initiatives running currently on each one. The whole 14 activity areas, as well as the purpose and strategy for enhancing the Global e-Inclusion Movement, could be consulted through the attached document "Report for Post-Workshop (Rome) Development of the Global eInclusion Movement".
1. ICT recycling
Many people and organizations give away ‘obsolete’ IT equipment. The task for the GeM is to support the scaling up and beneficial impact of this activity to the maximum and for the benefit of as many excluded people as possible. This means collecting, transporting and supporting the effective implementation of the IT equipment in a context of capacity-development (e.g, capacity for adaptation to local conditions, use, maintenance, repair, and training).
Organizations such as Computer Aid Initiative and World Computer Exchange help to collect and transport IT equipment to places where it will again play a useful task.
2. School twinning today
It is common for cities and schools to twin i.e., establish relationships with a spirit of partnership to support and learn from each other through exchange visits and support to specific programmes of action. This concept has huge potential for global scaling up by:
· expanding what is happening already to the maximum potential;
· expanding the concept to other areas of activity such as higher education, health and even business and NGOs.
The Global Teenager Project enhance secondary pupils ICT skills and while increasing their understanding of other cultures by staging lively, global classroom debates in cyberspace. Digital Partners’ Global Classmates is a platform by which classrooms all over the world are working with each other and creating global understanding. NetAid World Schoolhouse connects people and organizations to projects that are putting more of the world's children into school.
3. Business relations for e-inclusion
This action space seeks to scale up and build on actions of importance for e-inclusion already implemented by the private sector. At least two generic lines of action can be distinguished:
· Business knowledge-support and funding by philanthropic entrepreneurs or organizations, focused on supporting business plan and development of e-inclusion grassroot projects. This kind of action is implemented by organizations such as Digital Partners, Development Space or the Global Youth Incubator (GYI) created by the Digital Youth Consortium in partnership with the Glocal Forum.
· Win-Win e-inclusion value networks, focused on exploiting opportunities to contribute gainfully to e-inclusion in the local and international value chains or networks of every type of organization. A example is provided by the company Datamation India, a leading IT services firm that decided to pursue a systematic programme of employment opportunities for poor and needy women trained in ICT. The e-inclusionsite.org uses e-commerce/e-advertising principles to raise funding for projects from poor areas of the world, where the site sponsors are effectively buying web advertising and potential click-throughs from the visitors to the website who click out of their support for the cause of e-Inclusion.
4. Learning environment on e-inclusion innovation and entrepreneurship
This e-inclusion learning space is focused on helping build systematically strategic innovation and entrepreneurship capacities of e-inclusion grassroot projects and, more widely, of all those people in leadership and influential positions in all types of organizations concerned with social responsibility for a better world.
Santa Clara University, for instance, will implement a three-week training course on entrepreneurship for the seven grass-root projects from poor countries selected by the Global Junior Challenge in December 2002. This course aims at increasing the entrepreneurial and business capacity of the projects. In the same vein, Stanford’s Digital Vision runs a fellowship programme that offers “outstanding technologists the opportunity to come to the campus of Stanford University”. This educational work and other conducted in many other parts of the world can act as the foundation for the development of a systematic learning environment focused on innovation and entrepreneurship for e-inclusion. For instance, there are various organizations that collect ICT best-practice stories: OneWorld, IICD, Development Gateway, Bytes for All, Association for Progressive Communications, Global Knowledge Partnership, Benton Foundation, Digital Partners and Youth Creating Digital Opportunities.
5. e-Volunteering for e-inclusion
This e-inclusion volunteer space is focused on joining forces to expand systematically and to the maximum expression the enormous potential of e-volunteering activity. Inside the environment of the global movement, e-volunteering clearly has synergies with, for instance, “university twinning” and “environmental ICT recycling”.
NetAid Online Volunteering, for instance, connects volunteers to poverty-fighting organizations around the world via the Internet It offers opportunities to do volunteer research, writing, programming, networking and other activities without leaving hom. Also, UNVolunteers and NetAid support experienced individuals who desire to help e-inclusion grassroot projects by spending a period of time (six months to a year) attached to some specific project in a developing country. Furthermore, the concept has now evolved towards the promotion of networks of universities that are willing to work together and provide resources to expand the reach of e-volunteering for the benefit of poor areas of the world.
6. e-Government for e-inclusion (e-Citizenship for All)
This e-government for e-inclusion space is focused on joining forces o work and promote the implementation of e-government to strengthen e-democracy and e-citizenship for all, including transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation at all levels of government.
Organizations such as Bytes for All and the Development Gateway have worked extensively on e-government collecting information and best practices as well as stimulating discussions. Cities and Regions Associations such as Telecities and ERIS@ are also working on e-government and e-inclusion with Telecities recently launching an award on “e-Citizenship for All.” In addition, the European Commission has funded various programmes, although the e-inclusion focus has been poor. At the moment a CEC new call for projects proposals on e-government is open.
7. Free/open software for e-inclusion.
This e-inclusion space is focused on joining forces to work and promote the development and implementation of free/open source software (FOSS) for e-inclusion. It is closely linked to e-government in that many governments are implementing, planning or considering adopting FOSS.
For e-inclusion it is clear that FOSS is intrinsically more inclusive than proprietary software and has much larger potential for software capacity development and hence employment in developing countries. Many organizations are working on FOSS and a European project involving three European networks of cities and regions is in the process of creating a FOSS constituency focused on e-government. This constituency will prepare a workprogramme to be presented to the CEC for potential funding in year 2004. Contacts have already been established –or are in the process of being established- with other key organizations such as the Free Software Foundation and emerging processes such as the Free Software Consortium.
8. Awards for e-inclusion (Many challenges, one spirit)
This “awards for e-inclusion space” is focused on the systematic identification of synergies and collaboration between all Challenges and other awards to enhance the impact of the value delivered to projects.
Some examples are the Stockholm Challenge Award, the Global Junior Challenge, and The Tech Museum Awards that were able to provide greater value to winning projects, particularly from poor areas of the world. It is also the case for the Technology Empowerment Network that uses the Challenges to select projects from poor areas of the world and helps mobilize support for them through its extensive network of members.
9. World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) for e-inclusion (up to 2005)
This “WSIS for e-inclusion space” is focused on the exploitation of synergies between the GeM and the WSIS process leading to Geneva, December 2003. The aims are:
· participating and influencing the information-society agendas of governments and other high-level forums on the information society;
· enhancing the opportunities and impact of value delivered to grassroot projects through the promotion of appropriate governance and concrete programme of actions.
For the e-inclusion movement the WSIS provides an important forum to present and promote the process. In fact, at Geneva, the youth are also organizing an Arts Expo to be permanently exhibited at the website of TakingITGlobal. And even prior to Geneva, this Arts Expo will be exhibited in France in August in an event organized by AnimaFac. For the future, the aim is for the Arts Expo to become a permanet hub for young artists and a global platform for regional/local cultural diversities.
10. Fund-raising for e-inclusion
This action space focuses on the identification of sources, preparation of strategies for fund-raising and definition of norms and procedures to ensure transparency, accountability and best value to and from all projects and activities associated to the movement. An important concept of the fund raising is the clicking mechanism that combines elements of e-advertising with awareness raising and donation.
A major role can be played here by national and international organizations that run programmes that may include funding for e-inclusion projects such as CEC, InfoDev, Development Gateway, UNDP, various foundations and others.
Proiecte
A European Training Model for the auto-production of Music via the Internet
18 Martie 2003
The MUSINET project will design and introduce a professional profile and series of training modules relating to the auto-production of music through web-based technology.
Project activities will include; analysis of existing provision concerning the auto-production of music and the creation of training materials (printed, CD-Rom and internet-based) in IT, ES, FR & EN.
Project results will comprise actual training modules for use by individuals, training organisations and those responsible for the design and implementation of training plus potential validation of both the profile and actual training modules.
It is expected that the methodology and structures, once established, will be easily able to be adapted to other industry sectors and as such, a wide range of dissemination activities are planned to both the public sector and to other stakeholders interested in the potential results of the project.
Project results will comprise actual training modules for use by individuals, training organisations and those responsible for the design and implementation of training plus potential validation of both the profile and actual training modules.
It is expected that the methodology and structures, once established, will be easily able to be adapted to other industry sectors and as such, a wide range of dissemination activities are planned to both the public sector and to other stakeholders interested in the potential results of the project.
Proiecte
Creation of a Model Partnership for the Effective Management of the Social Impact of Environmental Policy
18 Martie 2003
PAPAIS aims to establish and pilot a training package and model partnership to encourage more effective management of the impact of sustainable environmental policies.
The project will actively promote debate amongst the primary target groups, to comprise regional decision-makers, managers of SMEs, officials and directors of both public and private enterprises.
Debate will focus upon the need to establish standard methodology regarding Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and the need to evaluate social and economic impact following the introduction of environmental policies.
The partnership will further investigate best practice in the field of both environmental risk & conflict management and will undergo comparison of results across partner countries with the final aim of publishing these results
Further collation, preparation and analysis of associated documentation will take place to create a final electronic bibliography (checklist) for production in IT, EN & ES. A series of organisational models, strategies and practices will be established to inform upon potential procedures and methodologies able to further encourage the active participation of citizens in the decision-making process.
A further skills analysis will be undertaken to detect the training needs, for the primary target group (in working with the public).
To meet the identified training needs a flexible (adaptable) modular training model will be introduced to contribute to the re-qualification of the target sector (to be produced on both CD-Rom and via a project website to encourage ODL).
Tutor support is also expected to be available upon the release of the final product. Piloting of the training is to take place, with findings influencing the final project result (use will be made of the Delphi technique in assessing the outcomes of the pilot exercise).
Awareness-raising activities are planned to include a series of seminars & workshops and the circulation aforementioned printed and electronic materials.
Debate will focus upon the need to establish standard methodology regarding Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and the need to evaluate social and economic impact following the introduction of environmental policies.
The partnership will further investigate best practice in the field of both environmental risk & conflict management and will undergo comparison of results across partner countries with the final aim of publishing these results
Further collation, preparation and analysis of associated documentation will take place to create a final electronic bibliography (checklist) for production in IT, EN & ES. A series of organisational models, strategies and practices will be established to inform upon potential procedures and methodologies able to further encourage the active participation of citizens in the decision-making process.
A further skills analysis will be undertaken to detect the training needs, for the primary target group (in working with the public).
To meet the identified training needs a flexible (adaptable) modular training model will be introduced to contribute to the re-qualification of the target sector (to be produced on both CD-Rom and via a project website to encourage ODL).
Tutor support is also expected to be available upon the release of the final product. Piloting of the training is to take place, with findings influencing the final project result (use will be made of the Delphi technique in assessing the outcomes of the pilot exercise).
Awareness-raising activities are planned to include a series of seminars & workshops and the circulation aforementioned printed and electronic materials.
Proiecte
Development Relationship in European Apprenticeship Methodologies to Join Organisational Best Practices
18 Martie 2003
The project will develop a permanent CentreEuropean Resource for the collection of best practices in training
The DREAM JOB project aims to create a common European model with regard to apprenticeship level training and will establish a permanent CentreEuropean Resource for the collection, synthesis and transfer of approaches, methodologies, tools & experiences considered as best practice in the this field.
The principal products of the project are in the establishment of a European Resource Centre Network (to support the activities of trainers & operators within apprenticeship level training), the comparison and compilation of European experience with regard to existing apprenticeship training and the introduction of a virtual library & common language glossary for apprenticeship training practitioners.
Target groups include trainers & vocational counsellors (able to have continuous access to European best practice & experience and being able to participate in a network of practitioners), SMEs (particularly human resources experts), vocational policy makers and individual trainees (having access to information, materials and support, via the Resource Centre network, with regard to potential employment).
Dissemination of project results is to take place through development of a dedicated information portal (web-based) to act as a common communication and information platform able to distribute the eventual outcomes, achievements and individual materials as produced within the DREAM JOB project.
The principal products of the project are in the establishment of a European Resource Centre Network (to support the activities of trainers & operators within apprenticeship level training), the comparison and compilation of European experience with regard to existing apprenticeship training and the introduction of a virtual library & common language glossary for apprenticeship training practitioners.
Target groups include trainers & vocational counsellors (able to have continuous access to European best practice & experience and being able to participate in a network of practitioners), SMEs (particularly human resources experts), vocational policy makers and individual trainees (having access to information, materials and support, via the Resource Centre network, with regard to potential employment).
Dissemination of project results is to take place through development of a dedicated information portal (web-based) to act as a common communication and information platform able to distribute the eventual outcomes, achievements and individual materials as produced within the DREAM JOB project.
Proiecte
European Compendium of Words in the Water Sector
17 Martie 2003
The AQUA'Lingua project is designed to create a language learning tool for water professionals.
Professionals in the water sector have a water-specific vocabulary (water supply, purification of urban, rural and industrial effluent, and the integrated management of water resources).
Foreign language courses do not include the specialised vocabulary. To its end the partnership includes sectoral players and participants, covering 17 European languages (11 official languages of the EU and 6 languages of the applicant countries: e.g. BG, CZ, HU, PL, RO, SK).
Hence a compendium of words and terms will be developed on the Internet. It will be based on a visual approach with the aid of drawings and photographs; the pronunciation will be attached in a sound file.
The 17 languages will be treated simultaneously, and access to the site will be free of charge from the very start. Interactivity will permit users who are not members of the partnership to provide input for the glossary.
The partners are committed to disseminating information on the project results via their networks and Internet sites, by writing regular articles or contributions, and via communications in the specialist press and professional fairs.
Foreign language courses do not include the specialised vocabulary. To its end the partnership includes sectoral players and participants, covering 17 European languages (11 official languages of the EU and 6 languages of the applicant countries: e.g. BG, CZ, HU, PL, RO, SK).
Hence a compendium of words and terms will be developed on the Internet. It will be based on a visual approach with the aid of drawings and photographs; the pronunciation will be attached in a sound file.
The 17 languages will be treated simultaneously, and access to the site will be free of charge from the very start. Interactivity will permit users who are not members of the partnership to provide input for the glossary.
The partners are committed to disseminating information on the project results via their networks and Internet sites, by writing regular articles or contributions, and via communications in the specialist press and professional fairs.
Proiecte
System for on-line pre-certification of language skills
16 Martie 2003
The project is a follow-up to an earlier Leonardo da Vinci project called 'Open Sesame' on the evaluation of the descriptors of language skills in a professional environment.
It aims to validate the results of the 'Open Sesame' project with the aid of the final users and to ensure optimal accessibility and dissemination thereof among the latter as well as the widest possible reciprocity as regards the transnational recognition of language skills in a professional environment and the integration of the specific features of the certification systems of each of the partner countries.
The project's results and products will include (a) documents describing the validation phase and (b) electronic or on-line tools.
The tools should facilitate access to vocational training in languages and the recognition of professional language skills.
The project beneficiaries will include learners, employees or job seekers who wish to identify and validate their language skills; personnel and training staff who wish to develop profiles of specific language skills; and firms and institutions who need evaluation tools.
The results will be disseminated via presentation of the progress made halfway through the project, a national conference in each of the partner countries and a final international conference in Brussels.
The project's results and products will include (a) documents describing the validation phase and (b) electronic or on-line tools.
The tools should facilitate access to vocational training in languages and the recognition of professional language skills.
The project beneficiaries will include learners, employees or job seekers who wish to identify and validate their language skills; personnel and training staff who wish to develop profiles of specific language skills; and firms and institutions who need evaluation tools.
The results will be disseminated via presentation of the progress made halfway through the project, a national conference in each of the partner countries and a final international conference in Brussels.