Déjà utilisé dans le secteur artisanal pour l’échange d’informations sur les prix des récoltes par exemple, l’utilisation du mobile en Afrique dépasse de loin le simple coup de fil. Via les services de SMS notamment, il est aussi devenu une arme politique très efficace dans les situations de crise.
Lire plus : http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/106/article_74157.asp
Posted under Education, Entrepreneurship, Internet, Mobile Learning
This post was written by admin on November 20, 2008
President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda both received the “Committed to Connecting the World Award.” The two leaders have devoted enormous time and resources to help extend ICT access within their nations and have promoted the benefits of these technologies to leaders and decision-makers around the world, according to ITU secretary-general Hamadoun Touré.
“Over the past five years, both Burkina Faso and Rwanda have increased their ICT penetration more than four-fold and now rank among the most exciting emerging markets for investors and ICT network and service developers,” Touré said. “Through the efforts of these two leaders, ICTs are playing a critical role in supporting social and economic transformation and creating a conducive climate for rapid growth.”
The ITU scribe then charged other leaders to follow suit: “I hope the success of your efforts will inspire others to follow in your footsteps and harness the power of ICTs to drive development and to help all nations achieve their MDGs,” he said.
Read more: http://www.cio.com/article/462625/ITU_Awards_Two_African_Leaders_for_ICT_Development
This post was written by admin on November 19, 2008
Computers are increasingly ubiquitous in the developing world as software and internet companies create operating systems, computing programmes, and web-based portals in hundreds of indigenous languages.
Following the rapid growth of local-language technology in mobile phones and open-source programmes, many software and internet companies are scrambling to gain a foothold in these markets.
Microsoft already offers its flagship Windows and Office products in about 40 different languages, including Arabic and French. But the US software giant is also developing what it calls “interface packs”. The free downloads are now available in 37 additional indigenous languages, including isiZulu (South Africa), Quechua (Andes region) and Inuktitut (rural Canada).
“I know English and have studied at a dual-medium school [in both English and Zulu], but there are some things I will only know in Zulu,” he said. “For example, I know immediately that imibhala yami means ‘my documents’ or the place where I put all my work, because I don’t have to translate it in my head.”
Advocates promoting local languages and cultures agree. “Technology using indigenous languages is important because then you are dealing with something you know, whereas in translation you lose a lot. Your mind is liberated to bring your own innovation and ideas,” said Gaboile Tiro, deputy director of policy at the National Indigenous Knowledge Systems division of South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology.
More information: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=80982
Posted under Education, Mass Education
This post was written by admin on November 14, 2008
Le concours WAXAL Blogging Africa Awards (Prix WAXAL des Meilleurs Blogs Africains) a été initié par l’Institut Panos Afrique de l’Ouest (IPAO) en partenariat avec Highway Africa et Global Voices Online. WAXAL (prononcez « OUA-HAL ») signifie “parler/parle” en Wolof (langue sénégalaise). Ce mot résume à lui seul l’essence de l’évolution de la toile mondiale en tant que plate-forme d’échanges et d’émergence des voix marginalisées.
Pour cette première édition, les Prix WAXAL cherchent à promouvoir le développement de blogs par les personnes travaillant en tant que journalistes (tout type et format de médias) et par les organisations africaines, afin de soutenir la production d’informations alternatives et l’expression des citoyens. Dans cette optique, trois catégories de Prix ont été instituées :
- 1. Meilleur blog francophone de journaliste
- 2. Meilleur blog anglophone de journaliste
- 3. Meilleur blog de journalisme citoyen produit par une institution/organisation africaine
En dehors de la promotion des blogs, ce concours permettra de mieux comprendre, entre autres, les enjeux liés à la production de blogs par les journalistes en Afrique. Il sera demandé aux internautes de voter pour les 5 meilleurs blogs dans chaque catégorie et un jury bilingue composé de professionnels des médias sélectionnera les lauréats.
Date butoir de soumission des candidatures : 7 Décembre 2008.
En savoir plus : http://blogs.haayo.org/waxal/
This post was written by admin on November 14, 2008
O3b Networks - a Channel Islands-based telco backed by Google, HSBC and U.S. cable-TV operator Liberty Global - unveiled plans to offer cheap, high-speed Internet access via satellite to developing regions like Africa by the end of 2010. It’s not the only ambitious scheme to bring the continent online. In recent months, work has begun on initiatives to connect countries in eastern and southern Africa - the only major populated regions not hooked up to the global broadband network of fiber-optic cables - to each other and the rest of the world through high-speed lines.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1841175,00.html
This post was written by admin on November 13, 2008
The Zambian government has not done enough to strengthen science and technology education, according to Dr. Dennis Wanchinga, executive director of the National Science and Technology Council, which wishes to undertake an evidence-based assessment of Zambian schools.
“With the use of ICTs, there is need for the scientists in the diaspora to be involved in the country’s development by contributing their knowledge through distance learning and the use of e-learning,” he said. “…We need to develop a good network through which schools can utilize ICT, which is becoming an important tool in delivering e-learning in education.”
Currently, 0.2 percent of the national budget is allocated to the Ministry of Science and Technology, which Wanchinga said is not sufficient. However, the Lagos Plan of Action by Heads of State has agreed that the ministry must receive at least 1 percent of national budget funds.
By Brenda Zulu: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/111008-expert-zambian-science-it-education.html
Posted under Education, Education Policy, Mass Education, News, eLearning
This post was written by admin on November 13, 2008
Le portail internet du Réseau francophone des bibliothèques nationales numériques a été officiellement lancé à l’occasion du XIIe Sommet de la Francophonie à Québec, le samedi 18 octobre 2008.
Le Réseau francophone des bibliothèques nationales numériques (RFBNN) a mis au point le prototype de son portail Internet appelé à devenir « La Grande bibliothèque numérique francophone ». Le réseau concrétise ainsi sa double mission de conservation à long terme et de large diffusion du patrimoine documentaire de la Francophonie.
À l’adresse www.rfbnn.org, les internautes auront ainsi la possibilité de consulter des journaux, des revues, des livres, des cartes et des plans ainsi que des archives numérisés issus des collections d’une dizaine d’institutions documentaires de l’espace francophone. Ce portail coopératif sera appelé à s’enrichir sans cesse grâce au versement de nouveaux documents par un nombre croissant de bibliothèques participantes.
Une quinzaine de pays participent actuellement à ce projet, à travers leurs bibliothèques nationales : Belgique, Canada, Cambodge, Egypte, France, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Maroc, Québec, Sénégal, Suisse, Tunisie, Vietnam.
Pour en savoir plus : http://www.francophonie.org
Posted under Education, Internet, Mass Education, News
This post was written by admin on November 5, 2008
‘Tsehai Loves Learning’ is a popular educational children’s media project in the local Ethiopian language of Amharic. This UNESCO-sponsored programme won the top prize in the pre-school category at the Japan Prize 2008 International Contest for Educational Media.
The Japan Prize was established in 1965 by the national Japanese broadcaster NHK. The annual festival honours the top educational programmes worldwide.
For more information see the UNESCO-website at: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=27717&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Posted under Awards, Education, Mass Education, News, TV
This post was written by admin on November 4, 2008
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can help to democratise Africa, says Mor Seck, who heads the Senegal Global Distance Learning centre of the World Bank’s Global Development Learning Network (GDLN). With more than twenty years of experience in the public sector and in higher education, Dr Seck is an ardent supporter of ICT for education and training. He will be one of the leading figures behind the fourth eLearning Africa conference, to be held in Dakar next year. During the summer break, we spoke to him in Berlin about Senegal’s approach to ICT implementation. Read the interview at the eLearning Africa newsportal.
Posted under Education Policy, eLearning
This post was written by admin on October 31, 2008
This impact study is part of a series of publications on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in various sectors in developing countries. It describes the experiences, achievements and lessons learned of the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) and its partners in using ICT to enhance education through thirty-two projects and ICT policy processes over eight years in Jamaica, Bolivia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.
Read the full study: http://www.iicd.org/articles/icts-for-education
Posted under Education, Education Policy, Mass Education, News
This post was written by admin on October 28, 2008
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