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Why
Background
to the IT in Isan Initiative
The global IT revolution leaves the poor
behind. Shortages in infrastructure and money makes it impossible
to catch up. The present available educational solutions are insufficient.
Hard-and software producers, however, race to make computers more
user friendly and cheap! So IT suppliers may well be the poor man's
best friends and learning is cheaper than teaching!
So in 2001 the Openmindprojects, a network of management and education
consultants, started a development project in the northeast of Thailand
to assess and adapt pedagogical methods; practical alternatives
to traditional and more expensive computer teaching.
Back
To
Start, Stimulate, and to Support Learning Processes
The
Learning Philosophy-
the OPM Credo
People learn when they do something of real interest
to themselves through their own activities,
not just information they get.
People learn
When they interact with others.
When they engage in joint efforts and tasks.
When they take responsibility for their learning.
When they are part of an open environment that allows them to collect
information and are free to discuss it.
When they keep an open and critical mind toward facts and opinions.
When coaches facilitate rather than teachers
who dictate.
A
learning friendly environment is a social milieu, which
facilitates learning by interaction and collaboration. And
supports new knowledge building by using modern motivation and learning
methods.
We
believe in Self-Paced Computer Learning to create energy,focus,
and keep momentum.
We believe modern learning methods can be applied anywhere in
the world.
Our
computer learning approach is non institutional,and independant
of traditional classrooms. We start up learning groups and simple
centers, and we stimulate the participants to start their own
learning processes.
Back
The
Mushrooming of Self-Paced IT Learning in Third World Villages
Read
what the OPM says about
Their
Vision
Our
ambition is to develop teacherless and cost effective IT learning
models, based on the ways children learn by themselves: by playing,
by trying and by helping each other.
Back
Start
up Learning Groups and Learning Processes with Coaching Support
The LearningApproach
- read how the OPM does it
Learners are given specific tasks
and problems. Then supposed to find the
answers, and build new knowledge as they solve their problems.
DE&D
- Demonstration, Exploration & Discovery
This approach requires much less teaching input than traditional
education and is more fun for learners.To start each specific learning
process coaches demonstrate computer applications and then encourage
learners to explore and discover by themselves.
Back
Pedagogical
IT Development
Projects conducted in Northeast Thailand (Isan).
Read about the first IT in Isan projects.
Project
Objectives.
To design a cost effective project model.
To test and evaluate IT learning models in 3rd world conditions.
To study the effects of access to computers and the Internet on
individuals and villages.
Projects
Mainly in the northest of Thailand. Started second half 2001.
Computer equipment
Varying age and capacity. At some sites we have printers and Internet
access.
What
we do
We start learning groups and processes
Back
.....................................................................
Questions and Definitions as
they have been asked by readers, learners and volunteers
Digital
Divide/Gap - the gap between those who know and those
who don't know.
In our case the gap between those who have and those who don't
have basic computer skills because the latter have neither access
to technology nor to anybody helping them to knowledge due to
poverty.
Self
Paced Learning - a learning style whereby the learner sets
his own learning targets and plans to achieve these
Team
Learning - a learning method where a group of learners agree
on a learning objective and how to achieve this objective together
by co-operating
Coach/Guide
- the facilitator of learning. Inspiring and helping learners.
Also in charge of checking day to day work and progress.
Demonstration
- our way to show what can be done with a computer. Demonstrating
applications and end products of applications. A way to stimulate
and inspire learners to explore and. Our coach guides the learners
into the jungle for the first time.
Exploration
- a learning style whereby the learner is exploring the computer
by himself thus discovering its opportunities while simultaneously
learning how to use it. After the guided tour, the explorer ventures
into the jungle on his own or together with friends.
Discovering
- While exploring, they will discover. While discovering, they will
learn. The discovery being the reward for the exploration, learners
learn to learn!
Problem
Based Learning - a pedagogical method developed in North, America
but introduced globally, in Sweden by the Linkoping University with
its pioneering Health University. The method emphasizes learning
tasks to be solved by learners themselves, but with a coach or guide
as speaking partner. And also to assist when necessary. Knowledge
may be acquired in any way that is efficient: literature,the Internet,
lectures, etc. But the initiative of the knowledge acquistion lies
with the learner.
Learning
by Doing - a learning method whereby you set up a task not
only to learn, but to do something. To create something for real.
In our case for instance, to make a website.
Learning
Friendly Environment - a social and technical environment
conducive to efficient learning. In our case, Self Paced Team
learning.The major criteria of an LFE are; .....
Learning
Center - the actual site where the LFE is to be set up.
IT
learning - learning about the opportunities of modern Information
and Communications Technology, what you can do with it, and what
you can learn.How to use computers and accessories as well as
programs and software. also, to a limited extent, how to actually
make hardware and software.
Underprivileged
- poor children whose educational opportunities do not equal the
standards of the privileged.
Back
Support
The Openmindprojects network in Sweden
The International Support Group in Thailand
The Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok
The NIDA University in Thailand
Back
Read
about a Swedish Success Story.
Innovative IT Capacity Building
A Swedish case, the SwIT program in Sweden 1998 - 2000
The
lack of IT skilled labour, many feared, might inhibit the growtht
of the Swedish economy as it recovered in the late 1990's and threaten
Sweden's position as a world leading IT nation. Swedish industrialists
agreed with the government to test a new computer training approach
involving some 10 000 mainly unemployed people. The so-called SwIT-
programme was launched.
The SwIT project aimed to meet the growing gap between available
and used IT technology within companies..
A very lean SwIT organization with minimal central staff and a set
of local project leaders around the country close to local business
needs was set up with Internet-based communication and administration.
All SwIT training was customized and reflected real demand. Training
programs had an average duration of about 26 weeks only.
The key to the success of the SwIT program was the short lead-times
between actual demand identified and training programs implemented.
Companies would be offered specially trained candidates within 3
- 4 months. The SwIT program was considered a success by all evaluating
instances.
Openmindprojects consultants contributed to the design and were
involved in the implemenation of the SwIT program.
Back
On Proactivity and Diversity
The Philosophy of the OPM
The
management of change is not easy and neither is the management
of diversity.
Companies depend on the correct and clever initiatives of individuals
for speed and results. Proactive organisations follow proactive
individuals!
Companies
in an increasingly global and competitive environment depend on
proactive organizations.
Its inhabitants should understand corporate ambitions and objectives,
and be able to interpret these into their own roles and individual
business missions.They can then take their own proper action not
only to achieve company objectives, but also pursue their own
personal development to meet future tasks and achieve a faster
organizational response to external challenges; while management
can focus on strategy and development.
The
ability to manage and work in diversity is of increasing importance
to sustain competitiveness in a global marketplace. Increasingly,
we all meet customers, competitors, colleagues and peers from
all parts of the world, with otherbackgrounds and other frames
of reference. This is often the cause of friction and misunderstanding.
Intelligently used, diversity will, however, increase the creativity
and flexibility of the organization. It's adaptability to external
threats and opportunities will thus be improved.
People need the social and cultural skills to work with people
of different backgrounds( ethnic, religious, cultural etc), simultaneously
using the creative potential of diversity, and reducing conflicts
of difference. In our projects we attempt to achieve results through
the diversity of project teams.
Top |
Bangkok
Post about IT in Isan
The
Asian Institute of Technology visits IT in Isan.
The Swedish ambassador, and the president of the A.I.T
welcomed by Sven Mauleon and senator Aranya Sutjanil.
Technology
says about IT in Isan
