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The Internet Course Reader
An Educational Computer Communications Program
For Unions in Developing and Emerging Market Countries
Economically advanced countries are adopting many new
communication tools which can improve their economic and social circumstances. But this
adoption, coupled with the effects of globalization, may produce even greater
technological, informational and economic gaps between the economically advanced and
lesser-developed countries.
More specifically: unions in developing and emerging market
countries will need secure and affordable access to efficient communication systems in
order to build networks amongst themselves (nationally and internationally) as they
confront the challenges of globalization. They will have to develop new ways of learning
and teaching about issues such as globalization, international collective bargaining and
health and safety. That is why ACTRAV, in cooperation with Canada's TeleLearning Network,
is developing a customized computer program called the Internet Course
Reader which can help unions with some of their educational communication needs.
The Growing Gap Between Economically
Advanced and Other Countries
A major reason for the growing technological gap is that the
new communication technologies are being developed for richer countries which have
dependable and affordable access to the Internet. There is money to be made in designing
Internet-based technologies for organizations in the richer countries. There is less money
to be made in creating Internet-based technologies for unions in poorer countries.
Designing Suitable Technologies
There is a great need to design communication technologies
suitable to the conditions unions experience in developing and emerging market countries.
This means creating communication systems which take into account undependable telephone
lines, expensive Internet services, and a lack of trained people.
Technologies need to be created which provide unionists in
developing and emerging market countries with the same capabilities
as users in the economically advanced countries, but with designs suited to conditions
found in less economically advanced countries.
Online Education Software
An example of a technology which is currently being designed
with the conditions of the more economically advanced countries in mind is online
educational software.
This software allows groups of participants to access
educational information and participate in discussions via computer communications. The
discussions form the core of the educational activities. However, all the new online
educational programs are being created with the assumption that users will have fast,
dependable, constant and relatively inexpensive access to the Internet. None of these
factors can be assumed for users in developing and emerging market countries.
The Internet Course Reader
The Internet Course Reader is a computer program which allows
people to connect to the Internet and quickly download computer conferencing
messsages. They can then read the messages and compose new messages while they are
offline (disconnected from the Internet). When they re-connect they can send their
newly created messages to the conferencing system. In this way people can perform hours
worth of work and spend only a few minutes on the Internet.
With the Course Reader participants could be involved in
online educational activities without worrying about insecure telephone connections,
undependable electrical supplies or expensive Internet bills.
(Technical note: The Course Reader is a Windows client program
written in Java which reads/writes messages to a UseNet newsgroup server. One newsgroup
can be used for multiple conferences. The Course Reader can also be used via the Web if an
organization wants people to participate via cybercafès. It is being translated from
English into French, Spanish, Serbo-Croat and Chinese. It is being developed in
conjunction with Canada's TeleLearning Network Virtual University project.)
Open Source Software
The Course Reader has been developed as Open Source software.
That means it can be used free of charge. It also means that the "source
code" (the programming) is available. The hope is that union programmers will improve
the program and contribute their improvements for subsequent versions of the Course
Reader.
Building Networks
Unions in developing and emerging market countries could use
the Course Reader to develop educational networks in their countries as well as networks
between countries. (For example, all the Health and Safety representatives in a particular
international region could create a network for themselves.)
Training
However, even if the technology is designed to meet the needs
of unions in developing and emerging countries it would be ineffective if people were not
trained to use it. This involves two main factors:
First of all, online instructors or facilitators must be
trained. Teaching online is almost like teaching in the classroom, but it has its
particular methods in order to be successful. People can be taught these methods in
classroom-based seminars and online conferences.
Secondly, the participants need to be trained in the use of
the Course Reader. This can be accomplished by manuals and computer-based tutorials.
With the establishment of networks and appropriate training programs
the Course Reader could go a long way towards building the independent capacities of
unions in developing and emerging market countries.
For further information: www.coursereader.net
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