Digital divide into digital opportunities: E-learning in the developing countries

UN Chronicle, Dec, 2003 by Marc Sehrt

Easy access to all course materials is essential. Given the technological constraints that users in developing countries have to face, asking them to download or print documents from a web site is just too much. Most learners do not own a computer and have Internet access only from the workplace or public telecentres. Promoting telecentres in emerging economies around the world is important to help achieve significant steps forward in making Internet access and services more widespread, especially in rural areas. It is, therefore, fundamental to implement self-sustaining Internet training centres, which will eventually allow developing countries to keep pace with developed countries and give them access to technological and academic information, as well as Internet training at various levels. The benefits they gain will thus affect every aspect of their personal and professional life.

Notes

(1) First Annual Report of the Information and Communication Technologies Task Force. United Nations. 28 April 2003.

(2) http://www.unicttaskforce.org

(3) Technological Minimalism and Sustainability Strategies--Lessons Learned From Teaching Online. Dr. Barbara Fillip. Knowledge for Development, LLC. Published in a GTZ survey. 2003.

(4) http://www.tele-ak.fh-furtwangen.de