Yes, the technology pushes. So what ?

Sat Jun 23 23:22:54 CST 2007

Dear Nicolas, dear all,

Thanks for the clear analysis; I guess that this stage in the evolution is necessary, but I also think that the proposal of Nicolas is very interesting. We at the University of Amsterdam would certainly like to contribute, although finding funding for trips to Africa is not easy.

If we manage we could present some research and examples of good practice in 'low-technology/high-educational-impact' projects, e.g. as demonstrated by the use of e-Journals in our EU-Asia project (see http://ejournal.eduprojects.net/philippines/) or our CSCL-projects e.g on intercultural language learning (see http://www.europeanschoolsproject.org/image/). But of course we have some research on high-tech as well. 

By the way: we are member of GDLN and may help. Also mailing one of the coordinators may be useful: Gary J. Fine is (or at least was until recently) coordinator Europe/Central Asia: gfine at worldbank.org

Let me know whether this is useful.

Henk

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Henk Sligte
Universiteit van Amsterdam
SCO-Kohnstamm Instituut
Postbus 94208
NL-1090 GE  Amsterdam
t:+31205251374
f:+31205251200
m:+31651382987
www.sco-kohnstamminstituut.uva.nl
www.esp.uva.nl
Nieuw bezoekadres
Gebouw D, Roeterseiland-complex
Nieuwe Achtergracht 129
Kamer 018D
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Van: discussion-bounces at g1to1.org namens Nicolas Balacheff
Verzonden: za 23-6-2007 13:36
Aan: discussion at g1to1.org
Onderwerp: Yes, the technology pushes. So what ?

Dear G1:1

I am back from Nairobi where I participated to the second edition of eLearning Africa ( http://www.elearning-africa.com/ <http://www.elearning-africa.com/> ). This is not properly said a research conference, more something midway between business, innovation and science in the line of the now classical On-line Educa Berlin in Europe ( http://www.online-educa.com/ <http://www.online-educa.com/> ). During this conference Rosamund Sutherland from Bristol and myself organized a series of events with the objective to build a bridge between EU and African research on TEL (with the support of a "tool" we developed within the Kaleidoscope framework < http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/group/kalafrica/en/ <http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/group/kalafrica/en/> >).

What's the lesson learned?... that the technology pushes.

Our workshop and presentations met a lot of expectations but were also the occasion to express difficulties faced by researchers on TEL: access to knowledge, access to publishing and sharing research and need for *concrete* results. In contrast to that, there was also a stand with cheap laptops (the OLPC and an Intel machine), and a lot of interest and motivation raised by technological offer (either hard or soft). From this perspective, what we were doing seemed to weight much less than whatever is offered by technology. In the end, it is clear that there was more than a thousand participants because the technology pushes (and the business as well) not because of an educational pull. In this context, educational research seems to have very little to propose. What is not indeed what we think. We did already express this opinion in a collective paper (remember: < http://www.g1on1.org/openletter.php <http://www.g1on1.org/openletter.php> >)

So what?

A "learning centered" approach will be successful only if there is a joint effort to make tangible our research results, and to enhance our capacity to communicate them. The principles we state in the G1:1 open letter are good, but this is too a high level expression of "good" willing which will stay without effect if we don't organize there implementation. This implementation should go with a deep involvement of the community of African researchers on TEL. This could be our focus for a concrete action.
It is for such an action that we are approaching you today.

For a Kaleidoscope / G1:1 initiative in Ghana in 2008

We propose to organize a research pre-session jointly to eLearning Africa to be held next year in Ghana. The objective would be to present (i) precise states of the art of the research on scenarii of use of technology to enhance learning, (i) clear cases demonstrating successful implementation of these results.
The format could be six talks along two morning sessions. Then afternoons would be devoted to interacting workshop where are discussed research projects or PhDs carried out in Africa. This would be prepared and followed up by collaborations supported by Kalafrica. The morning sessions may be broadcasted if we can establish a partnership with the world bank (ie using the support of the Global Development Learning Network, URL below).
This research pre-session could be echoed by an event with the conference programme to be held after.

So, now, some questions and invitations to commitment 

	- would you be interested in participating in this research pre-session 
	- could you nominate a research project, result or case that could be used 
	- would you accept to provide a specific expert support to a PhD student or a researcher from an African team, especially... 

		- to write a scientific communication or publication about his/her/their work and results 
		- to shape and write a proposal in the search for funding 

	- would you have time and interest in contributing to kalafrica... 

		- by offering content 
		- by contributing to an editorial board to build an open access series within TeLearn (telearn.org) 
		- by joining the kalafrica group to support the development of a systematic academic cooperation and search for the needed funds

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/GDLNCHILD/0,,menuPK:841931~pagePK:64233373~piPK:64234192~theSitePK:841731,00.html 

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