My name is Hala Fawzi, an English language teacher and a webhead. I am involved in blended learning, online learning and the use of Web 2.0 tools in teaching, learning and for teacher professional development. I am interested in exploring the learning opportunities that offered to us, in limited technology countries, through the connections available in this networked world.
By coming here, I hope to find a better view for what I have been wondering about for a while: I wonder about connectivism and learning in developing countries: what is the effect of connectivism on the individual/citizen level?? As we don’t wait for the system to respond, (to George if he is reading this), I wonder about how can a personal change, because of connectivism, lead to a change in a society? How can we convince “the system “that connectivism can help in fighting poverty or illiteracy? Which is more important in a less networked country; “the content or the pipes”? Can the pipes be used for a better quality of a content, or can the content lead to better created pipes? Can one pipe be stretched or widened to hold more assorted content? What can be done to the pipes that are subject to switching off by authorities in the name of filtering the content? How can I, as a teacher/individual respond; negatively?? Positively? Ignoring(ly)? Look for other unfiltered pipes?
Looking forward to an inspiring course!
4 comments:
Hi Hala,
I think your questions are excellent! I am also interested in how the access to connection with others, both in developed and in developing countries, can change the way we view the world, and I believe it is our view of the world that leads to actions, both useful (eliminating poverty, illiteracy, racism etc) or harmful (the excessive use of the internet for pornography, hate mongering etc). I hope your questions generate some dialogue, I would love to hear peoples thoughts on this.
warmly,John McLeod
Hi Hala,
Great to "see" you here after hearing you just a little while ago. I can relate to many of your questions. I believe that if I become a better person, I will be in a better position to help others or at least not to harm them. I don't think we should wait to convince the system. I believe strength comes from connecting and working together for a common good. I think we should act now and look for ways to diminish poverty and illiteracy in order to bring peace to everyone.I added 5 YouTube videos of Thomas L. Friedman's talk on connectivism and how it has changed the world on my blog. The author appeared on July 22, 2008 at a conference in Israel. Nellie Deutsch
http://connecting-online.blogspot.com/2008/09/world-is-flat-and-connectivism-cck08.html
Hi, have you come across 'The World is Flat' by Thomas L.Friedman? It is a very thought provoking read describing how connectivism is changing the world. Check out iTunes U - and view the vodcast 'The world is Falt 3.0' Regards, Bruce Nightingale
Interesting story about the content and the pipes ? Because what can we do with good quality content that remains isolated and what are we with empty pipes ? Content driven courses or pipeline driven courses ? I'm searching for a good hybrid mix that brings the right amount of content (not to much, just some initial input) and facilitates the right pipes that generate engaging content by themselves.
Interesting to bring the development perspective into this course. We should have more conversations on this topic and see what the participatory web can mean in a development context. Check http://www.web2fordev.net/ Interesting ideas but a lot of people still in search what the implications could be on a bigger scale (and off course address your issues as fighting poverty and illiteracy)
I just had a skype conversation with another participant, Florence Rademaker who asks the following: is the content that we provide in e-learning courses adapted to the specific needs of participants from developing countries ... are the pipes we currently use connect enough with them .. check out the Google map of participants .. some areas remain quite empty. What do you think about this? tom wambeke
Hello Hala!
So great to find others in the course who share my concerns about connectivism and developing nations (addressing the education and digital divide). As one who lives and works in such circumstances, I am looking forward to your thoughts and insights throughout the course.
I just returned a few weeks ago from Africa after spending time with Teachers Without Borders in South Africa (providing ICT workshops for teachers in the townships) and Kenya (providing workshops for teachers of English, science and maths). I was astonished at how much interest Kenyan teachers had in "being connected" when they found out I teach computer studies as well as English. I hope we can find an opportunity to interact further. Enjoy the course.
Sharon Peters -
hello Hala,
Happy to connect! Wondering about the impact of connectivism in developing countries as well. I did collect some of the successful social media implementations in developing countries and put them in a slideshared ppt, but those were limited to small regions. But what about the bigger impact, will it be accepted and if so, how?
In any case it is becoming a new learner world smile.
cheers,Ignatia Inge de Waard
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