Intro:
Discussion - The Success of Wireless Technology
Intro: Why is wireless technology sucessfull solution to the digital divide? Which of the that causes the divide does it overcome? Does the growth in avaliable wireless technology have a clear social, economic, educational and cultural benefits for the society involved?
Answer: Wireless technology is a sucessfull solution to the digital divde because it provides an easy way of providing internet access in remote areas. This is because a car, bus or even an ox cart in remote places can be drove around so the local area can recieve wireless internet. This allows even the more remote places in places such as India and Cambodia, internet access thus reducing the digital divide.
The causes of the divide that wireless technology overcomes is the fact that no infrastructure is needed to set up and use this wireless technology because it is more portable. There is no main building that has to be built, and there no wires needed making wireless technology more easier to use.
The growth in social aspects by using wireless technology is the fact that people could set up online messaging accounts meaning they can communicate easier. Also, they could sign up to a social networking website to communicate easier again. The economic growth from wireless technology is the fact that buisnesses can use the wireless technology to enhance transactions over the internet, or use the internet for research and work. An educational benefit is the fact that the internet is full of educational websites meaning people could access these and be educated online more easier than before. A cultural benefit of this system is the fact that whole communities are using the internet together making the use of the wireless technology more cultural than just the more well off members of society having access.
Case Study - Laos
Tasks: What is the extent of the digital divide in Laos? What problems have causes the divide? What is the impact of the divide on Laos? What solutions have been provided so far? What do you think the educational, social, economic and cultural impacts of these solutions are?
Answer: The digital divide in Laos if fairly large due to many different factors. The fact that there are only 15.000 computers in Laos could add to the divide because the less amount of internet access, the bigger growth in the digital divide. Also, only 1% has a fixed telephone line, yet only 4% of the population have it in households. This is because of the ammounting cost of installing a telephone line ($40). Also, electricity is only avaliable in a few urban areas.
There are many problems which have caused the divide; mountainous geography, monsoon rains, lack of coordination amoung government agencies, lack of IT standards to allow integration between systems, lack of IT at policy and skill levels, poor power and telecommunications infrastructure, poor ISP service, high costs of IT and the lack of Laotian language support.
The impact of the divide on Laos is resulting in there being less than 15,000 computers in Laos because the average cost of a computer is too high for an average Laotian resulting in a bridge in the digital divide.
Soloutions that have been provided so far are as follows; "Cantennae" is a mobile antennae which is made from a can, factory manufactured versions of this are aviable in the U.K. They have also been very successfull as phone based stations. "Pedal Powered wireless computers in Phon Kham. Phon Kham is one of the most poorest areas of Laos. There is no electricity or telephone system, but they have internet access from pedal power. A generator which is powered by a bike charges the battery for a 12 watt computer. It will also work in the monsoon season and the dry season. "The Jhai Foundation PC and communication and internet learning centers". This company has funded a number of community ICT projects. This has resulted in self sustained hubs for community learning. They also teach adults aswell as children.
The educational impacts of the solution 1 is the fact that this kind of technology can be used in schools because it is easy to make and set up. The education impact of solution 2 is the fact that this remote village will be able to be more educated because of the pedal power internet access, so even this remote village can view educational websites. The educational impact of solution 3 is the fact that the internet learning center has become a main hub meaning an anhanced chance for learning. The social impacts of the solutions is the fact that more people can use the different types on internet access, for example the people in Phon Kham can easily access the internet due to this new technology. The cultural impacts of the solutions is the fact that ther culture they are in now with no internet access will be changed. This may not nessasserily be for the better because the internet will be new to them and they may not have the skills to use the internet properly and effectivly. The economic impacts of the solutions is the fact that the countries GNP may increase due to more and easier internet access thus making transactions between countries easier.
Email in the Solomons
Intro: Study the news report on the creation of an internet link for the Solomon islands on the BBC website alongside the world bank data on the islands. Try to identify the extent of the digital divide, the problems that caused the divide, the impact of the divide and the solutions provided so far. Propose at least one furthur initative that would be useful to the islanders in reducing the digital divide.
Answer: The extent of the divide on the solomons is that they are fairly advanced as they have developed a number of different ways of communicating between a number of different islands. The main problems which caused the divide was the fact that tribes who were fighting couldn't communicate with each other by any other means accept word of mouth. However, the solomons came up with a radio-like idea, in which a small laptop with a radio and car battery, powered by the sun via solar panels, which was connected up to communicate between the different islands in the solomons. Another initative that would be useful to the islanders in reducing the divide is to envolve a second hand pc company such as www.donateapc.org.uk where people donate old computers, which are still working, to charities which then distribute the computers to remote areas for use.
0 comments:
Post a Comment