At least 11 countries (see the first paragraph) and 6 geographic regions (Central Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, North America, South America, Western Europe) were represented among those attending this BaW09 live event. One section of the presentation was made bilingually: the onscreen text was in English, but the presenter spoke in Brazilian Portuguese.
The media-rich presentation focused on two areas: (1) an overview of how computers with monitors are being recycled and re-used as part of a "green" effort to provide jobs and e-learning and (2) an overview of how online teaching tools are being used to match online teaching and learning (particularly with regard to both accessibility and usability) as part of Chicago's Digital Excellence Program and of the Digital Workforce Education Society (for which Andy Pincon is Chair and Executive Director).
Highlights:
IT Alchemy, a "green," environmentally-responsible program of the Digital Workforce Education Society (DWES), not only provides jobs and job training, but also gives underserved populations access to technological resources. Recycling and refurbishing a single computer and monitor can result in saving 30 pounds of hazardous waste and 77 pounds of solid waste, plus 7,719 kilowatts of energy. It can also prevent 1,339 pounds of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere. Underserved populations include those living at the poverty level, inhabitants of rural areas, those who are learning English, and prison inmates.
The DWES has also established links and partnerships within the City of Chicago's Digital Excellence program—a resource for community revitalization and redevelopment which targets low- to moderate-income neighborhoods. One such neighborhood mentioned in the presentation was the Pilsen area, a neighborhood on Chicago's west side which began in the mid-1800s as an enclave of Czechs, Slovaks, Slovenes, Croats, Poles, and Lithuanians, but which began to shift during the mid-1960s and is today part of Little Village, Chicago's largest Mexican neighborhood. The DWES provides computers for use in ESL and job-training classes in Pilsen and other areas.
The presentation also included a very informative section on matching online teaching tools with philosophies driving technology. Important points made in this section were making online tools accessible to those with physical challenges (e.g., the blind and deaf), making services available in languages other than English (currently offered: Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic), making online sessions available through archived recordings, and making use of tools which foster engagement and interaction (e.g., enabling participants to "raise hands" and speak).
We look forward to your comments on this very interesting session!
NOTE: The recording of this presentation is located HERE.
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4 comments:
Hello Everyone! I'm sorry I couldnn't attend the session but I already watched the video posted by teacher Daf, and it was a very interesting one. Congratulations to all of you! I hope to see you in this Saturday live session.
Hi. i really enjoyed the live session, IT WAS MY FIRST. It is really interesting to see how trhough the development of our profession we can help the communities around us. The recycling program is excellent and I think it would be a great project to develop in latin american countries where there are still a lot of schools who do not count on the necessary technological resources. Languages teaching to spanish communities is also an interesting program that opens the road for many research projects in our area. I was just fascinated with the presentation.....
Dear BaWers,
Andy's presentation was another eye-opening moment in terms of ICTs, recycling, solidarity and volunteerism.
Andy, our longtime online dear friend, has always presented BaW with very heartwarming and fra-reaching work that he's involved in.
Thank you, Andy, for all that you've given us! :-)
Dennis, you did a great job with the presentation post! What a comprehensive and interesting overview! Kudos to you!!! :-)
Hope many of you find the time to listen to this presentation.
Hugs all, Teresa
I was really impressed with this live session. I think there is no limit when you want to achieve something. The recycling program is an example to be followed by educators. We were lucky to be with Andy.
Very pleased!!
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