Thank you for your answer Dr. Hanson-Smith, or
Elizabeth, if I may.   It is precisely because I know
that digital literacy is crucial in the job market and
education nowadays that I posted my concerns about the
digital divide.  Without a doubt, free software and
hardware do and will make a difference.  

While I am not always optimistic, I try hard to always
be committed.  I hope one of these days I will be able
to meet you virtually and learn from your expertise.

Certainly it would be nice to hear from other guests
about initiatives in Latin America.  The wide gap in
the distribution of income in our countries poses
challenges that at times feel insurmountable.    

Sincerely,
Nadia Quiroz-Colby

  
--- Dr Elizabeth Hanson-Smith <ehansonsmi at yahoo.com>
wrote:


> I will leave it to Dafne and Bee to describe their

> particular countries' situations, but it seems to me

> digital literacy is almost as important as reading

> and writing literacy if we want our students to have

> the opportunities and jobs of the 21st century. 

> 

> While the digital divide is going to be a problem

> for some time, initiatives such as the $100 laptop

> (more like $150 now) and the universalizing of

> satellite/wireless connections around the world will

> very soon have a positive effect on access. There

> are already so many free tools for online

> connections it's getting hard to list them. And

> there are librarys, Internet cafes, and mobile

> phones that connect to the Internet in free or low

> cost ways.

> 

> In any case, the world is not going to go back to a

> pre-computer age, so we have to meet our students'

> current needs while also preparing them for life in

> the future. (And with computers, the future is

> always "now.")

> 

> As for f2f vs. online--we have just wrapped up a

> conference that included a great deal of video and

> voice conferencing around the world--it's fun to see

> faces and hear voices f2f, as Nadia points out, but

> while it's great to see people in person, there are

> some excellent digital substitutions available

> already--and more on the way. One thing I noted was

> how many different accents of English were heard.

> For learners, hearing those other voices is

> extremely important--and not always available in

> their immediate community. Virtual lunch isn't the

> same, but it can be a great substitute over time and

> distance.

> 

> Ever optimistic--

> --Elizabeth H-S

> 

> 

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

> Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 10:11:38 -0700 (PDT)

> From: Nadia and Kevin Colby 

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1195] Re: What

> stands out?

> To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development

> Discussion List

>  

> 

> Good Morning everyone:

> 

> My name is Nadia Quiroz-Colby. 

> [snip]

> 

> I have gotten professional development mostly face

> to

> face.  I must say that I enjoy very much the contact

> I

> have with colleagues.  In academic settings I like

> to

> be physically in contact with professors and

> classmates because there are nuances and gestures

> that

> you understand better when you see the people around

> you.  I also like the challenge to defend or suggest

> a

> position face to face because I am the type of

> person

> that does not like to speak in public.  And, in a

> way

> I feel that the more you participate the less afraid

> you are as you make progress with the content

> material

> of the course.  This can only help you become a

> better

> advocate for the quality and quantity of services

> that

> education in general needs. To an extent I feel that

> Bonita Solberg is right on target when she states

> that

> the nature of the training offered to teachers in

> her

> region needs more physical contact and a strong

> sense

> of community, such as one created by a teachers'

> retreat.  Sharing your lunch during a break,

> visiting

> the landscape or the surroundings of the area where

> the retreat is taking place might be small steps in

> creating that warmth and sense of solidarity that

> you

> need, -aside- from and -added- to a virtual

> community.

> 

> I have been following the discussion.  I am amazed

> about the amount of on line resources, ideas and

> information available for teachers.  Information

> that

> can be an incredibly enriching complement to

> physical

> interaction in academic settings. 

> 

> I have some comments to make in reference to

> previous

> postings:

> 

> [snip]

> 

> d) How does professional development address the

> digital divide from the point of view of logistics, 

> within and among countries, to create a real global

> electronic village?  Also, what can Dr. Dafne

> Gonzales, and Barbara Dieu tell us about government

> initiatives in their countries concerned with Adult

> Basic Education (since in Latin America TESOL seems

> to

> be step 2 because step 1 is making sure that our

> populations read and write in Spanish, or Portuguese

> in the case of Brazil), and on line training for

> teachers K-12 and adult educators.  I know for a

> fact

> that public education in Mexico City has meager

> technology resources that our administrations have

> consistently 

> failed to increase.  Rural education has more

> problems

> despite public initiatives with on line learning. 

> And

> there are discrepancies within municipalities in the

> quality of education that have to do with local

> taxation, lobbying, NGO's initiatives, and the

> distribution of federal resources.  

> 

> e) Is it feasible, reasonable or indispensable to

> address the politics of the digital divide in on

> line

> curricula?

> 

> Bridges.org seems to have a lot of information

> concerning the digital dilemma.  I found this site

> through the website of a cognitive science professor

> in New Hampshire College, Jaime J Davila, who has

> written various articles on the need to close the

> digital gap. 

> 

> Thank you for all the information that I have got

> through your postings and your generosity with your

> expertise.

> 

> Sincerely,

> Nadia Quiroz-Colby  

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

> 

> 

> >

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>

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