ACTIVITIES

• Carry out a small-scale survey on how new media and new media technologies are changing the way in which people in your society communicate, and how this is changing the way people interact, exchange information and inform their decision-making
• Do case-study research on how mass media and new technologies are used for mass communication, and how they are influencing the everyday lives, values and opinions of the public. For example, how has mobile phone technology helped to bridge the communication gap between the rich and poor in society? Explore how digital communication is changing the way people in your society interact, share knowledge and exchange information
• Develop a strategy for using a social networking site to promote interaction on a particular topic you wish to teach. What are the risks and challenges teachers are likely to face in using social networking for educational purposes? Identify the risks and suggest ways of reducing their impact
• E-governance involves the new and evolving forms of governance in which ICTs play a key role. Use of ICTs has influenced governance in a number of ways. These include: (1) E-democracy which is the facilitation of participation through increased access to information and knowledge which forms the basis of decision making; (2) E-services which is automating tedious tasks such as filing tax forms, checking the status of applications etc; and (3) E-administration improving of government processes and of the internal workings of the public sector with new ICT-executed information processes. ICTs, therefore, can be a very useful way to improve the governance process. E-governance and e-government are related concepts with a subtle difference between the two. The latter refers the systems by which government processes are automated while the former concerns the process by which are made open and inclusive (cf. UNESCO 2007).
  • Have teachers use the Internet to research the extent to which e-governance exists in their country. They should select any two examples as evidence that such activities exist. Teacher should indicate to what extent they we involved or consulted in the process. Were citizens consulted in general? Discuss the effective of these e-governance projects. What are the benefits and disadvantages? Carry out a basic research on similar projects in your region or internationally relating to local governance. What type of e-governance project would you recommend to your local government? Why?
• Access to ICTs or new technologies is equally important for the empowerment of men, women, the disabled and other marginalised groups such as ethnic and indigenous populations as well as those living in remote communities.
  • Using local or international sources do a basic research on the access of women, the disabled and people living remote communities to ICTs or new technologies. Do women have equal access as do men? To what extent peoples with disability or people living in remote communities have access? What are the implications? What should be done if certain groups are marginalised from access to new technologies? If such data is not available about you country or region, try to find out why not? Which organisations should be concerned with the absence of such data? What can
    be done about it?