January 23, 2017
The Mobile Information Literacy project is a growing collection of training materials that are designed to adapt to community and individual needs. The first MIL curriculum was introduced in Myanmar in 2015, and we are now beginning to see the resounding effects this educational program has had which far exceed the expectations of TASCHA and…
January 11, 2017
In November 2016, TASCHA Research Analyst Chris Rothschild and I visited Kenya to explore working with EIFL and Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) to develop mobile information literacy curriculum and training for Kenya’s public library staff and patrons. Our visit was a jam-packed week full of meetings with EIFL and KNLS staff, various individuals and…
November 1, 2016
TASCHA, along with the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP), Kenya National Library Services (knls), and the African Library and Information Associations & Institutions (AfLIA), will attend a series of meetings on mobile information literacy needs in Kenya in early November 2016. The aim of the meetings is to develop a Mobile Information Literacy (MIL) curriculum for…
February 16, 2016
Dr. Araba Sey, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Washington Information School and TASCHA, was selected as a Mellon Senior Scholar in Residence at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. Araba is spending three months working with faculty, researchers, and students at the university’s Africa Media Matrix School of Journalism and Media Studies.
December 17, 2015
As millions of people come online across the globe through mobile devices, mobile information literacy is vital for those who have leapfrogged from traditional media to digital devices that provide instant access to information. Mobile information literacy is necessary to help people learn how to find and evaluate the quality and credibility of information obtained…
June 15, 2015
Until mid-2011, Myanmar was very much closed off from the rest of the world. As the government continues to liberalize media and open up telecommunications markets, mobile phone use is skyrocketing across many parts of Myanmar. The country is on pace to make a giant leap in the digital divide, with mobile penetration rates expected to jump from about 4% in 2014 to 80% by the end of this year. For many in Myanmar, using a mobile phone marks their first experience with the internet and digital technology, not to mention having a wealth of information at their fingertips, which is a far cry from the once heavily censored and government-controlled media environment.
April 10, 2015
Incredible temples range across Myanmar; from the magisterial Shwe Dagon in Yangon to Bagan’s sprawling complexes they show the country’s rich Buddhist art, culture and heritage. The monks often built them high up, as in Mandalay Hill, above. Sitting closer to God and above the everyday,as in many other religions, was a beneficial position for…
September 24, 2014
TASCHA is pleased to sponsor September’s ICT4Drinks event by buying the first round of drinks for everyone. We even have a couple of special guests, including Microsoft Research India’s Jonathan Donner. He’ll be in town all the way from South Africa to chat about his research on mobile phones, development, and public access. Don’t miss your chance to hear more about Jonathan’s exciting work! Join your fellow tech & development friends to kick off fall at the next ICT4Drinks Seattle on Thursday, September 25th – the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) is buying the first round for everyone.
July 31, 2014
We’ve developed numerous resources to help answer the overarching question, “Why do public access ICTs matter for development? The goal of the resources listed below is to help make the study’s findings and data more accessible and relevant to the international development, public library, and public access communities. It is our hope that you’ll find these materials useful in understanding the study’s key findings and recommendations, as well as for use in your own work
Early on in the digital divide conversation, myriad donors and governments invested in telecentres — public spaces where people could access computers and learn about the internet. Fast forward to today, where billions have personal internet in their pocket and use Facebook daily, and there is a real question — do we still need public access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the age of the mobile phone?
A recent IREXtech Deep Dive discussion sponsored by IREX’s Center for Collaborative Technology and co-sponsored by the University of Washington’s Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA), brought together a group of leading public access technology experts and development practitioners to debate this question and envision various public access futures. Highlights of the discussion follow.
