The search for an open curricula platform

December 14, 2017

In the movement towards more open education, the question eventually arises as to which content management systems (CMS) are most conducive to open research. There is a wide spectrum of hosting services available to researchers looking to create, manage, and publish their open curricula, and each platform offers flexibility and constraints with larger design implications…

The role of public libraries in the Brave New World of Truth

February 2, 2017

Libraries are … essential to the functioning of a democratic society … libraries are the great symbols of the freedom of the mind. — Franklin D. Roosevelt When you think of your community’s public library, do you picture a political nexus that holds the power to influence the future of our country? If not, we don’t blame…

Information & media literacy in a post-truth world

November 29, 2016

Remember when we used to read magazines– real, tangible, print magazines? Sometimes we’d pick them up at the dentist’s office, sometimes we’d have them delivered to our doorstep, but most of the time we’d be waiting in line at a grocery store check-out line and peruse the day’s headlines to pass the time. There were…

Teaching information literacy & digital skills in mobile-centric Myanmar

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.

Students gain research skills while working on TASCHA projects

May 7, 2015

During winter quarter 2015, TASCHA held a research seminar open to University of Washington students. The research seminar was originally designed to get students involved with our Information Strategies for Societies in Transition project. So many students registered for the seminar, though, that we expanded the seminar to include other TASCHA projects, like the current evaluation of library-like resource centers in Namibia and our recently launched MOOCs for development project.

Myanmar leaders develop information strategies for societies in transition

September 22, 2014

During the summer, TASCHA and the UW Jackson School hosted 25 of Myanmar’s leaders from government, civil society, political parties, ethnic communities, libraries, and the media for a five-week workshop. During the five weeks, the fellows honed their leadership skills and developed information strategies that will broaden information literacy throughout the country, facilitate the peace building process, and support fair elections in the next year.