(Il)Literacy as a Cultural Problem « LONG BENCH

monceau photo (flickr)

In short, when we begin to systematially dismantle the notion that literacy — and books — is a status symbol rather than a basic human right, then our children’s experiences in schools, and the broader society, will be better for it.

(Il)Literacy as a Cultural Problem « LONG BENCH

Another well thought out angle on why our literacy rates in Jamaica are where they are.
Click through and read the entire post if you will.

Tags: education, literacy, learning

WikipediaVision (beta) - certified maaaaaad

A Google Maps mashup that shows edits to the Wikipedia encyclopedia in real time and where in the world they’re coming from.

Exceptionally handy tool for passing time.

WikipediaVision (beta) via (open dot dot dot)

Tags: mashups, wikipedia, google maps

ICT4D Jamaica offering short course on ICT4D Policy

The ICT4D Jamaica website has up an announcement for a short week long course in ICT4D policy running from Monday the 21st to the Friday.
This represents an excellent opportunity to get an overview of what our ICT environment is really like and also to generate some meaningful ideas about the practical initiatives that can work in our context.
Presenters include Hopeton Dunn, a granddaddy of telecommunications research in the Caribbean and Nicole Foga, an Attorney @ Law specialising in issues surrounding telecommunications, media & Technology.

btw did I mention that its free?

Link: ICT4D Short Course

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Tags: ict4d, short course, ict policy, jamaica, development

E-learning - the way forward - Friday | January 18, 2008

“The reality is that there is no country in this world with an educated population that is poor; there is none. So if we are serious about socio-economic development as a people, we have to take the matter of education and information communication technology, the mastery of the digital world, serious,” - Donald Foster

Jamaica Gleaner News - E-learning - the way forward - Friday | January 18, 2008

Donald Foster - Jamaicagleaner.com photo

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Tags: ict, education, e-learning

Seh dem a badman an ooman a run dem head

Sociologist Herbert Gayle offers insight into murder-suicides and links them to the manipulative nature of women.

From the article:

Gayle said it was past time that society acknowledges women were the ones making significant material progress and often at the expense of men.

“There are a lot of men helping women, and the implications are many - including men killing women. We don’t want that to become a pathology. Men need to begin to think about self-investment,” the anthropologist said. “Young men need to understand that they are the ones who are important first, and that they need to have something for themselves first before they can help anyone. It cannot be a push up situation, but a pull up.”

For the record, I agree with the base observations made in the article. Relationship dynamics in Jamaica do tend towards being centered on the woman. Which is to say that many of the actions of men can be linked back to a desire (or is it perceived need?) of men to please women. How the women choose to handle the inherent vulnerability present in this situation is fair game but more often than not, it ends seeming like a Macka Diamond inspired verse.

I can just see the fireworks coming from the Carolyn Cooper camp now.

Link: Females to blame for male suicides: Sunday Observer Jan 6

Notable personal epiphanies from ‘07

• Its the people that make life worth living. Naturally it follows that the nature of those we choose to surround ourselves with will determine the quality of our own lives. Well those and the ones we had no real control over entering our lives - the juggernauts.
• Our purpose in life is to matter. How we go about fulfilling that purpose and how we even define what it means to matter is solely up to us on an individual level.
• Egg white good for u but the egg red a the nice part.
• People believe what they want to… eventually you will realise you do too.
• There is a difference between the right answer and the truth. Big difference.
• There are others you’ll encounter that are just smaller than you. Avoid them.
• Forgiveness is a process.
• God is a comedian. I knew this well before ‘07. What I didn’t realise though is that his ghost-writer (the holy spirit maybe?… forgive the humor religious fanatic-types) is not pleased with something and it shows up in his work from time to time.

Happy Birthday