UN microblogging. The rise of twitter.

Twitter has been non-stop in the news lately. According to EDUCAUSE we could consider Twitter as an on-line application which is part blog, part social network application and part mobile phone/IM tool. Users update on a regular base their network in 140 charachters on their projects, ideas, experiences, thoughts, …  and it this way Twitter creates a interconnected network of users. People either access it through the internet or through their mobile phone.  Organizations start to pick up twitter as a tool for external communication, public relations and continuous dialogue with their stakeholders. Development organisations use it to promote their mission statement. A series of UN agencies (UNHCR, UNDP, FAO, IAEA, UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNODC, UNESCO, WFP, UN Staff College, UNITAR)  are already involved and other organizations do so too  (World Bank, OECD).  The Web2forDev site identifies microblogging as a useful tool for internal knowledge sharing.

UN e-learning Kampus

UN Staff College initiated a United Nations knowledge campus last week in order to share knowledge and experiences on technology enhanced learning in the different UN agencies. The on-line campus hosts a catalogue of e-learning courses available within the UN system and highlights some interesting e-learning exhibits. This week several discussions will be organised on specific topics including:

- The pedagogical potential of blogging.
- Serious gaming as learning and development.
- Learning in the Web2.0 area. Integrating social software in blended learning programmes.
- Developing a LMS in UN system organizations. Best practices.
- Techniques to deliver real added value in the web2.0 area.

Go to www.unkampus.org and join the discussion !

E-Learning Africa

Last week ITC-ILO participated in the annual E-Learning Africa conference, held in Dakar this year. It is the opportunity to share the latest insights and trends on technology enhanced learning used in projects all over Africa. 1315 participants from 85 different countries ensured a rich input and interesting conversations. DELTA moderated and presented at two sessions, focusing on game-based learning and on designing, developing and managing virtual learning environments.

a cloud of relevant itc-ilo tags

Dare to share

While working on the CoMPASS (the ITC-ILO in-house toolkit on learning methodology and technology) DELTA has been reviewing several toolkits. For this blogpost we would like to highlight one of them. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation launched a knowledge management toolkit for knowledge sharing and learning, called “Dare to Share“. More than 20 useful methods are explained and can be applied  at personal, team and organisational level. Several of the methods have been blogged already here (Peer Assist, Open Space) but the site will give you additional techniques for learning and training with a specific emphasis on knowledge sharing. Are you aware of any other interesting toolkits? Let us know.

mobile learning

Mobile voice and data communication is more and more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Only in Africa there are more than 280 million mobile phone subscriptions. People who had never access to a phone landline, a computer, or a car own now a mobile phone. Organisations take this communication channel serious and start to connect :

- The UN Foundation recently published an inspiring report on m-Health for Development titled: The opportunity of Mobile technology for Healthcare in the Developing World.
- Unicef Innovation launched a platform for data collection, logistics coordination and communication allowing any mobile phone to interact with the web.
- Kiwanja.net specialises in helping out organizations to use mobile applications for social change. Frontline sms and NgOMobile are good illustrations of this.
- MobileActive is a growing community that documents interesting practices on how to effectively use mobile phones for social change.

Shift happens

What does it all mean for ITC-ILO in the way we should design and deliver training?

Facilitation method: participatory 3D-modelling

Participatory 3D modelling is a relatively new communicative facilitation method designed to support collaborative processes aimed at facilitating participation in different areas (problem analysis, decision making, collaborative planning, …). The 3D models can be used to visualize knowledge and ideas among participants.

“Originally they were used to assist practioners in enhancing the capacities of marginalized, isolated, and frequently natural resource-dependent communities to deal with spatial data and to communicate with the outside world on a peer tot peer basis” (source: IAPAD). The general principles of this method can be transfered and adapted to our own learning and training context. In a recent training Crash Course for new-comers we used 3D design to model the planning phase of a facilitation process.

Networks

Networks are powerful tools for sustainable development. In the scope of this learning and training blog we would like to stress the importance of networks in learning and training. This blogpost would like to highlight the “Work the net – a management guide for formal networks” from GTZ. Based on a general framework on networks it would be interesting to explore three questions :

- Why could a networks be important for learning and training?
- What are the structural and operational issues in order to make a learning network work?
- What is the difference between a social network, a community of practice (CoP) and a formal network and how can we integrate them in our learning and training activities?

CoMPASS : navigating the learning and training cycle

DELTA used the metaphor of a navigational instrument for its hands-on and practical learning and training instrument that is currently in the pipeline. The compass orients you in the way you design learning and training activities. It is a starting point that can give you inspiration in search for useful, effective and relevant learning and training methods.

ITC-ILO staff is closely involved in order to provide a learning and training instrument (or compass) that suits their particular needs and expectations. The input of an on-line survey, a focus group and individual interviews gave more in-depth understanding of the objectives, modality and characteristics of the compass.

The key components of the compass are learning methodologies and supportive IT-tools available at the ITC-ILO. The compass will provide step-by-step guidance to help ITC-ILO staff make informed decisions about the development of learning activities and choice of appropriate methods, tools and resources to undertake them. To translate in a practical way what the Turin Learning Approach stands for in terms of designing and developing training activities, in-house practical examples and cases will be included.

The release of the compass is planned by the end of 2009 and will be updated on a regular base with new and inspiring ITC-ILO experiences.