Education as the great equalizer, part VI
June 14, 2010
&#&E-learning&#& is a "technology supported learning" which is fostering the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education, facilitating the digital inclusion or e-Inclusion, and transforming the "digital divide" into a "digital cohesion". In today's world in many important cities Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are already part of our everyday life. They are a fundamental weapon in many activities we perform day after day at home, in our working environments, banks, hospitals, etc. But it is not the same yet for everybody in the world which means there is a challenge. There is much work to be done in order to facilitate e-inclusion for all citizens, bringing the benefit of the Internet and related technology into all segments of the population, including people who are disadvantaged due to lack of education. This will permit to enhance social inclusion in this knowledge society. ICT can help individuals and institutions to fight against poverty and social exclusion. When people who, for whatever reason, are in disadvantage access to ICT and ICT-enabled services, they improve their chances for employment and training, and it means a great difference for them, a new hope, an opportunity they hadn't before. Improving their possibilities for employment they can expect to obtain a good job, and as it was said in the European Ministerial e-Inclusion Conference 'A job is a key step out of poverty. It gives people a purpose, and better than this it gives them self respect!' It has been demonstrated that through new technologies people can find new ways of educating, training themselves and working. By example, while working at home, many people are and have been using the Internet to try to earn money for a living with all kinds of activities. If we consider access to education as a great equalizer, then these new technologies can be the best way of giving such opportunities for more people in the world. It is of a vital importance to give social marginalized people better access to ICT by the promotion of education and training among excluded groups, and the development of new pedagogic models and methods for inclusive learning Today several &#&higher education&#& institutions offer &#&distance education&#& to an increasing number of students year after year. The interest in providing technology-based education continues to grow rapidly. Institutions of &#&higher education&#& are examining new ways to reach out to students, who can't follow a formal face to face career. It generally includes working parents, workers that seek additional training to advance, distant students who can't afford travelling, students with disabilities, etc. That's why new technologies and ICT facilitating the access to &#&higher education&#& are going to play a core role in improving social inclusion, and fighting against poverty. |