ICT 4 Life

1. ICT4Life Maximizing ICT Opportunities in Life, Work and Play ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager/Team LeaderLagos Digital Village/Paradigm Initiative Nigeria me@gbengasesan.com | www.gbengasesan.com Kwara State ICT & Youth Seminar. Ilorin, Nigeria. June 16, 2005

2. ICTs: A Fine Thread… • Information and Communication Technologies: A fine thread that runs through life, work and play • Living has become more dependent on ICTs. From food to clothing and shelter, the need to become familiar with ICTs gets more obvious – e.g. SMS • Careers are being redefined by ICTs. Check to be sure you’re still relevant – From Agriculture to Zoology • Entertainment and leisure have changed! From downloading your favourite music to booking your next trip online, ICTs are becoming central • As each succeeding generations become more comfortable with emerging technologies, the bar – of life, work and play – keep going higher

3. LIFE Gets More Interesting • From night vigils and night clubs to night browsing, life gradually moves towards the future • 2005: “He’s using hands free while driving”; 1990: “Something’s wrong with that man!” • JAMB Exam, 1994: “Check your results at the JAM office”; JAMB Exam, 2005: “Check your results online” • SSCE, 1994: “Fill the form and submit your passport photographs on time”; SSCE/NECO, 2005: “Go to WAEC Online, buy scratch cards for your registration” • Many of us grew up seeing cassette players, television sets, video players and (later) CD players – but now, you have one gadget that does everything (and more) • ICTs have brought convergence, change and class!

4. What Exactly Do You Do? • Students and workers now work better with online tools, and overcome the barriers of time and distance • If the library has no new books, log on to ocw.mit.edu, www.skool.ie, www.itrainonline.org, ology.amnh.org, www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org, etc • Information Technology has dug into the fabric of every profession… From precision agriculture to fashion information management, each career is responding to the challenges of the New Economy • You must identify where IT meets your career. Which areas involve information – its management, manipulation or dissemination • It’s the age of multidisciplinary paths that define new roles and responsibilities • Careers that don’t bend to the New Economy will break away from relevance – e.g. personal secretaries

5. ME ME Career Career Win, Lose/Lose Win/Lose, Lose/Win ME JAN ME Career Win/Win Win/Win or No Deal Your Merging Circles I have a relationship with my career. I want to win but maybe the present “rat race” wins over me. I will get a monthly salary anyway... No relationship with my career. I’m preparing for the rat race. Nothing really matters either we both win or lose both ways Beyond loving what I do, my personal career vision maches with my present preparations. I’m frank with myself, so it’s either a Win/win or no deal at all Beyond studying for a career, I like what I do. Well, it makes me happy for now and gives me some sort of “fulfilment”. We should both win

6. Work Hard, Play Hard • Chances are that your dad relaxes with his mobile phone – playing games, taking fun pictures, etc • When next you get home, your mood will decide which music plays as you open the door • Convergence and integration will soon replace your TV, CD/DVD player, mobile phone, music device, data storage device, car lock, master key and remote control with one single device – your wrist watch • Each successive generation is getting more comfortable with what previous generations saw as high-tech. Can’t you sense the trend? • The eFridge and VR-TV are no miracles. Don’t bother about ordering, and run into the field when he scores!

7. THANK YOU ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager/Team LeaderLagos Digital Village/Paradigm Initiative Nigeria me@gbengasesan.com | www.gbengasesan.com Kwara State ICT & Youth Seminar. Ilorin, Nigeria. June 16, 2005