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Quality eLearning Content a Principal Component of the Universal Digital Library “UDL” Highlights on Egypt’s Regional Role in the Arabic eContent Development Presented By: Mohamed A. Azzam mazzam@softwarefromegypt.com About eLABs Egyptian NGO established in 2003
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Quality eLearning Content a Principal Component of the Universal Digital Library “UDL” Highlights on Egypt’s Regional Role in the Arabic eContent Development Presented By: Mohamed A. Azzam mazzam@softwarefromegypt.com
About eLABs • Egyptian NGO established in 2003 • More than 35member-companies operating in the software industry under one BANNER and has collectively: • More than 3,000 Staff Members • More than 2,000 Products & Titles • More than 18.0Mil Users Licenses • More than 15.0Mil US$ investment in R&D • Main stakeholder in most of the ICT national initiatives under the auspices of MCIT, Egypt (PCFEH – LTFEP – eEnterprise -Arabic eContent)
Challenges… The Globalization … • During the last 5 decades Mankind experienced a unique pace of development unprecedented since the industrial revolution in the 18th century. Thanks to the ICT revolution • ICT revolution made the World as a “small village” that led to the “Globalization” Phenomena • Globalization was meant to integrate economics & societies around the World to reduce poverty, minimize gap between North & South, and increase the overall development around the globe … BUT
Challenges… The South … • Globalization put more pressure on the South to keep abreast of the pace of the knowledge economy … AS • Ambitious development plans of the South are always challenged by: • competitive global economy • tough competition on both regional & Int’l levels • increased public expectations • ICT advancement that has be fully utilized
Challenges… The South … • In addition to many other local challenges: • lack of resources, especially the qualified human resources needed to lead and implement the change • bureaucracy & stagnate P&P • poor quality education system • low per-capita incomes • rapidly growing population • high illiteracy rate • political instability … and • many inherited problems from the past • Therefore, the implementation of the UDL should consider the needs & concerns of the South as well as the North
Challenges… Education & UDL … • Good education & training systems present the main vehicle for nations to: • reach their objectives and overcome obstacles facing the desired development • build the required qualified human resources needed to carryout the development & manage the change • Accordingly, we see that a quality eLearning Content should be a principal component in the UDL, as it could: • present a real added-value to many countries, and • form a base of good education & training systems for these nations that would help them to achieve their development goals
eLearning Content & UDL… A Wide Spectrum … Basic Education K-12 Higher Education Life Long Training Vocational Education & Training Edutainment Illiteracy Eradication Corporate Training
eLearning Content & UDL… Structure … • Content development should follow the latest Int’l trends, such as: • building “a Resource Library of Learning Objects & Educational Aids” that contains hundreds of thousands or even millions of structured LOs covering the different topics & syllabi related to education & training • curricula independent • modular, flexible and reusable • compliant w/SCORM that released by Advanced Learning Initiative (ADL) to insure interoperability, accessibility and reusability of web-based learning Content
eLearning Content & UDL… Usage & Utilization … • LOs are considered as key to technology-based revolution in education & training, as it: • empowers mentors and minimizing the digital divide between them & their learners • helps learners to grasp information by understanding and not memorizing and linking theories to practice • consequently, mentors & learners around the world would share the global knowledge and reuse the LOs’ library to experience quality education & training
Source: UN e-Gov Readiness Report 2005 eLearning Content & UDL… Things to Consider … Free Internet • BUT, there are other concerns that should be considered while implementing the project that are: • high digital illiteracy, and • digital divide in the South • Therefore, it’s imperative to consider innovative approach to tackle such concerns, such as: • introducing initiatives to make technology more affordable & available for large sectors • applying different awareness & training programs to the public • Egypt experience in this regards is very rich, as GoE launched many initiatives based on PPP to reach the knowledge society & economy PC4EH Broadband Public IT Clubs ICT Training Arabic eContent
Int’l Cooperation & UDL… The Effective Impact … • The development of rich & effective resource library of LOs is a quite lengthy process and needs huge investment & large pool of qualified resources • Yet again, this could represent another major obstacle to many nations on both financial & professional levels • Therefore, int’l & regional cooperation powered by the involvement & commitment of the concerned institutions (e.g. UNESCO, UNDP, WB, BA, Arab League, …) is needed The Development Cycle of the Resource Library
Int’l Cooperation & UDL… ROI & Achieving Goals… • to overcome many financial & technical obstacles that might face many countries while developing such library • to minimize the duplication of efforts & expenditure • to assure the critical mass required to achieve the UDL’s objectives & the best ROI • Then, there’ll be a knowledge transfer between North & South via an applicable scheme of collaboration for making human knowledge equally accessible to ALL and accomplishing the ultimate goal of realizing prosperity for Mankind
Int’l Cooperation & UDL… Scheme of Cooperation … • Int’l cooperation should focus on developing the general topics, especially those related to science & math, as Ohm’s law developed as a LO won’t change neither in US nor in China nor even in a small country in Africa. All what we need is the localization of these LOs • Regional cooperation should focus on developing topics, such as languages, culture, social studies … across certain regions of the World that have common interests, sharing same culture and facing same social & economic challenges • This arises the importance of considering Egypt as main regional hub for Arabic eContent development
ع Egypt a Main Regional Hub… is it true? … • “Egypt has a great advantage in becoming a leader in Arabic Content.” A.T. Kearney’ study to MCIT – June 2006 • Now the question” Is true that Egypt has all the qualifications to be the main regional hub for Arabic eContent development?” • The answer is YES but Why?
Egypt a Main Regional Hub… cultural perspective … • Egypt has a solid culture & language proximity across the whole Arab world • Egypt has always been acknowledged as a regional leader in the field of Arabic Content traditional production • Egyptian writers, novelists, artists, publishers and producers have gained regional recognition and acceptance for centuries
Source: GAFI Egypt a Main Regional Hub… economic perspective … • Egypt by far is the largest Arab country in population • Egypt is the heart of the ME and hosts well-educated labor force in different areas, especially those needed for the Content industry • Egypt experienced a noticeable economic growth lately, as GoE took serious steps toward executing an aggressive economic reform program • GoE introduced variety of legislations that facilitated the private sector activities & better enabled the multinationals to expand in the local market
Egypt a Main Regional Hub… ICT infrastructure perspective … 55 out of 400 IPs in Africa are from Egypt Source: MCIT
Egypt a Main Regional Hub… ICT infrastructure perspective … • Solid infrastructure • ICT sector growth of ~ 35% • It’s a clear vote of confidence by the private sector in GoE’s act in this strategic sector Source: MCIT
Egypt a Main Regional Hub… ICT infrastructure perspective … advancing 37 points in the global ranking from 136th in 2004 to 99th in 2005, which considered by the UN as “one of the greatest advances among all countries of the world in 2005”.
Egypt a Main Regional Hub… YES, it should be true … • From the pervious indicators & statistics, it is evident that the size of achievement accomplished by GoE to advance the economy in general & the ICT sector in particular is remarkable • All present a perfect base for Egypt to take the lead and play the central role in the development of the Arabic eContent in MENA region