Analysis of the Impact of Accessible Digital Technologies on Public Libraries: A Case of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in Botswana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Mwika Kayange
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The Impact

Harnessing Digital Technology to Strengthen the Culture of Reading at Public Libraries in South Africa

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry Ramothupi Matolong
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Pilot Phase ◽  
Impact Measurement ◽  
Private Company ◽  
Line Survey ◽  
Gates Foundation ◽  
Formed Part ◽  
The Impact

Statistics and numerous authors have highlighted the reading crisis in South Africa. At the same instance, more people in South Africa are embracing the potential of digital technology to provide lifelong learning opportunities and also to strengthen the culture of reading. This study is framed against the backdrop and implementation of the Mzansi Libraries On-Line Project in South Africa – a project implemented in line with the Global Libraries Programme of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The study explored the potential of access to information of digital technology and the contribution of the project to inculcating a culture of reading at public libraries. A benchmark survey was conducted by an independent research company during the pilot phase of the project in 2015. This survey covered library users of the 27 libraries that formed part of the pilot phase, and a further 25 libraries from a representative sample across South Africa. An end-line survey was conducted through a private company towards the conclusion of the countrywide implementation in 2017, based on the Common Impact Measurement System which was customised for South Africa. The benchmark survey found that although ICT in libraries had been used by relatively few people in 2015, the impact of this technology tended to be positive and would be beneficial to the wider society by helping to redress societal imbalances, including education and the culture of reading. The end-line survey found increased benefits of library usage and library technical infrastructure to improve the lives of the communities involved.

ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN CIVIL PROCESS

2019 ◽  
pp. 27-35
Author(s):  
Alexandr Neznamov
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Significant Feature ◽  
Legal Proceedings ◽  
Civil Process ◽  
Civil Proceedings ◽  
Processing Information ◽  
The Impact

Digital technologies are no longer the future but are the present of civil proceedings. That is why any research in this direction seems to be relevant. At the same time, some of the fundamental problems remain unattended by the scientific community. One of these problems is the problem of classification of digital technologies in civil proceedings. On the basis of instrumental and genetic approaches to the understanding of digital technologies, it is concluded that their most significant feature is the ability to mediate the interaction of participants in legal proceedings with information; their differentiating feature is the function performed by a particular technology in the interaction with information. On this basis, it is proposed to distinguish the following groups of digital technologies in civil proceedings: a) technologies of recording, storing and displaying (reproducing) information, b) technologies of transferring information, c) technologies of processing information. A brief description is given to each of the groups. Presented classification could serve as a basis for a more systematic discussion of the impact of digital technologies on the essence of civil proceedings. Particularly, it is pointed out that issues of recording, storing, reproducing and transferring information are traditionally more «technological» for civil process, while issues of information processing are more conceptual.

On the devaluation of expert opinion or why do we need a law about the basics of expert activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-24
Author(s):  
MARAT R. BIKTIMIROV ◽  
◽  
OLGA V. PILIPENKO ◽  
MAXIM S. SAFONOV ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Structural Analysis ◽  
Expert Opinion ◽  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Accurate Assessment ◽  
Industrial Management ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Creative Construction

Taking practical responsible decisions in the field of social and industrial management in the context of rapid development of digital technologies in the era of the knowledge economy is impossible without reliance on expertise. A kind of organization of activities for the production of ‘predictions’ is required, when not only an accurate assessment of the impact of certain factors and their possible interactions with each other is given, but also as a result of creative construction of scenarios for the development of processes and events, an understanding comes which factors need to be taken into account. At the same time, the expertise constantly faces criticism, calling the conclusions of experts arbitrary, unreliable and subjective. Often, expertise is confused with monitoring, evaluation, diagnosis, inspection or counseling. The authors of the article carried out a structural analysis of the content of the expertise processes in the project management vector in the digitalization era and came to the conclusion that the effectiveness of the expertise is significantly increased in case of clear regulation of this type of activity, providing the necessary status.

Ireland

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eilionóir Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Law ◽  
Health Law ◽  
Disability Rights ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Unique Position ◽  
Domestic Courts ◽  
Employment Equality ◽  
The Impact

Ireland’s constitution adopts a dualist approach to international law. It is in a unique position as a state which has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), but one which is obliged to adhere to the provisions of the CRPD in EU law, by virtue of the EU’s conclusion of the CRPD in 2010. To date, the CRPD has been referenced in a number of cases before the Irish courts in the context of employment equality law and mental health law. This chapter examines the extent of the impact that the CRPD can have on the judgments of domestic courts on disability rights in advance of the state’s ratification of the Convention.

scholarly journals An assessment of the interplay between literacy and digital Technology in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahrokh Nikou ◽  
Milla Aavakare
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
University Staff ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
The Impact

AbstractDigital technologies fundamentally transform teaching and learning in higher education environments, with the pace of technological change exacerbating the challenge. Due to the current pandemic situation, higher education environments are all now forced to move away from traditional teaching and learning structures that are simply no longer adaptable to the challenges of rapidly changing educational environments. This research develops a conceptual model and employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Partial least Squares (PLS) to examine the impact of information and digital literacy on 249 Finnish university staff and students’ intention to use digital technologies. The findings show the complex interrelationship between literacy skills and digital technologies among university staff and students. The results illustrate that information literacy has a direct and significant impact on intention to use; while, unlike our expectation, digital literacy does not have a direct impact on the intention to use. However, its effect is mediated through performance expectancy and effort expectancy. The authors suggest that to understand the changes that are taking place in higher education environment, more attention needs to be paid to redefining policies and strategies in order to enhance individuals’ willingness to use digital technologies within higher education environments.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on athletes with disabilities preparing for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Urbański ◽  
Łukasz Szeliga ◽  
Tomasz Tasiemski
Keyword(s):  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Training Time ◽  
Weekly Training ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Athletes With Disabilities ◽  
Sport Facilities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Paralympic Games ◽  
At Home

Abstract Objective The main aim of the study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on athletes preparing for the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games during 1 month of lockdown in Poland. The study involved 166 athletes (106 male, 66 female), members of either the Polish Paralympic Committee or the Polish Sports Association for the Disabled’Start’, two organizations responsible for managing and regulating sports played by persons with disabilities in Poland. Results Athletes with disabilities have been strongly affected by the pandemic and the resultant lockdown. The majority of respondents reported that they trained at home (88.6%), whereas 60.2% of athletes trained outdoors, and 12% suspended their training regimens altogether. Only 5.4% of athletes had some access to sport facilities. The athletes reduced their weekly training time by almost half (9.4 h/week vs. 5.3 h/week), a statistically significant difference (t = 16.261, p < 0.001).

Public libraries digital services and sustainability issues

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Michnik
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Digital Services ◽  
Local Politicians ◽  
Physical Spaces ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study how Swedish local politicians perceive the impact of public library digital services on public libraries and to discuss how this can affect the sustainable development of public libraries. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with local politicians from 19 different Swedish municipalities. Data were treated to qualitative content analysis and discussed based on the concept of sustainable organization. Findings – According to local politicians, public library digital services may affect public libraries through changes to libraries’ physical spaces, librarians’ tasks and competencies and libraries’ economic situations. Based on these findings, public library digital services can both strengthen and weaken public library sustainability through, for example, increased access and expenditures, the latter of which may threaten public library sustainability. Research limitations/implications – Interviews did not focus specifically on the politicians’ views on public library digital services but dealt generally with their views on public libraries. To identify reasons for variations in views on this topic, follow-up interviews should be done. Data on views from public library managers would also be of use to determine the degree to which they are shared with local politicians. Originality/value – When sustainability and public libraries are discussed, the focus is generally on the library’s contribution to a sustainable society. Here, the focus is instead on the sustainability of the public library itself.

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