Information Access in Rural Communities

2008 ◽  
pp. 3585-3591
Author(s):  
V.S. Venkatesan ◽  
Robyn Eversole ◽  
Kem Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Technology Usage ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Access Information

The concept of ‘digital divide’ draws attention to the social context of technology usage. Current IT solutions are technology driven and are focussed on elite consumers in cities. In contrast, regional Australian communities face a number of problems such as remoteness, small population and distance. Knowledge and resource constraints also impact on these communities and businesses. Any attempt to transform regions using new information and communications technologies should take into consideration these unique factors. This chapter focuses on information access in two rural communities in Western Australia. A qualitative study followed by a quantitative phase in two regional towns explored how people access information and where information gaps lie. Results of this research suggest that, along with technical infrastructure, equal emphasis should be placed on the human/community element. Without this, regional transformation will remain mere rhetoric.

Information Access in Rural Communities

2004 ◽  
pp. 147-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.S. Venkatesan ◽  
Robyn Eversole ◽  
Ken Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Technology Usage ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Access Information

The concept of ‘digital divide’ draws attention to the social context of technology usage. Current IT solutions are technology driven and are focussed on elite consumers in cities. In contrast, regional Australian communities face a number of problems such as remoteness, small population and distance. Knowledge and resource constraints also impact on these communities and businesses. Any attempt to transform regions using new information and communications technologies should take into consideration these unique factors. This chapter focuses on information access in two rural communities in Western Australia. A qualitative study followed by a quantitative phase in two regional towns explored how people access information and where information gaps lie. Results of this research suggest that, along with technical infrastructure, equal emphasis should be placed on the human/community element. Without this, regional transformation will remain mere rhetoric.

Cybersecurity

2013 ◽  
pp. 60-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Canongia ◽  
Raphael Mandarino
Keyword(s):  
Modern Society ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Tabular Form ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
New Information ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Study Case ◽  
The Developed Countries ◽  
Confidentiality And Privacy

This chapter introduces the theme of cybersecurity, its importance in the actual scenario, and the challenges of the new Information Society, whose critical development factors are the technological revolution and innovation. The revolution that the information and communications technologies (ICTs) has already brought to modern society is, without doubt, more than visible and concrete, but the great challenge facing us is to harmonize two dimensions, the first relating to the culture of sharing, socialization, and transparency, and the second relating to the issues of security, confidentiality, and privacy. It gives a broad overview in tabular form of the national cybersecurity strategies of the developed countries, United States and United Kingdom, as well as describing a study case, Brazil, is taking its first steps on the path towards cybersecurity. The chapter ends by proposing a model, the key elements for formulating a Brazilian cybersecurity strategy.

Cybersecurity

2012 ◽  
pp. 165-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Canongia ◽  
Raphael Mandarino
Keyword(s):  
Modern Society ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Tabular Form ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
New Information ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Study Case ◽  
The Developed Countries ◽  
Confidentiality And Privacy

This chapter introduces the theme of cybersecurity, its importance in the actual scenario, and the challenges of the new Information Society, whose critical development factors are the technological revolution and innovation. The revolution that the information and communications technologies (ICTs) has already brought to modern society is, without doubt, more than visible and concrete, but the great challenge facing us is to harmonize two dimensions, the first relating to the culture of sharing, socialization, and transparency, and the second relating to the issues of security, confidentiality, and privacy. It gives a broad overview in tabular form of the national cybersecurity strategies of the developed countries, United States and United Kingdom, as well as describing a study case, Brazil, is taking its first steps on the path towards cybersecurity. The chapter ends by proposing a model, the key elements for formulating a Brazilian cybersecurity strategy.

The Politcal Economy of Knowledge Management in Higher Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 2301-2313
Author(s):  
Amy Scott Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Postsecondary Institutions ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Political Implications ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communications Technologies

In this chapter, I discuss the economic and political implications of knowledge management in higher education. First, I examine the linkages between KM and capitalism, with the help of theoretical frameworks that connect increasing managerialism in higher education with the promises of profit-making in the New (Knowledge) Economy. Next, I discuss the politics of information and the ways in which knowledge is stratified in postsecondary institutions. Third, the social dynamics of information and communications technologies (ICT) are explored in the context of higher education institutions. These perspectives provide a counter-balance to the decidedly functionalist views of much of the knowledge managementliterature. The intent of the chapter is to provide a foundation for the rest of the volume and the more specific studies of KM in higher education to follow.

Gender Inclusion in the Information Society

2011 ◽  
pp. 636-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Faulkner ◽  
Merete Lie
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Information Society ◽  
European Study ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
New Information ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Gender Inclusion

Strategies of Inclusion Gender and the Information Society (SIGIS) was a European study exploring initiatives to include more women in the information society.1 This article summarises its main conclusions. The work started from the premise that overall more women than men are excluded from the information society, both as users and as designers of new information and communications technologies (ICTs). Our literature review (Sørensen & Stewart, 2002) confirmed that there is still a gender gap in terms of ownership of some ICT products and, to a lesser extent, in terms of access and use. Gender cuts across other dynamics in the digital divide—income, occupation and age being generally more significant than gender—with other factors (e.g., ethnic minorities, lone parent families) also intervening. Although the trend with respect to the use of ICT products is one of a closing gender gap, it is clear that diffusion alone is not sufficient to close the gap all together; inclusion efforts are still warranted in this area. By contrast, the literature review revealed a persistent and sizeable gender gap within computer specialisms and professions designing ICTs. The proportion of women entering computer science and engineering courses in most countries is static or in decline, in spite of sustained inclusion efforts. So, the overall picture across Europe is a contradictory one: optimistic with respect to what we call women and ICT (users), and pessimistic with respect to women in ICT (professionals).

On the Social Shaping of the Semantic Web

2010 ◽  
pp. 341-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul T. Kidd
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Web ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Utility Value ◽  
Web Searches ◽  
Social Shaping Of Technology ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Dominant Design ◽  
Social Shaping ◽  
Conceptual Formulation

Addressed in this chapter is the Social Shaping of the Semantic Web in the context of moving beyond the workplace application domain that has so dominated the development of both Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), and the Social Shaping of Technology perspective. The importance of paradigms and the values that shape technology are considered along with the utility value of ICT, this latter issue being somewhat central in the development of these technologies. The new circumstances of ubiquity and of uses of ICT beyond mere utility, as a means of having fun for example, are considered leading to a notion of the Semantic Web, not just as a tool for more effective Web searches, but also as a means of having fun. Given this possibility of the Semantic Web serving two very different audiences and purposes, the matter of how to achieve this is considered, but without resorting to the obvious and rather simple conceptual formulation of the Semantic Web as either A or B. The relevance of existing Social Shaping of Technology perspectives is addressed. New thoughts are presented on what needs to be central to the development of a Semantic Web that is both A and B. Key here is an intelligent relationship between the Semantic Web and those that use it. Central to achieving this are the notions of the value of people, control over technology, and non-utility as a dominant design principle (the idea of things that do not necessarily serve a specific purpose).

scholarly journals Beyond Virtual Inclusion – Communications Inclusion and Digital Divisions

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Sinclair ◽  
Glen Bramley
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Technological Barriers ◽  
Social Distribution ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Digital Engagement

Access to and engagement with information and communications technologies (ICTs) are increasingly important aspects of social inclusion. This paper draws upon analyses of UK survey data and a review of research on communications and social exclusion published in the UK between 2001 and 2006 to examine the social distribution of access to and uptake of ICTs and to explore key factors restricting the digital engagement of young people from lower income households and communities. It argues that effective strategies to bridge digital divisions in the UK must pay more attention to the social rather than technological barriers which inhibit communications inclusion.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document