Adoption and Use of ICTs among Rural Youth

Author(s):  
George Alexopoulos ◽  
Alex Koutsouris ◽  
Irene Tzouramani

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age”, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a worldwide scale. However, a number of issues seem to defy such optimism as far as rural areas are concerned. The critical review of such issues question the thesis that ICTs undoubtedly benefit (human) development. In particular, this paper, drawing on data from a large-scale survey in Greece, identifies the marginal effects of a series of demographic, socioeconomic and spatial characteristics, and information sources on PC and Internet use on the part of young rural inhabitants, especially farmers. The results, pointing toward an emerging intra-rural digital divide, are consequently discussed vis-à-vis eGovernment projects, from the point of view of human development.

Author(s):  
George Alexopoulos ◽  
Alex Koutsouris ◽  
Irene Tzouramani

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age”, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a worldwide scale. However, a number of issues seem to defy such optimism as far as rural areas are concerned. The critical review of such issues question the thesis that ICTs undoubtedly benefit (human) development. In particular, this paper, drawing on data from a large-scale survey in Greece, identifies the marginal effects of a series of demographic, socioeconomic and spatial characteristics, and information sources on PC and Internet use on the part of young rural inhabitants, especially farmers. The results, pointing toward an emerging intra-rural digital divide, are consequently discussed vis-à-vis eGovernment projects, from the point of view of human development.


Author(s):  
Tomas Cahlik

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have penetrated during the last 20 years all human activities everywhere on the Earth. Humanity has entered into the information age, virtual reality and even virtual worlds have been crated. The basic ethical questions stay as they have always been: How are we to live? What are we to be? Of course, we ought to live good lives and be good persons. The aim of this chapter is to specify what “living a good life” and “being a good person” could be in the information age and to identify challenges and opportunities ICTs offer in this context. It is impossible to predict if the positive impacts outweigh the negative ones. Anyway, it is impossible to stop the development of ICTs. The open question is if the society ought to try to increase the costs of ICTs activities that are negative from the ethical point of view and to increase benefits of activities that are positive from the ethical point of view, who ought to do it and how. All members of society have responsibility to participate in discourse of this question.


2020 ◽  
pp. 75-117
Author(s):  
A.N. Shvetsov

The article compares the processes of dissemination of modern information and communication technologies in government bodies in Russia and abroad. It is stated that Russia began the transition to «electronic government» later than the developed countries, in which this process was launched within the framework of large-scale and comprehensive programs for reforming public administration in the 1980s and 1990s. However, to date, there is an alignment in the pace and content of digitalization tasks. At a new stage in this process, the concept of «electronic government» under the influence of such newest phenomena of the emerging information society as methods of analysis of «big data», «artificial intelligence», «Internet of things», «blockchain» is being transformed into the category of «digital government». Achievements and prospects of public administration digitalization are considered on the example of countries with the highest ratings — Denmark, Australia, Republic of Korea, Great Britain, USA and Russia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Synowiec

The objective of this study is to identify the current state of, and the prospects for, information and communication technologies (ICT) dissemination in rural areas in Ukraine in juxtaposition with other post-transition countries. The spread of ICT is discussed within the frame of economic, infrastructural, and social factors affecting rural areas in Ukraine since the post-communist transition period. Information and communication technologies may support the socio-economic development of peripheral areas in many ways—including rural ones. Dissemination of ICT contributes to the emergence of sources of income, equalizes education opportunities, and increases the attractiveness of rural areas. However, the rural—urban divide in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and other former USSR countries is still remarkable and, as a type of structural inequality, should be better recognized. The source material is based on secondary data, which consists of selected literature on the subject of rural development in Central and Eastern European Countries, strategic documents, available reports and studies of international institutions, research from agencies, state documents and statistics, and research conducted by international and domestic NGOs. In reference to the paper’s objective, the method of content analysis was employed. Dissemination of ICT in rural areas in Ukraine is influenced by two groups of factors. The infrastructural divide concerning Internet access between rural and urban populations in Ukraine has been diminishing, but the issue of structural exclusion due to place of residence has still not been solved. As far as the social aspects of ICT dissemination in rural areas in Ukraine are concerned, the level of digital literacy among rural dwellers is significantly lower in comparison to urban residents. Rural areas are more exposed to the consequences of various aspects of digital exclusion.


2020 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. 01063
Author(s):  
Štefan Slávik

Start-up is a modern entrepreneurship form designed to realize original business ideas, mostly based on new technologies and the Internet. It evolves in the development cycle, which is determined by the business idea development cycle and the financing cycle. The purpose of the paper is to describe and analyse the business idea. The business idea is characterized by its content, circumstances of its origin, degree of originality and evidence of this originality. Start-ups are dominated by business ideas based on the application of information and communication technologies, the business idea is most often created by combining professional and business experience, but its originality is from the international point of view only average and the level of legal protection is quite rare.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 18-27
Author(s):  
Yulia Udovenko ◽  
◽  
Evgeniya Gladyshko ◽  

The article is devoted to the problem of bullying and anti-bullying policy in school institutions. The problem of bullying, from a scientific point of view, began to be studied at the end of the 20th century. Today, this issue is covered in all laws and programs related to ensuring a safe educational environment for participants in the educational process. Bullying, as a social and pedagogical problem, has been actively studied since the beginning of the development of information and communication technologies, which contributed to the rapid dissemination of not only verbal, but also media information: photo and video facts about manifestations of bullying between children. The article presents the results of the research "Unicef", "La Strada-Ukraine", which indicate the prevalence of the phenomenon of bullying among children. The essence of the concept of "bullying" is revealed, as well as categories that are close in meaning: "violence", "aggression", "bullying", "bullying", "conflict". The structural components of the roles of the bullying process are described: initiators or offenders, helpers of offenders, defenders of the victim, victims and observers. The article provides data on anti-bulging programs in foreign countries and focuses on the problem of anti-bulging policy in educational institutions of our country. Three main approaches that make up the anti-bullying policy of schools are analyzed: disciplinary, restorative and an integrated approach, which is implemented using two directions: managerial and educational. The directions of anti-bullying policy at school are presented, namely managerial and educational. The managerial direction is organized and implemented by the head of the educational institution. The constituent components of activities in this area are an analysis of the current situation in an educational institution, the development of an official position of the institution regarding bullying and informing all participants in the educational process about it, the development of rules of conduct for all participants in the educational process and informing about them, defining the responsibilities and responsibilities of participants educational process in relation to the rules of safe behavior in an educational institution, instructing employees, students and parents. Whereas the educational direction is characterized by informing, explaining, developing the skills of tolerance and non-violent communication of all participants in the educational process.


Author(s):  
A. Hafiiak ◽  
O. Shefer ◽  
E. Borodina ◽  
S. Alyoshin

The article explores modern information and telecommunication technologies, which are the basis of information processes in education. The fundamentals of improving the quality of student training from the point of view of the development of a vocational education system are investigated. The authors explore the definition of an innovative educational environment. It is proved that professional IT education is the basis for improving its quality level and has certain advantages over other types of knowledge, providing flexibility due to modern technological features, including the use of QR coding information.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Wanzu Ibrahim ◽  
Peter Turyakira ◽  
Proscovia M. Katumba

Information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly e-Commerce, are considered very important to the growth and competitiveness of businesses globally. SMEs too need to embrace innovative e-commerce strategies if they are to stay competitive, profitable and successful in local and global markets. Increased use of the Internet offers potential benefits to SMEs, such as cost reduction, improved operational efficiencies, access to new customers and enhanced business growth. However, SMEs, particularly in Uganda, have generally been slow in adopting e-commerce. Empirical research into the challenges SMEs in Uganda face in adopting electronic commerce is also limited. This study sought to explore the factors affecting e-commerce adoption among SMEs; and to establish the influence of e-commerce adoption on SMEs’ growth in Uganda. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 172 owners/managers of SMEs in the Kampala District in Uganda. The empirical results of this study indicate that e-commerce adoption significantly influence the growth of SMEs.


2020 ◽  
pp. 172-194
Author(s):  
Azlin Zaiti Zainal ◽  
Siti Zaidah Zainuddin

Educational change, particularly change involving the adoption of educational innovations, is a complex process. In Malaysia, the significant role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in promoting digital education is reflected in the national ICT in education policy. Nevertheless, studies in the Malaysian educational context have shown that the policy implementation resulted in varying degrees of success. Through a discourse analysis approach, this paper aims to examine the evaluation studies on large scale initiatives introduced to digitize the Malaysian education system, from the Smart Schools programme to the incorporation of the Frog Virtual Learning Environment in classroom. The rationale behind these top-down initiatives and how they affected the stakeholders at the micro level, namely, teachers and students, are reviewed and analysed. The analysis informs our understanding of the factors that contribute to the successful and unsuccessful implementation of these initiatives and guide the planning of future policies.


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