A few weeks ago, one of my students emailed me: “I don’t have the intention to quit the course. I have been absent because of my very bad internet connection”. She lives in Luxembourg, which is this year’s richest country in the world based on GPD per capita (cf worldpopulationreview.com: Luxembourg $119,719; Norway $86,362; Switzerland $83,832; Ireland $81,477; Iceland $78,181; Qatar $65,062; The United States of America $64,906; Denmark $63,434; Singapore $62,690; Australia $58,824). Those in developing nations, where there is a vast gap between the haves and have-nots, experience even more inequality in distance education, virtual meeting and teleworking.
The abrupt shift to education online has created practical, technical, and emotional challenges; and the lack of reliable technology and Internet access is only a tip of the iceberg. There are issues concerning teachers’ ability to carry out their tasks remotely, home environment that favour or disfavour learning, and help (or lack of it) that students get offline.
The data compiled by the Teacher Task Force, an international alliance coordinated by UNESCO, found that half of all students currently out of the classroom — or nearly 830 million learners globally — do not have access to a computer. As well, more than 40 per cent have no Internet access at home. (see ''Startling disparities in digital learning emerge as COVID-19 spreads: UN education agency'' published by UN News on April 21, 2020)
I teach adults at their company premises, which haven’t resumed yet. Currently, I have only two classes online. My son has been at home since the end of March finishing his first-year tertiary studies virtually and will return to Warwick University (UK) in October. My friends and acquaintances have told me that they will continue to have video conferences instead of face-to-face meetings until the end of 2020. Whatever and wherever the situation, there is a form of inequality.
Through distance teaching, I got to meet my students’ children who needed instant parental care, men who wanted information from their wives right away and barking dogs (one of them jumped into its owner’s lap while we were discussing dog-eating people). Online lessons involve synchronous teaching in real-time, providing students with experience close to traditional classroom instruction. Overall, there are pluses: 1) active participation; 2) individual-centred teaching/learning; 3) varied materials used; 4) safe and stress-free environment. As a teacher, however, I miss observing my students doing their writing exercises and role plays. On the other hand, I save about two hours of commuting, and this gives me more time to prepare to be a better moderator and guide in their learning.
After three lessons via Zoom, my students had a stocktake; all of them expressed a strong preference for face-to-face learning over a virtual class. Their main reasons relate to social interaction and the psychological role of non-verbal communication. Considering that two of them use their phones while the other four their personal computers with widescreen monitors, there is an inequality issue.
Almost all organisations across the globe have brought their board, committee and staff meetings and conversations into homes using technology platform and video conference software. The most used for these purposes are Cloud Meeting, ClickMeeting, ezTalks Cloud Meeting, Facetime, Freeconferencecall GoToMeeting, GroupMe, Infinite Conferencing, JoinMe, Skype, Slack, TeamViewer, WatchItToo, Webex, Zoho Meeting, and Zoom. These obviously save travel times, but the equipment can be expensive and requires compatibility. The quality of image and sound depends on the amount spent on technology, which is not the same for everyone.
After the pandemic, virtual teaching and meetings are here to stay. Can we erase inequality? How can we reduce this?
Meanwhile, if your concern is making the most of distance learning or meeting, check out the following articles to start with:
I visited Okinawa last month. Okinawa hosts 74 % of the U.S. bases on 0.6 % of the land. Despite overwhelming opposition, the Japanese government is taking the lead in efforts to build a new U.S. military base in Henoko Bay, emphasizing the deterrence value of the U.S. bases in Japan. Our policy makers want to proceed with the construction "shuku shuku to (calmly and solemnly)."
It is shockingly mindless and undemocratic to disregard the Okinawans' will. Here are some of useful websites on anti-U.S. base acitivities and protests (see the Japanese version – four of eleven sites are in English).
辺野古(新基地阻止)基金
[[http:tamutamu2011.kuronowish.com/sosikikin.htm|Tamu Tamu @ Kuro no wish]]
Economics of U.S. base redevelopment sway Okinawa mindset
[[http:www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/17/national/politics-diplomacy/economics-u-s-base-redevelopment-sway-okinawa-mindset/#.VWg8NFIppf6|Japan Times Journal]]
Looking at Flaws in the Henoko Landfill Permit Process from the Standpoint of the Right to Self-determination
[2011-11-14 Japan Focus Journal] Amartya Sen's Capability Approach, Democratic Governance and Japan’s Fukushima Disaster - アマルティア・センのケイパビリティ・アプローチ、民主政と福島の大惨事 (Mizohata, S)
eResearch: Strategies to model and monitor human development
Cette présentation, "eResearch: Strategies to model and monitor human development", a été faite par Sachié Mizohata de l'Université Paris Descartes et Raynald Jadoul du Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor au groupe de travail intitulé “Twenty Years of Human Development: The past and the future of the Human Development Index.” Ce workshop s'est tenu sous les auspices conjoints du Von Hugel Institute, du Capability and Sustainability Network de l'Univertité de Cambridge et du Programme de Développement des Nations Unies (UNDP)/Bureau du Rapport de Développement Humain (HDRO) à l'Université de Cambridge, les 28-29 Janvier 2010. http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2010/events/Résumé
Les notions de qualité de vie et de bien-être humain sont très contestées et leurs définitions ne font pas l'unanimité. Alors que l'AC est saluée comme un nouveau regard en la matière, les chercheurs ont montré que les défis liés à l'opérationalisation de cette nouvelle approche sont nombreux. Nous démontrons comment nous avons utilisé une approche novatrice orientée vers les technologies de l'information et de la communication, appelée eResearch qui alimentée par des modèles adéquats et supportée par des structures organisationnelles inspirées des enquête à très grande échelle tels PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) et PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies), peut surmonter bien des obstacles inhérents à l'évaluation des capabilités et du bien-être. En ce sens, ce document peut apporter une contribution méthodologique majeure en ce domaine. Sur base du même modèle que PISA et PIAAC et utilisant leurs paramètres d'organisation, nous suggérons qu'une entreprise collective à grande échelle devrait rallier tous les infrastructures multinationales et nationales matures tels que les l'ONU, l'OCDE, les institutions nationales, les ONG, etc., pour former un consortium sous la supervision conjointe du Programme de Développement des Nations Unies et de l'OCDE afin de mettre en place un projet d'évaluation du développement humain. Ce projet pourrait être nommé PIHDA (Programme for the International Human Development Assessment).See the whole presentation...
Longue vie au Shidōkan!
Cette année marque le dixième anniversaire de Shidōkan, club de iaido à Libramont, en Belgique, fondé par d'ardents disciples de Ogura Noboru Sensei, Gérard (Gési) Simon et Gérard Gatelier. Maintenant, le club entretenu avec succès par Gatelier et d’autres. Beaucoup de membres consacrent une bonne partie de leur vie à la pratique et à l’amélioration de leurs techniques de iaido et la connaissance des aspects philosophiques afférents à la discipline. Une personne, par exemple, fait chaque semaine 120 kilomètres de route pour aller pratiquer, tandis qu’une autre personne pratique près de 6 jours par semaine, gardant un jour libre pour que sa femme puisse le voir!
Je me demande ce qui est si fascinant dans le iaido (s’entraîner pieds nus dans un dojo pendant des heures). Une personne m’a dit que c’était "la poursuite du bien-être, celui qu’on gagne et celui qu’on partage."
Je suis reconnaissante de cette opportunité d'apprendre ma propre culture et ses valeurs traditionnelles de mes amis belges japonophiles! Vive le Shidōkan!
1) Photo de certains membres (les Sept Samurai de Libramont) au dojo.
2) Photo de Gési, à la fête d'anniversaire du club, qui reçoit un cadeau des membres représentés par Philippe Lesire
Une vidéo (en anglais) montrant les techniques de base du iaido: [[http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ5_JaRaOtQ|Ogura Sensei - ZKR demonstration]]
Si vous êtes intéressé(e), voici les coordonnées du club et le point de contact:
Club Shidōkan (membre de la BKR et de l'ABKF)
Place communale, 6800 Libramont-Chevigny
Responsables:
Gérard Simon - Gérard Gatelier - Philippe Lesire
+32 (0)498/44 15 56 ou +32 (0)494/28 46 56
Entraînements:
Jeudi à partir de 19h30 (1h iaido, 1h jodo)
Dimanche 9h30-11h30