Friday, 11:00 AM in Rangos II.
In this paper we identify a number of the key elements of current thinking about 'appropriate technology' which could assist in the deployment of 'open-source' software in less developed countries - particularly in the education sector. Our experiences are drawn mainly from our work in teacher education in Southern Africa and South-East Asia.
Building local capacity in the use of Information and Communication Technology skills becomes vital in channelling and managing resources at the local level, hence the need for the most cost-effective solutions, especially those which can maximise the potential of older hardware and slow and sometimes intermittent network connections.
While the economic arguments for the adoption of 'open source' software - particularly to businesses in more developed countries - have been widely discussed, we contend that in developing countries, there are even more compelling reasons for its adoption. The dynamic nature of 'open source' software and the existence of freely available documentation and online communities offers an opportunity for educators, network administrators and software developers to participate in the development of resources appropriate to their local needs while developing their own skills - a critical element of thinking about 'appropriate technology'.
We identify Perl as a critical development tool (in association with
other 'open-source' elements including Apache, Linux and the GNU range,
and initiatives such as national and regional SunSITES) specifically because
it offers a range of opportunities to 'mid-range' users - network managers,
ICT coordinators and curriculum developers. It offers the possibilities
of compensation for slow and intermittent internet connections (when internet
access, even for comparatively large institutions, is dependent on a phone
system which is itself erratic, large quantities of 'duct tape' are required!);
management of multiple user access to limited hardware resources; development
and management of communication tools; and development of interactive educational
materials. In addition, its range and cross-platform portability means
that it may be used as an introduction to programming for students which
has immediate and non-trivial applications.
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