ICT in the service of multiculturalism

Contact Hypothesis.

Lays down the condition for successful contact between two or more groups.

knowledge at differences between groups is not in itself enough to stop.

Conditions for successful contact between two or more groups:

1. Equal-group status within the situation.

2. Common goals.

3. Intergroup cooperation.

4. Institutional support.

There is a change in how an individual relates to another individual from a different cultural group, this change in attitude does not always lead to a change in the individual's bias against the entire group.

The basic requirements for successful contact between cultures is cooperation and collaboration. 

There are many problems involved with applying the contact hypothesis through face to face:

1. Logistics of groups meetings.

2. The need to meet with another group from a nearby or easily accessible geographical location.

3. Growing transportation costs.

The OICH

The Online Inter-group Contact Hypothesis model is based on an extension of the contact hypothesis. Between groups in conflict.

In order for the model to work the project must meet a number of conditions:

1. Be fully supported by each participating institution.

2. Involve collaboration among groups rather than among individuals.

3. Deal with general subjects and not with conflicts.

4. Be based on a need for participant collaboration rather than competition. 

 The tasks are relevant to teacher education and to students needs, and most require high-level thinking. 

The role of computer skills in the formation of modern translator's professional competence

Translation's Tools

Machine Translation (MT)

MT performs simple substitution of words in one language for words in another language, but usually cannot produce a good translation of a text because recognition of whole phrases and their closest counterparts in the target language is needed. 

Solving this problem with corpus statistical and neutral techniques is a rapidly growing field that is leading in better translations. handling differences in linguistic typology, translation of idioms and the isolation of anomalies.  

Computer Assisted Translation (CAT)

Is a form of language translation in which a human translator uses computer software to support and facilitate the translation process.

Also called:

Machine-assisted.

Machine-aided.

Terminology management systems.

TMS - systems allow translators to create a personal database of terminology, which is referred to as a "term base" which means that is a custom designed repository for consolidating and storing terminological information for use in future translation projects and it works along with the translators memory. 

Benefits:

1. They enhance and encourage terminological consistency and thus improve quality of translated texts.

2. Prevent translators from undertaking the same terminological searches every now and again.

3. Translation process is accelerated due to reuse of previously translated terminology. 

Localization Software

Involves making the product linguistically and culturally appropriate for a target country region or language where particular product will be offered on sale and used. Stands for combination of language and technology in order to produce a product that can cross both cultural and linguistic barriers.

Barriers to teaching computer skills to future translators.

Professionals translators need humanistic skills and technological profile.

The market of professional translators require institutions of higher education to train students of translations in the use of technologies and develop their skills in handling information and communication technologies.

  

  

ICT Education transformation and Economic Development: an analysis of the US National Educational Technology Plan

ICT Education transformation and Economic Development.

US Department of Education (Office of Educational Technology, 2010) released a draft of the National Educational Technology Plan (NETP). Calls for a transformation of American education.

Recommendations for the use of technology to support the transformationh of the US education system ICT are made. It'll bring access to teachers, students and broadband connectivity.

 

ICT Education Transformation and Economic Development

 Five sorts of research and reviewed in this article:

1. Macroeconomic research.

2. Microeconomic research.

3. Labor market and workforce studies.

4. Studies showing patterns of the everyday ICT use in American life.

5. Studies showing that American schools are not using ICT in a significant way or providing youth with the experiences and skills they need to enter the information economy.

Macroeconomic Trends: shifting from manufacturing to information economy.

Macroeconomic studies show that the US economy has undergone profound changes over the past several decades.

Many of these changes have been fostered by the dramatic growth in information communication technologies. 

If educational technology policy is going to contribute to economic growth and prosperity, prepare Americans to complete in the global economy.

Microeconomic Trends: changes in business organization and practices.

° Its has fostered fundamental changes in how business is done across a range of economic sectors.

° Microeconomic studies confirm the impact of ICT on business practice.

Three sets of industries in the US

1. ICT producing industries: acceleration of 3.7

2. ICT using industries: increase of 2.0

3. Other industries: average of 4.0

Social Trends: everyday ICT practices.

The pervasiveness of ICT across the country has had a significant social impact on America, such that people access, use, and create information and knowledge very differently than they did in previous decades.

The studies show that particularly American youth have become experiences and highly skilled technology users.      

   

Educational Trends: the current state of us education.

Given the massive changes in the economy and society, the significant resources avaible in American homes, and the impressive technological skills and experiences that young people bring with them to school.

The more educated the workforce, the more productive the economy, and as the economy grows more prosperous, the more people are able to continue their education.

 

Services with everything: the ICT- enabled digital transformation of services

The services transformations unfolding 

The transformation of services with ICT tools is dramatic, pervasive and far-reaching. Activities are transformed, firms are turning to services in pursuit of value.

Reposting services to avoid commoditization  

Many products face intense price competition.

Firms hardware offerings are increasingly enhanced in value by ICT- enabled services offerings.

IBM for example transformed itself form a product company in which services support provided competitive advantage.

Products themselves can be transformed into services when delivered via ICT networks.

Products can become portals to services.

In the current era manufacturing itself is offered as a service.

The Services Spectrum

Irreducible Services.

Hybrid Services.

Automated Services.

The application of ICT to existing service activities is always the beginning of the story of a cycle. 

For example many financial services are essentially encapsulated information, with algorithms determining patterns of trading and the composition of derivate- based products.

For digital media such as DVD or CD'S the information itself is a product. 

Translation and technology

Technology has made it possible to instantly analyses vast amount of data  rather than having to manually through page after page of information.

There are three general aspects needing our fullest attention.

1. Any tool that does not account for the special features of individual languages it purports to support is doomed to fail sooner rather than later.

2. Translation tools need to begin to accommodate the specific needs of particular language communities beyond compiling lists of non-translatable and special segmentation rules.

3. Translation tools are great at identifying matches on the sentence level, relatively good at finding concordance, and absolutely abysmal at coming up with good suggestions at the sub-sentence level, level alone at the morphological level.

Adoption of information and communication technologies.

   1. Document production activities.  

25% used graphical presentation software ( e.g. Microsoft Power Point)

   2. Information search and retrieval activities.

Including text 51%

Encyclopaedia's  38%

Academic journals available on line 30%

   3. Communication activities.

Electronic mail.

   4. Marketing and work procurement activities.

33% used on line translation marketplaces.

   5. Business management activities.

Databases packages were used by 25%

Attitudes towards ICT.

Brought time saving benefits, helped them to provide higher quality services to their clients.  

  

Processes, performance drivers and ICT tools in human resources management

6 keys qualities of an HR Manager:
- Organization.
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Ethics
- Leadership
- Expertise

HR managers to be accountable and or responsible for the following business processes:

° Preparing and reviewing capacity planning.
° Interviewing and recruiting
° Managing personnel evidence.
° Instituting progrms for retention and growth
° Establishing tools and guidance for managers reviews.

Performance drivers correlation.
- Performance managment
- Projects
- Logistic
- Accounting
- Facility Managment
- Production

 

An effective use of ICT education and learning by drawing on worldwide knowledge research and experience

ICT enhancing learning environment.

Provides opportunities to access an abundance of information using multiple information resources and viewing information from multiple perspectives.

 ICT increases the flexibility of delivery of education so that learners can access knowledge anytime and form anywhere.

EASY ACCESS TO LEARNING.

Teaching and learning process.

This can help to improve and develop the quality of education by providing curricular support in difficult subject areas.

 ° Education
°  Reading
° Writing
° Numeracy

ICT enhancing learning motivation.
As they found the class very interesting they retained in their mind for a longer span which supported them during the time of examination.

UNESCO ICT competency framework for teachers

The framework project.

In view of importance of ICT for education the UNESCO is working closely with CISCO, INTEL and Microsoft to identify the competencies that teachers should develop to use technology in the classroom.

1. Inculcating the community's values and passing on its cultural legacy.
2. Supporting the personal development of children, young people and adults.
3. Encouraging cross-cultural understanding and the peaceful resolution of conflict, improving health and well-being.

Higher quality labor.
A more knowledgeable work face that is able to add value to economic output.

Technological innovation.
The ability of the work face to create, distribute, share and use new knowledge.

The approaches of the framework.
° Technology literacy.
° Knowledge deepening.
° Knowledge creation.

The six aspects of a teacher's work.
° Understanding ICT in education.
° Curriculum and assessment.
° Pedagogy
° ICT
° Organization and administration
° Teacher professional learning

Teachers should.
° Incorporate a range of relevant productivity tools and technology resources.
° Changes in pedagogical practice.
° Use of watch ICT tools and digital content as part of whole class.
° Group and individual student activities. 
° Games.
° Web content in computer laboratories.