http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ahv_1IS7SiE
This morning I was inspired by a friend's post on the last Dr. Seuss book, Burning Man.
Dr Seuss was one of those sets of books that I can still return to time and time again, and find new pearls of wisdom. The first time I read one of his books it was at the Von Welligh Library in Johannesburg. This was 1976, I had just lost my mother and my father seemed to have abandoned us children.
My grandparents had taken us in and were trying their best to give us a better life. This included moving to Darragh House, the flats belonging to the Anglican Church, in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa. This was one of the few "grey areas" in Johannesburg where light skinned coloureds could hope to start a life as "whites".
Thus at the age of six, I was stuck in a small flat, not able to make friends with the neighbours, and missin my parents.
That's when I discovered "The Cat in the Hat". In Dr Seuss I had a new friend who still whispers in my ear:
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."
(Thanks Dave Duarte ;-)
The whole book can be watched at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ahv_1IS7SiE
Children's books available electronically -when can we give them e-readers?
See: Project Gutenberg Children's collection
"African publishers lag in shift to electronic books
Electronic readers are transforming the way people enjoy their books. However, there is very little African published content on the online stores. For a reader looking for a Kenyan book or literature published in Africa, one has to get the ink-and-paper version as few publishers have moved online."
There are programs in place to provide one-laptop-per-child and the latest is getting e-readers to children. One of these is an organisation called Worldreader.org. What is the possibility of Namibia recognising this as a future trend and start planning for it.
I recently completed together with an international team, a study for the University of Washington on "Libraries, Telecenters and Cybercafés: A Comparison of Different Types of Public Access Venues".
It is sad that we neglecting our children's access - I just look at the example of our public library in Windhoek.
Worldreader aims to put a library of books in the hands of families worldwide, using e-reader technology.
Literacy depends on access to written material. E-readers can deliver written material anywhere, quickly and easily. But there is little known about the effect these devices have in classroom settings or in developing countries.
Worldreader.org completed several classroom trials using e-readers to explore the use of digital content in the developing world.
Our working hypotheses are that:
- E-readers will increase access to books due to lower distribution costs and immediate visibility of millions of books available online.
- This will result in a larger number and greater variety of books read, and increased excitement and exchange of ideas around these books.
- The result will be a higher value placed on reading within the classroom, family, and community.
- The results will be specific and measurable, and will, in the long term, increase literacy and opportunity for those involved.
Management coaching: There’s method in the madness | Africa Report
Management coaching: There’s method in the madness | Africa Report
It’s time to tackle the dreaded M word –management. With management coaching, this has never been easier.
By Craig Falck for Africa Report
Managers are not born… They are trained. And mentored. And coached. Management coaching is a new technique that’s gaining popularity around the world because it gives employees the skills they need when they enter higher management positions. After all, these programs are popular for a reason…
Being a manager is more than just delegating and having a “manager” sign on your business card, desk or office door. It’s about being able to handle the company, to mould and develop your team and department, and lead the team to victory. And that’s where management coaches come in. Like any coach in a sport, they will instil certain principles and knowledge in their leader and coach them to be the best that they can be. There are so many things that managers need to know these days and so many tools that they have at their disposal – there’s nothing that they can’t do in the workplace. Unless, of course, they haven’t had the proper training and coaching.
Management coaching is all about identifying your inner manager traits and learning how to use them. We’re talking communication skills that allow you to better communicate your needs and wants in the office; decision making that puts the power in your hands to quickly decide what needs to be done and what can be ignored; concentration that allows you to focus on your goal and make sure that you get there no matter what obstacles stand in your way; drive and determination that you can pass onto others to encourage them to meet their objectives; insight, discretion and understanding that will give you the tools to cope with the office dynamics and personal issues that arise, and a number of other character traits that make for a good manager and leader.
The thing is, as popular as manager coaching is, there are still those that scoff at the idea and call it “foolish” and “mad”. However, these names come from two kinds of people: those who think they know it all, and those who know nothing. You cannot simply slam a form of education or knowledge sharing because you don’t agree with it or because it’s not to your liking. Knowledge is power, and any form of education should be appreciated and exploited. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to handle what your workplace throws at you.
Huddle up, team… it’s time to coach your management skills and turn you from also-ran-boss to game winner in the blink of an eye.
Andreas Guibeb - Experimenting with education in Namibia
Andreas Guibeb
The poor outcome of the matric results of the past year takes me back down memory lane when I had the good fortune to serve as assistant teacher (hulp onderwyser) for a Grade9 class at Ella Du Plessis for a brief period.
I soon realized the huge gap in performances between the top and lowest performing students, especially those who commuted daily from Katatura to attend school in Khomasdal in the hope of a better future. I refused to accept that some kids were stupid whilst others were clever. My challenge was to proof that theory by narrowing that gap. But how...?
Not prejudiced by the dogma of formal teacher training I experimented a lot and tested the tolerance limits of the school principal by abolishing the system of giving individual test marks and replacing it with a test mark for each student equal to the class average test mark for the subject. So every pupil in the class had either a good or horrible test mark for each subject. My point was that the success of everyone in the class was and should be our collective concern. We will only achieve that objective if we all start sharing good studying and learning strategies with everyone and increase the class average by helping the poor performers to up their contribution to the average class performances. I said let's all fake it till we make it and achieve the highest possible average class result, which means that everybody is doing well individually.
I therefore paired pupils to do homework and prepare for tests and taking particular care to pair top performers with under performers. I did this intuitively and without any knowledge of "positive deviancy theory" developed years later by Harvard Professor Jerry and Monique Sternin. With hindsight it reasures me that there was sense to the experiments of the scientist gone mad in the Ella du Plessis School laboratory.
This initiative was however very disturbing (understatement) to the school principal, school administration, the top performers and their parents in the class. The underlying spirit of: "We are in this together and we win when everyone wins" that I was trying to share, militated against the acquired wisdom pervasive in all aspects of our life of: "Each one for him/herself and God help us all".
So I convened a meeting of parents, the school principle, students and myself where I explained that if the top performers and poor performers studied together both will win. When both win everyone wins. The top performers would gain lifelong friends and the poor performers gained a window into the thinking and study methods of top performers. The poor performers would gain self-esteem they lacked before when they see improved results. Once successful, they will dislike failure forever.
I am greatful to the school principal, parents and pupils for having allowed me to continue that risky experiment, but the rest is history as they say.
Though I spend only a few months with the class all of them passed matric and gained access to university long after I left the school. The empowering lesson. If allowed, challenged and supported by all stakeholders the learners themselves will come up with more resourcefull and efficient solutions to the most chalenging situations. Because they come up with the solution themselves, it sets them on a lifelong course of success.
I am gratefull to the star pupils of my class at Ella du Plessis who took the exercise to heart and help under performers acquire better study habits and thus raised the test average for all.
As Shakespeare says,"when the tide rises all boats are lifted". No top performer became worse because of helping others but all under performers became star pupils and realized their full potential. This is literally and figuratively true in all fields of life as today proven by the "positive deviancy theory".
The poor outcome of the matric results of the past year takes me back down memory lane when I had the good fortune to serve as assistant teacher (hulp onderwyser) for a Grade9 class at Ella Du Plessis for a brief period.
I soon realized the huge gap in performances between the top and lowest performing students, especially those who commuted daily from Katatura to attend school in Khomasdal in the hope of a better future. I refused to accept that some kids were stupid whilst others were clever. My challenge was to proof that theory by narrowing that gap. But how...?
Not prejudiced by the dogma of formal teacher training I experimented a lot and tested the tolerance limits of the school principal by abolishing the system of giving individual test marks and replacing it with a test mark for each student equal to the class average test mark for the subject. So every pupil in the class had either a good or horrible test mark for each subject. My point was that the success of everyone in the class was and should be our collective concern. We will only achieve that objective if we all start sharing good studying and learning strategies with everyone and increase the class average by helping the poor performers to up their contribution to the average class performances. I said let's all fake it till we make it and achieve the highest possible average class result, which means that everybody is doing well individually.
I therefore paired pupils to do homework and prepare for tests and taking particular care to pair top performers with under performers. I did this intuitively and without any knowledge of "positive deviancy theory" developed years later by Harvard Professor Jerry and Monique Sternin. With hindsight it reasures me that there was sense to the experiments of the scientist gone mad in the Ella du Plessis School laboratory.
This initiative was however very disturbing (understatement) to the school principal, school administration, the top performers and their parents in the class. The underlying spirit of: "We are in this together and we win when everyone wins" that I was trying to share, militated against the acquired wisdom pervasive in all aspects of our life of: "Each one for him/herself and God help us all".
So I convened a meeting of parents, the school principle, students and myself where I explained that if the top performers and poor performers studied together both will win. When both win everyone wins. The top performers would gain lifelong friends and the poor performers gained a window into the thinking and study methods of top performers. The poor performers would gain self-esteem they lacked before when they see improved results. Once successful, they will dislike failure forever.
I am greatful to the school principal, parents and pupils for having allowed me to continue that risky experiment, but the rest is history as they say.
Though I spend only a few months with the class all of them passed matric and gained access to university long after I left the school. The empowering lesson. If allowed, challenged and supported by all stakeholders the learners themselves will come up with more resourcefull and efficient solutions to the most chalenging situations. Because they come up with the solution themselves, it sets them on a lifelong course of success.
I am gratefull to the star pupils of my class at Ella du Plessis who took the exercise to heart and help under performers acquire better study habits and thus raised the test average for all.
As Shakespeare says,"when the tide rises all boats are lifted". No top performer became worse because of helping others but all under performers became star pupils and realized their full potential. This is literally and figuratively true in all fields of life as today proven by the "positive deviancy theory".
Tyd loop uit vir inspraak in kommunikasiewet
6.07.2007
Tyd loop uit vir inspraak in kommunikasiewet
ROLSPELERS in die telekommunikasiebedryf en ander belangstellendes het nog net tot Dinsdag om insette te lewer oor voorgestelde wysigings aan die land se langverwagte nuwe kommunikasiewet.
Die Namibiese Kommunikasiekommissie (NCC) sal slegs tot 10 Julie bykomende kommentaar ontvang oor 'n konsepwet wat die grondslag vir die volledige liberalisering van die telkommark sal lê.
'n Nasionale slypskool sal vanaf 25 tot 27 Julie plaasvind om finaal vorm aan 'n wet te gee wat deur 'n ewekansige geleentheid vir vrye en gesonde mededinging uiteindelik vir Jan Alleman onder meer die beste moontlike diens en pryse moet verseker.
Die wet sal die NCC ook vervang met 'n veel gevaarliker waghond, die Namibiese Kommunikasieowerheid (NCA).
Die Kabinet het in Maart vanjaar midde 'n hete geveg tussen Telecom, MTC en Cell One oor of die staatsvoorsiener die mobiele foonmark met sy nuwe produk Switch kon betree, hierdie wetgewing wat al agt jaar in aantog is, op die sneltrajek geskuif. Behalwe dat Telecom opdrag gegee is om Switch-kliënte se opvangs intussen tot die dorp waar hulle woon te beperk, is bevel gegee dat die nuwe kommunikasiewet reeds vandeesmaand in die Nasionale Vergadering moet dien.
Hierdie tydvenster is reeds gemis. Ná finalisering sal die wet ook eers weer voor die Kabinet moet dien.
Die Inligtings- en Kommunikasietegnologie-alliansie (ICTA) is 'n forum wie se lede by laat vandeesmaand se finale indaba oor die kommunikasiewet hul stemme na verwagting baie dik kan maak. Volgens mnr. Milton Louw wat die Alliansie bestuur, is daar die volgende twee maande nog twee baie belangrike byeenkomste.
Op 2 en 3 Augustus sal IKT-beleid in die visier inskuif, terwyl 'n konferensie op 13 September halsstarrige probleme met die administrasie van Namibië se domeinnaam op die internet (.na) gaan takel. As deel van die nasionale besit is dit volgens mnr. Louw noodsaaklik dat die land se internetkode in nasionale belang bestuur moet word.
Die ICTA wie se nuusbrief 'n omsendsyfer van byna 1 400 het, het volgens mnr. Louw nuwe lewe gekry ná 'n lang sluimerperiode en verwag om hul individue ledetal, wat verlede jaar op 10 gestaan het, tot in die omgewing van 80 te vermeerder. 'n Totaal van 54 sakeondernemings was verlede jaar deel van hierdie belange- en drukgroep.
Enigiemand met navrae oor die werk van dié Alliansie is welkom om mnr. Louw by 081 304 3282 te skakel, of hom by milton@iit.com.na te vonkpos. Hul webwerf is www. ictalliance.org.na.
Voorleggings oor die huidige konsepkommunikasiewet, beskikbaar by die NCC (061 222 666), moet in elektroniese en gedrukte formaat wees (vyf afskrifte van elke voorstel is nodig) en dit moet die Kommissie op die laatste teen 10 Julie bereik. Hul kantore is by Robert Mugaberylaan 56.
Die NCC sal na verwagting eersdaags die konsultante aanwys wat aan die spits van die finalisering van die wet sal staan.
Die Namibiese Kommunikasiekommissie (NCC) sal slegs tot 10 Julie bykomende kommentaar ontvang oor 'n konsepwet wat die grondslag vir die volledige liberalisering van die telkommark sal lê.
'n Nasionale slypskool sal vanaf 25 tot 27 Julie plaasvind om finaal vorm aan 'n wet te gee wat deur 'n ewekansige geleentheid vir vrye en gesonde mededinging uiteindelik vir Jan Alleman onder meer die beste moontlike diens en pryse moet verseker.
Die wet sal die NCC ook vervang met 'n veel gevaarliker waghond, die Namibiese Kommunikasieowerheid (NCA).
Die Kabinet het in Maart vanjaar midde 'n hete geveg tussen Telecom, MTC en Cell One oor of die staatsvoorsiener die mobiele foonmark met sy nuwe produk Switch kon betree, hierdie wetgewing wat al agt jaar in aantog is, op die sneltrajek geskuif. Behalwe dat Telecom opdrag gegee is om Switch-kliënte se opvangs intussen tot die dorp waar hulle woon te beperk, is bevel gegee dat die nuwe kommunikasiewet reeds vandeesmaand in die Nasionale Vergadering moet dien.
Hierdie tydvenster is reeds gemis. Ná finalisering sal die wet ook eers weer voor die Kabinet moet dien.
Die Inligtings- en Kommunikasietegnologie-alliansie (ICTA) is 'n forum wie se lede by laat vandeesmaand se finale indaba oor die kommunikasiewet hul stemme na verwagting baie dik kan maak. Volgens mnr. Milton Louw wat die Alliansie bestuur, is daar die volgende twee maande nog twee baie belangrike byeenkomste.
Op 2 en 3 Augustus sal IKT-beleid in die visier inskuif, terwyl 'n konferensie op 13 September halsstarrige probleme met die administrasie van Namibië se domeinnaam op die internet (.na) gaan takel. As deel van die nasionale besit is dit volgens mnr. Louw noodsaaklik dat die land se internetkode in nasionale belang bestuur moet word.
Die ICTA wie se nuusbrief 'n omsendsyfer van byna 1 400 het, het volgens mnr. Louw nuwe lewe gekry ná 'n lang sluimerperiode en verwag om hul individue ledetal, wat verlede jaar op 10 gestaan het, tot in die omgewing van 80 te vermeerder. 'n Totaal van 54 sakeondernemings was verlede jaar deel van hierdie belange- en drukgroep.
Enigiemand met navrae oor die werk van dié Alliansie is welkom om mnr. Louw by 081 304 3282 te skakel, of hom by milton@iit.com.na te vonkpos. Hul webwerf is www. ictalliance.org.na.
Voorleggings oor die huidige konsepkommunikasiewet, beskikbaar by die NCC (061 222 666), moet in elektroniese en gedrukte formaat wees (vyf afskrifte van elke voorstel is nodig) en dit moet die Kommissie op die laatste teen 10 Julie bereik. Hul kantore is by Robert Mugaberylaan 56.
Die NCC sal na verwagting eersdaags die konsultante aanwys wat aan die spits van die finalisering van die wet sal staan.
Nuwe bedeling vir 'dot com dot na'
http://www.republikein.com.na/die-mark/nuwe-bedeling-vir-dot-com-dot-na.24968.php
Nuwe bedeling vir 'dot com dot na'
1.10.2007
DEELNEMERS aan 'n onlangse beraad oor die administrasie van Namibië se domeinnaam op die web, "dot na", het hulself bankvas geskaar agter die noodsaak vir 'n stelsel wat hierdie nasionale bate op 'n veel doeltreffender wyse sal bestuur.
Klagtes oor 'n "diktatoriale, diskriminerende en disfunksionele" status quo - waaroor koppe al vir jare baie hard stamp - het die Alliansie vir Inligtings- en Kommunikasietegnologie (ICTA) genoop om rolspelers bymekaar te roep om 'n padkaart vir ingrypende verandering op te stel.
Volgens mnr. Milton Louw van ICTA sal die eenparige steun wat by hierdie slypskool vir vernuwing gemonster is, die weg baan vir 'n formele aansoek van regeringskant aan die internasionale Internetkorporasie vir Toegedeelde Name en Nommers (ICANN) dat die registrateurskap vir ".na" uit die hande van dr. Eberhard Lisse geneem word. Lede van die alliansie dink dit is hoog tyd om die sterk persoonlike angel uit 'n rompslompstryd te trek wat volgens mnr. Louw veroorsaak dat meer as 70 persent van nuwe webwerwe wat vandag in Namibië geregistreer word, net die "dot com"-naam eerder as Namibië se eie, unieke webkode dra.
Hy het dr. Lisse se bewering dat hy nie genooi is om sy saak te stel nie verwerp.
Volgens mnr. Louw het mnr. Sackey Shanghala, die persoonlike raadgewer van die Minister van Justisie en Prokureur-generaal, me. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, wat aan die stuur van die finalisering van die land se lank verwagte nuwe wet oor inligting en kommunikasie staan, verseker dat die administrasie van Namibië se domeinnaam vervat sal word in hierdie konsepwet, wat volgens plan nog in die huidige sitting van die parlement ter tafel gelê sal word.
Die voorstel is dat die nuwe kommunikasie-owerheid (NCA), wat deur hierdie wet in die lewe geroep sal word, 'n onafhanklike liggaam sal stig wat die administrasie, registrasie en regulering van "dot na" sal hanteer tot 'n wet op elektroniese transaksies ingestel is. Die plan is dat die publiek lede uit die IKT-bedryf, regslui, akademici en burgerlikes sal nomineer om op hierdie raad te dien.
Die beter diens waarop almal in die proses aandring, kan egter nog jare neem om 'n werklikheid te word.
Terwyl 'n mens volgens mnr. Louw met 'n kredietkaart op die internet binne vyf minute vir sowat N$90 'n nuwe webwerf kan registreer as die kliënt tevrede is met net 'n "dot com", wag aansoekers weke om 'n "dot na"-naam te kry. Dít kos N$565.
Volgens ICANN se reëls word die eerste persoon wat 'n werf met 'n land se toegedeelde kode registreer, outomaties die registrateur. Dr. Lisse het in 1990 op hierdie manier beheer oor die bestuur van "dot na" gekry, wat tans deur die onderneming Ondis en die Namibian Network Information Centre (NA-NiC) op Swakopmund behartig word.
So 'n registrateur kan die prosedure vir die registrasie van nuwe werwe vasstel en aansoeke goed- of afkeur.
Ontevredenes meen heeltemal te veel mag het in die proses in 'n enkele internetman se hande beland.
Klagtes oor 'n "diktatoriale, diskriminerende en disfunksionele" status quo - waaroor koppe al vir jare baie hard stamp - het die Alliansie vir Inligtings- en Kommunikasietegnologie (ICTA) genoop om rolspelers bymekaar te roep om 'n padkaart vir ingrypende verandering op te stel.
Volgens mnr. Milton Louw van ICTA sal die eenparige steun wat by hierdie slypskool vir vernuwing gemonster is, die weg baan vir 'n formele aansoek van regeringskant aan die internasionale Internetkorporasie vir Toegedeelde Name en Nommers (ICANN) dat die registrateurskap vir ".na" uit die hande van dr. Eberhard Lisse geneem word. Lede van die alliansie dink dit is hoog tyd om die sterk persoonlike angel uit 'n rompslompstryd te trek wat volgens mnr. Louw veroorsaak dat meer as 70 persent van nuwe webwerwe wat vandag in Namibië geregistreer word, net die "dot com"-naam eerder as Namibië se eie, unieke webkode dra.
Hy het dr. Lisse se bewering dat hy nie genooi is om sy saak te stel nie verwerp.
Volgens mnr. Louw het mnr. Sackey Shanghala, die persoonlike raadgewer van die Minister van Justisie en Prokureur-generaal, me. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, wat aan die stuur van die finalisering van die land se lank verwagte nuwe wet oor inligting en kommunikasie staan, verseker dat die administrasie van Namibië se domeinnaam vervat sal word in hierdie konsepwet, wat volgens plan nog in die huidige sitting van die parlement ter tafel gelê sal word.
Die voorstel is dat die nuwe kommunikasie-owerheid (NCA), wat deur hierdie wet in die lewe geroep sal word, 'n onafhanklike liggaam sal stig wat die administrasie, registrasie en regulering van "dot na" sal hanteer tot 'n wet op elektroniese transaksies ingestel is. Die plan is dat die publiek lede uit die IKT-bedryf, regslui, akademici en burgerlikes sal nomineer om op hierdie raad te dien.
Die beter diens waarop almal in die proses aandring, kan egter nog jare neem om 'n werklikheid te word.
Terwyl 'n mens volgens mnr. Louw met 'n kredietkaart op die internet binne vyf minute vir sowat N$90 'n nuwe webwerf kan registreer as die kliënt tevrede is met net 'n "dot com", wag aansoekers weke om 'n "dot na"-naam te kry. Dít kos N$565.
Volgens ICANN se reëls word die eerste persoon wat 'n werf met 'n land se toegedeelde kode registreer, outomaties die registrateur. Dr. Lisse het in 1990 op hierdie manier beheer oor die bestuur van "dot na" gekry, wat tans deur die onderneming Ondis en die Namibian Network Information Centre (NA-NiC) op Swakopmund behartig word.
So 'n registrateur kan die prosedure vir die registrasie van nuwe werwe vasstel en aansoeke goed- of afkeur.
Ontevredenes meen heeltemal te veel mag het in die proses in 'n enkele internetman se hande beland.
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