RLD
VIEWinternet
editionTHE WRLD
VIEWinternet
edition
|
Technology “How do you ensure that the developing world gets to set its own context and speak with its own voice? The Internet and digital convergence could be the answer, or part of it. Access, however, remains the big maybe (John McLaughlin, Planet Web: Equalizer or Divider?)” http://www.thestandard.com Most idealists envision a world where equality reigns and for this reason the practical aspects of many issues are never really explored. When dealing with the developing world, it is important that technology is not isolated but examined with the social, economic, and political contexts of a country. Considering these issues, I propose that wireless local area networks be established in developing countries to connect various local communities to each other and ultimately to a wired network that gives them access to the world’s knowledge. Access is the fundamental question here, what do we need to give to children in the developing world so that they can learn and contribute to the world in a more visible way. Wireless Local Area Networks are tools to develop communication skills and they can be seen as a foundation for other significant technologies that can help to enhance teaching and learning strategies.
1.) Where will the
WLAN be constructed? 2.) Which technology
is best for the country being served? I believe that the 802.11b technology which operates on the universal 802.11 standard, established for the wireless industry by the Institute of Electrical and Electronical Engineers in 1997, is the best one for developing countries. It is true that the 802.11a standard has had much exposure and acceptance by people in the wireless industry since the launch of products onto the market in 2002 , however, the 802.11b standard is effective and reputable and there is wider knowledge available about this standard. Additionally, there are more companies on the market providing materials on this standard that have also established links to education among other industries. Developing countries can benefit from the maturity of these products and the fact that many companies have made efforts to adapt to the needs of academia. Another important issue regarding the use of the IEEE 802.11b standard is the modulation technique that is chosen, i.e. the balance that is established between bandwidth and the reliable transfer of information. "Two types of modulation techniques that can be used with the IEEE 802.11b standard are: FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) and DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)" (http://www.geocities.com/ugabkent/milestone_1.html) "Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) has been defined by the IEEE to operate at either 1Mbit/sec or 2Mbit/sec speeds. DSSS works by spreading a signal over a wide range of the 2.4GHz frequency band." (http://www.networkmagazine.com) DSSS technology has more advantages for the developing world because "the 2.4GHz range is available for usage all over the world and the very nature of FHSS lends itself to areas with a heavy density of wireless users."(http://www.networkmagazine.com) "Instead of spreading the signal over a wide band of frequency, FHSS transmits a short burst of data on one frequency, hops to another frequency and transmits for a short period of time on this frequency, then hops to a new frequency. Also, it's possible to have several communications occurring at the same time across the same frequency band - as long as each uses a unique hop sequence."(http://www.networkmagazine.com) This use of the frequency is not an absolute necessity for developing countries that are considering wireless technology for schools. FHSS seems much more secure but really addresses problems of huge amounts of interference. If schools are spread out over sizable distances, and there is "little concern for signal interference t hen DSSS is a better option."(http://www.networkmagazine.com)
Ultimately, each country needs to be examined for particular disadvantages or benefits to implementing a standard. Some of the main considerations are distance over which information should be shared, cost of products, environment, maturity of products, reliability of vendors and the amount of pollution on a band that could cause interference. The final decision will require weighing the benefits of each point against the others and choosing something that is most useful in an overall sense.
The two are linked in important ways. For wireless technology to materialize from an idea into a reality in the developing world, ministries of education need to recognize the viability of this project, the long-term benefits thereof and to capitalize on it through their policies. However, the ministry of education is not the only government entity that can play a major role, but also the ministries of science and technology and the ministries of culture. Together, these three entities of any government can organize their resources. For example, the ministry of education can establish standards regarding security for children using technology. The ministry of science and technology can oversee the regulation of frequencies to support technology to be used in education and the ministry of culture can focus on the importance of maintaining the identity of a nation and monitoring and developing ways to address the social ramifications that tend to come with technological changes. It is also important to recognize the reality of the situation when it comes to what David E. Dunn termed “human software”in his article, “The knowledge divide: where some angels dare." Dunn states that “a very large percentage of teachers in the developing world---indeed, many in the developed world---- do not have the knowledge themselves to teach the basic operating skills for information and communication technologies to their students.”(Dunn, p.55-57) He goes on to say that “the challenge is not simply one of getting enough computers to the classroom. It is a problem of human software.” It is important to grasp from Dunn’s statement that there is a real challenge that exists in the developing world to implement infrastructure that will be cost-effective and useful but a need to also empower individuals to use these technologies and teachers in particular to impart knowledge. In essence, multiple agencies will be required to work in unison, including non-governmental agencies, the private sector and the government to implement wireless technology into the developing world so that the widening knowledge divide can be bridged and the term developing can be used less frequently. REFERENCES http://www.networkmagazine.com http://www.geocities.com/ugabkent/milestone_1.html
|
