Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Central Asia

February 18 - March 3, 2005

TAJIKISTAN

Gulbara Imankulova, journalist of
local newspaper Talaskiy Vestnik,
joins her colleagues online in
Tajikistan and asks questions of
Ukrainian experts at the IATP
access site in Talas, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstani and Tajikistani Media Representatives Meet Ukrainian Colleagues Online to Discuss Elections
On February 24, more than 16 media and NGO representatives from across Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan met online with four journalists and alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs from various regions of Ukraine at IATP access sites throughout these countries. The Ukrainian, Tajikistani, and Kyrgyzstani journalists discussed the role of the media in supporting democracy for 90 minutes, as both Kyrgyzstani and Tajikistani citizens prepared for parliamentary elections that took place on February 27. Ukrainians joined their Central Asian counterparts to discuss the problems media representatives have faced during election campaigns, government pressure on media, the informational blockade of opposition viewpoints, and the potential of the Internet to inform voters. The government controls much of the media in Tajikistan and manages the single nationwide TV-channel. During the online chat, Numon Umarov, chief editor of local TV channel Guli Bodom in Kanibadam, Tajikistan, described how Guli Bodom could not broadcast during the week before the elections, because the government ordered it to stop. Print media has also been restricted. Four months ago, the government closed down one of the few private Tajik newspapers, Nerui Sukhan, which had been openly covering corruption and the poor state of labor migrants. With the limited role of the media in mind, Zainiddin Orifi, a journalist from the Varorud news agency asked Ukrainian guests whether opposition media was financed by foreign countries. Sergey Kurbatov from Kiev replied that both pro-government and opposition media had been financed, but the opposition stood for freedom of speech and this was the crucial difference. Rahmon Pulatov, chief editor of Subhi Iram newspaper in Kanibadam, asked the Ukrainian guests about the role the Internet and media played in Ukrainian presidential elections. Oleg Sherbakov, a Ukrainian TV journalist replied, “By visiting several Ukrainian websites, people were able to learn a lot about both candidates. It is a pity that not everyone has access to the Internet, though.” Sergey Kurbatov (RSEP 99 and JFDP 04), a philosophy professor in Kiev, commented, “I think the role of the Internet was huge. If electronic media and the number of newspapers mostly reflected the government’s position, then the Internet was the platform of freedom. The opposition used Internet opportunities more effectively than the government to promote its position.” The online conference provided journalists the rare opportunity to share their common experiences working as journalists in the CIS countries where democracy is in its early stages. IATP access sites throughout Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have provided many journalists with otherwise unavailable means to gather information and to report on election-related news.

Alumni Engage Students in Elections Discussion and Introduce Online Resources in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
On February 24, Akmal Karimov (FLEX 04) and Dmitry Frolov (FLEX 02) conducted a 90-minute seminar on Tajikistani political parties and parliamentary elections for 12 high school students and four alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs at the Alumni Resource Center in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Karimov and Frolov, both law students at Russian Tajik Slavonic University, wished to share their legal knowledge and pique the participation of local youth in the elections that took place on February 27. Karimov started the seminar with a multimedia presentation he prepared using information from online resources, such as the social information website on Tajikistan and the Elections around the World website, which covers the political system and platforms of the six registered political parties in the country. Karimov noted, “Before voting, each citizen should look through all possible alternatives. It is important that people educate themselves and understand for whom and why they vote.” Frolov followed with a presentation on the creation of political parties and electoral law. Nazokat Jumaeva, one of the students in attendance, asked, “What do I need to do if I want to propose my candidacy to be a representative in Parliament?” Frolov replied that she would need to submit documents to the district commission of elections, including a letter of request, at least 500 signatures, a resume, a statement of income and assets, a clean bill of health, documents proving a non-criminal background, and a $700 payment. To conclude the seminar, Karimov invited participants to browse parliament and election-related websites. One participant, Zarrina Sharipova, concluded, “Today I have not only learned about parliamentary elections and the electoral system in Tajikistan, but also found out how important our choice in upcoming elections is to bring a better future for our country.” This event is one of many election-related activities conducted by alumni at IATP access sites across Tajikistan that provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss parliamentary elections and democracy.

KAZAKHSTAN

School Nurses Complete Distance Learning Course in Aktobe, Kazakhstan
On February 28, five school nurses received certificates for completing IATP’s distance learning (DL) course on emergency medical assistance to children at the IATP access site in Aktobe. IATP DL consultant Aliya Dairabayeva taught the course after creating it through IATP’s “Design and Facilitation of DL Courses (DFDLC)” course. The course is posted on the DL portal at www.dl.iatp.kz. In October, IATP management selected Dairabayeva’s course proposal and enlisted her and five other DL consultants in the DFDLC course, which taught participants to transform hard-copy course materials into virtual lectures and to create online forums, chats, and exams. With materials and other assistance from the Kazakhstan Medical College, Dairabayeva finished her course by the end of November. From Almaty, Dairabayeva taught the course to school nurses in Aktobe, covering a range of emergency situations for children, including heart problems, severe allergy attacks, and poisoning. Only two months before the DL course launched, the school nurses had yet to use the Internet. This being the case, the nurses prepared for Dairabayeva’s DL course by attending IATP’s computer and Internet basics courses to learn how to use e-mail, chats, forums, and online search engines to complete homework assignments requiring Russian medical Web resources (eg., www.diagnos.narmed.ru and www.medlinks.ru). Nailya Kazybayeva, a nurse at Kindergarten #14, commented, "All of us are very thankful for the chance to enhance our professional knowledge under very convenient conditions. We gained knowledge without leaving the city or taking days off work."

Students learn about the Internet’s
Kazakh learning opportunities in
Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan

IATP’s Partner Organization Marks Kazakh Language Day in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
On February 21, IATP partner East Kazakhstan Regional Library (EKRL) hosted a seminar entitled, “The Kazakh Language: Yours, Mine, and Ours” for 21 high school students and 15 journalism students from East Kazakhstan State University. Organized by EKRL and IATP access site staff, the two-hour seminar promoted the learning of Kazakh as part of events celebrating the UN International Mother Language Day. Prior to independence in 1991, Kazakhstan was ruled by czarist Russia and then the USSR for over a century. As a result of Russian influence, many Kazakhs learned Russian at the expense of their native tongue. In fact, after two generations many Kazakhs no longer speak Kazakh. However, the present government is now pushing for a revival of Kazakh, requiring government employees to use Kazakh instead of Russian in all documentation. For most adults, it is very difficult to learn Kazakh, but they face the threat of losing their jobs without it. To address this problem, the seminar introduced participants to the Internet as an alternative tool for learning Kazakh. Seminar participants looked at different online resources, including www.tilashar.kz and an online dictionary at www.sozdik.kz. After viewing the initial presentation, many students walked downstairs to the IATP access site to begin individual study. Overall, the seminar illustrated the various ways the Internet can be used for independent study of the Kazakh language and as a resource for people seeking employment in the new job market requiring Kazakh skills.

KYRGYZSTAN

alumni
Maruf Babaev (FLEX 03) explains
voting procedures at the IATP
access site partner’s conference
room in Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Alumni and Youth Support Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections in Osh, Kyrgyzstan
On February 25, five alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs led a three-hour campaign in support of free and fair elections two days prior to the parliamentary elections. More than 30 high school and university students, alumni, media, and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives participated in the event at the Osh Regional Library conference hall in Osh. An initiative of five IATP alumni and access site administrator Ruslan Abdullaev, the “Youth Choose Democratic Elections” campaign aimed to increase young people’s level of participation in the elections. To reach this goal, the alumni created a multimedia presentation about democratic elections using information on Kyrgyzstan’s electoral system, voter rights, and voting procedures from the Web. Akbar Ismanjanov, director of the NGO Young Lawyers of the South, also made a presentation on six new additions to Kyrgyzstan’s electoral code this year, including the practice of finger marking and media permission to film inside polling places. Ismanjanov explained that finger marking helps prevent double voting and media coverage of polling places should help reduce speculation of voting violations at polling stations. Following the presentations, students designed posters supporting free democracy and put them on display at the IATP access site. The local TV channel Pyramida, with nearly 300,000 viewers, covered the event during its six and eight o’clock evening news broadcasts on February 25 and in the next morning’s broadcast. Local media coverage of IATP events furthers IATP’s efforts to inform voters and to support democratic development in Kyrgyzstan. Kirill Chupahin (UGRAD 03) commented, "To tell you the truth, I learned a lot myself about the latest innovations and changes in the electoral codes while just preparing for this event. I am confident that my volunteer efforts to organize the event were effective as the participants who learned about the elections."

College Professors Create Distance Learning Courses in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
On February 25, six college teachers completed and posted their first versions of distance learning (DL) courses after finishing the second stage of a four-week DL course “Design and Facilitation of Distance Learning Courses (DFDLC)” at the IATP access site in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. DL is a growing educational medium that utilizes the Internet rather than classroom-based instruction for learning. The goal of DL is to provide the same quality of instruction that one would receive in a normal classroom, but with more flexibility for the student. Seven DFDLC trainees have completed their own DL courses and four have courses in progress. Once they are finished, the trainers will post the courses to the DL portal. Marika Djergalbaeva, head of the statistics department at the International Academy of Management, Law, Finance, and Business (IAMLFB), invited colleagues to join her for the DL training. During the first week, the teachers learned to use computer and Internet resources, including chats, forums, and MOODLE, an open source software designed to guide users to develop and teach their own DL courses. During the second week, the participants learned to transform their materials into five Russian-language and one Kyrgyz-language DL courses on probability theory, statistics, accounting, finance law, workplace safety, and constitutional law for college students. The DFDLC trainees learned to create chats, tests, and forums and update and format their courses. Djergalbaeva’s first-ever DL course is Statistics 101, which covers the use of statistics, research methodology, exercises, statistics classification, and other basic concepts. Toktogazi Amankulov, vice director of the Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics Department, commented, “I have developed a book on probability theory, which is available online. I intend to deliver the content of my book through a DL course to my students and colleagues from the rural areas facing obstacles in accessing hands-on materials in this subject.” The seminar laid the foundation for the teachers’ understanding of DL and helped them to create DL courses, which they will begin teaching next month to users at various IATP access sites.

TURKMENISTAN

Alumnus
Dr. Haitov explains the main
principles of the constitutional law
at the ARC in Ashgabat

Alumnus Conducts Roundtable on Constitutional Law in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
On February 26, six participants, including three alumni of US government-sponsored programs, attended a roundtable on constitutional law led by Murad Haitov (Fulbright 04) at the Alumni Resource Center in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Haitov is a professional lawyer, who received his doctoral degree in Constitutional and International Law at Moscow State Lomonosov University in Moscow in 1992. He uses his degree in Constitutional Law to ensure correct interpretation and implementation of the constitution, the document that lays the foundation for government policies, branches, and freedoms in Turkmenistan. During his workshop, Dr. Haitov touched upon amendments regarding civil rights, rights of non-residents, and economic laws of the Turkmen constitution that was adopted in 1992. In addition, Haitov shared his knowledge on constitutional law in the United States, where he lectured at Seton Hall University’s School of Law in Newark, New Jersey. Dr. Haitov introduced participants to the university website, where one can find resources, including international law publications, tutorials, an online legal database, and e-journals. He also directed participants to the constitution. Gunesh Bakgalova, a staff attorney at the American Bar Association in Ashgabat, remarked, “This workshop enabled me to increase my knowledge in international law and compare legal systems practiced in Turkmenistan with [those in the United States], which [is important for] my professional development.”

Alumni Develop Graphics-editing Skills in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
On February 22, six participants, including three alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs, attended Azat Muradov’s (Muskie 01) two-hour seminar on advanced graphics-editing at the Alumni Resource Center (ARC) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Muradov is the US Embassy Information Resource Center Assistant, who gained Web design and graphics-editing skills during his graduate study at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is responsible for updating the official website of the Embassy, online databases, and printed materials on American culture and English. Every month, Muradov volunteers to conduct information technology (IT) related seminars for the benefit of the alumni community. During the seminar, participants learned to add sophisticated effects to graphics, which is helpful for creating websites and brochures. Janeta Tachkuliyeva (CI 02) said, “Thanks to this seminar, I enhanced my knowledge in picture-editing, and this will help me to make greeting cards dedicated to the 60th anniversary of World War II, which alumni are preparing for veterans.”

UZBEKISTAN

Instructor
Makhmud Botirov places his DL
course on the IATP DL portal in
Uzbekistan

Distance Learning Consultant Launches Online Course from Navoi, Uzbekistan
On February 17, twenty-eight educators and postgraduate students took their first distance learning (DL) course on techniques for integrating multimedia in education at 10 IATP access sites across Uzbekistan. Makhmud Botirov, a multimedia specialist at the National Academy of State and Social Development, created a Uzbek-language DL course after completing IATP’s four-week “Design and Facilitation of DL Courses” course from the IATP access site in Navoi. IATP Web Development and Training Coordinator Dmitry Polonsky conducted the course in DL format from Tashkent. After completing the DL course, Botirov developed a six-month online course for the IATP DL portal, which IATP site administrators advertised throughout Uzbekistan. During the first class, students learned what to expect in terms of course goals, curriculum, assignments, and exams. Makhmud teaches course participants to use multimedia software by giving them assignments to create sample projects, focusing on varying theoretical themes for each task. As part of the main course objectives, DL students learned to use computer graphics, animation, and slide-show software. By July 2005, they plan to develop multimedia presentations with their own education materials. Since many educators lack free time for professional development and some have no access to a course like this in their own cities, the DL format is an excellent way to bridge learning gaps and to promote further learning.

Web Design Trainees Advance Web Programming Skills in Bukhara, Uzbekistan
On February 26, six college students created six new websites after completing a four-day mobile training course on Web programming at the IATP access site in Bukhara. From February 16 to 19, IATP Web Development and Training Coordinator Dmitry Polonsky conducted a course on PHP programming language for creating sophisticated websites. This type of language is superior to the common HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML). PHP draws from user input or databases, allowing webmasters to create forums, chats, site visit counters, news posting services, password-protected pages, and content management systems. Prior to the course, participants attended courses on computer, Internet, and Web design basics as part of an IATP Step-by-Step Training Series. With new PHP skills, Sanjar Rustamov, a college senior, developed an online forum, which gives website visitors the opportunity to meet and communicate with others around the country. In addition, Rustamov created a Web portal, which contains a database of Central Asia Web resources and a search engine. Rustamov created an initial version of the website before learning PHP, which he vastly improved after training. The six new websites supplemented the 1,060 websites already hosted by IATP, representing 19% of the total Web content in Uzbekistan.