Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from the Caucasus

June 2005

AZERBAIJAN

Alumni, Peace Corps volunteers,
and students are supporting
volunteerism and its positive
impact on the development of civil
society

Alumni and Peace Corps Volunteers Discuss Volunteerism and Development of Civil Society with Azerbaijani Youth
“Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy’s legendary words began the online forum on volunteering and development of civil society on June 1. Peace Corps volunteers in Ganja, Imishli, and Ali Bayramli and alumni in Ganja and Baku responded to questions from university and high school students and local NGO representatives from Baku, Ganja, Mingachevir, Ali-Bayramli, and Imishli. Peace Corps volunteers and alumni discussed the role volunteerism plays in the United States and its benefits. The alumni encouraged the youth to think of volunteerism not only as a way to help their society and country, but also as good work experience. The participants discussed how volunteerism can also provide people with a sense of making a difference in their community and personal pride. One of the guests shared information about the activities of the Volunteering Department at the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Tourism, and recommended collaboration with the department. By the end of the forum some of the students and NGO representatives were beginning to plan for community events in their areas and were volunteering to participate in joint projects with the alumni and Peace Corps volunteers.

IATP Participant Develops Website for Local Orphanage
Hasanov Vugar participated in advanced Web design trainings organized by IATP access site in Ganja throughout May 2005. Vugar, who volunteers with IFES in Azerbaijan, wanted to help the Gartel Student Activity Committee at the local orphanage create their own website. IFES, funded by USAID, is administering the Student Action Committee program, which works with 30 schools across Azerbaijan to improve students’ problem-solving skills, increase the use of interactive teaching methodology, and support student-oriented activities. Vugar used his new Web design skills to create http://qartal-sac.iatp.az, which contains information about the orphanage’s committee, its activities, and a photo gallery of past events.

GEORGIA

The DL participants gather at the
IATP access site for the awards
ceremony

IATP Users Complete Macroeconomics Distance Learning Course
On June 20, the IATP access site at the Tbilisi Alumni Center hosted an awards ceremony for 21 participants of an IATP-hosted distance learning (DL) course in macroeconomics. As distance learning becomes more popular around the world, IATP is leading Georgia into this educational movement with the IATP Distance Learning Academy. Late last year, five people were hired by IATP in Georgia to create distance learning courses in local languages on subjects that were of particular interest to IATP users. Badri Gelitashvili, a lecturer of Economics at the European School of Management in Tbilisi, used his knowledge from his MBA from Preston University in the United States, his teaching experience, and training from IATP, to create an exemplary DL course on advanced macroeconomics. At the ceremony, the three students with the highest grades were awarded macroeconomics textbooks.

IATP Trains Regional Education Officials
Throughout June, IATP staff from the IATP access site at the Georgian Academy of Sciences of Kutaisi has been conducting a series of mobile trainings for employees from the Imereti Regional Secondary School Management Department. Although the department is equipped with computers, the employees do not know how to utilize the technology. Thus, the IATP trainer organized trainings to guide the participants through computer and Internet basics. Starting with the most common computer software, the IATP staff trained the educators on how to use the programs in their everyday work. The participants then learned how to use the Internet and explore this resource to find information about the education field. Once the educators had mastered computer and Internet basics, they were able to perform at their jobs more efficiently and learn from educators around the world on how they are handling similar problems. As the people who help form curricula and educational policies, it is important that these educators understand the importance of information technology in education.

ARMENIA

IATP Kapan Site Users Discuss Site Sustainability Activities
On June 21, IATP staff in Kapan organized a seminar on expanding the scope of IATP activities through sustainability for alumni of US government-sponsored programs and representatives the Youth Scientific Cultural Organization. As the partner organization and local alumni continue to assume more responsibility for the access sites, IATP is working with them to help ease the process. The IATP staff discussed how the access site is run and encouraged the participants to use this transition period to improve and expand the scope of the site’s activities and services in order to ensure the future sustainability of the access site. An IATP trainer showed the participants websites that contain information on marketing and managing a small business, which should help the alumni and partner institution run the site effectively. The participants also began discussing ways to increase interest in the site when the services will no longer be free.

Disabled Businesswomen Search for New Technologies through the Internet
On June 6, the IATP access site in Spitak organized a workshop on Internet search engines for five disabled women. The women own small carpet businesses and wanted to improve the quality of their carpets by using online information, materials, and styling designs. The IATP trainer taught the participants how to use the Internet and conduct Internet searches for information on designing and creating good-quality carpets. The IATP trainer also taught them how to recognize that websites are reputable. The women visited a variety of websites, including www.indiancarpets.com, www.designbiz.com, and www.kidcarpet.com. By attending this training, the women learned how to find useful information on the Internet and will be able to use this to develop their businesses. They now plan to attend another training on using e-mail, in an effort to develop international contacts.