Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Western Eurasia

July 2005

MOLDOVA

alumna
Marina Kaim (standing) delivers
a presentation on her recently
published book at a library in
Comrat, Moldova

Alumna Publishes Online Book on English Grammar
On July 1, Marina Kaim (RSEP 00), University Professor at Moldova State University in Chisinau, Moldova, visited the local IATP access site to post to her recently published book, entitled, More on Phrasal Verbs. In the English language, a phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition, an adverb, or an adverbial particle. The manual is in English, includes 14 units, and can be used as supplementary material for those studying English as a foreign language. The book was originally published in print form at the Editorial Center of Moldova State University with a grant from the US Embassy Alumni Resource Center. Such a textbook is of great importance for students and teachers, as phrasal verbs have been given very little attention in the vast majority of teaching materials available in Moldova. The book contains exercises that are intended to reinforce meaning and ability to use active vocabulary correctly and creatively in different situations and contexts. In May, Kaim delivered presentations on the print version of her book in the district libraries in Balti, Cahul, and Comrat, Moldova, and she learned that books on English grammar are in great demand, local libraries’ collections being inadequate. The IATP DL server at www.dl.iatp.md currently hosts 90 distance learning courses on various topics, and over 250 Moldovans have graduated from them so far.

Romani children learn computer
and Internet basics at the IATP
access site in Soroca, Moldova

Romani Teenagers Learn Computer and Internet Basics in Soroca, Moldova
From June 27 to July 14, IATP Access Site Administrator Serghei Donoga conducted a 16-hour series of training on computer and Internet basics for seven Romani teenagers at the IATP access site in Soroca, Moldova. Soroca is home to over 1,500 Roma, who have historically faced discrimination in education and employment. Thanks to the local IATP access site, the young Romani had a chance to learn to operate computers and catch up with the majority of their peers. Donoga explained how to edit texts and work with tables and how to manage files and folders efficiently. Participants also learned how to search the Web for information of academic interest to them and practiced speed typing techniques. Donoga further explained online communication basics to the participants and they practiced sending messages, images, and scanned documents via e-mail. The attendees will use the newly acquired knowledge to prepare for their classes in school and to communicate online with their friends. The IATP network of eight access sites in Moldova provides an average of 60 trainings to over 270 citizens every month.

UKRAINE

Illia Shvets explains website
promotion to local journalists

Journalists Learn Website Development and Promotion in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
On July 7 and 8, IATP staff conducted a seminar on website development and promotion for 11 journalists from different cities of Ukraine in the IATP access site in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Oksana Koval, IREX U-Media Training and Partnership Coordinator, requested the IATP training to help increase the efficiency of the websites of the local printed media. The journalists wanted to attract new readers to both their online and printed newspapers and provide the users with more updated information. The trainer explained to the participants how to optimize websites for search engines and how to create a user-friendly design. He also taught them the basics of Web design, including a common programming language, website structure, and visual website editors. Participants learned how to use tables in Web pages and how to post resources to a server. The IATP trainer gave recommendations on scanning and editing images and demonstrated the IATP Hosting Content Management System, used for facilitating Web development for users without knowledge of programming languages. As a result of the training, participants started developing strategies for promoting their websites. The IATP network of 25 access sites in Ukraine provides over 250 trainings to more than 1400 citizens every month.

website
Professionals from Ukraine learned
about economic forecasting in an
online course

IATP Users Study Economic Forecasting in Online Course
On July 13, Natalia Ivanilova, senior lecturer in economics at Dnipropetrovsk National University, finished conducting a distance learning (DL) course on economic forecasting for 21 managers, students, educators, and entrepreneurs from nine cities of Ukraine. Ivanilova was selected by IATP in November 2004 along with seven other experts to receive a grant to create and conduct a DL course. During the four-week course, participants explored how to work with quantitative indexes using computer tools and specialized computer applications for economic forecasting. Businessman Yevhen Pefti from Mariupol remarked, “I had never encountered these methods before. They are very useful for my further work.” Thanks to the DL format, users from different cities of Ukraine could acquire new skills in a short period without needing to interrupt their work or leave home. Currently IATP hosts 30 distance courses in Ukraine; 202 users have attended the courses.