Question

how the information tecnology has providing the younger students new opportunities

Answer 1

In the age of globalisation and the information society, access to technology is one of the most critical and controversial subjects. Young people everywhere are faced with the challenge of attempting to broaden their horizons and become global citizens yet often their governments and domestic infrastructure do not support this requirement. Due to financial restrictions, development priorities and cultural differences, the majorityof the world’s population has limited access to information and communication technology (ICT). The information society has changed the learning, working and social conditions for young people. Physical barriers, once evident, are now blurred and new structures of relationships and modes of interaction have been put in place. Most often it is the younger generation who feel more comfortable using ICT to expand their knowledge. This allows young people the flexibility to take charge of their learning processes in the ways that best suit their individual needs and interests. This new wave of ICTsavvy young people is taking advantage of different technologies, both individually and collectively, to harness their own skills and enhance their learning through selftuition. The information society has provided young people with the tools to explore worlds otherwise unknown to them for personal, academic and vocational purposes. There are many initiatives that attempt to address the divide between those who have access to technology and those who do not, including the establishment of technology access centres. Such centres provide access to ICT, and training in its use, to communities where these resources would be otherwise unavailable. Unfortunately, many centres fail to fully engage their users due to a lack of context to the technology. Often, users are unclear how to access local content and resources, and there tends to be a lack of connection to a broader community of people with shared interests. When compared to health and education, facilitating access to technology seems a secondary priority. However, in an age where technology is closely equated with
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BENEDICT ERIGETA > shows an example of appropriate technology, Bougainville Papua New Guinea PIC Damian O’Keefe/OxfamCAA
IYP Impacts FINAL  24/7/03  9:45 PM  Page 128
access to information, the ability to use information and communication technologies effectively is a practical reflection of the notion of the right to free and open communication. This can be linked directly to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”