Social bookmarking is a ‘backbone’ for Focuss.Info’s objective as it facilitates, networking, sharing, uptake and improved access to information and knowledge which is current and in most cases reliable. The training seminar held in Centurion, South Africa on the 9^th of December 2009 is one of the International training seminar’s that are being assisted by funding from Focuss.Info. These training seminars are held in collaboration with organisations and individuals that promote use of ICTs for development such as ITOCA to promote and train on the use of Social Media and Web 2.0 tools, overally for global development purposes.

The agenda of the day was to train on the use of Social Media and Web 2.0 tools, with a special focus on Social Bookmarking. The following were some of the goals set for the training seminar:

• To train on what Social Media and Web 2.0 tools are and how to make use of them.
• Explore the various tools found via the Internet and World Wide Web and teach on some examples.
• To train on what Social Bookmarking is and how to bookmark.
• To train on the manipulation of these tools for improving access to information and knowledge for global development purposes.

 Recommendations

The following recommendations were derived basing on the interaction with participants and their working and studying backgrounds:

v  Basic training on the use of computers and the Internet should be incorporated into such trainings or projects.

v  Participants highlighted that access to computers with internet access is still a major challenge for most people and this should never be taken for granted, this minimises their use and awareness of such Social Media and Web 2.0 tools.

v  Promotion and incorporation of such trainings at institutional level, would go a long way in making sure that lecturers and students take advantage of these tools for academic purposes

v  Participants suggested that these workshops be held at the beginning or middle of the term so that they can be used by receivers of training during the course of the year hence preparations should be made well in advance due to logistical time needed to prepare with hosting institutions.

Focuss.Info in collaboration with ITOCA and a lead institution in the Gauteng province of South Africa are going to carry out a one day training workshop in November 2009. The training workshop's participants will include mainly scholars (postgraduate) and professionals and will include modules on various information and collaboration tools. The main modules of the day will however explore social bookmarking and the role of Focuss.Info.

In line with the upcoming training I will be posting tit bits on social bookmarking and other various information and collaboration tools. Should you have any questions or comments that you want to direct specifically to me do not hesitate to mail me (blessing@itoca.org). Otherwise I wil be checking in for any comments on this blog. Enjoy! 

ITOCA-Info Training & Outreach Centre for Africa

ITOCA (Information Training and Outreach Centre for Africa) www.itoca.org is a not-for-profit capacity building organization aimed at enhancing information and communications technology (ICT) skills for African librarians, information specialists, scientists, researchers and students in Sub-Sahara Africa. Formerly, TEEAL Africa Office, ITOCA was established in February 1999 as a marketing and support office for Cornell University’s Albert R. Mann Library TEEAL (The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library) programme for Africa. In 2006 ITOCA was incorporated in South Africa. Currently, the organization runs four major programmes in sub-Sahara Africa: TEEAL, AGORA, HINARI and OARE funded through grants from Cornell University, FAO, WHO, and CTA of Netherlands and the Rockefeller Foundation.

ITOCA, registered in South Africa under Section 21 as a PBO (Public Benefit Organization) is aimed at providing, promoting and building capacity for scientists, researchers and information professionals on the use of electronic resources in the region. Its main thrust is providing the research and academic communities with access to up-to-date affordable access to published scientific scholarly literature and developing required relevant skills. This is achieved through:

• Undertaking and funding outreach programs in ICT and related activities
• Holding institutional and national training workshops, seminars and capacity building programmes
• Assisting benefiting institutions develop ICT programs and seek funding internationally to implement these programs
• Provide technical support to implemented programs at participating institutions

Through access to up-to-date, internationally published scientific online FREE literature, developing countries stand to benefit in terms of improved research and development programs which lead to increased food production, improved health and food security. ITOCA provides skills aimed at bridging the digital divide between the developed and developing countries in the fields of health, agriculture, the environment and related disciplines.

With an extensive network of representatives and liaisons (professors, librarians and scientists) across the continent, ITOCA manages to provide on the ground coverage of the needs in ICT for development in Africa effectively.