Feedback after second f2f session

We have sucessfully finished our first Workshop in Bolivia, the first in Latin America as well as the first experience Focuss.Info in Spanish. As a facilitator, did wanted to motivate participants' comments, critics and suggestions. Thus, I opened a facebook page (www.facebook.com/focussbo) where 99 people has joined us so far, and many participants are sharing docs, links and more.

Furthermore, I thought it was good to give them the mic and let them comment about their Focuss Experience, how they felt and what it should happen next. So, here you are, the first video: Pablo Aranda, lecturer and researcher. There are a few more to come (can't do it faster as conectivity is not helping and translation/subtitling is taking a while, but you will have them all eventually).

La Paz: Second f2f session

In the last couple of weeks Focuss.Info workshop participants' have been testing new research tools, exchanging progressively information with peers and colleagues, as well as drafting ideas to be submitted later as projects for the Focuss Learning fund.

This Saturday we are gathering again in order to discuss the impact of the social media and Web 2.0 tools on their daily-basis work. Also, we will be reinforcing those aspects not well understood and expanding the horizon of applications and tools that enable us to share information and contribute to the construction of more effective "infostructures".

As usual, we will be posting on this Weblog the material and experiences coming out of the workshop. Unfortunately we will not be able to broadcast this workshop live but we are planning audiovisual material to be submitted afterwards. Moreover, there are social media tools that participants are using regularly to update their work and share information: please follow us on Twitter under the hashtag #focussbo or #FocussBo, and clic on "like" at our Facebook page www.facebook.com/focussbo.

Taller Presencial

El sábado 31 de julio pasado se realizó el taller presencial Focuss.Info en la sala de informática de la Universidad Nuestra Señora de La Paz.

El encuentro sirvió para conocer a investigadores, catedráticos y profesionales trabajando en temas de desarrollo y cooperación. Intercambiamos muchas experiencias y encontramos muchos puntos en común, sobre todo en nuevas formas y mecanismos para acceder a documentos de investigación y combatir el plagio entre académicos y estudiantes.

Estoy sistematizando el evento para poder compartir con todas y todos lo dicho, sugerido y pendiente. Disculpen la lentitud pero prometo subirlo a este Weblog lo antes posible.

Quienes no participaron del taller pueden ver la presentación a continuación:

Focuss.info - Bolivia

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Asimismo, aquí pueden ver las fotos del evento. Como comprenderán, no pude tomar muchas fotos mientras facilitaba el evento, por lo que agradeceré a quienes hayan tomado fotos compartirlas y así enriquecer el álbum.

Un poco más de material

Aquí adjunto los enlaces a Ustream, la plataforma de video que usamos para transmitir el evento en vivo. Quienes deseen ver el taller nuevamente, algunas partes de él o descargarlo, pueden visitar:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8634964

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8638359

News from Bolivia

Focuss.Info Bolivia has become a very intense experience and we haven't started the workshop yet! 

Firstly, I introduced an application form (developed on Smartforms) in order to democratise the possibilities to participate as well as make it fairer for everyone interested in the Initiative.

We are now about the start the first online session and I also want to give participants the chance to suggest topics, vote for others' suggestions as well as share with everyone what tools they consider attractive and want to learn more about. Therefore, we have now a public space at Google Moderator (can be seen here or typing www.google.com/moderator/#16/e=2028d).

I just visited it, and "Terick" (don't know who exacly he/she is) has already suggested a couple of topics. Good thing about this tools is that suggestions and contributions can be read both in English and Spanish. This is great for those who in the future will visit the Weblog in Latin America, want to deliver the workshop but also it contributes to English speaking audiences.

I stressed on an email to participants that those are experiments, we all want to learn by doing and testing tools. I strongly believe, what's more, that this kind of spaces are very useful to test democratic exercises.

Finally, want to invite you to join tomorrow Friday 23th at 12:55pm (+1GMT or Spain time) the "Cosmobolitan" Barcamp - Barcelona 2010 (www.cosmobolitan.com) in which I will be talking via videostreaming a bit more about the Initiative Focuss.Info in Bolivia, the first Focuss workshop in Latin America and in Spanish.

If you are on Facebook, join us on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iniciativa-FocussInfo-Bolivia/130002297035903.

La Construcción Social de las TICs y los Medios Sociales

Las visitas a nuestro Weblog han ido exponencialmente creciendo y la iniciativa Focuss.Info ha generado gran expectativa entre investigadoras/es, periodistas, catedráticas/os y otras personas trabajando en temas de desarrollo y cooperación. Muestra de ello son el gran número de aplicaciones que siguen llegando.

A partir de ahora, empezaremos a compartir documentos, enlaces e información de interés que irá guiando la el curso del taller. Esto también sirve para futuras experiencias en la Región (recordemos que nuestra iniciativa es la primera en Sudamérica y en castellano) y para personas que estén interesadas y no puedan participar del taller.

Los dejo con un documento que discute la Construcción Social de las TICs (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) y los Medios Sociales. Si les interesa descargar el documento, pueden hacer clic aquí.

Espero sus comentarios, aportes, críticas y sugerencias.

La Construcción Social de las TICs y los Medios Sociales