Correspondence with Head trainer of WomensNet South Africa

[pi villanueva <pi@isiswomen.org>]

hi!

Thought I'd share a letter I got from Alka Larkan of WomensNet. I have
written to her and others from WomensNet South Africa to inquire about  their 
policy regarding sharing of training resource, sort of a homework I gave
myself to prepare for the coming trainers' meeting. I am interested in us
trainers developing a set of guidelines, e.g. acceptable use,  sharing,
copyrigh/left;  for the training materials we will be developing.

pi 


>Comments: Authenticated sender is <alka@mail.wn.apc.org>
>From: "Alka Larkan" <alka@womensnet.org.za>
>To: pi villanueva <pi@isiswomen.org>
>Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 12:59:57 +0000

>
>Morning from here, Pi
>
>Sonja sends greetings :)
>
>I am most excited about your open content ideas. I know that SangoNet
[http://sn.apc.org] uses the 
>open content license for its training materials, and generally espouses
the use of open source 
>software like Linux/ Unix. Although most of the people we train are
operating on Windows platforms, 
>we still prefer to use freeware wherever possible. 
>
>I agree that it is important to respect intellectual property, women's
labour and generally the 
>organisational energy that is devoted to developing training materials and
opportunities.
>
>> >I would be particularly intersted to hear more about the database track
of your work. we will soon 
>> >be converting our database to run on a Linux/Unix platform - it's
currently operating through a 
>> >windows application, Cold Fusion.
>> 
>> I will forward your letter to Rhona Bautista who is leading the database
>> track. The database track is actually concerned about issues of develpment
>> and management of databases but more from an information organization
>> viewpoint, rather than a technical one. There will be hands-on work though.
>> Actually the database track will split into two lab work: one will be on
>> CDS/ISIS (because most of the members of our network use CDS/ISIS) and one
>> will be on mySQL (the objective of this part is to really push for open
>> source solutions to organizations who are still in the process of deciding
>> to develop their databases). 
>
>Yes, I am more interested in the technical development - content
management, etc is Sonja's 
>specialty as Info Co-ordinator. It sounds interesting... I look forward to
hearing more. 
>
>> But I am sure the other members of AWORC will be glad to share the
>> documentation of the Website revamp we are currently undertaking. The
>> revamp will involve both interface and backend. Our site is currently a
>> static site. We will be developing a more dynamic site, and we will be
>> using open source solutions. In this sense we have the opportunity to skip
>> Cold Fusion or even ASP. Late comers are always the one's who enjoy the
>> benefit of other's work and hard-eraned lessons. 
>
>*smile* too true! But I would still feel the need to gain an understanding
of any software I was 
>converting from and so I think I will be taking a look at the workings of
Cold Fusion [what we have 
>been using] before the conversion.
>
>I am very excited to see the new site; personally I more interested in
back-end solutions but the 
>interface is always the ultimate test on the Web :)
>
>> >Perhaps we could share methodology/ other info? I have developed
manuals for internet research, 
>> >introduction to Internet use, and online advocacy and lobbying. We
focus upon gender-sensitive 

>> >materials development and training delivery. We have also piloted a
project which marries internet 
>> >and radio  [digital editing] technology, our 'Community Radio Pilot
Project'. It was well-received.
>
>> We plan to make available publicly all our traininig materials, but before
>> we can do this we need to develop a policy first about content sharing.
>> This is actually my inquiry to apcwnsp. We'd like to find out how other
>> regional and national networks deal with issues of content sharing on the
>> Net, particularly training resources. We are very much concerned with
>> sharing resources with others while at the same time protecting the
>> intellectual labor of women. We are looking at a concept and movement
>> called opencontent <http://www.opencontent.org>, but we would also like to
>> hear about how other women's networks deal with such issues. If WomensNet
>> has developed guidelines covering such issues, we will be very grateful if
>> you can share these with us. 
>
>As it happens, Women'sNet *has* developed a policy regarding the sharing
of training materials.
>Basically, we will use the open content idea - acknowledge the source of
the materials, etc. In
>order to track who is using the materials, we will not make them
downlaodable but rather, available
>on e-mail request. So, an organisation will be able to e-mail me [as
training co-ordinator] and give
>some info about their training / how they will be using the materials.
Then I can email the
>necessary documents in zipped format. As I write this, I am thinking that
it will be a good idea to
>develop an online webform for this purpose...
>
>> I hope you don't mind my sharing this email exchange with justina curtis,
>> rhona bautista and chat garcia. justina is leading the web track, while
>> chat is a trainer for the working online track. chat is also the
>> coordinator of AWORC. All four of us-- justina, rhona, chat and myself00
>> are also part of the apcwnsp. 
>
>Not at all - I have included them in the loop, as well as Sonja and
Sarita. I geuss the simple 
>solution is for me to join apcwnsp! It's nice to meet everybody.
>
>Thanks, Pi, for your response
>
>warm regards
>Alka
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Alka Larkan
>Women'sNet Training Co-ordinator
>alka@womensnet.org.za
>http://womensnet.org.za
>http://flamme.org
>Tel ++27-11-8386943/4    Fax ++27-11-4921058
> 

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