Found something

So I am sorry it has taken me so long to write back, but life has been insane. I have had a pet die, and another one run away [it has since been found]. I also went home to visit my parents and that generally means I am so busy having to go places, and see people I can't breathe. My other class has also had something due every week this last 2 weeks.

Enough of my complaining, I have finally found somewhere other than my job to conduct my Service Learning. I am going tomorrow to see them and sort out what my part will be in their program. Yippee!

Now onto the question we were asked about the importance or "uniqueness" of ICT. I suppose that for me the most unique aspect of ICT is the ability a person has to relate to persons from around the world. We have a chance to communicate and collaborate with persons and groups from around the world. Take a look at the Myanmar conflict. This isn't the first time that the Burmese people have had their monks or their police kill their people. I have a co-worker who is Burmese and her parents live next to one of the temples. She was telling me about how the 1984 raid went, how the majority of monks were killed back then. However, there was not at that time the means for the world to experience with them the terror. The didn't have a way for the world to become involved. It took years for people to hear about the atrocities that took place during that particular protest.

Now we have a world in which we have the opportunity to see within minutes to hours about the protests and their end result. The government found out to their consternation that the internet is power and it can be powerful. They had to cut off all electricity and cut the lines of communication even among themselves to try and contain this tool. However the students found a hole, they aren't sure how. But they found a way to still get certain pictures to the press calling for aid. This is one of the reasons why it is important for us to continue on with our studies and our teaching of ICT. It is a way for people to speak for themselves. It is part of every American's personal right of Free Speech. In Great Britain, ICT is worked into the national education curriculum. They know that their students need to be aware of their personal rights, as well as participation in government. To try and get students more aware of their political obligations they are working on the technology to vote by text messaging.

So there is my first response to why ICT is unique and important.

http://www.nc.uk.net/webdav/harmonise