The document discusses ICT and the digital divide in the Dominican Republic. It provides background on ICT developments globally and in the DR. It describes several ICT initiatives in the DR, including community technology centers and rural connectivity programs. However, it notes some problems with these initiatives, such as lack of community participation, dependency on foreign equipment, and lack of comprehensive approaches. It suggests that mobile technologies and open educational resources could help address these issues if implemented through participatory and nationally-led programs.

1. ICT and the Digital Divide: A Participatory Solution with a Dominican Flavor EdPA 5104 - Alfonso Sintjago

2. Why ICT? – Digital Divide Rapidly growing and developing sectors Maximize the dissemination of knowledge Enhanced ability for collaboration Enhanced ability to communicate A space for marginalized voices Seen as fun / captivating Free Data!

3. Information Everywhere

5. History of Inequality

6. Relationship with Haiti

7. Historical linkages with the U.S.A.

8. Economic Changes

9. Recent Introduction of ICT

10. Problems with its Education System

12. General Background D.R. Discovered 1492 Second Largest Caribbean Nation High Poverty Rate Spanish Speaking Country Primarily Mixed or of African Descent Haiti – US Relations Democratic Since 1978

13. Education Today in the D.R.

14. New ICT Institutions – D.R. Technological Institute of the Americas (ITLA) founded on 2000 The Dominican Telecommunication Institute (INDOTEL) funded on 1998 The Cyberpark of Santo Domingo founded on 2001 New Network Access Point (NAP) of the Caribbean built on 2008 (INTEC, 2010)

15. ICT Program – D.R. Rural Connectivity Program Community Technology Center Program Educando.edu.do Program Red Wan Program Virtual Areas for Education (AVES) Software development – ITLA - INTEC

16. Community Technology Centers “My greatest and best wish is for the technological centers, is that you, boys and girls like yourselves, will integrate at what is the world of computers, to the information and knowledge society. That each one of you together with your families will carry the window of how to use the technologies of information and communication as a tool to develop. The Dominican has so much energy that I truly wish that the technology centers could become the great high way that takes us towards development, progress, and to our wellbeing, so that you can help in any way you wish to develop a more just society, with greater equity, and above all inclusive.”

17. CTC’s Locations

18. Problems 1- Lack of Community Participation (1st and 2nd Stage) 2- Foreign in Nature (manuals, equipment, appearance) 3- Continued Dependency on Foreign Equipment (ITLA, INTEC) 4- Lack of Primary and Secondary ICT 4 All Programs (OLPD, Programming and Computer Literacy within the Curriculum, Mobile Learning) 5- Malfunctions / Lack of Repairs <- Foreign Tech 6- Lack of a Comprehensive Approach (OLPD, Mobile, Games, Curriculum, All Levels) 7- Lack of Scale – Limited Scale – Voluntary Participation (Conflict with 1st)

19. Mobile Expansion The Dominican Republic has a cell phone use rate of 0.91 cellular phones per person in the Dominican Republic (INDOTEL, 2010) – Yet There are No Major Mobile Learning Programs!

20. Comprehensive and Participatory Use of OERs - Brought to Scale

21. What is Next?

22. Leapfrogging Futures!

23. What was not covered? Migration Remittances Relationship with the United States Deeper overview of ICT4D theories and policies Pros and Cons of Different ICTs

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