An ontology-based, multi-modal platform for the inclusion of marginalized rural communities into the knowledge society
- Thinyane, Mamello, Dalvit, Lorenzo, Slay, Hannah, Mapi, Thandeka, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Slay, Hannah , Mapi, Thandeka , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431218 , vital:72755 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1292491.1292508
- Description: With the information revolution that promises to shape the 21st century, knowledge has become the prime commodity, very much like land, means of production and capital have been at different times in the past. Access to information, made instantly available by the growth of the Internet, determines access to economic resources, social participa-tion and better quality of life. For this reason, the knowledge stored on the Web and the advantages offered by the spread of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are equally important for rich socie-ties to prosper and for poor ones to develop. The only difference is that marginalised communities do not have access to the tools and have little control over the content found in the domain of ICTs. In this paper we describe an intervention to develop the potential of a typical rural community in South Africa through ICTs. This involves providing Inter-net connectivity and deploying a platform to support e-commerce, e-learning, e-government and e-health. The core of the platform is an on-tology-based model designed to integrate and respond to Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This has been achieved by combining a deep understanding of local knowledge and social networks with the use of authoring, communication and ontology-management tools. The prima-ry goal of this new approach is to find a way to make ICT solutions more sensitive to the local context, and therefore more effective. Sec-ondly, we hope to foster a sense of ownership of the project among the community, by capitalising on local knowledge and resources.
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- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Slay, Hannah , Mapi, Thandeka , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431218 , vital:72755 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1292491.1292508
- Description: With the information revolution that promises to shape the 21st century, knowledge has become the prime commodity, very much like land, means of production and capital have been at different times in the past. Access to information, made instantly available by the growth of the Internet, determines access to economic resources, social participa-tion and better quality of life. For this reason, the knowledge stored on the Web and the advantages offered by the spread of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are equally important for rich socie-ties to prosper and for poor ones to develop. The only difference is that marginalised communities do not have access to the tools and have little control over the content found in the domain of ICTs. In this paper we describe an intervention to develop the potential of a typical rural community in South Africa through ICTs. This involves providing Inter-net connectivity and deploying a platform to support e-commerce, e-learning, e-government and e-health. The core of the platform is an on-tology-based model designed to integrate and respond to Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This has been achieved by combining a deep understanding of local knowledge and social networks with the use of authoring, communication and ontology-management tools. The prima-ry goal of this new approach is to find a way to make ICT solutions more sensitive to the local context, and therefore more effective. Sec-ondly, we hope to foster a sense of ownership of the project among the community, by capitalising on local knowledge and resources.
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Bridging the gap for Next Generation Services: Presence Services on Legacy Devices
- Moyo, Thamsanqa, Thinyane, Mamello, Wright, Madeleine, Irwin, Barry V W, Clayton, Peter G, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Moyo, Thamsanqa , Thinyane, Mamello , Wright, Madeleine , Irwin, Barry V W , Clayton, Peter G , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428177 , vital:72491 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/49665432/Paper_2063_20-_20Moyo-libre.pdf?1476717366=andresponse-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DBridging_the_gap_for_Next_Generation_Ser.pdfandEx-pires=1714737455andSignature=RRbr9pzIYSYX8v7FG6FzV4tu3dFXm9qmmqq5WirOhuYdt--mjOfcDHQNLPYZHCmtgYZWdVk6bVFxfGOVJxgXrvkTe2QN2AZV3XfFTZ3mi1s3A5gw2jIXOVHrYUnaf~POgdijdY85mqWhco3vL6Qk3sOZgYjIlTF5ZGAKg1S54W978Nom01cT2~oqRA0Et6mTNmydWfF5MhFxQIq~LNmYqEqmEESKkkWQFwg6xJJUu0uGffbaZXXBA6oDI2cpfkz1FleKyKaRDRJvdfnuTHPoJJ4TzfO6DDVCWKvJ45jaxIzaGmK-03Ai29I-DPyy-c557kZh~kF3rmDg3zrXVNaL8A__andKey-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: Next generation services are provided by applications that leverage packet-based domains. A challenge faced by such services is the support for multiple devices, including legacy devices. Our paper examines a strategy for the pro-vision of next generation services on legacy cellular network devices. We ad-vocate that the provision of next generation services via applications on the SIM card allows for the deployment of such services on legacy devices. We demonstrate this assertion through a proof of concept application, SIMPre, that resides on a SIM card. SIMPre implements a presence service by leveraging Java Card, the SIM Application Toolkit and the OMA IMPS standard. We show that it is possible to provide a next generation service on the SIM card such that it ubiquitously integrates with the functionality of a legacy device. We con-clude through this demonstration that the SIM card is a viable option for provid-ing backward compatibility to legacy devices in the implementation of next generation services.
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- Authors: Moyo, Thamsanqa , Thinyane, Mamello , Wright, Madeleine , Irwin, Barry V W , Clayton, Peter G , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428177 , vital:72491 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/49665432/Paper_2063_20-_20Moyo-libre.pdf?1476717366=andresponse-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DBridging_the_gap_for_Next_Generation_Ser.pdfandEx-pires=1714737455andSignature=RRbr9pzIYSYX8v7FG6FzV4tu3dFXm9qmmqq5WirOhuYdt--mjOfcDHQNLPYZHCmtgYZWdVk6bVFxfGOVJxgXrvkTe2QN2AZV3XfFTZ3mi1s3A5gw2jIXOVHrYUnaf~POgdijdY85mqWhco3vL6Qk3sOZgYjIlTF5ZGAKg1S54W978Nom01cT2~oqRA0Et6mTNmydWfF5MhFxQIq~LNmYqEqmEESKkkWQFwg6xJJUu0uGffbaZXXBA6oDI2cpfkz1FleKyKaRDRJvdfnuTHPoJJ4TzfO6DDVCWKvJ45jaxIzaGmK-03Ai29I-DPyy-c557kZh~kF3rmDg3zrXVNaL8A__andKey-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: Next generation services are provided by applications that leverage packet-based domains. A challenge faced by such services is the support for multiple devices, including legacy devices. Our paper examines a strategy for the pro-vision of next generation services on legacy cellular network devices. We ad-vocate that the provision of next generation services via applications on the SIM card allows for the deployment of such services on legacy devices. We demonstrate this assertion through a proof of concept application, SIMPre, that resides on a SIM card. SIMPre implements a presence service by leveraging Java Card, the SIM Application Toolkit and the OMA IMPS standard. We show that it is possible to provide a next generation service on the SIM card such that it ubiquitously integrates with the functionality of a legacy device. We con-clude through this demonstration that the SIM card is a viable option for provid-ing backward compatibility to legacy devices in the implementation of next generation services.
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Bridging the gap for Next Generation Services: Presence Services on Legacy Devices
- Moyo, Thamsanqa, Thinyane, Mamello, Wright, Madeleine, Irwin, Barry V W, Clayton, Peter G, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Moyo, Thamsanqa , Thinyane, Mamello , Wright, Madeleine , Irwin, Barry V W , Clayton, Peter G , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428176 , vital:72492 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/49665432/Paper_2063_20-_20Moyo-libre.pdf?1476717366=andresponse-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DBridging_the_gap_for_Next_Generation_Ser.pdfandEx-pires=1714737455andSignature=RRbr9pzIYSYX8v7FG6FzV4tu3dFXm9qmmqq5WirOhuYdt--mjOfcDHQNLPYZHCmtgYZWdVk6bVFxfGOVJxgXrvkTe2QN2AZV3XfFTZ3mi1s3A5gw2jIXOVHrYUnaf~POgdijdY85mqWhco3vL6Qk3sOZgYjIlTF5ZGAKg1S54W978Nom01cT2~oqRA0Et6mTNmydWfF5MhFxQIq~LNmYqEqmEESKkkWQFwg6xJJUu0uGffbaZXXBA6oDI2cpfkz1FleKyKaRDRJvdfnuTHPoJJ4TzfO6DDVCWKvJ45jaxIzaGmK-03Ai29I-DPyy-c557kZh~kF3rmDg3zrXVNaL8A__andKey-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: Next generation services are provided by applications that leverage packet-based domains. A challenge faced by such services is the support for multiple devices, including legacy devices. Our paper examines a strategy for the pro-vision of next generation services on legacy cellular network devices. We ad-vocate that the provision of next generation services via applications on the SIM card allows for the deployment of such services on legacy devices. We demonstrate this assertion through a proof of concept application, SIMPre, that resides on a SIM card. SIMPre implements a presence service by leveraging Java Card, the SIM Application Toolkit and the OMA IMPS standard. We show that it is possible to provide a next generation service on the SIM card such that it ubiquitously integrates with the functionality of a legacy device. We con-clude through this demonstration that the SIM card is a viable option for provid-ing backward compatibility to legacy devices in the implementation of next generation services.
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- Authors: Moyo, Thamsanqa , Thinyane, Mamello , Wright, Madeleine , Irwin, Barry V W , Clayton, Peter G , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428176 , vital:72492 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/49665432/Paper_2063_20-_20Moyo-libre.pdf?1476717366=andresponse-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DBridging_the_gap_for_Next_Generation_Ser.pdfandEx-pires=1714737455andSignature=RRbr9pzIYSYX8v7FG6FzV4tu3dFXm9qmmqq5WirOhuYdt--mjOfcDHQNLPYZHCmtgYZWdVk6bVFxfGOVJxgXrvkTe2QN2AZV3XfFTZ3mi1s3A5gw2jIXOVHrYUnaf~POgdijdY85mqWhco3vL6Qk3sOZgYjIlTF5ZGAKg1S54W978Nom01cT2~oqRA0Et6mTNmydWfF5MhFxQIq~LNmYqEqmEESKkkWQFwg6xJJUu0uGffbaZXXBA6oDI2cpfkz1FleKyKaRDRJvdfnuTHPoJJ4TzfO6DDVCWKvJ45jaxIzaGmK-03Ai29I-DPyy-c557kZh~kF3rmDg3zrXVNaL8A__andKey-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: Next generation services are provided by applications that leverage packet-based domains. A challenge faced by such services is the support for multiple devices, including legacy devices. Our paper examines a strategy for the pro-vision of next generation services on legacy cellular network devices. We ad-vocate that the provision of next generation services via applications on the SIM card allows for the deployment of such services on legacy devices. We demonstrate this assertion through a proof of concept application, SIMPre, that resides on a SIM card. SIMPre implements a presence service by leveraging Java Card, the SIM Application Toolkit and the OMA IMPS standard. We show that it is possible to provide a next generation service on the SIM card such that it ubiquitously integrates with the functionality of a legacy device. We con-clude through this demonstration that the SIM card is a viable option for provid-ing backward compatibility to legacy devices in the implementation of next generation services.
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Enabling and constraining ICT practice in secondary schools: case studies in South Africa
- Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl, Siebörger, Ingrid, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl , Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428923 , vital:72546 , https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1504/IJKL.2007.015551
- Description: The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education is being seen as a way of widening access to education, particularly in developing countries. This paper addresses the issue of ICT implemen-tation in secondary schools and focuses specifically on the practices that enable or constrain the successful implementation of ICT for teach-ing and learning activities. It reflects upon the lessons learned from a collective case study undertaken in 12 of the 13 secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. School principals and designated IT teachers were interviewed and on-site infrastructure audits conducted. This paper identifies a number of key enabling and constraining factors surrounding practical issues, including sufficient hardware, appropriate software and affordable connectivity, sufficient technical support and training, policy-related issues such as the role of national, provincial and school policy, the vital contribution of principal leadership and champion teachers as well as ongoing teacher profes-sional development coupled with a willingness to change.
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- Authors: Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl , Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428923 , vital:72546 , https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1504/IJKL.2007.015551
- Description: The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education is being seen as a way of widening access to education, particularly in developing countries. This paper addresses the issue of ICT implemen-tation in secondary schools and focuses specifically on the practices that enable or constrain the successful implementation of ICT for teach-ing and learning activities. It reflects upon the lessons learned from a collective case study undertaken in 12 of the 13 secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. School principals and designated IT teachers were interviewed and on-site infrastructure audits conducted. This paper identifies a number of key enabling and constraining factors surrounding practical issues, including sufficient hardware, appropriate software and affordable connectivity, sufficient technical support and training, policy-related issues such as the role of national, provincial and school policy, the vital contribution of principal leadership and champion teachers as well as ongoing teacher profes-sional development coupled with a willingness to change.
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Field testing the Alvarion BreezeMAX as a last mile access technology
- Siebörger, Ingrid, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428520 , vital:72517 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ingrid-Sieboerger/publication/255048217_Field_testing_the_Alvarion_BreezeMAX_as_a_last_mile_access_technology/links/53ff2f290cf21edafd15bfad/Field-testing-the-Alvarion-BreezeMAX-as-a-last-mile-access-technology.pdf
- Description: With an alarmingly low teledensity of approximately 12% in South Afri-ca, and not much hope of further wired infrastructure at the local loop level–as the costs incurred are high compared to potential revenue–wireless connectivity could be a great asset and service in South Africa. This paper looks at how WiMAX technologies, and specifically the Al-varion BreezeMAX, could be used in providing much needed telecom-munications infrastructure to both rural and urban areas in South Africa, providing broadband data throughput rates together with excellent net-work reliability and low latency.
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- Authors: Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428520 , vital:72517 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ingrid-Sieboerger/publication/255048217_Field_testing_the_Alvarion_BreezeMAX_as_a_last_mile_access_technology/links/53ff2f290cf21edafd15bfad/Field-testing-the-Alvarion-BreezeMAX-as-a-last-mile-access-technology.pdf
- Description: With an alarmingly low teledensity of approximately 12% in South Afri-ca, and not much hope of further wired infrastructure at the local loop level–as the costs incurred are high compared to potential revenue–wireless connectivity could be a great asset and service in South Africa. This paper looks at how WiMAX technologies, and specifically the Al-varion BreezeMAX, could be used in providing much needed telecom-munications infrastructure to both rural and urban areas in South Africa, providing broadband data throughput rates together with excellent net-work reliability and low latency.
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The deployment of an e-commerce platform and related projects in a rural area in South Africa
- Dalvit, Lorenzo, Muyingi, H Hyppolite, Terzoli, Alfredo, Thinyane, Mamello
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo , Muyingi, H Hyppolite , Terzoli, Alfredo , Thinyane, Mamello
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428545 , vital:72519 , https://nru.uncst.go.ug/bitstream/handle/123456789/6552/Information%20Communica-tion%20Technologies%20%20page%20410.pdf?sequence=1andisAllowed=y#page=256
- Description: In our paper we describe the development and deployment of an ecommerce platform in Dwesa, a rural area in the former homeland of Transkei in South Africa. The system is designed to promote tourism and advertise local arts, crafts and music, and it entails a number of re-lated projects. Deployment of infrastructure, technical support, promo-tion of the initiative and teaching of computer literacy take place during monthly visits of approximately one week, and involve young research-ers from two universities (one previously disadvantaged; the other his-torically privileged). This ensures a synergy between technical exper-tise and understanding of the local context. Findings so far emphasise the importance of contextualising the intervention to suit local needs and adjust to the local context. The platform is currently being extended to include e-government, e-learning and e-health capabilities. If proven successful, this model can be exported to similar areas in South africa and in the rest of Africa. This could open up potential opportunities for the still unexplored market for ICT in rural Africa.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo , Muyingi, H Hyppolite , Terzoli, Alfredo , Thinyane, Mamello
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428545 , vital:72519 , https://nru.uncst.go.ug/bitstream/handle/123456789/6552/Information%20Communica-tion%20Technologies%20%20page%20410.pdf?sequence=1andisAllowed=y#page=256
- Description: In our paper we describe the development and deployment of an ecommerce platform in Dwesa, a rural area in the former homeland of Transkei in South Africa. The system is designed to promote tourism and advertise local arts, crafts and music, and it entails a number of re-lated projects. Deployment of infrastructure, technical support, promo-tion of the initiative and teaching of computer literacy take place during monthly visits of approximately one week, and involve young research-ers from two universities (one previously disadvantaged; the other his-torically privileged). This ensures a synergy between technical exper-tise and understanding of the local context. Findings so far emphasise the importance of contextualising the intervention to suit local needs and adjust to the local context. The platform is currently being extended to include e-government, e-learning and e-health capabilities. If proven successful, this model can be exported to similar areas in South africa and in the rest of Africa. This could open up potential opportunities for the still unexplored market for ICT in rural Africa.
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Wi-Fi as a last mile access technology and The Tragedy of the Commons
- Brandt, Ingrid, Terzoli, Alfredo, Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl
- Authors: Brandt, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo , Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431106 , vital:72744 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6266-7_33
- Description: With an alarmingly low teledensity in South Africa, just 12%, and not much hope of further wired infrastructure at the local loop level, as the costs incurred are high compared to potential revenue, wireless con-nectivity could be a great asset and service in South Africa. However, the use of unlicensed spectrum in building wireless networks can be comparable to “The Tragedy of the Commons”, the result of selfish be-haviour towards common and limited resources. This paper evaluates the use of 802.11 wireless technologies in building a broadband wire-less network and the effects of high amounts of interference on such a network. The paper concludes that for urban areas 802.11 technologies using unlicensed spectrum is not advisable, unless used in point-to-point links, while its use in rapid rural development (where there is less interference) is very promising.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Brandt, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo , Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431106 , vital:72744 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6266-7_33
- Description: With an alarmingly low teledensity in South Africa, just 12%, and not much hope of further wired infrastructure at the local loop level, as the costs incurred are high compared to potential revenue, wireless con-nectivity could be a great asset and service in South Africa. However, the use of unlicensed spectrum in building wireless networks can be comparable to “The Tragedy of the Commons”, the result of selfish be-haviour towards common and limited resources. This paper evaluates the use of 802.11 wireless technologies in building a broadband wire-less network and the effects of high amounts of interference on such a network. The paper concludes that for urban areas 802.11 technologies using unlicensed spectrum is not advisable, unless used in point-to-point links, while its use in rapid rural development (where there is less interference) is very promising.
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