ICIMU 2011 Fosters Research and Innovation on ICT

Putrajaya Sustainability and green living agenda have come to the forefront in many nations around the globe. The awareness in global climate change has prompted research and innovation in ICT, especially in the highly crucial area of data analysis. 
In line with the Malaysian governments aspirations with regards to green technology, the College of Information Technology (COIT), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) recently organised the 5th International Conference on Information Technology & Multimedia 2011 (ICIMu 2011). 

Dato Seri Prof. Mashkuri Yaacob, UNITEN Vice Chancellor, said that since its inception in 1998, ICIMu has become a platform for discourse excellence regarding ICT and multimedia technologies.In its 5th edition, ICIM 2011 has attracted more than 150 contributions from 24 countries. The research papers were reviewed by leading and international experts in the field and thus leading to a conference of exceptional quality with an acceptance rate of 50%, he added. With the theme Ubiquitous ICT for Sustainable and Green Living, ICIMu 2011 was privileged to have the presence of Prof. Dr. Richard Harris from Massey University, New Zealand. Prof. Dr. Richard Harris in his keynote, entitled ICT for Sustainable and Green Living, discussed the issues of sustainability and the need to make the planet greener by minimizing the use of non-renewable resources.

In addition, Dr Mohamed bin Awang Lah, (Chief Executive Officer, JARING Malaysia) and Prof. Dr. Rosni Abdullah (Dean, College of Computer Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia) in their keynotes also shared their vast experiences in their respective topics, Cloud Computing: Issues and Challenges and Innovating Green and Sustainable Services, respectively, with the participants.

 ICIMu 2011, which was officiated by Dr. Naimah Md Khalil, Director of Enforcement and Inspectorate, Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, has successfully achieved its objectives in bringing together academicians, entrepreneurs, business users and IT professionals to exchange ideas and to keep abreast with the latest developments in information technology and green technology towards better living. 
Source : Uniten

Make full use of ICT while adapting to changes

By : Calvin Yeo 

KUCHING: Graduates must make full use of the information communication technology to improve themselves while adapting to the changing environment.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said this would enable the creation of an excellent, quality and knowledgeable human capital that could help in realising the country’s vision of becoming an industrialised nation by 2020.
“The technology, economy and social development plays an important role in the country’s transformation.
“The graduates should feel blessed with the government policies, which have created many job and education opportunities,” he said at the 14th convocation of Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS).

The text of his speech was read by Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.

Taib said as the country progressed, the government had come up with many strategies to meet the demand for more job opportunities.

He said skilled graduates were much sought after now as the country needed more skilled workers to achieve industrialised nation status.

“The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), which comprises various sectors, intends to attract foreign investment and to develop the state’s economy.

“It has attracted RM26.4bil of investment and so far, four international companies have sited their operations in SCORE,” he said, adding that SCORE had changed its surrounding landscape to one with ample infrastructure facilities.

He said SCORE would create more than one million job opportunities by 2030.

More than 400 graduates received their scrolls during the ceremony yesterday.

 Source : The Star Online

MELAKA: The state government received an allocation of RM50 million from the federal government to develop information, communication and technology (ICT) for a period of four years, from 2007 until March this year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said through the allocation, four projects were implemented, namely broadband infrastructure in all the districts, an integrated network pilot project, a project to narrow the digital divide and fiber optic broadband infrastructure.

"The state government also allocated RM2.7 million for the projects to ensure ICT keeps advancing every year," he said in reply to Ab Rahaman Ab Karim (BN-Pantai Kundor) during the state assembly here today.

He said the progress of ICT in the state was measured in the aspects of skills, infrastructure and content in the form of basic computer training encompassing computer usage, internet surfing and social media usage.

Mohd Ali said as at Sept 2011, 94 training programmes had been organised, involving 3,165 participants.

He said 715 locations were proposed in 2011 for the installation of WiFi at hotspots dan hotzones for residents.

According to data issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as at the second quarter of this year, 706 hotspots had been installed in the state.

He said the state government had also appointed Melaka ICT Holdings (MITCH) as a one-stop centre in the installation of the integrated telecommunication tower in the state.

Mohd Ali said there are 733 TM WiFi coverage areas throughout the state, most of which are located in Bandar Hilir with 294, and Ayer Keroh, with 166.

"The main criteria for the installation is supermarkets, business complexes, higher education institutions, tourist spots and transport centres," he said in reply to Chua Keng Hwa (BN-Bemban).

Mohd Ali said the consumer targets are professionals, officers, managers, business people, higher education students and domestic and foreign tourists. --BERNAMA

Sources :

News Straits Times Online

TELECENTRE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Since the last five years of the 20^th century telecentres have emerged as responses to enhance access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and the Internet in places where individual access to ICTs is unavailable or unaffordable (Colle & Roman, 2001; Harris 2001). The rise of telecentres has emphasized reaching rural and poorer areas with ICTs and there is a growing interest in using telecentres in developing areas which can spread the cost of equipment and access among a larger number of users (Colle, 2000; Akst and Jensen, 2001).

Telecentres seem to have neither universal performance indicators nor a universally approved definition. But founded upon the assumption of increasing access to ICTs, telecentres have been developed to provide ICT services ranging from basic services such as Internet connectivity and e-mail to more specialized services such as telemedicine and e-learning. They operate within different types of environments and under various modalities such as public libraries, schools, post offices, local government facilities, churches and petrol stations (Cisler, 1998). One definition of telecentre is provided by Reilly & Gomez (2001) stating that telecentres are physical spaces that provide public access to information and communication technologies, notably the Internet, for educational,personal, social and economic development.

Telecentre initiatives are commonly motivated by sincere attempts to improve people’s lives by using ICTs, with an underlying belief in the potential for underdeveloped areas to develop faster through the access and use of information technology. According to a World Bank report (1998/1999) the principal purpose of telecentres is to bring forth development outcomes for the community it aims to serve. Providing access and related services to users are intermediary goals, but as long as development fails to occur then the telecentre fails to fulfil its primary purpose. This speaks for a widespread view of the telecentre as a catalyzing force in the community and that ICTs will enable poor, underserved communities to contribute more effectively to their own development, a hypothesis reported on by Colle (2000), Hunt (2001), Rothenberg-Aalami (2005) and Whyte (2000).

The telecentre network, telecentre.org (2007) argues that although telecentres are diverse in nature their shared values are to utilize technologies for development. ICTs are regarded as not only providing a connection between people, but also to act as a link in the chain of the development process where the ability to access and share information can lead to development benefits (Hudson, 1999).

But development assumptions and techno-centric attitudes where ICTs are regarded as positive tools for change are challenged; Gomez & Ospina (2002) and Warschauer (2002) assert that there is no simple recipe in how ICTs can meaningfully support human development or bring about necessary results.

 And while numerous telecentres struggle with viability, there is a need to learn from the shared experiences of telecentres in practice—of what works and what doesn’t work.

With prevailing visions of telecentres as tools for development there is a need for research on telecentres on the ground; on how telecentres are adopted in their local contexts and how telecentres can make a difference for the communities they are serving.

Linda Johansson Hedberg 

9 Benefits of Multi-Media Learning Technology

What is Multi-media?
Multi-media training uses computer technology to immerse learners into training content. Text, graphics, illustrations, photographic images, animation, full-motion video, narration, music and sound effects are used to create an engaging learning environment that can train employees consistently, economically and with better learning and retention.

How will Multi-media learning benefit your organization?

1. Reduced Learning Time
Multi-media courseware is an efficient way to deliver training content. Training content equivalent to a two-day traditional lecture can be delivered in as little as two hours using multi-media. More than 30 studies have found that multi-media training reduces learning time by 40 to 60 percent over traditional training methods. A major cost of training is the time employees are away from their work. Reduced training time means less time away from the job and lower training costs.

2. Instructional Consistency
Multi-media training programs instruct learners with the same material, presented in the same manner, from learner to learner. Each learner will receive the same consistent, technically correct message. Computer-based courseware does not have bad days or tire out at the end of a long day. Training content is delivered in a consistent, reliable manner that does not change in quality from class to class, instructor to instructor, or one company location to another.

3. Flexible Training Schedules
Multi-media training allows the presentation of quality training to an entire workforce, including shift, temporary and part-time workers. This training is especially suited to companies with a high staff turnover or those growing at a rapid pace. Multi-media training is available in the workplace 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be delivered at a time that benefits both the learner and the company.

Multi-media training can be scheduled to fit employee or production schedules, eliminating production down-time. Flexible training delivery allows new employees to start training immediately, and existing employees to refresh their skills at any time. Employees will often take training courses before or after their normal shifts and management can make good use of unexpected quiet periods.

Hundreds of thousands of training dollars are saved by organizations that invest in the development of on demand multi-media courseware.

4. Increased Retention Levels and Motivation
Multi-media training allows the learner to be actively involved in the learning process. This interactivity reinforces the training content and helps the learner to retain the training message. Multi-media training enables the user to continually go back to it in order to reinforce messages rather than doing the training just once. The training itself can also be used as an ongoing reference tool.

Multi-media training provides a level of responsive feedback and individual involvement that has proven to be highly motivating. Courseware allows learners to focus their attention on the training content, reducing the potential for distraction.

Studies have shown that learners who listen to information will only recall 25% of that material. If they hear and see the material, they will remember 50%. However, learners who hear, see and interact with the material during the learning process will remember 75% of the material. Multi-media training allows learners to take greater control of their own learning process. Learners can move through courseware content at a comfortable pace.

5. Cater to Individual Learning Styles
Multi-media training allows learners, who typically have different abilities and knowledge levels, to control the pace and direction of their training. As learners discover new areas of interest and accomplishment, they become seekers of knowledge, not just recipients of instruction. It is not practical to provide that level of customization in traditional classroom training.

Traditional learning methods typically focus on one learning style at a time. By using graphics, audio, and interactive activities, multi-media training can fit a range of learning styles including visual, auditory and experiential. Multi-media training adapts itself to each student, provides realistic content and increases knowledge retention rates.

6. Testing of Learning Proficiency
Multi-media training programs use pre and post assessments as well as mastery and graded quizzes to demonstrate to the learner their level of proficiency in the training content. Quizzes help learners to know which areas they need to review. Tests can measure competency of the subject matter; computer-based testing allows for instant results to the learner; and data can be statistically analyzed as needed. Testing large numbers of employees can be done efficiently and cost effectively.

7. Low Cost Per Student
The upfront investment in multi-media courseware development will give your organization substantial reduction in employee training costs and employee training time. Multi-media training has a low cost per learner with lower delivery costs because the primary costs are in courseware design and production. The costs of replication, distribution and course delivery, which are recurring costs in traditional training, are reduced or eliminated with multi-media training. The ongoing costs of training are substantially reduced, and the cost per learner goes down with each additional learner.

8. On-the-job Safety and Health
Multi-media training allows learners to study potentially dangerous topics without risk. Interactive content lets learners see the results of their actions and become skilled at proper methods and procedures while learning how to work safely at their job. Training your employees to do the job right reduces waste, increases productivity and prevents incidents.

9. Training Records
A benefit of multi-media training is its ability to test and track the progress of the learner. Data such as the learner�s progress, time spent in the courseware, and test results can be tracked and monitored.

Overcoming the challenges of efficiency and productivity in the office is easy and rewarding through multi-media learning. By implementing an on-demand learning program, everyone benefits from flexible learning schedules, increased morale and lower training costs. And the peace of mind you�ll gain by having a record of accountability is a bonus you won�t want to do without. Guide your organization in the right direction, and commit to learning something new every day!

EVER THE ICT ADVOCATE

PIXELS: Ever the ICT advocate.

TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has received the ICT Lifetime Achievement Award from the National ICT Association of Malaysia for his many contributions to the local ICT industry.
 The former prime minister, credited for much of the success of the country’s ICT industry, was presented the award by Pikom’s newly elected chairman Woon Tai Hai at its 25th anniversary dinner held recently in Kuala Lumpur. The event was a culmination of a series of activities that Pikom had lined up to celebrate the year.Also present at the event was Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili.-Ultra-sleek computingTHOUGH not the earliest to launch the ultrabook in the country, Toshiba didn’t disappoint with its Portege Z830, the world’s lightest and thinnest 13.3-inch computer.Featuring second-generation Intel Core processors and Toshiba’s EasyGuard technology, it also comes with ports, slots and a solid-state drive for better storage capacity.At 15.9mm at its thickest point, the Z830 weighs just 1.1kg, yet packs in an eight-cell battery. With a 13.3-inch HD display with LED backlighting, WLAN, Bluetooth 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet LAN, the model offers mobility without compromising function. Its spill-resistant keyboard, 1.3-megapixel webcam, 128GB SSD and up to 6GB DDR3 memory should delight users, too.The top-of-the-line model with Intel Core i7 processor goes for RM4,799. Another option with Core i5 is priced at RM3,999.Toshiba has also come up with two Android Honeycomb-based tablets: the 10-inch Regza AT100 (RM1,599) and 7-inch Regza AT1S0 (RM1,899). The smaller tablet sports 16GB internal memory, mini-USB, micro-HDMI and micro-SD card slots, while the bigger one offers up to 32GB internal memory, full-sized USB and mini-USB, an HDMI port and SD card reader. Both feature 1GB DDR2 RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth and HSPA+(3.5G) support, a five-megapixel rear camera, two-megapixel front camera, and GPS function.Then there’s Toshiba’s Qosmio DX730 all-in-one desktop PC, which at its highest specification offers Intel Core i7 Quad Core technology, NVidia GeForce GT540M 1GB DDR3 video RAM graphics, 2TB hard disk drive capacity, a Blu-ray ROM drive, multi-card reader and advanced multimedia features. The RM3,599 package offers Core i5 processor while the RM4,299 package has Core i7.-Screen optionsDELL has three new devices to boast of: the Latitude ST tablet, XPS 14z notebook, and Inspiron One 2320 all-in-one touch-screen desktop.The 10.1-inch Windows 7 Latitude (RM2,380) is designed for mobile professionals and corporate users. The XPS 14z (RM2,999) is one of the thinnest full-featured notebooks to come in a borderless 14-inch screen but in a 13-inch form factor.For those who prefer a larger screen, there’s the 23-inch Inspiron One 2320 (RM1,999), whose screen also doubles up as a TV.Sources: New Straits Times. By Siti Syameen Md Khalili