Local IT Networks
Chair: Peter Bradbrook
Speaker: David Jennings, DJ Associates
David Jennings was speaking at this event as a member of the Technologies for Training (TfT) consortium. TfT is a national DfEE funded initiative which delivers advice and information through a network of more than 100 local centres across England and Wales. David is responsible for the TfT web site and all on-line communications.
David also runs his own business, DJ Associates, and has led the development of Internet-based "discussion forums" for business and community sectors in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
In 1997 DJ Associates completed an evaluation for the TECs of Yorkshire & Humberside of their DfEE funded Regional Lifelong Learning project.
The TfT web site is at www.tft.co.uk.
David can be contacted personally on 0114 249 3435 or emailed at dj@djassociates.com. He has his own web site at http://www.djassociates.com
David introduced the workshop with an overview of the Technologies for Training initiative before broadening the agenda with an examination of IT Networks under three headings:
Local/Regional/National Interface
Partnerships & Integration
Working with the Users
Delegates were then invited to share their own ideas and experiences, focusing in particular on Environments, Drivers and Challenges.
In a wide-ranging discussion a number of points and issues were raised:
A central conflict was acknowledged between the need to establish sustainable partnerships when so many of the developments associated with ICT and network building were funded through short term project-based initiatives.
There were also conflicts to be seen in funding arrangements: often it was a choice between infrastructure and content: why did it always have to be an either/or situation where resourcing was concerned
Turning to partnerships, the differing agendas of local partners and information providers was noted and the question posed, was it always sensible to involve all the potential players from the beginning?
Linda Tomos, speaking to the main Conference on Thursday morning, had challenged delegates to be proactive in developing networking initiatives. Workshop participants considered some of the barriers that made it difficult for certain individuals and organisations to lead:
- finance, of course
- influence within an organisation
- partiality
There were many exchanges concerning how to break out of the "deadlock" in getting local IT networks started and off the ground. Funding is not the only issue. There are an increasing number of local "Community Information Networks" that have been started from grassroots activity by people with little access to mainstream resources and power The challenge is to integrate mainstream provision with such initiatives, without swamping them and dampening their energy.
Different players in partnerships have different "assets" which they can use to gain influence and play a lead. Such assets include:
- established relationships with communities of customers
- understanding of customers' information and communication needs
- access and ownership of useful information content
All of these can be used for leverage or as a catalyst to get things moving.
A number of delegates suggested the need for some Rules of Engagement with a call for:
- Guidelines
- Possibly some sort of steer from the DfEE
- Audits
- Network communications within the ALTSU community for the sharing of ideas and information about work in progress or under consideration
Where users are concerned, it was acknowledged that the supply side was easy to deliver: making a service demand driven was rather more difficult and there was a need to assess user needs and requirements on an ongoing basis. One useful and important way to do this is by sketching out scenarios where different kinds of users interact with the IT network material as a means to meeting their work or learning goals.
The session concluded with a summary of the challenges faced with delegates identifying the need to be proactive and stay on top of development in ICT. New partnerships had to be forged and broadcasters in particular were identified as key players for the future. Quality content had to be secured and, in the midst of all this, security requirements could not be overlooked - security of information, of client records and of the hardware itself.
In building partnerships it is important to identify existing users; there may already be existing communities of interest. These people should be involved and there needs to be discussions with them on matters such as information content.
