Publications by year: 2015
A Basic Guide to Open Educational Resources (OER)
This Guide comprises three sections. The first – a summary of the key issues – is presented in the form of a set of ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. Its purpose is to provide readers with a quick and user-friendly introduction to Open Educational Resources (OER) and some of the key issues to think about when exploring how to use OER most effectively.
Assessment of media development in Jordan
The report on Media Development in Jordan was carried out in 2015 as part of the Support to Media in Jordan Project, funded by the European Union (EU). The MDI assessment in Jordan was complemented by a comparative analysis of better public service media (PSM) practices in selected European countries and the contemporary practice in Jordan. Together, the MDI assessment and the comparative PSM analysis are intended to form the basis for a review of the government’s Action Plan for the Media Strategy.
Building digital safety for journalism: a survey of selected issues
Parallel to the growing digitisation of journalism which brings unprecedented benefits to both producers and consumers of journalism, there are worrying trends that have emerged. This publication thus identifies at least 12 digital threats, including illegal or arbitrary digital surveillance, location tracking, and software and hardware exploits without the knowledge of the target. Further examples that are considered are: phishing, fake domain attacks, Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks, and Denial of Service (DoS).
Concepts of Openness and Open Access
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the late twentieth century had become enablers in empowering citizens worldwide in all segments. Openness in obtaining, processing, publishing and disseminating research information becomes easily achievable due to spread of ICTs. This Module discusses different perspectives of openness, particularly those which deal with the open access movement.
Countering online hate speech
The study provides a global overview of the dynamics characterizing hate speech online and some of the measures that have been adopted to counteract and mitigate it, highlighting good practices that have emerged at the local and global levels. The publication offers a comprehensive analysis of the international, regional and national normative frameworks, with a particular emphasis on social and non-regulatory mechanisms that can help to counter the production, dissemination and impact of hateful messages online.
Freedom of expression and public order: training manual
This training manual aims to provide security forces with both theoretical and practical tools to carry out their mission of maintaining order while respecting human rights, freedom of expression and the security of journalists. It elaborates on international standards on freedom of expression and the conditions in which this fundamental freedom can be restricted. It also highlights the important role of journalists in a democratic society and why safety of journalists has become a priority.
Guidelines for open educational resources (OER) in higher education
Open educational resources (OER) are materials used to support education that may be freely accessed, reused, modified, and shared. These Guidelines outline key issues and make suggestions for integrating OER into higher education.
Intellectual property rights
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are set of rights associated with creations of the human mind. This module has three units covering the basics of IPR, the components of copyright and the conventions associated with it, as well as the emergence of liberal licensing to share human creation in the commons. The Creative Commons approach permits the authors to exercise their rights to share in the way they intend to. Creative Commons provides six different types of licenses, of which the Creative Commons Attribution license is the most widely used in research journals.
Interim assessment of media development in South Sudan
The assessment provides the first detailed analysis of the media landscape in South Sudan since its independence. It looks at the legal, regulatory and economic frameworks in which the media in South Sudan operates, their democratic potential, education and training initiatives and the infrastructure that impacts media development in the country.
Interoperability and retrieval
Retrieving information (IR) is the prime concern of any information storage and retrieval system. This module focuses on interoperability issues, resource description and also the information retrieval in the context of open access resources. The objective is to help readers understand interoperability issues, perpetual access, importance of standards, and the integration of different products in building institutional repositories. The module also focuses on various retrieval features which can be considered for development of IR system for open access resources.
Introduction to open access
The Open Access movement is gaining momentum, thanks to technology, efforts for quality control and its measureable impact on productivity and further research. It needs to be strengthened with participation of every researcher, scientist, educationist and librarian. This module covers the following issues: definition of scholarly communication and OA, and differentiation between the various forms of OA; rights management, including copyright, copy-left, authors’ rights and related intellectual property rights; and the impact of OA within scholarly communication.
Keystones to foster inclusive knowledge societies: access to information and knowledge, freedom of expression, privacy and ethics on a global internet
UNESCO’s vision of universal Knowledge Societies builds on a free, open and trusted Internet that enables people to not only have the ability to access information resources from around the world, but to also contribute information and knowledge to local and global communities. What can UNESCO do to move towards the realization of this vision of Internet-enabled Knowledge Societies that can foster inclusive sustainable human development worldwide?
Open access infrastructure
Launching an e-journal or knowledge repository requires meticulous planning in terms of need, scope, technology, administration, legal issues, finances and sustainability. This module deals with open access resources of all types, their definition, nature, features, planning, executing, choosing technical standards and following procedures, as well as later maintenance for all parties involved: host, sponsors, users and prospective content creators. Emphasis is made on e-journals, e-repositories and emerging trends in the open access movement.
Principles for governing the Internet: a comparative analysis
As the sixth edition in the UNESCO Internet Freedom series, this study encompasses both quantitative and qualitative assessments of more than 50 declarations, guidelines, and frameworks. The issues contained in these documents are assessed in the context of UNESCO’s interested areas such as access, freedom of expression, privacy, ethics, Priority Gender Equality, and Priority Africa, and sustainable development, etc.
Research evaluation metrics
At present, research is going on all over the world practically in all subjects and generating millions of research articles. In some cases, the research works are generating very good results, in most cases mediocre, and in some cases negative results. Therefore, evaluation of research outputs becomes sine qua non. This module dwells on a number of methods (including old and new) available for research evaluation. Various tools and techniques are discussed in details to help researchers in strengthening their efforts in enhancing scientific productivity, visibility, reputation, and impact of their research works.
Resource optimization
This module focuses on resource optimization and discusses how the open access environment can be promoted and how the collection development may be facilitated by integrating open access resources with institutional and library resources. At the end of this module, the learner is expected to be able to foster an enabling environment for Open Access, and facilitate collection development by integrating library services. The module consists of three units focusing, respectively, on OA mandates and policies, OA content management, and harvesting and integration.
Scholarly communications
Researchers, scholars and scientists’ main business is scholarly communication. However, the term gained popularity only in the 1970s, as access to peer reviewed and scholarly communication became difficult. This module has four units covering introduction to scholarly communication, peer reviewed journals, electronica journals and databases, and the serials crisis. At the end of this module, the learner is expected to be able to explain philosophy, mission, and objectives of scholarly communication, describe the process and different channels of scholarly communication, and discuss its dysfunction.
Sharing your work in open access
This is the last Module of the course on Open Access for researchers. The two units in this Module aim to help you share your work in Open Access through repositories and journals in order to be able to understand the publication process involved in dissemination of scholarly works; to choose appropriate Open Access journals and repositories for sharing research results; and to use social media to promote personal research work and build reputation.
Strengthening the contribution of media for a future of sustainable development
The IPDC is the only multilateral forum in the UN system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries. The Programme not only provides support for media projects but also seeks an accord to secure a healthy environment for the growth of free and pluralistic media in developing countries.
Taytu Betul
Taytu Betul (c.1851–1918), wife of Menelik, was a formidable queen and empress of Ethiopia. She used her exceptional intelligence to strengthen and extend her power through an adroit blend of patronage, political marriages and leadership craft. Determined to resist imperialist designs on her country, she increasingly opposed any negotiations that would result in the loss of Ethiopian territory. When diplomacy gave way to war, she rode out at the head of her own army, at her husband’s side.
Teaching journalism for sustainable development: new syllabi
This work aims to extend the UNESCO Model Curricula for Journalism Education to include new syllabi covering emerging or particularly relevant themes in journalism education globally. As such, it builds on the model curricula – as well as the supplementary UNESCO publication titled A Compendium of New Syllabi – to effectively respond to new issues facing journalism professionals and teachers.
The Communication & Information Programme
As the world rapidly changes, new challenges continue to emerge. This has required a focus on building strong knowledge societies where students have access to educational material and research; people with disabilities are not shut off from the information highways; women are empowered to create the next generation of ICT applications; knowledge is preserved for generations to come; people have freedom to express themselves; and journalists can use their pens to spread the truth without fear of recrimination.
World trends in freedom of expression and media development: Special digital focus 2015
World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development – Special Digital Focus 2015 explores emerging opportunities and challenges for press freedom in the digital age. With a focus on online hate speech, protection of journalism sources, the role of internet intermediaries in fostering freedom online, and the safety of journalists, the report highlights the importance of new actors in promoting and protecting freedom of expression online and off-line. In a media environment transformed by digital technologies, this special volume in the World Trends series is a key reference for Governments, journalists, media workers, civil society, the private sector, academics and students.