Here are some examples of use: these will differ from one community to another
College Educators, University Lecturers, School Teachers and Students
In support of the education sector, the CMCs can be used for:
- maintenance and updating of teaching/learning curricula in electronic format;
- training programmes for University, Teacher Colleges and schools, with teachers using the CMC for in-service training;
- Internet and Web-based communications and information access for faculties and students in all institutions;
- access to and exchange of learning applications for distance education by developing capacity to create and distribute educational materials in electronic format;
- computer assisted instruction;
- basic telecommunications for staff and students in the educational institutions;
- information support to all institutions, with a special emphasis focus on supporting school libraries in the area through outreach initiatives, such as the book box programme;
- production of locally adapted learning and teaching materials;
- broadcasts of educational programmes developed within the CMC or shared with another CMC in the network.
Children and youth
If provided with opportunities, children and youngsters seem to have better abilities than adults to adapt to changes and to acquire relevant skills for modern society. ICT literacy has become a basic need for the future generation to prepare for the world of work. At the same time ICTs provide opportunities to engage in more meaningful processes of learning as a basis for a future ‘culture of learning’. At the same time radio is a popular medium of communication for young people, because it provides entertainment and opportunities to participate in live broadcasts.
Specific CMC applications that benefit children and youth will be:
- basic computer literacy training;
- participation in electronic networks such as KidLink and the School-to-School Initiative;
- radio programmes where young people discuss matters that interest them;
- radio programmes about new technologies;
- education programmes for enrichment or remedial teaching;
- collection, recording, production and sharing of locally available knowledge.
Health workers
CMCs are often located close to a health centre, whether a clinic or a district hospital. In addition, there are outreach public campaigns in the Health Sector that are conducted by local health centres or by institutions. These types of campaigns include public education and awareness on HIV/AIDS, vaccination campaigns, combating periodic outbreaks of diseases, etc. The CMC applications that would be specific to the health workers include:
- telephone communications to the District Health administration and referral hospitals in Kampala;
- telephone consultations with specialist medical practitioners;
- telemedicine applications with national or international hospitals using image and data sharing techniques over IP networks;
- continuing education for medical professional staff at the local health centres;
- public education and awareness raising campaigns through radio;
- access for local health workers to health related resources in CMC libraries and on the Internet;
- personal telephone/fax/e-mail communications for staff and patients.
Farmers and small scale traders
These two economic sectors are very important to the communities to be served by the CMCs, since they constitute the largest groups of potential CMC users. It is also true that these two groups depend on timely and accurate information to increase revenues in their respective activities. Members of these target groups also tend to possess similar characteristics, such as high illiteracy rates, high constraints on time and hence can rarely take leave from their occupations to search for information. The key CMC services for these groups include:
- access to market information (e.g.: supply and demand information, prices, etc):
- informal (through radio) and formal training on new farming or trading methods;
- radio announcement and advertisements for their products;
- text processing (letter typing, photocopying, public notice/price tag preparation, etc);
- business and personal telephone/fax/e-mail communications.
