International Development of Computer Education
Toward the Creation of a Global Information Culture
Kyoto Computer Gakuin [KCG] was established in 1963 as the first private computer institute in Japan. At this time the curtain was raised on the computer, we foresaw great possibilities in the approaching information age, and believed that education of technicians in large numbers would build the foundation of the coming age. KCG was the first school in Japan to introduce education in Information Science. For the past years, KCG has been a leader in developing the culture of information science in Japan. In 1989, we began to transfer our pioneer spirit to countries in which computer education had not been made widely available. The program called International Development of Computer Education [IDCE] was born in the form of a donation of three thousand sets of KCG's used computers (two thousand sets of 8-bit, one thousand sets of 16 & 32-bit personal computers).
Before 1995, this program has been implemented for the countries of Thailand, Ghana, Poland, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Peru, and has accomplished successfuly. From 1995, we will start implementing the program for Malawi and China.
We found that it is a great pleasure to help other countries by the IDCE program with the role of a dispatcher of Japanese culture and a dispatcher of information culture. We also found and are hoping that this trend becomes a creation of global information culture.
Purpose
This program is designed for countries in which public access to computer technology is limited or non-existent. The goal of the program is to give the public, at large, access to simple computers, to teach them basic computer skills, and to promote more general computer education.
We believe that the spread of education in science and technology can be the key to a country's future economic independence and prosperity. Remembering KCG identity as a pioneer in developing education / information science in Japan, we wish to participate in the promotion of global computer education by passing on our own experience.
The program also aims to promote cultural exchange and friendship between Japan and participating countries, with computer education as a medium.
All the computers donated were those used in classes at KCG. As to other expenses, a large part of the funding has come from the Japan Exposition Commemoration Fund. Major Japan companies: UNISYS-Japan, TOSHIBA, NEC, HITACHI, and other independent organizations and individuals have also contributed to our project. Without such generous support, we would not have been able to realize this project.
Implementation of the Program
The fundamental program consists of the following five basic steps. (These may be modified, if necessary, to match the particular needs of the participating country.)
1. KCG donates some hundred sets of computers ["Donation"] to the government of the participating country ["Receiver"].
2. The Receiver is to be responsible for the maintenance and the distribution of Donation to schools throughout their country. (Some ten to twenty shall be placed at each selected school.)
3. KCG sends instructors to the partner country to offer an intensive course for selected teachers of the schools/institutions which will receive or have received Donation. KCG recruits and sends United States college students (mainly from Massachusetts Institute of Technology) as volunteer instructors along with KCG instructors. We try to include students whose home country is the same as that of the participating country in our group of instructors.
4. Participants learn how to operate Donation through various training programs offered by KCG. This technical training consists of a session in the partner country, followed by a session at KCG in Kyoto for selected trainees.
5. The Receiver conducts a computer education program in their selected schools for the general public.
After completion of the fundamental program, KCG and the Receiver are expected to try to continue to collaborate together, as much as possible, in order to promote the computer education of the Receiver's country. This collaboration may include continued exchanges of students and teachers, and/or more computer donations by KCG.
The program for China and Brunei are proceeding based on the special relationship between KCG and the universities.
Selected examples of actual development of IDCE are shown in the below. Thailand Cooperation initiated in 1989
To begin with the IDCE project, the following became a test case. In the Fall of 1989, two college students were invited to KCG, and were provided computer training workshop for two weeks. Through this experience we established a teaching skills for foreigners.
In June, 1990, three hundred fifty one sets of computers were donated to the Minister of Education. In July, the first on-site computer course was held at Bangkok. Some selected teachers in Thailand were invited to KCG and were provided the second computer course.
All the donated computers were utilized at twenty-two educational institute by the teachers who had workshop at KCG before. More than 3600 students a year were given education in information and computer science.
The Ministry of Education of Thailand expressed their appreciation saying "there has never been a program like IDCE", "IDCE program has created a computer railroad all over Thailand."
In February, 1992, the third international joint information science seminar was held for participants from Ghana, Poland and Thailand. The school received awards from the Thai Minister of Education for our contribution to the country. Computer education is now right on track with increasing budget of Thai government.
The highly successful result of our program prompted the Thai government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to form a cooperative arrangement for further development. A workshop in multimedia technology was held at KCG for the computer engineers from Thailand for six month in 1994. An instructor from KCG has been sent to a university in Thailand as an expert by JICA for directing education in multimedia technology in 1996.
"Computers on Wheels", a new program where the National Science Center for Education would carry donated computers in two trailers and visit schools throughout Thailand, was implemented in 1996. KCG donated additional thirty 32-bit portable computers and sent two instructors. The first workshop was held at one of the most poor area of the country. At the opening ceremony of the program, KCG received an award from the Princess.
