During last week’s engaging #SocEntChat around mHealth, organized by Ashoka, I started to wonder what other Twitter chats might be out there.
Thanks to chloevdc, I learned of this Twitter Chat Schedule. While pretty comprehensive, I was struck by a glaring omission. Even though there are Twitter chats for everything from JapanTravel to DaddyTalk there isn’t a scheduled chat on Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D).
But its not for a lack of those talking about ICT4D. Just one quick look at the ICTworks ICT4D Africa Twitters List, there are at least 40 people who focus on the topic daily. Looking at the #ICT4D hashtag and even more people think about it on a regular basis. So its about time we organized a…
ICTworks’ #ICT4D Twitter Chat
On Friday, November 13, join your fellow experts and interested parties in a ICT4D Twitter Chat starting at 17:00 GMT (1700 GMT in your timezone). The likes of John Gosier, Michael Downey, Wayan Vota and others will be discussing engaging in these topics on 15 minute intervals:
- Using Eastern Time:
- 12:00pm: Introductions – Please tell us your name, org, key interest area
- 12:05pm: Which ICT4D initiatives do you admire the most? Please name them & explain why.
- 12:20pm: What lessons have you learned from ICT4D failures? Bravery Bonus: talk about your own program failures.
- 12:35pm: Is Cloud4D (Cloud Computing) possible in ICT4D? Or is it still 5 years+ in future? And should we plan for it now anyway?
If you’re wondering what a Twitter Chat is, see the great recap of the Ashoka Chat. It was essentially a freewheeling conversation around the key questions asked by Ashoka, with refreshing voices from outside the usual small world we live in.
Expect thi ICT4D Twitter Chat will be even more so, creating greater awareness and excitement about technology’s role in social and economic development across the developing world. So join us at 12:00 noon Eastern Time.
Update
Wow! that was an amazing hour of serious conversation. I hope you enjoyed it. And here’s a few recaps for you:
Say in the ICT4D loop – subscribe to ICTworks updates via RSS, Email, or Twitter
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Here’s the expanding list of ICT4D Twitteratii who will be joining us on Nov 13 @ 8pm Nairobi, 12pm New York, 9am San Francisco time:
– Garrett Mehl
– ethnos project
– Linda Raftree
– Ellen Francik
– Jake Darnell
Are you joining us too? Then tell us in the comments…
From my work in Nigeria, it is evident that most young people who shw interest in ICT innovation have to literally ‘climb a steep hill’ to get anything done. Challenges include the cost of access and inconsistent electrical power supply; hence the need for spaces where they can gain access to more affordable services that rely on ‘economics of scale’. Before the next innovtive idea gets tossed into the trash can of ‘Tried That One Also’, it’d be great to provide ICT Innovation Hubs that can help deserving people incubate, groom, grow and launch ideas.
I’ve been working with an organization called CP-Union (www.cp-union.com) in the Philippines. We also have initiatives on ICT4D – from trainings to ICT project implementations for non-profits and marginalized sectors.
Now we’ll have more folks joining us for this conversation:
– Gbenga Sesan
– Healther LaGarde
– Rick BaHague
– Asterix
– Grameen App Lab
– Theresa Sondjo
And several new suggested topics:
– ICT Innovation Centers
– Does offshoring really pay?
– What are good low tech data storage solutions?
Thanks for all the Twitter Chat topic suggestions. We now have a few topics for future Twitter Chats:
– What Top 3 mHealth Lessons do We Need to Learn?
– What’s the Impact of OLPC beyond the education field?
– How can we create ICT Innovation Centers?
– Does offshoring really increase country GDP?
– What are good low tech data storage solutions?
Have more ideas? Suggest them below and we’ll add them to a future chat.
Thanks for participating in today’s #ICT4D Twitter Chat. Please take this quick anonymous survey to help make the next one even better:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4QJdrYftdIQci486B0HfSg_3d_3d
–Michael Downey
Here’s the Twitter Chat List of those that participated today. If you’re interested in ICT4D, you’ll want to follow these Tweeps http://twitter.com/ICT_Works/ict4d-twitter-chat/members