PROPOSAL: Development and Implementation of Digital Online Network and Forum for Indigenous Knowledg

1
PROPOSAL Development and Implementation of
Digital Online Network and Forum for Indigenous
Knowledge (IKNET)
2
THE PROJECT CONCEPT

• An Internet-based digital network for the
  preservation, development and dissemination of
  African indigenous knowledge (IK)

3
RATIONALE

• Africa a user but not contributor to Internet
• Need for locally relevant content
• Increasing recognition of IK
• Inherent value as cultural heritage
• Instrumental to development
• Multiple disparate projects, ambiguous role of
  ICT

4
PURPOSE

• Identify and bring together IK resources and
  people
• Implement specific community-based IK projects
• Provide infrastructure for ongoing support and
  development of IK

5
APPROACH

• Community driven
• Decentralised, interactive
• Use of existing resources
• Collaboration with other initiatives
• Stages
• Development
• Implementation
• Expansion

6
DEVELOPMENT STAGE

• Research project
• IK
• Role of ICT
• Resources, partners, stakeholders
• Project options
• Intermediate reports
• Stakeholder consultation
• ICT PROJECT PROPOSAL

7
RESEARCH PROJECT - nature of IK -

• What is IK?
• How is IK stored, transmitted, developed?
• How does IK interact with other K?
• Why does IK matter and to whom?
  Cultural/practical significance
• What are the needs in IK?
• Ethical and legal issues ownership, validation

8
RESEARCH PROJECT - role of ICT -

• What ICT projects/resources already exist, how
  successful?
• What are the potential models, partners, content
  providers, collaborators?
• IK centres
• National IT agencies, national libraries
• Domain-specific First Voices
• World Bank other development agencies
• What/how can ICT contribute?

9
RESEARCH PROJECT- clarifying project options -

• Content provision, digitising
• Facilitating linking and searching
• Primary material archives, libraries, language
  resources, narratives, practice
• Secondary material best practice models,
  evaluations, case studies etc.
• Interaction forums and networking

10
RESEARCH PROJECT- key outcomes -

• Identify where the needs are and what type of
  contribution ICT can make
• Identify potential stakeholders, partners,
  resources
• Identify project options
• INTERMEDIATE REPORT

11
DEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL

• Research report circulated
• Stakeholder consultation
• Integration of local knowledge needs
• Project proposal, implementation plan
• Prototype project
• Expansion

12
INITIAL THOUGHTS ON PROTOTYPE PROJECT

• Archiving and developmental
• Cultural focus language, FirstVoices
• Existing data resources
• Low-tech modes e.g. narrative
• Interactive
• Registration of .ik domain?
• Training/capacity-building element

13
IMPLEMENTATION STAGE

• Key people/technology
• Network coordinator
• Local content coordinators and DNS managers
• Local content creators (skills, tech)
• Search tools to locate content

14
ONGOING DEVELOPMENT

• Develop organically out of experiences with
  prototype project
• Use prototype to generate funding for further
  development
• May take various forms
• Extension of scope, knowledge domains
• Extension of functions
• New content/providers
• Expanded linkages

15
?

• Local involvement/ownership
• Evaluation
• Sustainability
• Funding
• Next steps