ITO-Announce April 2006

The following resources were added to ItrainOnline in April 2006

1. Website Evaluation and Statistics
2. Collaborative Workspace Tools
3. Building Online Communities
4. Secure Online Communication
5. Open Source
6. Telecentres
7. Wireless Networking

1. WEBSITE EVALUATION AND STATISTICS

INTRANET REVIEW TOOLKIT
"This intranet review toolkit provides intranet managers and designers
with an easy-to-use method of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of
their intranet. It contains a substantial set of heuristics (guidelines or
criteria), allowing a detailed intranet review to be conducted that
focuses on a wide range of functionality, design and strategy."
http://www.intranetreviewtoolkit.org/

SERVER LOG ANALYSIS
FAQ ("What are server log files and how can they be used to measure system
performance and traffic?", "How do you analyze server log files?") and
links to articles on web server log analysis. Some of the resources
pointed to have a particular focus on assessing usability through server
log analysis.
http://usability.gov/serverlog/

WEB LOG ANALYSIS TOOLS
Articles and links to tools and resources on analysing web site traffic.
Topics covered include "How to Use Web Analytics Effectively", "Web
Analytics Basics" and "Tracking Web Page Views".
http://webdesign.about.com/od/loganalysis/

2. COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE TOOLS

TAG - YOU´RE DELICIOUS!
"Bookmarking with your Web browser has its limitations. For one thing,
you’re saving your bookmarks only on your computer. If you’re using a
desktop PC in your classroom, that means you can’t bring your bookmark
collection with you when you go home or elsewhere; it also means you can’t
share your favorite bookmarks with your colleagues very easily." This
piece by Andy Carvin offers an excellent introduction to sharing bookmarks
using del.icio.us.
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/learning.now/2006/05/tag_youre_delicious.html

3. BUILDING ONLINE COMMUNITIES

BUILDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS
The module covers the approaches, methods, and tools used to build
electronic communities, and covers the various steps and procedures for
developing and facilitating electronic communities. The total curriculum
consists of 29 lessons, ranging from approximately 15 to 90 minutes
duration, grouped into five units, for a total of about 16 to 22 hours of
self-paced instruction.
http://www.imarkgroup.org/moduledescrC_en.asp

4. SECURE ONLINE COMMUNICATION

INFORMATION SECURITY FOR NEW/HOME USERS
"New to information security? Want to learn more about protecting your
home system from intrusions and incidents?" This series of guides from the
Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security
(CERIAS) at Purdue University will help you understand where you may be at
risk and what measures you can take to secure your computer.
http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/training_and_awareness/home_users/

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY HANDBOOK
"Informational and Communications Technologies (ICT) are crucial for
social and economic development. However, there cannot be an effective use
of ICT in the absence of a safe and trusted ICT environment. Thus, IT
security plays a prime role in creating the environment needed for
e-government or e-commerce activities, including sectoral projects, such
as, for example, in the areas of education, health, or finance." This
handbook provides an overview of security issues and the implications for
developing countries and looks at security for individuals, organizations,
and technical administrators, as well as at information security and
government policies.
http://www.infodev-security.net/handbook/

5. OPEN SOURCE

OPEN STANDARDS, OPEN SOURCE, AND OPEN INNOVATION: HARNESSING THE BENEFITS OF OPENNESS
This report from CED looks at the meaning of "openness" in the context of
the digital economy, explores concepts such as open standards, open
source, and open innovations, and makes a series of policy recommendations
in these areas. Useful reading for anyone trying to get an overview of the
"openness" terrain overall.
http://www.ced.org/docs/report/report_ecom_openstandards.pdf

6. TELECENTRES

A GUIDE TO COMMUNITY MULTIMEDIA CENTRES: HOW TO GET STARTED AND KEEP GOING
"There are growing numbers of grass-root communication and information
service providers in the developing countries today. They are operating
community radio stations, multipurpose telecentres, information centres,
community learning centres and ­ in a few cases ­ community multimedia
centres (CMCs) that already combine both radio and telecentre facilities.
This book is intended to be of use to all those wanting to become involved
or already involved in such initiatives ­ staff and managers, community
groups, NGOs working for community empowerment, communication planners
supporting development activities, trainers and project partners."
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/cmc/handbook/full_book.pdf

TELECENTRE.ORG
Telecentre.org makes social investments and provides services that build
the capacity of telecentre operators around the world. The telecentre.org
site is the first site in what is hoped will grow into a global community
of telecentre network sites.
http://www.telecentre.org

7. WIRELESS NETWORKING

ANTENNAS AND CABLES IN ITRAINONLINE MMTK WIRELESS MATERIALS
A unit on "Antennas and Cables" has recently been added to the
ItrainOnline MMTK collection of materials on wireless networking. The
unit looks at radio link calculations, types of antennas, concepts such as
antenna gain and polarization, and at connectors and coaxial
cables.
http://www.itrainonline.org/itrainonline/mmtk/wireless.shtml