Interview with Kuami Ahiabenu (Ghana) about Empowering journalists with online tools: Making a case for online training

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlQfGOe-PY4

Online learning is here to stay and the increasingly availability of Web 2.0 tools will making e-learning experience more rewarding though some challenges exist.

Making a case for online training of Journalists in Africa, Kwami Ahiabenu II from the International Institute for ICT Journalism (PenPlusBytes) observed that online training was going to become dominant means of training and that there was need to invest time and energy to ensure that it becomes  part of a capacity building projects and programmes application.

He noted that though there are costs associated with online training in the long run online training was relatively cheaper and cost effective. An achievement was that online learning provided an opportunity for Journalists to learn about new tools and use them in the process of learning 

In overcoming the challenges, Ahiabenu II explained that the course used a group e-mail list as their primary course delivery tool in order to ensure low bandwidth participants are not left out of the course.

Meanwhile, to over come issues of time and commitment, they encouraged the participants to devote more time to the online learning experience in order to derive maximum benefits. They had also developed strategies about coping with change and developing “online” mindset by adapting the course to the learner’s environment via flexibility.

“For example when participants could not participate in a session because his or her internet was down, we modify our time table to take this problem into consideration,” said Ahiabenu.

He explained that the tools of the online course were skype, blogging, yahoo groups, google groups, wiki’s, flicker, like del.icio.us, digg.com, flicker, youtube and myspace to allow for participants to comment on content of the web. 

In order to facilitate group communication in real time he explained that they asked participants to create a skype account the unfortunate part was that this was not successful because skype was banned in some of the participants’ countries.

He said the three months online training organised with the help of partners’ course involved research, Web2.0 tools and Knowledge Management for newsrooms.

Some of the online topics included chat forums, reporting ICTs and Content Management System for Journalists.

“Our lecture notes designed for a quick read, straight to the point and written in a narrative format. At the end of each lecture notes reference are provided as well as mandatory further online reading. Links to additional relevant online resources are also provided,” he said.

In additional to online content, the trainers encourage participants to buy relevant books as well by providing them with a list of books. They also pointed out to participants relevant articles in magazines and newspapers as they are publish during the course.

African Journalists need to embrace the new revolution of Web 2.0 tools if they are to catch up in this globalised World. Below find an interview on Web 2.0 with Matongo Maumbi a journalist from Zambia whose blog matongo.blogspot.com

Maumbi recently attended an online training focusing on Web2.0 tools organized by PenPlusBytes, the International Institute for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Journalism. In 2006, PenPlusBytes launched an online course on ICT Journalism in Africa and it attracted about forty three participants from nine countries spread across Africa, Europe and Asia. You were one of these fortunate students.

Why did you want to engage in such a course? What were your needs?

Matongo: I engaged in the course because I have an interest in exploiting ICTs at personal level and also professionally. I have been working as a broadcast journalist since 2002 and I was lucky to have been exposed to the computer and internet right from the early days of my career. My ICT knowledge is driven by personal interest and enthusiasm. I needed some professional guidance on using ICTs in my career as well as how I would fully utilize them. I needed to know the pros and cons of using ICTs . The limits, the potential benefits the fun of using the internet and how to explore it better.

What did you learn? What did you prefer (e.g.,. learning about new tools, engaging with other journalists, sharing your ideas and knowledge with others, working together on a common article, networking and interacting…)?

Matongo: I leant quite a number of things. I initially only took blogging as an adventure. Writing whatever came to my mind without any real set objective or target. I guess this was because I did it just out of interest and curiosity. I learnt how to conduct better online research for background information. How to source documents, how to set good parameters for searching. My knowledge on Web 2.0 was improved. Blogging is a good place to express oneself freely without the censorship of your editor or superiors on your work.

How does, what your learnt, influence your current journalism practice? How did it modify your way of working? How did it nurture your work (if so)? How do you apply what you learnt?

Matongo: I preferred learning new tools and also interacting with other journalists from across the continent and globe. As curiosity satisfaction was among my needs, I was really looking forward to learning new tools on ICTs. My mind was more set on learning new tools from what I already taught myself. I guess from the many things I learnt, I now spend less time on the internet. I spend less time because I know better how to conduct my online research with in the shortest possible time but with maximum information. As I am now working better with internet, it has encouraged me to continue getting a local touch to what I read on the internet. During the course I found my self working on fewer but better researched programmes that are of great relevance to our catchments community.

You created your own blog. How do you use this blog? What is the main purpose (PR, information sharing, interacting….?). Did you reach your goal? What are the strength and the weakness of such an exercise?

Matongo: Initially had a website aimed at doing radical campaigns online on things that affect Zambia. Time and resources could not allow me to continue and my site died out. Then I though of creating blog with a similar aim. I basically transferred what my site to the blog. I use the blog to make and achieve my thoughts online. As my blog is more of expressing my self, I have not yet set a good objective. In a small way I have reached my goal of transferring my thoughts online. The greatest strength is that you are your own editor and can write anything you fell is morally right at your own pace and space. You get unlimited freedom besides that fact that you have sensitive stories. Weakness comes in as most of the time I only write about my thoughts without backup professional thoughts. This creates a sense of non credibility from readers. Updates are seldom coming on the blog as I use company equipment and internet to do the updates.

What are the main challenges for African journalists to use Web2.0 tools? Do you think that most journalists have already a “mindset” for Web2 tools? What would the African Media community gain by using Web2.0?

Matongo: The main challenges of African journalists using web 2.0 tools is that we do not have our own working space. We have to rely on computers and internet from our offices. How on earth could one fully use web 2.0 tools when one does not have their own resources? The mindset for most journalists is there but a mindset with out resources is meaningless. Internet connection and access is very expensive for most journalists and even when it is affordable it is very slow. There is plenty to gain such as information sharing, unlimited power to express oneself (group) without the trouble of going through the censoring editors and managers.

Do you think that web2.0 applications - if well used by African journalists - can make the Internet more “relevant”? How so?

Matongo: I think Web 2.0 tools if properly used can make it more relevant. There is a lot of information that African Journalists have but because they have to go through editors, such info is suppressed. Mostly it is as a result of editors, managers not appreciating the role of ICTS tools.

Have you advertised your blog. If yes to whom and how?

Matongo: I think my blog is an isolated one. I have not advertised it. The only people that know about are my friends. I never thought of advertising it mainly because I think I do not update it regularly.

Are you making money from your blog?

Matongo: I am not in any way making money from my blog . I still do not fully know how I can tap into that potential. I do not really see how I can make money. I guess this is something I have to learn next. I know I have what it takes; I just do not have the right guidance.

Have you taught other about blogging?

Matongo: I have not taught any of my close friends’ blogging and taking full advantage of the internet besides e-mail messaging. Training for African Journalists in necessary on new web tools because these are new things which are not taught in Journalism. It is also important to note that a blog helps to store content online for African Journalists which has been for a long time been stored in paper form. The content put on a blog is shared and people learn from that kind of content.

In May, CTA launched a call for candidates to African journalists who were interested in participating in the conference Web2forDev 2007. The idea was to finance the participation of three journalists from ACP countries who would ensure the media coverage of the conference. The following three journalists have been selected: Ramata Soré (Burkina Faso), Brenda Zulu (Zambia) and Gnona Afangbedji (Benin). They will play a pivotal role in daily media coverage by writing background articles on Web2.0, interviews especially of participants who bring innovative projects, technical articles on applications and their impact on the rural communities. All this information, numerous photos and interviews by FAO’s Lilian Kambirigi, and probably video sessions of the main presentations from the plenary sessions will allow interested people who cannot attend in person to receive direct coverage of the discussions. All this material will be published on the conference blog and web site. This, we hope, will allow the “virtual” participants to contribute to the discussions through the Web2.0 facilities (wiki and blog).

Durant le mois de Mai, le CTA a lancé un appel à candidature destiné aux journalistes africains désirant participer à la conférence Web2forDev 2007. L’idée de cet appel était de financer 3 journalistes venant d’un pays ACP pour assurer la couverture médiatique de la conférence. A l’issue de la sélection, 3 journalistes ont été retenus : Ramata Soré (Burkina Faso), Brenda Zulu (Zambie) et Gnona Afangbedji (Bénin). Ces trois journalistes vont être les pivots de la couverture médiatique quotidienne de la conférence en réalisant des articles de fond sur le Web2.0, des interviews des participants et notamment des porteurs de projets innovants, des encadrés plus techniques sur les applications et leur impact au sein des communautés rurales. Toutes ces informations complétées par de nombreuses photos, des interviews audio réalisées par Lilian Kambirigi de la FAO et sans doute des sessions vidéos retraçant les grandes présentations en plénière permettront à tous ceux qui ne pourront pas assister physiquement à la conférence de suivre en direct les débats. Tout ce matériel sera posté sur le blog de la conférence et sur son site web. Nous espérons aussi que les participants « virtuels » contribuent aux discussions par les facilités web2.0 (wiki et blog). Découvrez dès maintenant le profil de notre équipe de journalistes!

Brenda Zulu

I am a Freelance journalist based in Zambia. I am a correspondent for Highway Africa News Agency and a member of International editorial teams e.g. European and North American Women in Action (ENAWA), The African Flame Newspaper, Genderit.org and the Feminist Dialogue media team.

I started work in 1990 as a trainee reporter at the Daily Express where I worked for 5 years. In 1998 I was a correspondent for the Times of Zambia for two years. I also worked for the Today Newspaper for one and a half years as a reporter and then decided to be a Correspondent for the Africawoman Newspaper a newspaper which is both a print and an online copy. Currently I am a columnist for Technology Times Newspaper based in Nigeria for a column known as “Let’s Click with Brenda Zulu” where I basically talk about gender and ICT issues in Africa.

I am a triple award winner in reporting on Information Communciation Technology (ICTs) for development and also covering social issues. I studied journalism at Evelyn Hone College in Zambia and have also been trained in reporting on ICTs by Rhodes University in South Africa.

Gnona Afangbedji

Gnona Afangbedji est journaliste économique au Bénin et s’investit dans les questions liées à la collecte et au traitement des informations sur les progrès dans les TIC.
Il est titulaire d’un Certificat de Maîtrise en Histoire, obtenu en 2001 à l’Université Nationale du Bénin et bénéficiaire de plusieurs formations sur les techniques de journalisme en presse écrite, le journalisme d’investigation, le traitement des informations économiques et agricoles ainsi que les enjeux des TIC pour les médias africains. Il a fait ses premières armes en journalisme en 2000, avec le journal “le Progrès”, dans lequel il a eu à effectuer un stage de six mois avant d’y être confirmé en novembre 2000 comme journaliste titulaire. Après avoir passé deux années dans ce quotidien béninois où il avait un statut de reporters, il a contribué avec un groupe de journalistes dissidents du Progrès à la création du Journal “L’Evénement du Jour”. A l’Evénement du Jour, il a occupé le poste de Chef du service Economie jusqu’en juin 2004, date à laquelle il a intégré le Journal “L’Autre Quotidien” dont il anime la page Economie jusqu’à ce jour.

Gnona Afangbedji is an economics journalist in Benin who has a special interest the effects of information collection and processing on progress in ICTs.
In 2001 he completed part of his masters degree in history at the Université Nationale du Bénin and attended several training sessions on the techniques of journalism for the written press, investigative journalism, processing economic and agricultural information, and the challenges of ICT for the African media.
He started working in journalism as a trainee at Le Progrès. Six months later, in November 2000, the newspaper hired him as a fulltime journalist.
He worked as a reporter for this Benin daily for two years and then, with a group of dissident colleagues, helped create the newspaper L’Événement du Jour” where he worked as Head of the Economics Service until June 2004 when he joined the staff of the L’Autre Quotidien newspaper where he still works as head of the page on economics.

Ramata Soré

Je m’appelle Ramata Soré. Je suis journaliste burkinabè résidant et travaillant au Burkina Faso. Je suis titulaire d’un DESS en Sciences de l’environnement obtenu à l’Université de Ouagadougou en 2002. En 2001, j’ai obtenu ma maîtrise en Sciences et Techniques de l’information et de la communication toujours à l’Université de Ouagadougou. En cette même année, j’ai fait une spécialisation en multimédia à l’Université de Ouagadougou. D’où mon intérêt pour les technologies de l’information et de la communication. Dans ce domaine, je suis membre de l’association Yam Pukri, de Burkina NTIC, de APC for women. Toutes ces structures œuvrent pour l’appréhension des technologies nouvelles par les Africains. J’ai suivi au mois de mars 2007 avec Canal France international une formation en Web2.0.
Mon intérêt pour les TIC, j’essaie de le communiquer aux autres journalistes. Aussi, au mois de juin dernier j’ai formé une dizaine de journalistes au Web2.0.
J’ai obtenu des prix concernant divers sujets ayant trait aux technologies. J’anime périodiquement une page sur cette question dans mon journal L’Evénement. Je dispose d’un blog personnel : ramses1.blog4ever.com

My name is Ramata Soré. I am a Burkinabe journalist, who lives and works in Burkina Faso. In 2001 I got a masters in information and communication sciences and techniques at the University of Ouagadougou where I continued studying and, in 2002, completed a DESS in environmental sciences and specialised in multimedia. This explains my interest in ICTs and the reason I joined Yam Pukri, a Burkina NICT Association, and APC-Women (Association for Progressive Communications). All these organisations strive to help Africans understand the new technologies. In March 2007 I attended a training session on Web2.0 offered by Canal France International.
I try to convey my interest in ICTs to other journalists; last June, for instance, I taught Web2.0 to some ten journalists.
I have received awards in various subjects related to these technologies, and edit a page on this issue periodically in my journal called L’Événement. I have a personal blog: ramses1.blog4ever.com

Ibrahima Faye

Ibrahima Faye est un journaliste professionnel qui totalise 7 années d’expérience dans le paysage médiatique Sénégalais. Après avoir occupé le poste de coordonnateur du service «Société» du journal la «Pointe» de la presse des Almadies (Predal) en mars 2002, il a, après la fermeture de ce groupe de presse, rejoint Sud communication. Ibrahima Faye s’est très vite spécialisé dans le domaine des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC) qui l’ont toujours passionné. Il a ainsi eu à faire plusieurs articles et dossiers dans ce secteur qui constitue un enjeu de développement certain. Il a également pris part à plusieurs ateliers de formation sur les TIC aussi bien dans son pays qu’à l’étranger. Des sessions qui lui ont permis d’être bien outillé dans le domaine des blogs, de la presse en ligne et de son économie et surtout des enjeux des NTIC dans la société sénégalaise et africaine plus globalement. Une expertise qu’il compte ainsi mettre en pratique dans la lutte contre la fracture numérique entre les zones urbaines et rurales, par ricochet contre la pauvreté et le sous-développement.

Ibrahima Faye is a professional journalist who adds up 7 years of experience in the Senegalese media landscape. Having occupied coordinator’s post of the service “Society” of the newspaper “La Pointe” of the press of Almadies (Predal) in March, 2002, he joined, after the closure(lock) of this publishing conglomerate, Sud communication. Ibrahima Faye very fast specialized in the field of Information technologies and Communication (ICT) which always fascinated him. He had to make several articles and files in this sector which constitutes a stake in development. He also took part in several workshops of training on ICT as well in his country as abroad. Sessions which allowed him to be equipped well in the field of blogs, of on-line press and of its economy and especially stakes in the ICT in the Senegalese and African societies more globally. An expertise which he plans to put into practices so in the wrestling against the digital fracture between the urban and rural zones, on the rebound against the poverty and the underdevelopment.

Noel Kokou Tadégnon

Je suis Noel Kokou Tadégnon, journaliste multimédia Togolais. Je suis journaliste depuis 14 ans. J’ai appris le métier sur le tas avec au début des collaborations avec des organes de la presse écrite et surtout la radio. Mais très vite, je me suis rendu compte que j’étais à l’aise dans presque tous les secteurs médiatiques. Ce qui m’a poussé à faire en plus de la radio, la production télévisée et la photographie de presse. Après avoir travaillé pour plusieurs radios, je suis actuellement le correspondant de WREN MEDIA au Togo, de Reuters Télévision, de la Deutsche Welle, des agences IPS et APANEWS. Je collabore aussi souvent avec des agences photos et des journaux comme Reuters photo, Panapress, Apaphoto, Galbe.
Très à l’aise dans les productions radiophoniques, télévisuelles, photographiques et écrites, je suis un habitué de la couverture multimédia des grands événements. J’ai travaillé avec une équipe de l’Institut Panos Afrique de l’ouest au Sommet Mondial de la société de l’information à Tunis en 2005. L’expérience a été rééditée à Saly au Sénégal lors d’un atelier sur la fibre optique SAT3 ; et récemment au Forum social mondial de Nairobi au Kenya. En plus de mon expérience sur le plan journalistique, j’ai une grande maîtrise des TIC. C’est ainsi que j’ai créé et je gère depuis 2000 le portail de la presse togolaise www.mediatogo.info , un projet soutenu par l’Institut Panos Afrique de l’ouest.

I am Noel Kokou Tadégnon, Togolese multimedia journalist. I am a journalist for 14 years. I learnt the profession on the heap with at the beginning of collaborations with organs of the print media and especially radio. But very fast, I realized that I felt at ease in almost all the media sectors. What urged me to make besides the radio, the broadcast production and the photography of press. Having worked for several radios, I am at present the correspondent of WREN MEDIA in Togo, Reuters Television, of Deutsche Welle, IPS and APANEWS agencies. I collaborate so often with agencies photos and newspapers as Reuters photo, Panapress, Apaphoto, Galbe. Very comfortable in the radio, television, photographic and written productions, I am used by the multimedia cover of big events. I worked with a team of the Panos West Africa Institute on the World Summit of the information society in Tunis in 2005. The experience was republished to Saly in Senegal during a workshop on the optical fibre SAT3; and recently in the world social Forum of Nairobi in Kenya. Besides my experience on the journalistic plan, I have a big control of the ICT. And so I created and I manage since 2000 the portal of the Togolese press www.mediatogo.info, a project supported by the Panos West Africa Institute.