broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

open call for assistance, such as via Twitter, Facebook, or a dedicated webpage.Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Crisis Map of Haiti usedcrowdsourcing to coordinate relief efforts on the island. Those in need couldsubmit incident reports via the organization’s website, phone, SMS, e-mail,Facebook, Twitter, and so forth and thus request aid or even report missingpersons. After being reviewed by volunteers, the reports were mappedwith global positioning system coordinates in near real-time on a mapalso showing shelter sites and hospitals. These tools helped to speedsearch-and-rescue efforts and provide vital supplies to those most needingthem. The events in Haiti provide a model for how to deal with futuredisasters, both natural and man-made, as well as demonstrating a practicalapplication of Web 2.0 technologies.Collaborative Working Tools for Businesses and InstitutionsBusinesses and institutions are taking advantage of Web 2.0 applications(often referred to as Enterprise 2.0) to improve productivity and efficiencyas well as lower costs. Generally, Web 2.0 applications not only are lessexpensive, faster to deploy, and more flexible than commercial or customizedsoftware packages, but also offer built-in collaborative workspace toolsthat enable people to interact across differences in time and space (Kuchinskas2007). These tools often center around “groupware,” which allowsmultiple people to work together on projects and share documents, calendars,and other data and to participate in video and audio conferences. SinceWeb 2.0 apps require large amounts of bandwidth to download and uploadthe various types of digital media, a broadband connection is essential.Education and Web 2.0Support for school connectivity programs can be strengthened through theuse of Web 2.0 applications in education. Even where virtual classrooms orother e-learning tools are in use, Web 2.0 tools can replace or complementexpensive virtual learning environment (VLE) software to provide a moreflexible approach through the use of blogs, wikis, and other collaborativeapplications. For example, a classic VLE involves the teacher sharing slidesand resources with students through an enabling software program. Web 2.0applications, such as Slideshare for presentations, Google Docs for documents,Flickr for images, and YouTube for videos, however, are capable ofreplicating the core functions of the VLE software at no cost to educators orstudents (Robertson 2011). Open-source and cloud technologies also allowfor more educational opportunities where fewer resources are available. Forexample, students without personal computers can complete assignments ata university computer lab or Internet café via Google Docs. Other services,282 Broadband Strategies Handbook