Among other things, Atos Origin will help IICD to implement an online training tool for selfanalysis and evaluation. Atos consultants will also provide support for various local IICD projects and activities, ranging from the development of an eLearning tool for training evaluation partners in various countries, to educating local training partners in Zambia in the development of multimedia training materials. Niels Riethorst of Atos explains what this can mean: “I have just developed an eLearning tool for employees of IICD-projects in developing countries. It is an on- and offline guideline about how to evaluate a project. The user can chose what he wants to learn. For example: how to print an evaluation form. The tool guides him through this process one step at a time. For us it is obvious to fill the printer with paper and switch it on. For someone who uses the computer once a year it is not. He can learn it in his own time and increase his ability to do things independently.” This week, two of Riethorsts colleagues will visit Zambia to show secondary schools how to use computer animations in teaching material. Riethorst: “To show the functioning of the lungs, for example.” IICD has been involved in Zambia since 2000. “Information technology is only being used incidentally in Zambias schools”, says Olaf Erz, country manager Zambia for IICD. “The use of new training methods in the educational programme – including IT applications like video, CD-ROMs and the internet – is of crucial importance for the quality of education. Curricula can be updated simply and easily, and it helps teachers who must work without facilities such as a lab or other tools to teach certain concepts with the aid of computer simulations. Additionally, Atos eLearning tool is capable of training and supporting more local partners to self-evaluate and manage project progress.” IICD is a non-profit foundation specialising in information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for development. IICD supports local organisations in nine countries in Africa and Latin America in developing practical and durable solutions for fighting poverty and improving the quality of basic facilities including education, healthcare and governance. The solutions are based on both modern multimedia solutions – computers, internet, e-mail – and traditional channels including radio and television. Atos Origin Learning Solutions is a business unit specialised in the development of training and educational solutions. This expertise provides significant added value for an organisation like IICD, who believes that local ability to apply knowledge and information is the key to sustainable development in developing countries. P+ webtip: IICD P+ webtip 2: Atos Origin