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Interamerican Agency for
Cooperation and Development (IACD/OAS) |
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COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT
Title: Introduction to the Formulation of Electronic
Government Strategies
Location: Online Virtual Classroom (IACD/INEAM)
Start and End Dates: Monday October 12 to Monday December 6 2004.
Registration Deadline: September 22, 2004
Inscripción Cerrada
Course Duration: 8 weeks
Language: English
Implementation: This course, already offered in Spanish to
over 400 participants in three different occasions, has been translated and
adapted to English and it is offered by the Interamerican Agency for Cooperation
and Development (IACD/OAS) within the context of the E-Government Program
of the Division of Innovations and Alliances for Development.
Objectives:
To identify the benefits and advantages of E-Government and its possibilities
as a tool for improved administration and performance; to introduce participants
to Electronic Government concepts and to the fundamental elements that must
be present for the development of E-Government strategies; and, to incorporate
a global vision on the development and implementation of these type of projects
by analyzing successful experiences in different countries.
The Course:
The course is organized in Modules that include selected readings and related activities accessed through an on-line teaching platform or “virtual classroom”. A Tutor will be in charge of the Course and provide guidance and orientation in the academic as well as the technological aspects of the Course. Six Modules, to be covered in eight weeks, comprise the course: one designed for introducing participants to the virtual tool; four content Modules; one for conceptual adjustment; and, one for conclusions and final evaluation.
The main topics are outlined below:
| Week 1 | Introduction to the Virtual Classroom: Welcome, use of tools and socialization. |
| Week 2 | Introduction to E-Government: Main Concepts, advantages, benefits, risks and challenges. |
| Week 3 | E-Government strategy as a country, state or municipal project. Guide for the design of an E-Government strategy. Elements that comprise a good strategy. Where to begin. High impact E-Government areas. |
| Week 4 and 5 | Analysis of successful experiences from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Jamaica and the United States. Best practice implementation. Antecedents. Characteristics and implementation perspective. Results. |
| Week 6 | Lessons learned. E-Government projects: analysis of opportunities, and risk and implementation. |
| Week 7 | Integration of concepts for final assignment. |
| Week 8 | Final assignment’s evaluation and concluding remarks. |
Methodology:
Eight-week distance education course offered with the academic supervision and support of Tutors to facilitate learning, interaction and an efficient use of the virtual environment. The Tutors will direct the course’s activities and keep in constant contact with the participants to assist in areas such as:
a) Access to the sessions
b) Suggest support and further reading
c) Analyze and evaluate assigned activities
d) Address individual doubts and concerns
On a weekly basis, Tutors will distribute a consolidated analysis of the participants’ contributions.
Expected resultss:
At the end of the course, participants are expected to have the necessary
skills to be able to participate in the design of an E-Government strategy
and, drawing heavily from the general guidelines introduced in the course,
adapt the strategy to the particular needs and challenges of their respective
governments.
Requirements:
Participants must meet the following profiles:
- Academic and/or professional profile:
1. Political or government leaders with decision-making capabilities and the responsibility for the design of strategies for improving their institution’s performance (Ministers, Vice-ministers at a Federal, State or local Level);
2. Public managers and division heads in public administration\ with the responsibility of implementing policies (Director Generals, Directors and Program Officers);
3. Professionals and academics in areas related to the course or involved in improving public performance;
- Knowledge of information technology is desired but not essential.
- Fluency in English
- Register in the Educational Portal of the Americas
- Unrestricted access to a computer with Internet with following minimum technical specifications:
| Processor | 500MHz, Pentium II or equivalent |
| Memory | 64Mb or better |
| Monitor | Minimum resolution 800 x 600 |
| Internet Access | 56K modem or faster |
| Applications | JavaScript active, Cookies active |
| Browsers | Netscape 4.76 or more recent (for Windows), Internet Explorer 5, newer (for Macintosh), 5.5, or newer (for Windows), Mozilla 1.0 or Opera 6 for Windows. |
| Software | Flash 6.0, Multimedia is optional |
NOTE: Access to technological hardware and connectivity (internet and
email) costs are responsibility of the participant.
Time and Required commitment: This is a 114-hour course and will be
certified as such. Participants will have to spend a minimum of 15 hours per
week and it is highly recommended that they log-on to the Classroom at least
one hour every day.
Certification: Participants who successfully complete the course requirements
will receive an OAS/INEAM Certificate.
Costs: Total cost for the course is $250.00 U.S.
Financial Aid: All participants may apply for financial
aid. The total cost of the course is $250 US. Participants may receive a fellowship
contribution from the INEAM according to their region of origin: Canadian
and United States citizens may receive a $100 fellowship (final cost to participant
$150); Caribbean and Latin American participants will receive a $175 INEAM
fellowship. In addition the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas (ICA)
will provide $50 US fellowship to 100 Caribbean participants (final cost to
Caribbean participants $25). Selected participants will be contacted by email
with notification starting September 22. All participants are responsible
for completing all course assignments.
| 1. Register as a user of the Educational Portal of the Americas by September 22, 2004 (http://www.educoas.org/Portal/newuser.aspx?culture=en) |
2. Fill out Application/Financial Aid Form
before September 22, 2004 Inscripción Cerrada |
| 3. Once selection has been completed, information on how to access the course will be available shortly before its start date. |
** Any comments or questions regarding this announcement or the E-Government
Course should be sent to: ineam@oas.org