Irish Learning Technology Association

ILTA - Irish Learning Technology Association - for academics, educators and professionals interested in e-Learning and in the use of technology in education Membership of the association is free to all. Visit www.ilta.net for more information.

UCD Graduate Alumni Party 24 June 2005

As many of Abacus' customers in Ireland are graduates of UCD, we would like to remind you that there is a garden party scheduled on June 24 to mark 150 years since the foundation of the college.

The dress code is smart casual for the Garden Party. The event starts at 6.00pm until 9.00pm and we will be offering refreshments and finger food.

Tickets are free (first come, first served basis) and can be obtained from Sinead Kelly at

University College Dublin
Alumni Development Office
Michael Tierney Building
Belfield
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 716 1447
Fax: +353 1 716 1160
E-mail: alumni@ucd.ie
http://www.ucd.ie/alumni/

E-Content - Technologies and Perspectives for the European Market Background Analysis on the Business and Content Technology Needs


Technologies develop rapidly and reach hurricane levels of velocity but quality E-Content and innovative applications lag behind. This book addresses the question how content industries change within a digital environment and what role information and communication technologies play in transforming the competitive landscape.

The authors argue that post-industrial societies tend to pay substantial amounts for equipment and gadgets but invest far too little in the quality of the content. As a result, much effort is and has to be spent on the enhancement of E-Content.

The contributions give an elaborate overview of:
- the specifics, challenges and prospects of content in the network economy
- market developments of digital media services
- paid content business models
- impacts on scientific publishing
- developments in the field of E-Learning
- the mobile games market
- emerging new cross media markets
- the need to enhance the usability of websites and mobile applications
- how new applications might be used to capture and store our personal experiences
- the interplay between ICTs and content with the example of interactive digital TV


A final chapter shows the prospects of the European E-Content market and gives an overview of valuable initiatives and resources dealing with the topic of E-Content.

Have a look at the Table of Contents and order the book: www.springeronline.com

Call for Papers for ETAS 22nd AGM & Convention in Winterthur, Switzerland

ETAS 22nd AGM & Convention in Winterthur, Switzerland 21-22 January 2006 at the Zürich University of Applied Sciences

Would you be interested in sending a speaker? If so, please see the attached Call for Papers. Ann Humphry-Baker, ETAS National Events Chair, is looking forward to hearing from you by 30th June (national-events@e-tas.ch). Please reserve the date in your diary now. We look forward to seeing you in Winterthur.

Kind regards,

Corinne Tschumi
ETAS Administrator

Slow Internet Access? Problem Solved!

Some of Abacus' customers can't access the full features of its courses due to banwidth restrictions. If you are using a dial-up modem (not broadband), you will get sound but no video. I recently recommended software from www.onspeed.com to a colleague called Ken and he reports the following improvement. It can even improve broadband speeds too and it costs about euro29!

From: "Ken O'Brien"
To: info@abacus-communications.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 10:33 AM Subject: On speed tool

Hi Stephen,
Given that I am stuck on dialup for another week I decided to try out onspeed and I can give it a thumbs up. My connection speed went from 45K to 379K. At the very least I can browse in some degree of comfort.

You download a tool and pay on the spot. Data is redirected from the ISP
through their server and compressed up to 9 times thus showing up faster in
your browser or so their tech stuff says. Much faster web page rendering by
comparison and emails come in quicker as well.

Ken

eTTCampus Project

The main objective of eTTCampus is setting up, developing and consolidating a European Virtual Campus for teachers and trainers.

This virtual agora and learning space will support teachers, trainers, trainers of teachers and in particular TTnet members in their continuing professional development and improve their understanding of the pedagogical, critical and responsible use of ICT for learning purpose.

For International Business Matching

Interested in developing business in the Far East, we recommend using the JETRO managed (Japanese Import-Export Agency) as a good place to start. http://www.jetro.go.jp/ttppe/

** TTPP Always Features More than 1,000 "Fresh" Business Proposals

TTPP features 500-600 business proposals newly registered by users in Japan
and overseas every month. At the same time, about 500 proposals are updated every month. Three methods are available to check these fresh proposals.

Developing Independent ESOL Learners talk by Kelly Jennings at THE CENTRAL LONDON ELT LIBRARY

How can we encourage ESOL students to be more independent learners both inside and outside the classroom? In this workshop, we will examine the need for learner autonomy in ESOL and potential challenges facing the teacher and student. We will also look at practical ways to develop study skills and reflective learning at all levels through easy to incorporate activities and teaching tips. This will be an interactive session with many opportunities for participants the share their thoughts and ideas.

Thursday 9th June 2005
7.00 - 8.30pm

Wine and refreshments served from 6.30 – 7.00pm

Kelly Jennings has worked in the United States, China and the UK as a teacher and a teacher trainer. She is an ELT Consultant for Oxford University Press and specialises in ESOL. She is particularly interested in the crossover between EFL and ESOL and thinks that the two sectors have a lot to learn from each other.

Entrance fee: £4.00. Places must be reserved by phoning
020 7833 2773

or e-mailing eltlibrary@stgiles.co.uk

The Central London ELT Library, 154 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 5JX

Irish language courses & cultural activity holidays

Irish language news site. Tá www.Beo.ie ar fáil anois. Excellent authentic teaching resources.

www.Oideas-Gael.com
Gaeilge agus laethe saoire cultúrtha

Asian Analysis - May 2005

Asian Analysis is published by Asean Focus Group in cooperation with the Faculty of Asian Studies at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Asian Analysis provides 8-10 short commentaries each month that present opinions and commentary on not only economic issues in the ASEAN region and beyond, but also some of the deeper underlying social and political issues that shape the economic development of the region.

Our aim is to give client readers a wider exposure to what is happening in their Asian markets.

Registration is free and open to all by simply registering your email address (with no further information required) at www.aseanfocus.com/asiananalysis.

New subscribers will receive Asian Analysis by email every month as well as be able to access the archives of all Asian Analysis newsletters over the past five years.

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Asean Focus Group or the Faculty of Asian Studies. Furthermore no commercial decisions should be made on the basis of the opinions expressed in Asian Analysis without receiving expert commercial advice from specialist advisers such as the Asean Focus Group .

China's ICT market

New Tigers Consulting ICT Report serves as a bridge to senior managers and executives at international technology companies looking to gain insight and a business edge in China. We do this by providing analysis of China's ICT market through monthly updates in our China ICT report newsletter. It gives summary reports on China's fast changing ICT industry and company-specific information to empower organizations with the intelligence to act efficiently and decisively in China's marketplace.

The information and statistics provided are selective and general. If you need more specific information or research on China's IT and Telecom please contact us at our nearest office or Email us at: info@newtigers.com

We are Council members of the Ireland China Business Association. We hope you find the articles interesting. Please note our new European head office.

New Tigers Consulting Ltd.
65 Main Street
Blackrock
Co. Dublin, Ireland
Mobile:+353.879185051
Phone/Fax:+353.12143349
Email:info@newtigers.com

Travel-Library.com

Travel Library (www.travel-library.com) is an impressive range of new interactive travel resources and services offering unprecedented interactivity for travellers to share their stories, experiences, reviews and tips from the road.

Abacus Web Newsmaster

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training

Today, we are posting a note about Cedefop and have introduced two new links on our blog page. We hope that it is of interest.

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)
is launching an online survey on its ETV site entitled: 'Competence
development in organisations'.

This survey is addressed to professionals who can inform colleagues
about competence development practices in their organizations. You can complete the questionnaire by clicking on the link on the right.

Your participation will play a crucial role in helping us to gather the
data for an analysis to be carried out by our experts. If you are
interested we will send a summary of the results to your e-mail address.


Abacus Web Newsmaster

European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning

EUROCALL aims to provide a European focus for the promulgation of innovative research, development and practice relating to the use of technologies for language learning. More...

This web site provides information on all aspects of EUROCALL and its activities, as well as links to a wide range of resources relevant to computer assisted and technology enhanced language learning.

ICT and Creativity

We expect about 200 experts – politicians, key business representatives, innovation specialists and creatives - from over 20 countries to share their insights and discuss the draft of the Vienna Declaration, which will be presented to the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis in November 05.

More than 60 high-level speakers will contribute to the following topics:
- Creative Content & Community Building
- Digital Rights / Creative Commons
- e-Learning and e-Science
- e-Government and e-Democracy
- e-Broadcasting and e-Monopolisation: Creative Diversity in Mainstream Cultural Industries
- e-Culture, Creative Content and DigiArts
- Youth for Youth: Creative Web Content from Young People
- Creative Business Ideas / Incubators for Entrepreneurship
- Economic Frameworks for IT Corporations
- Disruptive Technologies, Broken Business: Winning with Creativity in the New e-Music Business

Both a vision event and a working meeting on burning issues of e-content and creative use of technologies, the Conference on “ICT and Creativity” aims to create the Vienna Declaration.

The conference is jointly organised by the Austrian Federal Chancellery and the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour, with contributions from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry for Education, Science and Culture, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Innovation, the Austrian Commission for the UNESCO and leading companies such as Telekom Austria AG, IBM, Microsoft and CISCO Systems.

More information at http://www.wsa-conference.org