JHPIEGO TrainerNews™ |
Newest TALC Opens in Sucre, Bolivia
(April 2001)
On 23 March, the latest JHPIEGO Technology Assisted Learning Center (TALC) was launched at the University San Francisco Xavier (USFX) in Sucre, Bolivia. The TALC will enable faculty and students to access up-to-date health information through eight computer workstations, high-speed Internet access and a CD-ROM library. Faculty may also use the TALC to download presentation graphics from ReproLine® for use in their classes.
At least 150 people attended the launch, including students, faculty and authorities from the USFX. The event was covered by the local press and attended by the USFX Rector and Vice-Rector, the dean of the medical school, the director of the nursing school, the chief of the Ob/Gyn department, the director of the internship program and the head of the student union. Later, an "open house" was offered, at which students and faculty were able to try out the computers to conduct searches on ReproLine and other Spanish-language health sites. One student thanked the JHPIEGO representatives for providing the medical school library with access to up-to-date information, noting that most of the books in the library are between 20 and 25 years old.
On 26 March, a JHPIEGO consultant began training several groups of nursing and medical faculty and library staff in basic computer use, common applications such as MS Word and PowerPoint, and use of the Internet to conduct searches. Morning and afternoon training sessions will be conducted Monday through Saturday until the end of April, excluding Holy Week. JHPIEGO has paid for 1 year of high-speed Internet access. During the next 2 months, the librarian responsible for the TALC will implement a cost-recovery system to save for recurrent costs such as paper for the printers and future Internet access.
For more information about technology assisted learning centers, contact Theresa Norton.
For more information about JHPIEGO's work in Bolivia, contact Kelly Curran.