Academia
Dadamac believes that researchers and practitioners have much to learn from each other, and we welcome research projects to link with our grass-roots practice. We also look forward to additional academic collaborations, especially ones related to Science and Technology, once we are free to give further details of Dadamac's involvement with the (soon to be announced) Midlands University of Technology (Midlands UniTech) in Nigeria.
Midlands UniTech
This new university ties in with the policy of the Nigerian Federal Government to support Science and Technology. Midlands UniTech will start small and grow gradually. At present the Midlands UniTech site haa adequate land and some buildings - partially built campus auditorium, classroom and hostel structures. There is additional land available should it be required. Once a few more government formalities have been completed, we will be able to talk more freely and about all aspects of Midlands UniTech, and share photos of the existing structures. Informal discussions can begin before all the government formalities are complete. Midlands UniTech welcomes practical innovative approaches for tertiary education appropriate for the 21st century.
Academia in UK
At present in the UK most of our connections with acdemia are informal, and with individual academics, rather than with institutions. Overlapping interests relate mostly to ICT4D (Information and Communication Technology for Development), ICT4Ed (ICT for Education), Appropriate Technology and Design Patterns.
Examples are:
- Participating in PRADSA Practical Design for Social Action
- Helping Steve Thompson (Teeside University) to connect school children in U.K. and Africa for a photograph-sharing activity ‘People and Place’
- Contributing to many online discussion groups related to education and development.
- Contributing to Interact 2009 - Ethics, Roles and Relationships in Interaction Design in Developing Regions
- Various workshops at the Open University, Brighton University, and various London University Institutions, especially London Knowledge Lab
- Contributing to PCF5 (Pan Commonwealth Forum 5)
- Linking-up with Tim Neumann of London University, for a three-way audiographic conference including Dadamac's Teacher's Talking programme in Nigeria and the Ethiopian project AHEAD (this was a fringe activity of the MoSAIC: Models for Synchronous Audiographic Interactive Conferencing programme.
Information will be added later about Dr John Dada’s academic career in UK and Nigeria, and Dadamac’s academic connections in Nigeria.
Connect with us:
If you are an acaemic and would like to connect with the Dadamac community there are various ways to do so, ranging from free exchange of information in an informal way (through Dadamac OK or Dadamac Learners), or a more formal collaboration (through Dadamac Limited). Email pamela.mclean@dadamac.net
