(Caracas, December 14th, 2009)— The Digital Literacy Program for Indigenous Teachers (Actualización Digital para Maestros Indígenas) of the Fundacion Cisneros focuses on teaching indigenous elementary education teachers the use of new Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate their access to greater opportunities of training and information through non conventional methods. As a result of this program, teachers can participate in on line courses to improve their teaching skills, and keep up to date with courses that are relevant for their teaching activities. Many of such courses are provided through the Professional Development for Teachers (Actualizacion de Maestros en Educacion) of the Fundacion Cisneros, which has an extensive presence in Latin America.
Since 2004, ADMI has trained teachers of various indigenous communities of the pemon ethnic group, who live in the southern Bolivar state of Venezuela. Only this year, ADMI has trained pemon teachers of the communities of Waramasen, Wara, Betania, Apoipó, Uaiparú, Warama and the Paují. Digital Literacy for Indigenous Teachers operates two centers: one in Santa Elena de Uairen, close to the Brazilian border, and another one in Kumarakapay (San Francisco of Yuruani) to which teachers go to from nearby localities.
“Most of the teachers in our schools have no knowledge on the use of computer equipment, and it is therefore important to provide them with the adequate space, equipment and staff in order to give them the basic conditions to adopt this essential tool”, said the Pemon Professor Armando Paez , of Santa Elena de Uairén.
“While ADMI has focused since its beginning on pemon indigenous communities, the program hopes to expand to other indigenous communities in the country so that more teachers from different ethnic backgrounds can benefit from Information and Communication Technologies and thus participate in the digital knowledge society", said Flor Borrelli the program director.
Through the teaching of Information and Communication Technologies, ADMI seeks to contribute not only to universal education and reducing the digital gap, but also to the integration of women and indigenous communities in human development, according to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
About Digital Literacy Program for Indigenous Teachers (ADMI)
Digital Literacy for Indigenous Teachers is an educational program of the Fundacion Cisneros, whose mission is to train the greatest number of elementary education indigenous teachers in the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to facilitate their access to information and digital education through non conventional methods.
ADMI has trained teachers of different communities of the Pemon indigenous group in southern Venezuelan Gran Sabana and Canaima National Park where the Angel Falls are located, the tallest waterfall in the world.
In Venezuela, ADMI is implemented through the Fundacion AME, an institution beneficiary of the Organic Law on Science, Technology and Innovation (LOCTI). This law governs scientific and technological activity to foster the use and circulation of knowledge in order to promote national development.