This BBC report is about remote working but whilst it's not particularly about rural working contains items that should be of interest to rural businesses. The interviewees use http://www.peopleperhour.com/ to recruit staff when they need them, great for rural businesses - I've already sent the link to a company I sometimes work for, as I'm also self employed I'm wondering if there are any opportunities there for me. It can be a challenge for rural businesses to get the right people, being able to get people with the right skills at the right time would make the job a lot easier - that said there's the downside of not interviewing people. Of course, there's Skype for that. I've used Skype to talk to colleagues, clients, to help sort out my parents IT problems... all for free (since I have the IT set up anyway).
Using the Internet also allows businesses to establish their brand, one local business http://www.magpiejewellery.net/ started a website in 2004 and "In June 2010 we opened our first shop on the Isle of Skye, and as well as retailing via this website, we also sell on Amazon and Ebay." The website, as well as allowing payments via PayPal which means that international orders can be taken, also has it's own developing community through "how-to" videos on the web, and a FaceBook page with 124 friends (I'm one). The Facebook page allows friends to find out about the latest stock, any offers etc. Use of the internet also allows the business to source suppliers and bring in unusual items from around the world, again B2B payments can be paid using PayPal and online banking.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
web 2.0 - building a rural business
The WalkHighlands website is an award winning website which shows to web 2.0 technologies can be brought together to create a rural business. This video gives a good overview of how they started the site and the technologies they use to maintain the site.
Core to the website is the ability to add your experience of a walk, great way to find out what it's really like - this helps build a community around the site. The website also provides RSS feeds/Facebook and twitter links - good for building that community. You can see from the feeds that the site is kept active, it is so easy for websites to have lots of good intentions, but if information is not kept fresh and up-to-date people will lose interest.
They make money from the site by selling targeted advertising, to accommodation providers, cafes, guides and holidays etc.
They also use a variety of maps, find a walk on Google Earth and print out an OS map for when you do the walk.
This website shows the characteristics described in this article - a blend of business and passion. Other characteristics include consistency, reliability of experience, approachability and communication.
As well as providing a business for themselves the site, can help boost other local businesses through its cheap, targeted advertising.
Core to the website is the ability to add your experience of a walk, great way to find out what it's really like - this helps build a community around the site. The website also provides RSS feeds/Facebook and twitter links - good for building that community. You can see from the feeds that the site is kept active, it is so easy for websites to have lots of good intentions, but if information is not kept fresh and up-to-date people will lose interest.
They make money from the site by selling targeted advertising, to accommodation providers, cafes, guides and holidays etc.
They also use a variety of maps, find a walk on Google Earth and print out an OS map for when you do the walk.
This website shows the characteristics described in this article - a blend of business and passion. Other characteristics include consistency, reliability of experience, approachability and communication.
As well as providing a business for themselves the site, can help boost other local businesses through its cheap, targeted advertising.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Love my kindle
I got a kindle for Christmas and have spent a lot of money on Amazon since then. Amazon has reported that their eBook sales have now overtaken paperback sales (Guardian 2011). Some publishers are doing well, Bloomsbury are seeing an increase in eBook sales (FT 2011). Bookshops are having problems, although say that this is due to the bad weather just before Christmas. Waterstone’s parent company the “HMV Group has "substantially" backed a social networking site called aNobii, which aims to help readers find buy and share books.” (Bookseller, 2011) They’re planning on selling books and ebooks via the website. A commentator on the Guardian post added the comment:
I like this idea and would definitely buy from bookshops for my kindle. This could also help booksellers in rural areas, especially when tourists arrive with their kindles. I’m looking forward to traveling with my kindle, especially for the long flight to America when I can have lots of books with me, and no extra weight in my hand baggage.
Writers are also benefiting, they can publish directly to Amazon without the need for a print publisher, some have been very successful in this, Stephen Leather has stayed at the top of the kindle charts for three months, and made lots of money from it (Guardian, 2011). He has priced his books to attract buyers, but still has made money from it. For Gaelic writers this could be a way of making their books available, since their small sales don't make them attractive to print publishers.
“Note to publishers and bookstore owners:
Please work out a system where I can browse in your high street store, then purchase a digital format at the counter that works on my kindle instead of just stocking the paper format.
Please work out a system where I can browse in your high street store, then purchase a digital format at the counter that works on my kindle instead of just stocking the paper format.
You’ll get more sales.”
Writers are also benefiting, they can publish directly to Amazon without the need for a print publisher, some have been very successful in this, Stephen Leather has stayed at the top of the kindle charts for three months, and made lots of money from it (Guardian, 2011). He has priced his books to attract buyers, but still has made money from it. For Gaelic writers this could be a way of making their books available, since their small sales don't make them attractive to print publishers.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Bridging the digital divide in Education
The Digital Divide can take many forms, apart from access to digital resources, one of these is about the level of ICT knowledge as it affects education.
Peña-López states “the digital divide in education – and especially as we move along and up the educational system until reaching university – is not a matter of physical access but a matter of digital skills and how competent students (and teachers) are at computer and Internet usage.” He discusses the types of digital skills needed including technological, information, media literacies and awareness.
A TES article mentions a Microsoft survey in which 6 out of 10 pupils reckon they know more about technology than their ICT teachers. The article suggests that in some aspects this may be true, but that teachers can help young people be more critical and give them the skills to understand the information they find.
I used to work for Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) developing educational software, at the time we viewed educational software as a tool which used digital resources to bridge the academic divide. We developed additional resources for learners and allowed people to find different ways of learning, perhaps more appropriate to their own learning style. LTS has been instrumental in developing GLOW, the intranet for Scottish education, it’s purpose: “Glow is transforming the way the curriculum is delivered in Scotland. It breaks down geographical and social barriers and provides the tools to ensure a first-class education for Scotland.”
Initiatives like GLOW, and good quality freely available resources, such as Wikipedia are good ways of bridging the digital divide in education. GLOW however is a closed environment (or walled garden) and schools in other countries can't access the resources developed for GLOW - creating another divide.
Of course, if all else fails in rural areas we could fall back on ferrets!
Peña-López states “the digital divide in education – and especially as we move along and up the educational system until reaching university – is not a matter of physical access but a matter of digital skills and how competent students (and teachers) are at computer and Internet usage.” He discusses the types of digital skills needed including technological, information, media literacies and awareness.
A TES article mentions a Microsoft survey in which 6 out of 10 pupils reckon they know more about technology than their ICT teachers. The article suggests that in some aspects this may be true, but that teachers can help young people be more critical and give them the skills to understand the information they find.
I used to work for Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) developing educational software, at the time we viewed educational software as a tool which used digital resources to bridge the academic divide. We developed additional resources for learners and allowed people to find different ways of learning, perhaps more appropriate to their own learning style. LTS has been instrumental in developing GLOW, the intranet for Scottish education, it’s purpose: “Glow is transforming the way the curriculum is delivered in Scotland. It breaks down geographical and social barriers and provides the tools to ensure a first-class education for Scotland.”
Initiatives like GLOW, and good quality freely available resources, such as Wikipedia are good ways of bridging the digital divide in education. GLOW however is a closed environment (or walled garden) and schools in other countries can't access the resources developed for GLOW - creating another divide.
Of course, if all else fails in rural areas we could fall back on ferrets!
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