Building online Communities of Practice
Essay title: Building online Communities of Practice
Building Online Communities of Practice
Foreword
Information and communication technologies are developing at a breath-taking pace. They repre-sent the foundation of the coming Information Society which will establish completely new struc-tures in economy and society. This process is chiefly characterised by the globalisation of com-munication and of all activities linked to it.
National frontiers are losing their significance. We are becoming global players, and services and goods can be produced in any part of the world. At the same time there is no aspect of human life and no group in society which is not affected by the new information networks and their potential for growth, wealth-creation and prosperity.
In order to exploit this potential we urgently need international cooperation at all levels and on all factors which impede the full development of the Information Society.
In view of this challenge the German government has always placed great emphasis on global cooperation. This was reflected in its active role in the Global Information Society initiative taken by the G 7 Heads of State and Government at the summit meeting in Naples in July 1994 and at the subsequent Ministerial meeting in Brussels in 1995 which launched eleven pilot projects for the Global Information Society.
I am delighted to present the final report on this work to the public on the occasion of the Co-logne G 8 summit meeting, which is being held under the German presidency.
The pilot projects are an impressive demonstration of the potential of the Information Society in many areas, such as commerce, culture, education, the environment, health and public administra-tion. They have led to the establishment of new structures of cooperation which will remain effec-tive even after the end of the pilot phase. The involvement of a growing number of Non-G 8 countries, including developing countries, was one of the most encouraging aspects of the pro-jects, as was the participation of representatives from industry and research.
With an enhanced exchange of information and experience the work has raised awareness of po-tential applications and of policy requirements. The projects have also yielded more tangible re-sults like memoranda of understanding and have given an impetus for standardisation and the de-velopment of new goods and services.
This was done without any new institution or new funding: the process relied on the goodwill and the commitment of the participants.
I hope that the global cooperation to which the pilot projects have contributed, can be further developed and extended.
Dr. Werner Mьller
Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
Germany
June 1999
Contents
Foreword by Dr. Werner Mьller,
Federal Minister of Economics and Technology
page 1
Final report on the G 8 Global Information Society Pilot Projects
page 4
Annex: Project Reports
Global Inventory Project
page 12
Global Interoperability for Broadband Networks
page 15
Transcultural Education and Training for Language Learning
page 19
Electronic Libraries
page 23
Multimedia Access To World Cultural Heritage
page 28
Environment and Natural Resources Management
page 32
Global Emergency Management Information Network Initiative
page 35
Global Healthcare Applications
page 38
Government On-line
page 44
Global Marketplace for Small and Medium Enterprises
page 48
Maritime Information Society
page 51
The G 8 Global Information Society Pilot Projects
Final Report
The information