Comments on: DPRK joint venture releases e-learning software http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2009/11/19/dprk-joint-venture-releases-e-learning-software/ News and analysis of the North Korean economy Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:43:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: NKeconWatch http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2009/11/19/dprk-joint-venture-releases-e-learning-software/#comment-166110 NKeconWatch Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:39:30 +0000 http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2009/11/19/dprk-joint-venture-releases-e-learning-software/#comment-166110 In all fairness, I don't think this software is for domestic (DPRK) use. The only language options are English or Italian, and the only faces are of Laurel and Hardy (whom many Americans admittedly would have trouble naming now). I have not thoroughly studied many on line education modules, but at first glance this seems comparable to the other e-learning products on the market. It looks like they make their money from hosting all the data users upload to their servers, which are almost certainly not in the DPRK. I think the North Koreans just had a hand in programming it. In all fairness, I don’t think this software is for domestic (DPRK) use. The only language options are English or Italian, and the only faces are of Laurel and Hardy (whom many Americans admittedly would have trouble naming now).

I have not thoroughly studied many on line education modules, but at first glance this seems comparable to the other e-learning products on the market. It looks like they make their money from hosting all the data users upload to their servers, which are almost certainly not in the DPRK. I think the North Koreans just had a hand in programming it.

]]> By: Leonid Petrov http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2009/11/19/dprk-joint-venture-releases-e-learning-software/#comment-166099 Leonid Petrov Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:41:36 +0000 http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2009/11/19/dprk-joint-venture-releases-e-learning-software/#comment-166099 Even the e-learning software designed in North Korea carries the task to set up barriers between the people and to filter the information... Why not bringing a foreign professor to the classroom? Why not sending the students overseas? Saving on travel and accommodation costs is only one consideration since sponsors willing to support such exchange would be abundant. The main concern of NK IT industry is to facilitate education without really introducing any change into the minds of learners. Every bit of information can be screened, recorded and recycled. This new device reminds me of "televised" family reunions of survived family members some 50 years after the Korean War, where the loved ones in Seoul and Pyongyang could see each other on the TV screen for 3 days. A perfect new tool to preserve the flawed old system... LP Even the e-learning software designed in North Korea carries the task to set up barriers between the people and to filter the information… Why not bringing a foreign professor to the classroom? Why not sending the students overseas?

Saving on travel and accommodation costs is only one consideration since sponsors willing to support such exchange would be abundant. The main concern of NK IT industry is to facilitate education without really introducing any change into the minds of learners. Every bit of information can be screened, recorded and recycled.

This new device reminds me of “televised” family reunions of survived family members some 50 years after the Korean War, where the loved ones in Seoul and Pyongyang could see each other on the TV screen for 3 days. A perfect new tool to preserve the flawed old system…

LP

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