After a successful completion of the first edition of the course during the last summer (see evaluations below), the Interamerican Network on eGovernment (RIF-GE) is offering a new edition of its virtual course on “Public Participation and digital media”.

The course will take place between the 2nd of May and the 24th of June (8 weeks). Most of the course participants will surely come from Latin-American countries. But as long as you are able to read Spanish… you’ll be able to use English or Portuguese for your assignments and your participation in the fora.

More information and registration in the web of COLAM:
https://www.oui-iohe.org/webcolam/index.php?option=com_content&id=285&Itemid=172

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Some of the evaluation comments from students of the course’s 1st edition:

- “Personally I loved the course because it gave us practical and theoretical elements and split my vision of public participation in two: before, and after the course. I believe that before the course, I had an overly linear and institutional idea of public participation. After the course I understand that public participation is fluid and must be promoted in all environments. The resources of the course , the qualified participation of the course peers, the exercises we did… I really thrived on all activities.”
- “This course really exceeded my expectations and I’m not, at the moment, prepared for some of the challenges proposed in it. I am, however, more than satisfied: I saw a big door get open… and I will go inside.”
- “Excellent course content. Excellent tutor engagement. I think the way materials are presented is very good, as well as the diversity of resources and the originality of the teaching contents. An extraordinary course.”
- “I think the teaching dynamics created by the tutors have been one of the best I have experienced in my life. The course has been developed for the web and considers several online tools for learning. The videos are simple and spectacular.”
- “The teaching materials that are provided have, on my view, an excellent level, because of their deep insights and their diversity. The most valuable insight I take away from the course is the recognition of the potentials of citizen involvement, and the awareness that one shouldn’t underestimate the difficulties to achieve it. I have now a good theoretical and practical treasure, which I will tap into in the near future, to get the most of it.”
- “There is much to develop yet, but I started the course with beautiful and utopian ideas [on public partipation] and leave the course with stories, practices, tools, theoretical base… in short, much more than I had, and with a deeper and more critical understanding of the fundamental importance of reactivating the civil society and promoting citizen involvement in the democratic process.”

Interested? You can find detailed information, as well as have access to the course materials at the web of the Asociación Ciudades Kyosei: https://www.ckyosei.org