August 28 - September 20, 2007 (application and selection process)
October 1-31, 2007 (e-learning component)
November 5-10, 2007 (face-to-face component)
For participants from: Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam

Background

Free and/or Open Source Software (FOSS) offers many opportunities for human development from many perspectives -- political, economic, and even social. But the lack of local capacity to implement FOSS solutions is the greatest barrier to FOSS adoption and its increased use by the general public. It was recommended at the 2004 Free and Open Source Software Asia-Pacific Consultation (FOSSAP) in Kuala Lumpur that the UNDP-International Open Source Network or IOSN (see below) assist in conducting training/capacity building projects in FOSS.

IOSN has conducted Linux Training of Trainers (LTOTs) in four (4) countries in 2006 (Vietnam, Fiji, Thailand, Philippines). These LTOTs prepared the participants to take the LPI Level 1 certification examinations. With more than a hundred participants, the TOT has produced a number of LPI Level 1 certified participants, and some have subsequently shown exceptional ability to train within their own communities as well.  Subsequent more refined TOTs were organised by IOSN ASEAN+3 in Bangkok, Manila, and again in Hanoi with technical and financial support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and InWEnt Capacity Building International, Germany.

This action proposes an advanced training program for LPI Level 1 certified trainers and prepares them for the LPI Level 2 certification exam. The action is targeted towards successful trainers from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, which will be enabled to obtain further certification in Linux systems administration and to develop material that prepares other LPI-level 1 certified persons to take LPI-level 2 exams.

The Linux Professionals Institute (LPI) community certification program is a non-distribution specific program that certifies the competency level of Linux practitioners. It has three levels. With lessons learned from all of the past LTOT sessions where participants were prepared for the level 1 LPI community certification, there is now a need and strong interest to enhance the trainers pool by upgrading them to LPI level 2 certification.


Objectives

*  A corps of Linux experts is prepared for the LPI Level 2 exam by a one month's e-learning course as well as by a one week's training course
*  Training material for LPI Level 2, which can be used by others online, is developed by the participants, guided by an LPIC-2 training expert.
*  The Participants are able to develop a strategy for implementing advanced Linux training programs that prepare other Linux systems administrators for the LPI Level 2 exams.


Methodology: Blended learning

Past LTOT (for LPI Level 1 certification) showed that a certain level of experience with Linux resulted in successful certification.  In addition, these participants with experience were able to fill in the collective gaps by sharing their knowledge with one another.

Therefore, a participatory, peer-oriented learning process will be employed where LPI level 1 certified participants (assumed to have extended knowledge in Linux administration) will be involved in the development of LPI 2 e-learning materials.  In effect, the training will be a virtual writeshop where experts are brought together and are encouraged to assist each other by allowing the collective effort fill in the individual knowledge gaps.

The LPI level 2 certification candidates, with the assistance of an LPI 2 certified preceptor, will collaboratively build their knowledge base of complex Linux system administration problems and of various approaches to the solutions. Their output will comprise the content of this new e-learning material (wiki/learning management system). The process itself will be documented as an innovative method of learning for FOSS experts. Since the participants will be observing the process themselves, they can replicate the same learning methodology back in their communities.


Application criteria

Participants who will attend are to be determined on the following criteria:

*  Must be LPI Level 1 certified
*  Must have some experience administering a Linux PC
*  Good command of English, including technical terms used in ICT
*  Come from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines or Vietnam
*  Positioned in their organisations to facilitate the adoption of FOSS based applications
*  Should have training experience and the ability to train others after the course
*  IOSN-InWEnt may bear the costs of the daily allowance and travel costs of selected non-local participants, if they are not able to pay the expenses
*  The training can absorb a maximum of 20 participants per training session to ensure the quality of the course delivery to trainees
*  Training material shall be adopted from existing material that was used in previous training sessions


Nominated participants should also comprise a mix of private sector, public sector, and civil society. They have to present their LPI ID as proof of their level 1 certification.

They will be required to show evidence that after their level 1 certification that they have trained others on FOSS/Linux or have assisted in the preparation of others for LPI level 2 (websites, pictures, testimonies, course evaluation, references from trainees, etc).

Organisations shall be encouraged to nominate and give preference (where appropriate) to female participants.



Training design and materials

The training design will be participatory and the materials will come from the participants themselves. The LPI Level 2 instructor and the e-learning experts will agree on a generic structure for the content prior to the event but will allow the participants to modify as they see fit.

A pre-face-to-face wiki and mailing list will be created for this purpose.

As the participants are already LPI 1 certified, they would have the means to install, configure, and maintain this wiki amongst themselves in a server provided by IOSN.


How to apply?

Interested individuals are invited to apply for participation by sending your responses below to: asean3[AT]iosn[DOT]net .

Application deadline: September 1, 2007


Application Form

To apply, please provide us with the following information:

1)  Personal Details
Name:
Gender:
Nationality:
Country where you live and work now:
Affiliation/organization, please include designation/position:
Email:
Address:
Mobile phone number (or any contact number) and emergency contact number:

2)  Have you trained others on the use of information and communications technology?
- If yes, what was the topic of the course and when was the last time you gave this course?
- How many people have you trained over the past year?
- Have you given courses on Linux administration?
- For all past training activity, please provide lists of participants, course evaluation + links to course websites, course materials, testimonies, references from trainees if applicaple

3)  Are you affiliated to an ICT training-institution? If yes, which and what is your role?

4)  Do you intend to implement LPI training courses after the training? If yes, please describe your plans and approximate number of trainees.

5)  Please provide your LPI-ID:

6)  Please briefly describe your experiences in administering a Linux PC



Funding and Implementing Partners


InWent Capacity Building International, Germany

InWEnt - Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung (Capacity Building International, Germany) gGmbH is synonymous with human resources and organisational development in international cooperation. Its education, exchange and dialogue programmes that offer places for about 55,000 individuals every year make InWEnt a very large-scale joint undertaking of the German Federal Government, the federal state (Länder) governments and industry. The courses offered by InWEnt address specialists, executives and decision-makers in industry, politics, administration and civil society. InWEnt works with partners in developing countries, transition states and industrialised nations. InWent promotes FOSS in Southeast Asia through its it@foss program. www.inwent.org

it@foss supports the development and application of local innovative software solutions and business models based on free and open source software (FOSS) in the ASEAN region.

it@foss promotes FOSS in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam at four levels:

*Awareness + Knowledge: We aim to enable software developers, decision makers and businesses to make sound assessments on benefits and risks of FOSS solutions and to stimulate their sharing of experiences.

*Development + Cooperation: We contribute to building an active FOSS developer community that collaborates on locally adapted software products, receiving support and ideas through regional and international networks.

*Business Models: We facilitate cooperation between European and Asian companies, to inspire and strengthen the development of viable and sustainable FOSS-based business solutions.

*Education + Dissemination: We empower multiplying organizations to cooperate and to competently train others on FOSS applications and opportunities, in order to increase users' familiarity with FOSS. www.it-foss.org


International Research Development Centre (IDRC)

IDRC is a Canadian Crown corporation that works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies. URL:  www.idrc.org


UNDP-Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP)

APDIP is an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that aims to promote the development and application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for sustainable human development in the Asia-Pacific region. It does so through three core programme areas, namely:

*Policy Development and Dialogue
*Access
*Content Development and Knowledge Management

APDIP delivers on its objectives through activities that involve awareness raising and advocacy, building capacities, promoting ICT policies and dialogue, promoting equitable access to tools and technologies, knowledge sharing, and networking. Strategic public-private sector partnerships and opportunities for technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) are the key building blocks in implementing each programme activity.  URL:  www.apdip.net


International Open Source Network (IOSN)

IOSN is a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Centre of Excellence in Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) for the Asia-Pacific region. It was established by UNDP Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) in 2002 through the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. Through a virtual secretariat - and now a network of sub-regional centres, IOSN South Asia (based in India), IOSN Pacific Islands Countries (Fiji), and IOSN ASEAN +3 (Philippines), it shapes its activities around FOSS technologies and applications; awareness and advocacy; and capacity building initiatives.

IOSN ASEAN+3 sub-regional centre for the Southeast Asian countries is based at the University of Philippines Manila. The geographical mandate of IOSN ASEAN+3 encompasses Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Korea. IOSN ASEAN+3 is tasked specifically to facilitate and network FOSS advocates, experts, and developers in these 13 countries to foster the adoption of FOSS. The vision is to have developing countries in these countries achieve rapid and sustained economic and social development with the utilization of affordable yet effective FOSS ICT solutions to bridge the digital divide.   URL: http://www.iosn.net/