Article: Implications from divide issues on the Royal Thai Government|s e-learning programme Journal: Electronic Government, an International Journal (EG) 2008 Vol.5 No.1 pp.19 - 30 Abstract: This paper attempts to illustrate and discuss the three divide issues that have to be carefully considered by the Office of Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) for its e-learning programme|s deployment. This programme aims to improve common skills of the Royal Thai Government (RTG) staffs in response to the requirements of the Good Governance (GG) Act adapted in 2003. These three divide issues are: (1) digital, (2) language and (3) competency. For the digital divide issue, the focus is on the infrastructure barrier (i.e. speed and size of the internet network between Bangkok and the provincial areas). For the language barrier issue, the focus is on the need to have the learning contents in Thai. This barrier will increase the required investment cost. The competency issue deals with the low number of qualified developers (specifically multimedia) for learning contents in the local market. By having identified these issues, it is hopeful that the deployment of the e-learning programme will be better planned and prepared. Finally, the guideline for the OPDC to be used during planning is recommended. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Implications from divide issues on the Royal Thai Government's e-learning programme

Authors: Kongkiti Phusavat, Pornthep Anussornnitisarn

Addresses: International Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. ' International Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

Abstract: This paper attempts to illustrate and discuss the three divide issues that have to be carefully considered by the Office of Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) for its e-learning programme|s deployment. This programme aims to improve common skills of the Royal Thai Government (RTG) staffs in response to the requirements of the Good Governance (GG) Act adapted in 2003. These three divide issues are: (1) digital, (2) language and (3) competency. For the digital divide issue, the focus is on the infrastructure barrier (i.e. speed and size of the internet network between Bangkok and the provincial areas). For the language barrier issue, the focus is on the need to have the learning contents in Thai. This barrier will increase the required investment cost. The competency issue deals with the low number of qualified developers (specifically multimedia) for learning contents in the local market. By having identified these issues, it is hopeful that the deployment of the e-learning programme will be better planned and prepared. Finally, the guideline for the OPDC to be used during planning is recommended.

Keywords: e-learning programmes; digital issues; language issues; competency issues; online learning; electronic learning; public sector; Thailand; common skills; good governance; electronic government; e-government; web-based learning; internet; infrastructure barriers.

DOI: 10.1504/EG.2008.016125

Electronic Government, an International Journal, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.19 - 30

Published online: 06 Dec 2007 *

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Title: Implications from divide issues on the Royal Thai Government's e-learning programme

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