TG Magazine / Students Commission

Welcome to Asia Connects! More specifically, to the on-line global version of the national Canadian conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The TG Magazine / Students Commission Youth Coordination Team would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the delegates, virtual participants, speakers, facilitators, special guests and observers.

To ensure the success of Asia Connects, youth coordinators and interns across Canada have been working diligently to put together the provincial multisite conferences with other members of our Canada-wide team.

We have, as a team, learned so much in such a short period of time. Since February, a diverse group of young people have figured out the who, what, why, when and how of organizing multisite conferences. We have enjoyed and have felt empowered by the TG Magazine / Students Commission philosophy of learning by doing. We're sure this will spill over into the various conferences and benefit everyone involved in the Asia Connects program -- whether it be physically or virtually.

The Youth Team is also a great example of how a team of 40 people from coast to coast to coast can exploit existing and emerging technologies to work, learn and implement a conference in a collaborative effort.


The team building process for this project has been a very new and interesting one. The technology has been an incredible tool in allowing us all to learn so much about each other.

Interns in Ottawa and Vancouver first met using CU-SeeMe point-to- point videoconferencing over the internet, whereas the intern in Saskatoon, Maureen, met the team members in Toronto and Ottawa simultaneously using Bell videoconferencing facilities. These same sessions were used to formally instruct us on how to use the videoconferencing equipment.

Given close geographic proximity, the interns working in Montreal, Daniel and Tenzin, travelled to the Nation's Capital, Ottawa, in order to meet the team and do further planning for that site specifically.

When the technology did not permit, the reliable old telephone was always there to ensure that personal interaction was not altogether impossible.

It goes without saying that we have all experienced a few minortechnical difficulties, however together we have overcome them and have since been successful in using these tools effectively.

Let us reassure you all, we are not experts; We all started working on this project with basic computer skills. With time, cooperative learning, and lots of patience we have, in a very short period of time, come to understand and use the technology confidently. This we will share with all of you, so that you may in-turn share that knowledge with others.

Our knowledge and appreciation of Asia has also grown phenomenally over the past few months. Those interns and coordinators who have travelled to Asia, have told us funny stories and anecdotes about Asian culture. We have favourite web sites and resources for research on Asia. Most importantly, we are looking forward to sharing our new skills and enthusiasm with all of you!

 

COME DISCOVER ASIA WITH US!....