PROGRAM REPORT
Professional Advising Leadership Program 2003
by Viktar E. Khotsim, Republic of Belarus
Part 1. Brief introduction
Name of the program participant: Mr. Viktar E. Khotsim
Occupation: Regional Coordinator, American Center for Education and Research, Inc.
Home country: Republic of Belarus
Dates: September 25-October 11, 2003
Project title: “Conception of the Universal Web Site (UWS) model for the DOS-affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia.”
Project type: Specific individualized research (Grodno EIC, Republic of Belarus) and short-term training course (TJ PA, Washington D.C.).
Part 2. Specific individualized research
This part of the program has been done before the training program on the base of the Grodno EIC, Republic of Belarus. The aim of this part was to reveal weak and strong points of the current web sites of the DOS affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia.
The results of this part were presented in Power Point titled: “Eurasian web-network: weak and strong points.” Presentation is available upon request. It is also located in the administrative center of the amcenter web site in Belarus (password protected access).
It is a pleasure to inform that there is a very positive dynamic in the number of web sites that belongs to DOS affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia. This web-network has a great potential that will be effectively realized by creating of the web-network development strategy.
Part 3. Short-term training course
I was lucky to pass through two training courses on the base of the Thomas J. Piwowar & Associates Inc. in Washington D.C. During these courses I was trained how to provide a sophisticated, easily navigable environment that delivers our web structure in a powerful way—both in context and visual impact. Team of web experts helped me how to plan, develop, code, design, and produce a site that works for our needs. I was taught how to choose the right Internet Service Provider (ISP), Internet Presence Provider (IPP), browsers, and support equipment and services.
Very important accent in study was done on how to build a site that will merge the complex world of web technologies into a single, powerful communications tool—combining frames, graphics, scripting, and plug-ins into a seamless, audience enticing site.
Finally I was trained in different methods how to create effective navigation system of the web site and how to use different mechanisms in order to update web site.
That was exactly what I need before my trip to the United States in order to develop universal web model/template for DOS affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia.
It was very productive that this training was combined with several meetings in ECA/A/S/A and ACTR/ACCELS were I was granted a great opportunity to discuss web content issues. These meetings helped me to understand more in web development strategy and I hope to use this knowledge in creation of the web template.
Part 4. Follow up of the program
After the completing of this program such an abstract title as a “conception of the universal web site model for DOS affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia” became for me as a real issue.
I learned modern professional experience in web construction and design as well as in use of web technologies in gathering and distribution of educational information in the US educational institutions and organizations. My previous personal experience was assimilated with new professional experience in this filed and that helped me to understand how the template will look like.
As a follow up of PAL training I plan to develop web template for 5 Educational Advising Centers in Uzbekistan and locate it for testing by the end of the year on the VCO-NET web server (Sponsored by ETS). I plan to develop training course on how to operate this template and hope to provide training for this group of advisers.
I am intended to continue my investigations on how to improve the construction and functional possibilities of the web template and how to make web network of the DOS affiliated EIC`s in Eurasia more flexible and effective in serving to the people. In this regard I plan to write several publications on this topic.
I also look to develop separate course on web design for those advisers that would like to start creation their own web sites without use of template. This course will be based on my new knowledge gained from training on the base Thomas J. Piwowar & Associates Inc in Washington D.C. as well as on my personal experience in this field (www.amcenter.by)
After my PAL training I become sure that use of web templates coming from effective web projects in educational advising is a very prospective and multipromising direction. I suppose that this direction will save time, money and efforts of OSEAS advisers not only in Eurasia but also in other world regions.
That’s why my PAL training generated one more idea – to develop web template for my new project called “GLOBAL E-CONSULTING TEAM “ (October 2003). Global e-consulting team template will be developed and located on the VCO-NET web server www.vco-edusa.net I hope to make this project visible in the Internet by February 2004 and plan to invite our PAL participants and other advisers to join our efforts in order to provide e-consulting on education in the USA issues in different languages for different world regions. I feel that Leadership training that was professionally organized during PAL program will help me to achieve this goal!
As an immediate feedback I created PAL mailing list with hope to continue exchange of ideas and join our efforts in making our training useful for other advisers and future PAL fellows. First PAL mailing list is hosted on “VCO-NET” server (www.vco-edusa.net). Our PAL photo gallery will be hosted soon on this server as well.
Khotsim Viktar, PAL-03 Fellow
Republic of Belarus
October 29, 2003.