Targets reaching 5 lakh students of 480 colleges, universities for workshop on internet use
Abdullah Mamun
Search engine giant
Google yesterday launched its "Google Bus" project in Bangladesh to
train five lakh undergrads on the use of the internet.
The Google Bus will visit 480 colleges and universities in 35 locations across the country for a year to conduct workshops for the students who registered to participate, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
Inaugurating the project at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital, Palak said Google will launch its "street view" of Dhaka and Chittagong cities within the next two months.
Through the Google Bus workshops, students will be connected online with their peers and learn about the power and usefulness of the internet as well as expose themselves to Google tools that can help them think and operate on a new level.
Regarding the lack of interest in using the internet, the state minister said he himself had signed 1,500 letters requesting school authorities to be a part of the project, but only 480 schools agreed to take part.
"The project will open the windows of internet to the people," he added.
The campus workshop experience involves an instructor-led training session and peer collaboration to familiarise students with many different Google tools that they can use to make the most of their online experience, reads a statement of Google.
These include Google Search, Chrome, Docs, Maps, YouTube, Google+ and others. Each student will also have the opportunity to practice what he/she has learnt on an internet-enabled Android device.
The Google bus itself has been retrofitted with stowaway seats, 3G Internet connectivity and an array of monitors and sound system where audio-video training material can be cast to all the screens.
James McClure, country manager of Emerging Markets, Google Asia-Pacific, said "Equipped with the right training, we think this young, energetic and highly motivated section of society would be able to maximise the endless possibilities of the internet and create a connected, digital Bangladesh for the global village."
He said over the next few months the bus will make its way to academic institutions in and around Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and other major cities.
The state minister mentioned that the government is also in discussion with Google to launch four to five more projects in Bangladesh including their "Google Balloon" project.
Google Balloon is a new concept to provide internet service through receivers by putting balloons in the air with equipment.
Street view, on the other hand, is a kind of service that allows people to find all the roadside establishments -- including restaurants, offices and beautiful places. The images can be viewed from anywhere in the world.
Last year Google completed filming the major streets of Dhaka and Chittagong and processed those for uploading.
Google started the project in Bangladesh with two cars equipped with cameras through 360-degree street-level imagery in February last year.
A
man inside the Google Bus Bangladesh yesterday. The bus, inset, would
travel to educational institutions and encourage students to use Google
Apps and the internet. Photo: Star
The Google Bus will visit 480 colleges and universities in 35 locations across the country for a year to conduct workshops for the students who registered to participate, said State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
Inaugurating the project at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital, Palak said Google will launch its "street view" of Dhaka and Chittagong cities within the next two months.
Through the Google Bus workshops, students will be connected online with their peers and learn about the power and usefulness of the internet as well as expose themselves to Google tools that can help them think and operate on a new level.
Regarding the lack of interest in using the internet, the state minister said he himself had signed 1,500 letters requesting school authorities to be a part of the project, but only 480 schools agreed to take part.
"The project will open the windows of internet to the people," he added.
The campus workshop experience involves an instructor-led training session and peer collaboration to familiarise students with many different Google tools that they can use to make the most of their online experience, reads a statement of Google.
These include Google Search, Chrome, Docs, Maps, YouTube, Google+ and others. Each student will also have the opportunity to practice what he/she has learnt on an internet-enabled Android device.
The Google bus itself has been retrofitted with stowaway seats, 3G Internet connectivity and an array of monitors and sound system where audio-video training material can be cast to all the screens.
James McClure, country manager of Emerging Markets, Google Asia-Pacific, said "Equipped with the right training, we think this young, energetic and highly motivated section of society would be able to maximise the endless possibilities of the internet and create a connected, digital Bangladesh for the global village."
He said over the next few months the bus will make its way to academic institutions in and around Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and other major cities.
The state minister mentioned that the government is also in discussion with Google to launch four to five more projects in Bangladesh including their "Google Balloon" project.
Google Balloon is a new concept to provide internet service through receivers by putting balloons in the air with equipment.
Street view, on the other hand, is a kind of service that allows people to find all the roadside establishments -- including restaurants, offices and beautiful places. The images can be viewed from anywhere in the world.
Last year Google completed filming the major streets of Dhaka and Chittagong and processed those for uploading.
Google started the project in Bangladesh with two cars equipped with cameras through 360-degree street-level imagery in February last year.
Published: 12:01 am Thursday, November 13, 2014
Last modified: 4:54 pm Thursday, November 13, 2014
