Significant Announcement from Tomoyasu Maekawa

Dear all friend of AVT/MTEC JICA/JICE Okinawa

Today, I have to write the most significant announcement.

JICE/MTEC will dissolve organization due to the lose
competitive tender to implement JICA training course.
So, this mailing list and MTEC web, MTEC face book, MTEC
blog, MTEC YouTube also will close sooner.
I don`t know what I have to saying now,,,.
But, I really appreciate your substantial contribution and
cooperation to our training course.

Me, Maekawa and Tokumura, Nishimura, three of us will
shifting to JICE Tokyo or JICA somewhere as office clerk!?.
Kyuna san lost job now, but Nana san will contract new
company for operation to JICA training course instead of
JICE/MTEC team.

I have been working OIC training course since 1988, 23
years. I`m really sad and disappointed what we can`t
continue this job.
But, I think it`s time to farewell to training,,,.
[Everything flows, nothing stands still. (Heraclitus)]

Finally, I hope to keep in touch my individual relationship
to you all even if MTEC disappeared.
So, my mail address could be use end of this year.
Tomorrow, I`m going to talk Nana san regarding to New mail
and web system to keep the channel with you all.
If you got this mail, I really appreciate your comment and
idia.thanks.

See you and good luck to you, I love you all. TOM Maekawa

Tomoyasu Maekawa
MTEC, JICE

Current Situation of MTEC/AVT as of May 13

Dear former participants of MTEC & AVT,
Hello, this is Tom Maekawa, Chief Instructor of MTEC, JICE Okinawa Office in OIC.

How are you doing? I’m sorry that I’ve not written you for a long time.
But I certainly heard or read how hard you’ve been working in respective countries. I’ve been glad and proud of you.

It is needless to say that the dissemination of the Internet has shortened the distance between us, MTEC/AVT family in the world.
For an example, an incident which occurred somewhere in the world several minutes ago can travel all over the world in a moment via an e-mail, e blog, facebook, Picasa or Youtube. And the technology enables us to discuss it with someone in the world.

Now, let me make an important announcement about the continuity of MTEC/AVT.

Some of you may already know, but here are the situation of MTEC/AVT as of today.

-JICE Okinawa Office (the administrative office of MTEC/AVT) will be closed on December 31st, 2011.
-Most employees under JICE such as training coordinators, administrative staff, part of MTEC staff will be transferred to JICA/OIC.
-Due to the close of the office, JICE will not take part in bidding for MTEC training in and after this fiscal year (2011) -For the fiscal year 2011, the number of MTEC training courses will be decreased from 4 to 2, namely “Digital Video Production” and “IEC”
courses.
-JICA/OIC is planning to have bidding for “digital video course” and “IEC course” probably in July.
-NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, meaning Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Japan’s national public broadcasting organization) has been showing its interest in operating DVP and IEC courses.
-NHK has asked JICE to work together as a JV, but JICE has shown reluctance about the idea.
-NHK may recruit some MTEC staff to implement the training courses.
-Some dealings may be starting soon.

Let me confirm that JICE made a decision NOT to operate any training courses in JICA OIC. And NHK may start headhunting of MTEC staff, since NHK is interested in implementation of DVP and IEC courses.

That is all for now. I feel sorry if I made you worried, but I promise that I will inform you our situation if I get to know anything further.

Bye for now,
Maekawa

Dedicated to the one I love

"Dedicated to the one I love" is the album title by Linda Ronstadt. I believe this of my photo movie deserve the same title.

Ms. Yuka Nakayama is leaving MTEC today. Just sad.


Though we miss her terribly, I believe that she will be happier.

Welcome to MTEC

Two gone, but one joined.
From today, MTEC has a new instructor, Yuka Nakayama.

(In the photo above, Yuka is 4th from left)

She worked in Tanzania for two years in the field of HIV/AIDS act.
Here is her blog.

Isn't is wonderful to retain the skill of the local language (Swahili) after returning?

MTEC Newsletter No. 6

MTEC Newsletter No. 6 is just dispatched to you, fresh from Dreamweaver!

The URL is as follows.
http://mediacourse.jica-oic.jp/~newsletter/no_06.html

Have access and give us feedback!!

Last day in MTEC

I'm sure that many MTEC alumni got shocked to receive an e-mail today, saying it is her last day in MTEC.

Chiho Yoshida, an outstanding (and charming) instructor of MTEC, is leaving after working here for one and half years. After graduating from a university, she joined JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer) to work in Burkina Faso for two years. She stayed in MTEC for about a month as an intern before that.
Upon her return, she joined MTEC. She was in charge of many subjects, but what impressed us more was her activeness to enjoy the life. Playing badminton, diving, drinking, parties, etc.
Where there were happy MTEC participants, there was Chiho. Right?

After leaving us, she will return her home in mainland Japan. Then she has a plan to continue her study at a graduate school.
In the future, she says, she will be back to the field of international cooperation. So, everyone,
you can look forward to meeting her or working with her!

This is the very first post on Chiho in MTEC blog:
38. Message from other MTEC family in Burkina Faso

New MTEC profile photo

Hi, hope you are all doing fine here and there...where??

I just changed MTEC profile photos shown on the blogger.
Though the previous one (made by one of our previous participants) was excellent, it was not proper any more due to some changes.
Here it is!

Can you tell all names?
Front (from left) Fumiyo Kaneshima, Naoko Nakama, and Chiho Yoshida
Back (from left) Tom Maekawa, Hiroshi Uramoto, Tomoaki Tokumura, Kenji Kiyuna, and Shuji Nishimura

Dozo Yoroshiku ne!

Solar Eclipse 2009

Just play it!

MTEC on Youtube

As you can see above, MTEC has made our channel as "MTEC Channel".
At the moment, there are only three videos there including test movie, but we are planning to upload more. MTEC has been trying to search ways to utilize video site for education purposes.
Just click here to see it.

Working with Video on Blogger

I've been giving an extra-curriculum session on Blogger as reported in the previous post. Today's topic is video on Blogger.

First, let's upload an AVI file I shot. Actually this is a message video from your BIG BROTHER TOM. Here we go!

Here is a message to new bloggers from our big brother Tom.

Next, let's embed a video clip from Youtube. I'm quite sure you all know this person too!


I hope you now know how to handle video for Blogger... Good job!

Already Three Years...

Time really flies.
It's already three years since MTEC started this blog.

Have you noticed a small map at the right bottom of the web page? It's keeping the record from where the viewer of this blog is. I enjoy checking this. I hope I can see all the nations of our previous participants.

Though I'm lazy, I try to post as many as possible, so that you can see what's going on in MTEC or what happened in MTEC.

Family Expansion from MTEC

A sterk brought Tokumura family a baby girl on May 8.
She was named Benika, a pretty name.

May God bless Benika chan and her family.


I'd like to place the photo... Please give some, Tokumura san!

Information of MTEC JFY2009

Here are the list of MTEC training courses planned in Japan's fiscal year 2009 (April 2009 - March 2010).

Here is the legend:
X. Name of the training course
Designated dates of arrival - departure of Japan
Nominated countries (numbers, basically 1)

1. Digital Video Production for Dissemination and Enlightenment
May 12 - August 28
Botswana, Myanmar, Solomon Islands, El Salvador(2), Honduras(2),
Panama(2), Kenya, and Bhutan (2)

2. Media Strategy for Community Enlightenment
August 25 - December 18
Bhutan(2), Nepal(2), Sri Lanka(2), Solomon Islands, El Salvador(2),
Botswana, and Ethiopia

3. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (A)
September 1 - December 16
Pakistan(2), Dominican Republic(2), Honduras(2), Ghana(2),
Kenya(2), and Myanmar

4. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (B)
January 12 - April 22
China, Martial Islands, Guatemala, Mexico, Jordan,
Yemen, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, and Niger

Please understand that:
1. These countries are already fixed, so cannot be changed,
2. First contact should be made to the "J" office of your country, in case
you want to send your colleague to MTEC or to add your country from next year.

Follow up started for the ex-participants

The course leaders of Japan's fiscal year 2008, namely Kiyuna san, Nishimura san, and Uramoto san have sent the requests to fill out the form of our lms (Learning Management System).

If you were in those courses, don't miss the chance to report us how you've been doing.

Course Orientation - 08iec(b)

The time of IEC(B) course with MTEC started today.
As you remember, the Course Orientation, Pretest, Interview, and the first lecture on Action Plan was held.

From tomorrow, the actual training starts.
Wishing you fruitsful time with us!


At the interview:




At Pretest:

The 2nd and 3rd photos were taken and contributed by Fumiyo san, MTEC assistant.

265. Welcome to MTEC family

The fourth training couse in fiscal year 2008 (not 2009 yet) will start soon.
This is "Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (B)" Course.
The survey resulted in nominating nations in Africa for this course. Namely, Botswana, Kenya(2), Namibia, Niger(3), Tanzania(2), and Uganda.

262. New Year's message for 2009

Dear MTEC family and friends in the world,

Happy New Year 2009!

Sorry for the belated message.
Though another new year arrived, there are many conflicts and sad results around us.
Why?
I have kept asking without getting any answer.
But still, we must go on living our lives with one hope for the peaceful world.

Fortunately, we have you in MTEC family.
Let's make ourselves be seeds to spread wisdom to the entire world.

MTEC
Media Technology for Education and Communication,
Japan Int'l Cooperation Center

258. Useful Youtube clips for the Bloggers

In Youtube, there are some really useful video clips for us.
http://jp.youtube.com/user/BloggerHelp

How to create a blog with Blogger


Adding a Google Gadget to your blog


Creating A Graphical Header For Your Blogger Blog

243. Something to remind your time in MTEC...?

Just a short video and sound of cicada.
I got an idea when I was waiting for a PC boot.

237. By the way, have you known this?

Upon the needs from our subject countries, MTEC has changed the training courses from this fiscal year.
In the fiscal year of 2008 (April 1, 2008 - March 31, 2009), the courses below are planned. Well, the first course has already been finished.

1. Digital Video Production for Dissemination and Enlightenment
Japanese name: 普及・啓発活動のためのデジタルビデオ教材制作
Duration: May - August 2008
Course leader: Kenji Kiyuna
Training coordinator: Hisako Kiire

2. Media Strategy for Community Enlightenment
Japanese name: 住民啓発活動のためのメディア戦略
Duration: September - December 2008
Course leader: Shuji Nishimura
Training coordinator: Suiko Oshiro

3. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (A)
Japanese name: 保健医療分野におけるIEC活動 (A)
Duration: September - December 2008
Course leader: Hiroshi Uramoto
Training coordinator: Tomoko Miyagi

4. Long-term collabolating program with Kumamoto University for Master's Degree

5. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Health Sector (B)
Japanese name: 保健医療分野におけるIEC活動 (B)
Duration: January - April 2009
Course leader: Naoko Nakama (tentative)
Training coordinator: Yukio Miyagi (tentative)