Facilitating Community Processes through Culturally Appropriate Informatics

Abstract

This chapter discusses how community processes may be facilitated through the use of information systems (IS), developed via a highly participative methodology. It examines the utility of several approaches to modeling community information requirements. By way of illustration, it describes progress on the participative development of the Ieramugadu Cultural Information System (ICIS). This project is designed to develop and evaluate innovative procedures for elicitation, analysis, storage and communication of indigenous cultural heritage information. It is investigating culturally appropriate IS design techniques, multimedia approaches, and ways to ensure protection of secret/sacred information. Development of ICIS is being carried out in close cooperation with an indigenous community in Western Australia.

Aged care, cultural and linguistic diversity and IT in Australia: a critical perspective

“…This has opened critical dialogues and holistic interactions between with community members, health workers and other stakeholders, and helped to promote concrete measures for supporting transformation (Heidemann and Almeida, 2011). Some IT projects have facilitated effective and equitable participation in culturally appropriate ways (Turk and Trees, 2000;Lopez et al, 2007). Others have noted how the creation of a critical consciousness prioritizes problems and effects structural change (Hatcher et al, 2011).…”

“…It encourages mutual growth and change within various community and professional groups in programmes and projects (Wallerstein and Bernstein, 1988), and creates awareness of how public policy can address social and environmental conditions to reduce health disparities (Heidemann and Almeida, 2011). The participation of community members in the design and development of health information materials, beyond basic tailoring, helps make it more culturally appropriate (Lopez et al, 2007;Turk and Trees, 2000). Also, the individual and collective change experienced by participants helps build capacity for future programmes that can address structural issues creating health disparities (Hatcher et al, 2011).…”

Trail of Story, Traveller’s Path: Reflections on Ethnoecology and Landscape

“…Some groups have worked with professionals who have tried to create database structures that will work for the recording of cultural information, including land information, typically in formats that include multimedia. One such collaborative project from western Australia is described by Andrew Turk and Kathryn Trees (2000). Other groups innovatively develop what will work for them, within the inevitable constraints of human, technical and financial resources (e.g.…”