Conflict Resolution Education on the Internet

A project to develop and deliver innovative Internet-based conflict resolution/ peace training, education and information resources through collaboration between Bradford University's Centre for Conflict Resolution/Department of Peace Studies and local educational initiatives. The primary project is envisioned in the Kosovo/a region, with possible extension to other sites if it proves successful

Background

The use of the Internet as a teaching and learning environment provides exciting new opportunities to bring education to people by providing more current, flexible and accessible educational pathways. At the Centre for Conflict Resolution, we have seen strong growth in demand for training in conflict resolution and peacemaking skills. We hope to harness the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to foster collaborative, dynamic learning communities, link people across barriers to share ideas and experiences and jointly build a better understanding of non-violent conflict resolution.

ICTs make it possible for institutions and people to collaborate in developing and offering innovative programmes. In a post-war context like Kosovo/a, we hope that developing substantive partnerships with local educational groups and institutions will provide a way to increase the scope of courses available to students, widen access opportunities, forge lasting links with the international academic community, support peacebuilding efforts and contribute to the reconstruction of these institutions' capacity to offer peace and conflict resolution education.

Pilot Project

In the autumn of 1999, the CCR and the European Network University in Amsterdam collaborated in the development and supervision of a three-week online pilot course entitled "Transforming Civil Conflict," a basic introduction to the conceptual tools and skills of conflict resolution. About twenty people involved with the international humanitarian community in various capacities participated in the pilot study. The TNU site can be viewed at http://www.netuni.nl/demos/tcc/ .

Key Project Objectives

Assess the relevance and effectiveness of an Internet-based conflict resolution education package for supporting peacebuilding in Kosovo/a and other communities.
Build the educational capacity of under-served communities in the peaceful management of conflict.
Explore how links between academic or educational centres (e.g. the CCR at Bradford) and local-level organisations (using electronic communications) might be useful in creating useful and sustainable peacebuilding projects.

This will be accomplished by creating a 'ConflictLab' web site, devoted to conflict resolution and peace education. It will contain:

Educational resources and university-accredited training modules.
Access routes for local NGOs and Community Based Organisations concerned with peacemaking into Bradford resources (by the creation of discussion groups, email lists, and links to other organisations working on similar issues)
A growing case-study library containing examples of good and bad practice, programmes and learning experiences.

Schedule

Phase 1: Fact-finding, Initial field visits, Needs/Feasibility Assessment
Time Frame: May-July 2000

Make contact with key potential partners. These partners would then help us clarify the precise educational (and technological) needs and capacities of the communities in which we propose working and the ways this project can be most beneficial to them. Possible ideas for collaboration:

Developing a course or other training materials/ resources, available via the Internet, which can be accessed through Internet cafés or other NGO resource/ information centres, which have been set up by some international NGO's in a number of local communities.
Offering a course in conjunction with local colleges, universities or student associations.
Working with local media to offer peacebuilding/ conflict resolution education materials through IT such as radio, television and locally produced websites.

Phase 2: Implementation
Time frame: August 2000 to October 2001

Collaborate with local partners to develop training materials.
Run Internet-based or supported module. Train local partners in administration and support of online course.
Document development and implementation processes.

Phase 3: Evaluation, Analysis, and Recommendations for development
Time frame: November 2001- October 2002

Workshops with partners/ students to evaluate the usefulness, relevance and accessibility of the course to individuals; the relevance of the course to the community; the way in which the course should be developed; the success and ease of networking via the site; the technical difficulties experienced; the potential to expand the service to other parts of the community (into school and youth work for example).

The project will be written up as an action research PhD, with accessible short summaries of the important aspects of the project for wider distribution, including via the Internet.

Project Coordinator

Laina Reynolds

(e) laina@earthling.net
(p) +44.1274.232323 ext. 4195
(f) +44.1274.234197

Laina has an MA in Conflict Resolution (with distinction) from Bradford and a BA in Political Science from Sonoma State University (one of the California State universities) in the US. She has worked as research assistant with Professor Bill Ury at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, which is one of the foremost centres for conflict resolution theory and practice in the world. During this time she conducted primary research on Getting to Peace, and also assisted with the organisation of Track II workshops with Turkish and Kurdish groups community leaders, and with groups in Chechnya. She is highly skilled in the design and maintenance of web sites on the Internet, and has built up the current CCR site, which can be seen at http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/confres/. The Barrow S. Cadbury Trust supports the project and her research.


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