The watering hole: creating learning communities with computers.

This article is based on the assumption that technological innovations have transformed the systems of life as much as philosophical economic political religious and sociological reformations. It notes that technology skeptics caution about the negative impact of computers in which its use is a solitary and soporific activity that can isolate people. However computer use which provides the ability to reach the entire world in seconds can enable a highly sociable and interactive experience. They also make possible a host of valuable personal and professional exchanges that in some cases can be life-altering. In developing countries community learning centers (CLCs) have been established to enhance basic education through access to computers. This informal education through information and communication technologies seems to be drawing people to the centers by providing the opportunity to learn. These CLCs also known as telecenters emphasize the learning function of the communication technologies and may start creating a social context for learning in the post-industrial economy.