Marc Belanger
Encyclopedia
Marc Bélanger is a labour union
educator specializing in information technology
and distance education
via computer communications. He worked for the Workers' Activities Programme of the training centre of the International Labour Organization
(ILO) in Turin, Italy, from 2000-2008. He was head of the Programme from 2007-2008. The Programme operates the largest international union education school in the world. Its objective is to help build the capacities of unions in developing countries
. The ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
.
Bélanger is now the producer and host of RadioLabour news at www.radiolabour.net
He has a degree in journalism from Ryerson University
, a Master's in media studies from The New School
and a PhD in computer communications from Simon Fraser University
. His Master's thesis was on "Marshall McLuhan
and the art of work". The subject of his doctoral thesis is "Online collaborative learning
and the training of union staff in developing countries".
Before joining the ILO in 2000 Bélanger worked for the Canadian Union of Public Employees
(CUPE). For the first ten years of his career at CUPE he was a communications specialist assigned to support negotiators and local unions during strikes. During the last 15 years he was director of the union's computer department. It was during his time in the computer department that he organized the first local area network
in Canada and created SoliNet - the Solidarity Network. SoliNet, established in 1985, was the first union-owned and operated computer communications system. It was used for the first online labour education courses, including university-credit courses, and international workshops. It spawned a number of important labour-related projects including the labour news service
LabourStart
. The website Bélanger created for SoliNet in 1993 (www.solinet.org) was the first labour website.
In 1995 Bélanger became the first person in Canada to earn a university degree (a Master's
in Media Studies) completely via computer communications through Connected Education
's program with The New School
headed by Paul Levinson
. Also in 1995 he became a founding director of Canada's Telelearning Network of Centres of Excellence (a national research network concerning distance education via computer communications funded by the Canadian government).
He has written on labour and technology, labour education, the digital development of
African unions and the international labour movement. He teaches courses on computer
technology, both residentially and via computer communications, to unionists in developing
countries.
The SoliComm project, which Belanger headed, began operating in 2004. It is a labour search
engine and communications system. Its objective is to make the information on all the union and union-related web sites in the world easy to find and use. The system, which is a project of the Workers' Activities Program at the ILO training centre, also provides email and educational computer conferencing services for unionists.
He is the founding Artistic Director
of the Turin Theatre Company.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
educator specializing in information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
via computer communications. He worked for the Workers' Activities Programme of the training centre of the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO) in Turin, Italy, from 2000-2008. He was head of the Programme from 2007-2008. The Programme operates the largest international union education school in the world. Its objective is to help build the capacities of unions in developing countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
. The ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Bélanger is now the producer and host of RadioLabour news at www.radiolabour.net
He has a degree in journalism from Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
, a Master's in media studies from The New School
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
and a PhD in computer communications from Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. His Master's thesis was on "Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
and the art of work". The subject of his doctoral thesis is "Online collaborative learning
Computer-supported collaborative learning
Computer-supported collaborative learning is a pedagogical approach wherein learning takes place via social interaction using a computer or through the Internet. This kind of learning is characterized by the sharing and construction of knowledge among participants using technology as their primary...
and the training of union staff in developing countries".
Before joining the ILO in 2000 Bélanger worked for the Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well...
(CUPE). For the first ten years of his career at CUPE he was a communications specialist assigned to support negotiators and local unions during strikes. During the last 15 years he was director of the union's computer department. It was during his time in the computer department that he organized the first local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
in Canada and created SoliNet - the Solidarity Network. SoliNet, established in 1985, was the first union-owned and operated computer communications system. It was used for the first online labour education courses, including university-credit courses, and international workshops. It spawned a number of important labour-related projects including the labour news service
LabourStart
LabourStart
is the online news service of the international trade union movement. Founded in March 1998, it distributes news both from its own website and also through which is used by over 730 trade union websites around the world. There are newswires for specific languages, countries, regions, and some...
. The website Bélanger created for SoliNet in 1993 (www.solinet.org) was the first labour website.
In 1995 Bélanger became the first person in Canada to earn a university degree (a Master's
in Media Studies) completely via computer communications through Connected Education
Connected Education
Connected Education - also known as Connect Ed - was a pioneering online education organization founded and administered by Paul Levinson and TinaVozick. Operating from 1985 to 1997, Connect Ed offered the M.A. degrees in Media Studies Connected Education - also known as Connect Ed - was a...
's program with The New School
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
headed by Paul Levinson
Paul Levinson
Paul Levinson is an American author and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. Levinson's novels, short fiction, and non-fiction works have been translated into twelve languages....
. Also in 1995 he became a founding director of Canada's Telelearning Network of Centres of Excellence (a national research network concerning distance education via computer communications funded by the Canadian government).
He has written on labour and technology, labour education, the digital development of
African unions and the international labour movement. He teaches courses on computer
technology, both residentially and via computer communications, to unionists in developing
countries.
The SoliComm project, which Belanger headed, began operating in 2004. It is a labour search
engine and communications system. Its objective is to make the information on all the union and union-related web sites in the world easy to find and use. The system, which is a project of the Workers' Activities Program at the ILO training centre, also provides email and educational computer conferencing services for unionists.
He is the founding Artistic Director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of the Turin Theatre Company.