Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'ICT4D'
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1
Renken, Jacobus. "Conceptualising ICT4D champions." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2016. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/conceptualising-ict4d-champions(1018ec9e-1c17-4ad6-afa4-6d1a6e4e2b9d).html.
Full textAbstract:
ICT4D champions are individuals who make a decisive contribution to an ICT4D initiative by actively and enthusiastically promoting its progress through critical stages in order to mobilise resources and/or active support and cooperation from all stakeholders. Mindful of the poor performance of development projects generally, and ICT4D projects in particular, the thesis argues that the seemingly important role of key individuals, such as champions, lacks research. Based on the repeated calls for research to better understand champion-type individuals and their roles in ICT4D initiatives, the thesis claims to have identified an original and significant knowledge gap towards which it contributes. Extant literature on champions of information systems innovations shows that champions can be conceptualised in terms of three core orientations: towards results, relationships and resources. This body of literature and conceptualisations has been used in the thesis as the starting point for exploring and describing the champion phenomenon in an as yet unexplored context - ICT4D initiatives. Critical realism is the assumed philosophical position for the research undertaken in the thesis. Theoretical constructs from the model of Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Social Capital Theory are combined in a conceptual framework to guide the empirical investigations and analysis. The research draws on three ICT4D champion cases in South Africa; case data was collected through the careful combination and sequencing of multiple mixed methods: in-depth interviews, a social network analysis (SNA) survey, and semi-structured interviews with the ICT4D champions and other key initiative stakeholders. A literal replication design was followed whereby the case studies explored and described the individual champion cases and subsequently synthesised findings across the three cases. The main contribution of the thesis is a knowledge contribution; the thesis contributes fifteen empirical findings to our conceptual understanding of ICT4D champions - their origins, competencies, characteristics and motivations, and their orientations towards results, relationships and resources. The analysis has shown how ICT4D champions are similar to champions of IS innovation in some ways, but has also revealed unique aspects, such as the importance they ascribe to addressing social concerns. This, in turn, led to a number of theoretical and practical contributions, as well as a methodological and a research contribution, all emanating from the three case studies. Firstly, two inductively generated theoretical contributions are offered: i) a conceptual framework for analysing and describing the origins of ICT4D champions; ii) a hybrid and contextual model of ICT4D champions that combines a complex set of factors (personal, organisational, and external) and the orientations of champions as a means to account for the complexity of these key individuals and their roles in ICT4D initiatives. The thesis contributes to ICT4D practice by suggesting ways to identify, develop, deploy and support champions; in so doing it offers actionable guidance on how to harness the potential positive contributions of these key individuals. Furthermore, a network-based approach - such as SNA used in the thesis - are rarely, if ever, followed in conducting champion research and this is offered as a methodological contribution. Finally, ICT4D champion research is in its infancy; the exploratory approach followed in the thesis draws on literature, the empirical findings and the theoretical contributions to offer an extensive agenda for future champion research in general, and ICT4D champion research in particular.
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Ferreira, Pedro. "Play as Freedom : Implications for ICT4D." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Medieteknik och interaktionsdesign, MID, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-167978.
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Information and Communication Tech nologies for Development (ICT4D) deals with understanding the relationship between modern technology use and social and economic development. While play may not appear as an immediate concern to the field, a recent body of work has emerged questioning the role of play in ICT4D and the reasons behind its apparent dismissal. Some have even argued that aspects of pleasure and enjoyment get only marginal treatment within academic studies of technology more generally. In ICT4D however, concerns over lack of resources and a sense of urgency in addressing more pressing needs, creates in itself an added set of boundaries which may further restrict both the playful activities themselves, as well as their recognition in academic work. In this work I will revisit the work done in ICT4D with regards to play in order to frame the contributions that lie herein. I will revisit in this work two distinct projects I have worked in during my PhD: the first an ethnographic fieldwork in Rah Island, Vanuatu, where I documented the first weeks of mobile phone usage; the second project took place during an internship at Microsoft Research India, where I participated in the design, development and deployment of KrishiPustak, a social networking system for low-literate users in rural areas around Hunsur district. To understand and unpack my reflections around play in both these projects, I propose a framing of play as a freedom, inspired by Amartya Sen’s work, discussing three of its roles: its instrumental role, in that play serves as a vehicle for achieving secondary outcomes, such as with educational games; its constructive role, in that play in itself unleashes an attitude of deliberation over the boundaries that surround play, questioning and re shaping those boundaries. I draw on Christena Nippert-Eng’s notion of boundary play and boundary work to explore the contributions that play has in constructively determining and reshaping values, goals and priorities in ICT4D work. But most importantly, this thesis emphasizes play’s third role, its intrinsic role to be the starting point of any understanding: i.e. play is important because people have reasons to value play. This urges us to consider the intrinsic importance, not only to observe play as it unfolds, but to actively design for, and open up opportunities for play to occur.QC 20150525
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Mekonnen, Biniam. "Reproducing ICT4D Tanzania to a Rwandan District." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för informations- och kommunikationsteknik (ICT), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-108216.
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ICT based health care policies in developing countries must be targeted at the poorest most rural member of the population where there is demand but little or no supply of health care. This is achieved through ICT4RD program which mainly focus on provisioning of ICT access to rural areas. In this regard, ICT4RD Tanzania built a local broadband which pass through fifteen villages around Serengeti district to benefit health, government and education sectors. There have been a number of discussions between countries located alongside the African great lakes to build a sustainable rural community networks providing basic public services as a research infrastructure network. The main motivation is to facilitate first mile initiatives to explore and demonstrate methods and solutions that could eventually be used to commercial actors to build production networks in areas where there is demand but little or no supply. The discussion has passed all the way and become a project called AGLARBRI(African Great Lakes Broadband Research Infrastructure). At this critical time, it is of technical interests to see if rural regions around the African great lakes could benefit from previous similar projects like Tanzanian ICT4RD project. This thesis addresses the aforementioned basic interest and uses a comparative case study tool to formulate and analyze the reproducibility of technical solutions produced by ICT4RD Tanzania program to a selected district in Rwanda. Intensive study on ICT4RD Tanzania technical solutions, on-site survey and radio mobile simulation analysis has been performed. Interview with health center employees, IT support personnel’s, and stakeholders, online questionnaires, direct observation while performing site survey and online official resources are used as primary and secondary source of data. The outcome of the thesis reveals that infrastructure design proposed by ICT4RD Tanzania program using fiber-wireless technology can also be used for a rural district in Rwanda in a similar fashion after considering local telecommunication regulations. It also proves that a great care needs to be taken while reproducing services between regions. Service reproducibility has also shown a failure to some extent. This is revealed by the use of Drug Management Application (DMA) and webmail applications. DMA application couldn’t be reproduced because the two rural areas used for comparison have different work flow for drug management. Reproducibility of webmail application has also shown a filer due to the fact that webmail system is not current interest for Kirehe district healthcare system. The outcome of the thesis also proves that ICT4RD Tanzania proposed infrastructure design solutions can be scaled and extended for similar rural areas along the AGLARBRI ring. Furthermore, service demand and work flow analysis is crucial to reproduce services along the area.ICT-baserad hälso-och sjukvård politiken i utvecklingsländerna måste riktas mot de fattigaste mest lantliga medlem av befolkningen där det finns efterfrågan, men liten eller ingen utbudet av hälso-och sjukvården. Detta arkiveras genom ICT4RD program som främst inriktas på tillhandahållande av ICT tillgång till landsbygden. I detta avseende byggde ICT4RD Tanzania en lokal bredband som passerar genom femton byar i närheten av Serengeti distriktet till att förbättra hälsan, myndigheter och utbildningssektorerna. Det har förekommit ett antal diskussioner mellan länder som ligger vid sidan av de afrikanska stora sjöarna att skapa en hållbar landsbygd med nätverk som ger viktigaste offentliga tjänster som en forskningsinfrastruktur nätverk. De viktigaste motiven är för att underlätta första milen initiativ att undersöka och demonstrera metoder och lösningar som kan så småningom skulle användas för att kommersiella aktörerna bygga upp produktions nätverket i områden där det finns efterfrågan, men liten eller någon leverans. Diskussionen har gått hela vägen och bli ett projekt som kallas AGLARBRI. På hans kritiska tiden är det av tekniska intresse att se om landsbygden runt de afrikanska stora sjöarna kan dra nytta av tidigare liknande projekt som Tanzanias ICT4RD projekt. Denna avhandling behandlar tidigare nämnda grundläggande intresse och använder en jämförande fallstudie verktyg för att formulera och analysera reproducerbarhet av tekniska lösningar som produceras av ICT4RD Tanzania för en vald distrikt i Rwanda. Intensiva studier på ICT4RD Tanzania tekniska lösningar, plats undersökning och radio mobil simulering analys har utförts. Intervju med hälso center, IT-stöd Personalens och intressenter, online frågeformulär, direkt observation under utföra platsundersökning och online officiella resurser används som primär och sekundär datakälla. Resultatet av thesis visar att konstruktionen av infrastruktur som föreslagits av ICT4RD Tanzania programmet med fiber-trådlös teknik kan också användas för en kommun i Rwanda på ett liknande sätt. Den visar också att en stor försiktighet måste tas samtidigt reproducerar tjänster mellan regionerna. Tjänsten reproducerbarhet har också visat ett misslyckande till viss del. Det visar med hjälp av DMA och webb post tillämpnngar . DMA tillämpning kunde inte reproduceras eftersom de två landsbygden används för Jämförelsen har olika arbetsflöde för läkemedel förvaltningen. Reproducerbarhet av webb post tillämpningar har också visat ett Filer på grund av att webbmail systemet inte är ett intresse för Kirehe distriktet hälso-och sjukvården. Avhandlingen visar också att ICT4RD Tanzania föreslagna infrastrukturen utformning lösningar kan skalas och förlängas liknande landsbygden längs AGLARBRI ringen. Dessutom är efterfrågan på tjänster och arbete flödesanalys är avgörande för att reproducera tjänster längs området.
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Swift, Kieron K. E. "ICT4D policy for Trinidad and Tobago : discursive constructions." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2017. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/67353/.
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This thesis uses a contextual case study approach covering the period 1985 to 2011 to examine the construction of Trinidad and Tobago's ICT4D policy as discourse. The guiding theory of method is contextualism as described in Pettigrew (1990), according to whom a contextual analysis can be characterised as: processual, by emphasising the evolution of actions embedded in specific contexts (structural and otherwise) over time; multi-stakeholder, by recognising the competing viewpoints of reality perceived by actors at different levels; longitudinal, by considering both historical and contemporary views of actions and events. Consistent with this approach a framework has been adopted here that views policy as an iterative process involving the generation of texts from events, the translation of texts into narratives, and competition between alternative narratives resulting in institutions, which, in turn, enable and constrain events. This framework facilitates understanding interactions between actors at multiple levels across time. There are three original contributions to knowledge made in this thesis. Firstly, I have proposed an analytical framework that integrates three separate bodies of literature. The discursive model of institutionalization of Phillips, Lawrence and Hardy (2004) and the ‘policy as discourse' approach of Shaw & Greenhalgh (2008) and Shaw (2010) are integrated by way of a bridge, the ‘trading zones' concept of Galison (1997) as extended by Collins, Evans, & Gorman (2007). Thereby, I developed a series of analytical constructs that can be used for contextual policy research, especially in developing countries where dominant policy narratives constrain and moderate discursive exchange when those policy narratives - which were originally articulated in advanced economies - are subsequently transferred into developing countries. Secondly, I have empirically applied the framework to the study of ICT4D policy construction in Trinidad and Tobago, generating new insights in the process. In so doing I critically examined the process of constructing policy as discourse with the aim of identifying ways in which policy could be done differently. A key finding is that the process of discursively transferring previously existing policy narratives into new contexts can result in one of three outcomes: no change - if the introduction of policy narratives had no impact whatsoever on institutions (either by creating new ones, or disrupting existing ones); the construction of policy pidgins (semi-specific yet incomplete proto-languages that mediate discursive transfer) - when discursive transfer, imitation and assemblage of narratives partially occurs; or the construction of policy creoles (full-fledged languages that facilitate not only discursive transfer, but social action) - if the discursive transfer is complemented by translation, editing and social embedding. Thirdly, I developed a model of policy creolization through which the two main factors that influence the emergence of policy pidgins and, eventually, policy creoles (both viewed as particular forms of institutions) in a setting of discursive construction were identified, namely: The length of the temporal window over which policy actors have an opportunity to develop interactional expertise to transfer, imitate and assemble narratives, and eventually to translate, edit and embed those narratives into social actions; The degree of intentionality of the discursive action, and subsequently the social action, that policy actors engage in, noting that there are three categories of social action: o Intentional action – which deliberately conveys particular ideas through texts. o Consequential action – which is generated as a by-product of ongoing dialogue among actors during which they may draw on broader narratives. o Emergent action – which arises through discursive contestation and struggle in ways that were not necessarily intended or predicted. This highlights that both intentionality and time are required to bridge the knowledge gaps present between the different contexts, and even so, that the policy construction process in the new context requires practitioners to develop non-trivial levels of interactional expertise. This thesis has implications for policy practice on two fronts. Firstly, the framework can be employed to assist policymakers in creating policy creoles through coordination and interaction between external mainstream narratives and alternative narratives, including those that are locally derived. In doing so, policymakers and policy analysts can unpack the conceptual constructions of their subject domain, learn how to engage with new domains (and thereby gain interactional expertise) and uncover the latent power dynamics that are reinforced by lack of critical analysis. Secondly, application of the framework provides a means of assessing institutional dynamics. This is important because of the powerful normative, cognitive and regulative functions institutions play on the development of new institutions, and ultimately on social action.
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Khumalo, Sydney Kuwali. "Mapping the landscape of sustainability in ICT4D : a systematic literature review." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/79258.
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The concept of sustainability in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) has been largely associated with the sustainability of ICT4D projects. In other words, most ICT4D literature consider the “continuous operation of ICT4D projects” as the sustainability of ICT4D. This implies that the failure of these ICT4D projects threatens or compromises the existence of sustainability in ICT4D (Heeks, 2002). In this study we do not argue that this view is false; however, sustainability in ICT4D should be considered from a broader perspective, and should not be limited to the uninterrupted operational success of ICT4D projects.
Sustainability in ICT4D has proven a challenge to put into practice. This is as a result of a number of known and unknown elements that should be independently and sometimes collectively considered in the implementation of ICT4D, to enable sustainability and sustained benefit realisation. Therefore, this study undertakes a systematic literature review that aims to identify and understand aspects that could enable or disable sustainability in ICT4D within the context of developing communities. Furthermore, based on the analysis and findings from the systematic review of selected ICT4D articles, sourced from various academic journals and conference proceedings, the researcher proposes a framework that seeks to illustrate the building blocks of sustainability in ICT4D. The proposed framework emphasises critical elements that require consideration in ICT4D implementations, so as to enable the realisation of sustained socio-economic benefit for local livelihoods.Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
Information Systems
MIT
Unrestricted
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Grobler, Manti. "Found in translation : effective translation of the needs of rural women for social support services delivered through ICT." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/61557.
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A field study was performed in a rural community in the Limpopo province, South Africa. The aim of the field study was to find an approach to effectively translate the needs of rural women for information about social support services provided through ICT. Sen’s capability approach framed the study with the Capability Approach Framework used to analyse the results.
The results of the study confirmed the need of the rural women for access to relevant information; indicated an acceptance of the concept to use cell phones as the ICT commodity to access information; and demonstrated the conceptual journey of the participants’ agency role, from standard of living to agency. An approach based on the amended Capability Approach Framework is suggested to effectively translate the needs of rural women for information about social support services provided through ICT:
a) Assess the agency role of the participants at the beginning and conclusion of the study
b) Build the appropriate interventions
c) Consider the conversion factors
d) Define the capabilities applicable to the study and affected through the study
The limited time spent with the participants and the restricted nature of this study are not supportive of a detailed and comprehensive map to the Capability Approach Framework. Further research with the study design based on the Capability Approach Framework, adapted with the agency role, is recommended.Mini Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Informatics
MIT
Unrestricted
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Matebese, Sithembiso. "A decentralized multi-agent based network management system for ICT4D networks." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019853.
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Network management is fundamental for assuring high quality services required by each user for the effective utilization of network resources. In this research, we propose the use of a decentralized, flexible and scalable Multi-Agent based system to monitor and manage rural broadband networks adaptively and efficiently. This mechanism is not novel as it has been used for high-speed, large-scale and distributed networks. This research investigates how software agents could collaborate in the process of managing rural broadband networks and developing an autonomous decentralized network management mechanism. In rural networks, network management is a challenging task because of lack of a reliable power supply, greater geographical distances, topographical barriers, and lack of technical support as well as computer repair facilities. This renders the network monitoring function complex and difficult. Since software agents are goal-driven, this research aims at developing a distributed management system that efficiently diagnoses errors on a given network and autonomously invokes effective changes to the network based on the goals defined on system agents. To make this possible, the Siyakhula Living Lab network was used as the research case study and existing network management system was reviewed and used as the basis for the proposed network management system. The proposed network management system uses JADE framework, Hyperic-Sigar API, Java networking programming and JESS scripting language to implement reasoning software agents. JADE and Java were used to develop the system agents with FIPA specifications. Hyperic-Sigar was used to collect the device information, Jpcap was used for collecting device network information and JESS for developing a rule engine for agents to reason about the device and network state. Even though the system is developed with Siyakhula Living Lab considerations, technically it can be used in any small-medium network because it is adaptable and scalable to various network infrastructure requirements. The proposed system consists of two types of agents, the MasterAgent and the NodeAgent. The MasterAgent resides on the device that has the agent platform and NodeAgent resides on devices connected to the network. The MasterAgent provides the network administrator with graphical and web user interfaces so that they can view network analysis and statistics. The agent platform provides agents with the executing environment and every agent, when started, is added to this platform. This system is platform independent as it has been tested on Linux, Mac and Windows platforms. The implemented system has been found to provide a suitable network management function to rural broadband networks that is: scalable in that more node agents can be added to the system to accommodate more devices in the network; autonomous in the ability to reason and execute actions based on the defined rules; fault-tolerant through being designed as a decentralized platform thereby reducing the Single Point of Failure (SPOF) in the system.
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Daleke, Sarah. "Communicative Democracy: Developing leadership accountability through ICTs : A qualitative case study from the Rwenzori region in western Uganda." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Institutionen för geografi, medier och kommunikation, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-33235.
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There is a growing interest in the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) for citizen engagement in democracy around the world today, especially in the developing world. Events such as the Arab Spring show the potential ICTs can have on citizen engagement with those in leadership positions. Many studies have been conducted within the field of ICT4D (Information Communication Technologies for Development) in many different areas. But few studies have been done within the field of ICT4D that have focused on what happens with the local politicians´ situation in developing countries, when the citizens in these areas become digitally engaged. For a community to develop all levels within the community need to be developed and empowered, because if the local leaders do not have the tools or the incentive to meet the citizens demands then the wanted requirements cannot take place. Effective democratic and open government depends on closing the feedback loop between citizens and government (Making All Voices Count, 2014). The aim of this study is to get an understanding of the local politicians´ situation in Rwenzori region in western Uganda, as the citizens in this region successively have started to demand much more accountability from their leaders through ICTs. The main question guiding this study is: How are local political leaders in developing countries coping with citizens who are increasingly using ICT4D tools for leadership accountability? With the sub-questions being: How have ICTs changed the communication between the local political leaders and the citizens? Do the local political leaders have the ICT skills, tools and means they need to meet the digitally engaged citizens? Is leadership accountability improved through the use of ICTs? To conduct this study I have used qualitative interviews. And the main theory applied is Jürgen Habermas´s theory of communicative action. In essence Habermas’s theory tries to explain the social structures through an understanding of the ways in which communication is framed and organized (Unwin, 2009). The results are presented in form of selected quotes that reflect and represent the findings of this research, which are analyzed through the lens of the theory of communicative action. This research shows that the local political leaders in the Rwenzori region appreciate the increased demands from the citizens through ICTs. The research also reveals that ICTs have eased the communication between the local political leaders and their communities and therefore have contributed greatly to increase two-way-communication between the leaders and the citizens. But at the same time these local political leaders are also facing challenges when it comes to holding themselves accountable through the same channels. Some of these challenges are weak infrastructure, lack of skills and access to the ICTs themselves. One of the most notable findings that this research came across is the fact that hardly any of the local politician offices in the Rwenzori region has a budget targeted for communication with their communities. In conclusion this study reveals that leadership accountability in the Rwenzori region is improved through the use of ICTs, but an enabling environment is necessary if leadership accountability through ICTs is to be fully realized. Looking at the results from this research through Habermas´s theory of communicative action has helped making visible not only the prospects of ICTs in democratic development, but also the challenges of using the same mediums.Det finns ett växande intresse kring användning av informations kommunikationsteknik (IKT) för medborgarengagemang runt om i världen i dag, framför allt i utvecklingsländerna. Händelser som den arabiska våren visar potentialen som IKT kan ha när medborgare använder dem mot personer i ledande positioner. Många studier har gjorts inom området ICT4D (Information Communication Technologies for Development) inom många olika områden. Men få studier har gjorts inom ICT4D som har fokuserat på vad som händer med de lokala politikernas situation i utvecklingsländer när medborgarna i dessa områden blir digitalt engagerade. För att ett samhälle ska utvecklas måste alla nivåer i samhället utvecklas, stärkas och utbildas. För om de lokala ledarna inte har de verktyg eller incitament de behöver för att möta medborgarnas krav, då kan de önskade kraven inte uppfyllas. Effektiv demokrati och öppen förvaltning kräver att kommunikationen/återkopplingen mellan medborgare och staten fungerar (Making All Voices Count, 2014). Syftet med denna studie är att få en förståelse för de lokala politikernas situation i Rwenzori regionen i västra Uganda, då medborgarna i denna region successivt har börjat begära mer av sina ledare genom IKT. Frågan som i huvudsak vägleder denna studie är: Hur hanterar de lokala politiska ledarna i utvecklingsländer att medborgare i allt större utsträckning använder IKT verktyg för att begära ansvarsfullt ledarskap från dem? Studien ämnar även besvara följande underfrågor: Hur har IKT verktyg förändrat kommunikationen mellan de lokala politiska ledarna och medborgarna? Har de lokala politiska ledarna de IKT kunskaper, verktyg och medel de behöver för att möta de digitalt engagerade medborgarna? Är det ansvarsfulla ledarskapet förbättrat genom användandet av IKT verktyg? Jag har använt mig av kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer för att genomföra denna studie. Den huvudsakliga teorin som applicerats är Habermas kommunikationsteori: the theory of communicative action. Sammanfattningsvis försöker Habermas teori förklara den sociala strukturen genom en förståelse av de sätt på vilka kommunikationen är utformad och organiserad (Unwin, 2009). Resultaten är presenterade i form av utvalda citat som reflekterar och representerar resultaten av denna studie, och de är analyserade i ljuset av Habermas theory of communicative action. Denna studie visar att de lokala politiska ledarna i Rwenzori regionen uppskattar de ökade kraven från medborgarna genom IKT. Studien visar också att IKT har underlättat kommunikationen mellan de lokala politiska ledarna och medborgarna, och också i hög grad bidragit till att förbättra tvåvägskommunikation mellan dem. Men samtidigt kämpar de lokala politiska ledarna med många utmaningar när de försöker hålla sig ansvariga genom samma IKT kanaler. Några av utmaningarna som de kämpar med är dålig infrastruktur, brist på kompetens och tillgång till själva IKT redskapen. En av de mest anmärkningsvärda upptäckterna som denna studie gjort är insikten om att nästan inga av de lokala politikerna i Rwenzori regionen har en budget som är avsedd för kommunikation med sina medborgare. Avslutningsvis visar denna studie att politiskt ansvarsfullt ledarskap i Rwenzori regionen har förbättrats genom användandet av IKT verktyg, men att gynnsam arbetsförhållanden är nödvändig om ansvarsfullt ledarskap genom användandet av IKT verktyg till fullo ska kunna förverkligas och nå full potential. Genom att analysera resultaten från denna forskning i ljuset av Habermas kommunikationsteori (Theory of communicative action) så har inte bara fördelarna med IKT i demokratisk utveckling synliggjorts, utan också utmaningarna med dem.
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Mozelius, Peter. "Education for All in Sri Lanka : ICT4D Hubs for Region-Wide Dissemination of Blended Learning." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för data- och systemvetenskap, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-109061.
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ICT4D, here defined as the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in developing regions, can be seen as one of the most powerful and cost efficient ways to improve the standard of living in the developing world. Many regions in Asia have shown a rapid but heterogeneous development where information technology had a drastic impact on development but often with the problems related to ICT4D 1.0: lack of sustainability and lack of scalability. This study analysed the Sri Lankan infrastructure for region-wide dissemination of blended learning in the 21st century based on the exploration of some selected ICT4D hubs and educational initiatives. The overall aim of the research was to observe, describe and analyse how the selected ICT4D initiatives and the creation of ICT4D hubs in Sri Lanka might support region-wide dissemination of blended learning and local development. A longitudinal case study has been the overall approach where a number of embedded thematic units were explored in long-term fieldwork conducted between 2006 and 2012. Data has been collected from a combination of observations, interviews, group discussions, surveys and document analysis. Findings showed that several of the studied ICT4D hubs have contributed to the general development but the country’s internal digital divide has in fact grown, as urban growth has been so much faster than the growth in rural areas, leaving the country with geographic as well as socio-economic gaps. Some of the former war zones have definitely been left behind and there is a need for further support of the Eastern and Northern regions of the island. Sri Lanka has had an outcome that must be classified as better than average compared to other developing regions with increased opportunities for education and with some ICT4D hubs as multipurpose meeting points. Contributing factors to the successful development are the high literacy rate, the chain of ICT4D projects rolled out in the right order and a committed implementation of educational eServices. On the other hand there were other, more negative findings indicating that sustainability, knowledge sharing and inter-project cooperation and coordination have often failed. The identified strength in the Sri Lankan model, which can be recommended for other parts of the world as well, is the way top-down management of infrastructure sometimes is combined with bottom-up grass-root activities. Other recommendations, that also are global, are to extend existing ICT4D hubs and upgrade them to more intelligent, autonomous and multi-service ICT4D routers that could also handle the future need for eServices in the fields of eHealth, eFarming and eGovernance.
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Grobler, Manti. "Shaping meaningful ICT4D solutions using design science research : a social shaping of technology framework based on the capability approach." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/61579.
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Human development requires some kind of action and needs information to set the development process in motion. An expansion of choice and the ability to enact choice are outcomes of development. In order to become aware of choices and support the ability to enact choices that can lead to development, access to information is required. In her thesis, Shaping meaningful information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) solutions using design science research: a social shaping of technology framework based on the capability approach, Manti addresses the problem how should the information needs that are meaningful to women working as domestic workers, be effectively translated through the use of ICT in order to enhance their experience of the good life as defined by Sen’s capability approach and to contribute to the success and social value of ICT4D projects. A group of women working as domestic workers and a selected group of organisations in South Africa participated in the study.
The artefact produced by the study is the Community Shaping Solutions Framework (CSSF). The CSSF’s contribution is a response to the criticisms against ICT4D of being overly technology deterministic by applying the social shaping of technology and the capability approach theories and suggesting a human-centered approach. The CSSF draws on the capability approach as a way to measure development and the social shaping of technology theory for the positive role in integrating people and technology concerns by offering a greater understanding of the relationship between scientific excellence, technology innovation and social well-being.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Informatics
PhD (IT)
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Mugoni, Hope. "A resource management framework for sustainability of rural ICT4D projects in Zimbabwe." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/689.
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Developing countries are embracing Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a tool for alleviating poverty. There are, however, still challenges that developing countries face in trying to establish Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D). Among the major challenges is the lack of proper resource management which results in poor sustainability of ICT4D initiatives. If these ICT4D initiatives are to be sustainable for the benefit of current and future generations, proper resource management methods are to be developed and applied. This study proposes a resource management framework that can be applied to the management of ICT4D resources with the aim of achieving sustainability. The framework is informed by theory, and validated through enquiry in the field. Qualitative research methodology was used as a research approach for this study where three rural ICT4D initiatives were used as case studies. The case studies were conducted in rural Zimbabwe to investigate how proper resource management can influence the sustainability of ICT4D initiatives. It was identified from the study that the lack of proper resource management methods adversely affects the initiatives’ sustainability. The proposed resource management framework will guide ICT4D resource management to enhance the initiatives’ sustainability.
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Ojeme, Blessing Onuwa. "Adoption of ICT4D frameworks to support screening for depression in Nigerian universities." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29281.
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Health is fundamental to development and access to healthcare is a major health and development issue particularly in developing countries where preventable diseases and premature deaths still inflict a high toll. In Nigeria, for instance, under-financing, inefficient allocation of limited medical resources has led to quantitative and qualitative deficiencies in depression identification, and to growing gaps in facility and equipment upkeep. The focus of the present study is Nigerian University students who are at higher risk of clinical depression than other populations. Besides high crime rate, acute unemployment, terrorism, extreme poverty and serial outbreak of diseases, which are everyday life situations that trigger depression for a large proportion of Nigerian population, Nigerian University students are faced with additional problems of poor living and academic conditions. These include constant problems of accommodation and overcrowded lecture halls caused by increasing population of students, recurrent disruptions of academic calendar, heavy cigarette smoking and high level of alcohol consumption. Effective prevention of medical condition and access to healthcare resources are important factors that affect peoples’ welfare and quality of life. Regular assessment for depression has been suggested as the first important steps to its early detection and prevention. Investigations revealed that, besides the peculiar shortage in mental health professionals in Nigeria, the near absence of modern diagnostic facilities has made the management of this potentially detrimental problem impossible. Given this national health problem, and that it would take some time before resources, especially human, can be mustered, calls have been made by several bodies that other viable means that take cognisance of the difficulties of assessing mental healthcare be sought. This study is an attempt at exploring opportunities to increase flexibility in depression prevention and detection processes. The study investigated the effectiveness of developing computer-based methodologies, derived from machine learning and human computer interaction techniques for guiding depression identification process in Nigerian universities. Probabilistic Bayesian networks was used to construct models from real depression datasets that included 1798 data instances, collected from the mental health unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and primary care centre in Nigeria. The models achieved high performance on standard metrics, including: 94.3% accuracy, 94.4% precision, 0.943 F-Measure, 0.150 RSME, 0.923 R and 92.2% ROC. The findings from the information gain and mutual information show high correlation between “depression” and “alcohol or other drug consumption”; “depression” and family support and availability of accommodation”, but low correlation between “depression” and “cigarette smoking”. The results also show high correlation between “depression” and a synergistic combination of “impaired function and alcohol and other drug consumption”. Following the User-Centered design approach, a desktop-based screening tool was developed for use by University academic staff, as a first step, for regular screening of staff and students for depression, and where necessary, schedule appointment with the appropriate mental health authority for further diagnosis. Though the interesting results from the heuristic evaluations illuminate the challenges involved, it demonstrates the significance and relevance of end-user factors in the process of designing computer-aided screening intervention, especially with respect to acceptance of the system for use in non-clinical environment. The findings presented in this doctoral study provide compelling evidence of the huge potential that the collaboration of machine learning and usability techniques has for complementing available resources in the management of depression among University population in Nigeria. It is hoped that, given the persistent challenges of depression, the findings will be part of the ongoing global research to encourage the adoption of ICT4D frameworks for the prevention of more serious cases by empowering other population for an early first-line depression screening.
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Keenan, Joanna. "Where’s Waddan? Missing Maps and cross-cultural voluntary engagement in ICT4D initiatives." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21582.
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In the wake of the Haiti earthquake response in 2010, crowdsourced humanitarian mapping has taken off, and today is considered an essential tool by many humanitarian agencies providing assistance in disaster-affected and under-resourced countries and contexts. But what happens when there is no information on a map to help agencies decide how to respond? If they cannot find roads to take to get there? If they do not know how many houses are in a village? What if the map is – missing?In response to this all-too-common problem, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), American Red Cross, British Red Cross and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) created and launched Missing Maps in 2014. A crowdsourced ICT4D tool designed to create accurate maps using satellite images, the initiative relies on volunteers – ‘digital humanitarians’ – to participate.So why participate? Previous research has looked at motivations for participation in open street mapping and other voluntary contribution-based tools, such as Wikipedia. Other research has described how to attract people to Missing Maps – and retain them. But until now, there has been no research exploring why people are motivated to volunteer for humanitarian ICT4D initiatives, and no researcher has tackled this subject from a cross-cultural perspective. Here I attempt to answer the question: what are the motivations for people to map? And more specifically, are the motivations of someone in the Global North to voluntarily map different from the motivations of someone in the Global South? In this paper, I outline the results of empirical research in the form of one-on-one interviews conducted across four cities I travelled to: London and Prague, to represent the Global North, and Beirut and Kampala, representing the Global South. In interviews in which a total of 21 participants were asked six standard questions about their interests, likes, motivations and challenges in mapping, I uncover clear differences between the motivations of not only people in the north versus south, but also amongst the young, and even between men and women. The results show that, while people from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds are motivated by a multitude of reasons, young people, especially in the Global North, are more likely to map from slacktivism tendencies given their perceptions of the mapping software’s ease of use. People from the Global North – particularly young women – were also more likely to engage out of interest in humanitarian issues or organisations like MSF. Played right, organisers could groom these young people into the humanitarians of the future. Meanwhile, people in the Global South were more likely to participate for both community and personal – such as career and life – benefits. This partly reflects previous research that has shown local bias to be a strong motivating factor for participation across other platforms. Although people across all four cities expressed some of their motivations to be altruistic ones, those in the Global South were more likely to express this response. Taking these results, I explore themes of how an ICT4D tool like Missing Maps will not change the status quo of inequality in the world, while questioning whether that is important enough to undermine the initiative. I also investigate the likelihood of being able to turn today’s young digital humanitarians into the humanitarian leaders of tomorrow. I also explore the impact of mapping in the Global South, both for those doing the mapping and those being mapped. Finally, I look at what initiatives like Missing Maps mean in the world of communications for development.
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Kanya, Rislana Abdulazeez. "The use of capability approach framework and design-reality gap model to investigate information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) : a case study of Jigawa State Government ICT4D interventions." Thesis, University of Portsmouth, 2018. https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-use-of-capability-approach-framework-and-designreality-gap-model-to-investigate-information-and-communication-technologies-for-development-ict4d(2e8b0ca0-a14c-4807-92fa-c978d1082792).html.
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Makitla, Mokone Ishmael. "A conceptual model of an access-technology-agnostic delivery mechanism for ICT4D services." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019756.
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Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) is an emerging research area that is concerned with the beneficial applications of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to achieve developmental goals. ICT4D is thus concerned with designing and developing innovative technologies for resource-constrained environments for applications in key areas of social development such as health, agriculture and education. The ICT4D initiatives, therefore, are driving three main tasks, namely developing the required infrastructure (connectivity, electricity and computing devices) sustainably, building the required ICT human capacity, and providing access to digital content and services. Each of these three main thrusts necessitates innovation. This study addresses the evident lack of delivery mechanisms to facilitate access to digital content and services to end-users through the technologies that these end-users already possess. This lack of innovative delivery mechanisms is both an impediment to achieving equitable access to digital content and service and an opportunity to innovate. Therefore, drawing from the theoretical background of ICT4D, this study develops a set of technical and socio-technical requirements that the missing delivery mechanisms should satisfy. The study also explores the Service Delivery Platform (SDP) concept as a technically viable basis for the required delivery mechanisms. The study then develops a conceptual model of an Access-Technology-Agnostic Delivery Mechanism as a possible delivery mechanism that facilitates equitable access to digital content and services within an ICT4D context. The relevance of the conceptual model is established and, through a prototype implementation, the technical feasibility and utility of the conceptual model is demonstrated. The conceptual model is demonstrated through a proof of concept implementation using standards-based open source technologies. The proof of concept clearly demonstrates that the access-technology-agnostic delivery of digital content and services is achievable, thus making the same service accessible through different access technologies. In developing the Access-Technology-Agnostic Delivery Mechanism, this study contributes through innovation to providing access to digital content and services in an access-technology-agnostic manner.
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Salome, Agborsangaya Nkongho. "ICT4D? Social Media and Small Media use during the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22618.
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This project analyses the role of social media and small media use during the ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon by projecting social media as a product of new ICTs used to bring positive social change. An argument is raised to address some of the inadequacies that have centered around social media and protest with a focus on the Anglophone crisis. Questions aim at highlighting the positive and negative role of social media use, the role played by the Cameroonian diaspora’s “online activism” and how small media use served as an alternative medium in maintaining crisis status quo during the internet ban. The study suggests a combination of social and small media for community development and social change using theories of media affordances and participation in combination with qualitative ethnographic research methods (participant observation, interviews and online survey). It concludes that even though social media are very powerful tools for information sharing, their shortcomings in protests cannot be overlooked as the success of online activism greatly relies on offline action and the use of small media greatly complements social media use as platforms for alternative discourse. The research concludes that social media (online) activism without ground action (offline) is not enough to achieve development and social change. Key words: ICT4D, Social media, small media, activism, diaspora.
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Hunter, Jake, and Patrik Jonasson. "ICT4D in GHANA The role of conferencing projects for cultural exchange and development." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23359.
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We studied a live video conferencing project based in Ghana, because we wanted to determine whether this is one area where Information Communication Technology (ICT) can have an impact on communication for development. We also wanted to better understand whether live video conferencing is a viable way to go forward with Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) and, if so, what benefits it has to offer. To complement the study, we also looked at two other NGOs which are also using similar technology and have a purpose similar to the WPD live video-conference program, which is to create a space for knowledge and cultural exchange with the help of ICT. The additional programs will add a complementary comparative dimension to the analysis of the case study of WPD. It is important to have these two projects in mind since they use two vastly different methods and can provide a reflective understanding on how WPD can move forward as they are in a transitional phase and are currently exploring different ways to develop the project, mainly involving changes in management structure and technology. We studied the WPD project with the complementary information from the other two projects from an academic perspective to document and analyze the outcomes in order to determine which good practices are available when undertaking similar initiatives. From a theoretical perspective, we analyze the projects using research related to participatory communication, the public sphere, and the digital divide. From a practical perspective, we again examine issues related to the digital divide and the growing influence of communications technologies companies due to public-private partnerships.
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Sulprizio, G. "ICT4D & HIV/AIDS: an exploration of mHealth for HIV/AIDS in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3850.
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Phingilili, Gcotyelwa. "A framework for implementation of ICT4D initiatives in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1017789.
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South Africa’s rural communities have received Information and Communication Technologies services through initiatives such as tele-centres, living labs, Thusong service centres and donations of computer applications. There is need, with little plans in place to ensure that the rural communities will benefit from those initiatives. As a result of this, it is necessary to establish a framework for implementing Information and Communication Technologies for development initiatives in order to ensure successful implementation of these initiatives in rural communities. Literature shows that in order to successfully implement an ICT initiative for rural communities, there should be active engagement with ICT stakeholders, consultation of Information and Communication Technologies policies, presence of ICT infrastructure, ICT services, monitoring, evaluating, training and maintenance. Current literature on ICT developments shows that in order to successfully implement an ICT initiative for rural communities, there should be active engagement with ICT stakeholders, consultation of ICT policies, and presence of ICT infrastructure, ICT services, monitoring, evaluating, training and maintenance. Unstructured interviews were used as a research method to collect primary data that was used as a basis to develop the proposed framework. Findings from the studies carried out indicated that several ICT4D initiatives which were abandoned due to challenges such lack of proper resources, trainings, lack of local content, access, lack of ownership and lack of stakeholders’ involvement. This study presents a framework for implementing ICT for development initiatives in rural communities which has been developed in order to reduce the number of initiatives that are abandoned or which end up not serving their intended purpose in rural communities of South Africa.
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Turman-Bryant, Phillip Nicholas. "Closing the Loop: the Capacities and Constraints of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D)." PDXScholar, 2019. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/5003.
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As a mechanism for collecting and sharing information, information and communications technologies (ICT) hold immense potential for individuals and institutions in low- and middle-income countries. Currently the distribution and adoption of ICTs--particularly mobile devices--has far outpaced the provision of other household services like clean water, sanitation, hygiene, or energy services. At the same time, the development and deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices including cellular- and satellite-connected sensors is facilitating more rapid feedback from remote regions where basic services are most limited. When used in conjunction with economic development or public health interventions, these devices and the feedback they provide can inform operation and maintenance activities for field staff and improve the monitoring and evaluation of outcomes for project stakeholders.
This dissertation includes three chapters written as journal articles. While each chapter is framed around the work and research efforts being undertaken by the Sustainable Water, Energy, and Environmental Technologies Lab (SweetLab) at Portland State University, the common thread that weaves all three investigations together is the theme of ICT-enabled programmatic feedback. The first chapter introduces the three theoretical lenses that inform these investigations and the ways that ICTs and the data they provide can (1) serve as more appropriate proxies for measuring access to services, (2) reduce information asymmetries between various stakeholders including communities, governments, implementers, and funders, and (3) enable more robust methodologies for measuring outcomes and impacts of interventions within complex adaptive systems. The second chapter presents a critical review of the methodologies and technologies being used to track progress on sanitation and hygiene development goals. Chapter three describes how simple sensors and weight measurements can be combined with complex machine learning algorithms to facilitate more reliable and cost-effective latrine servicing in informal settlements. Chapter four presents the results from an investigation exploring how near-time feedback from sensors installed on motorized boreholes can improve water service delivery and drought resilience in arid regions of Northern Kenya. Finally, chapter five provides a summary of the three manuscripts and discusses the significance of this research for future investigations.
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Manara, Henry Tinashe. "Factors affecting sustainability of ICT4D projects : a case study of mobile cinemas in rural South Africa." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52992.
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The purpose of this research was to investigate if the provision mobile technologies to micro-entrepreneurs can lead to the development of new business models that will support the sustainability of the businesses they develop.
A case study was undertaken focusing on 14 micro-entrepreneurs that were participants in the Mosaic 2B ICT for development research study. Mosaic 2B was a European research project aimed at developing and testing a framework that used cloud-based applications and low-cost internet delivery mechanisms to provide entertainment media to disadvantaged communities. The entrepreneurs were provided with technology referred to as the Cinema-in-a-backpack that they could use to download and screen movies in their communities in order to raise an income for themselves. The Cinema-in-a-backpack project was implemented in the Nkangala district in Mpumalanga province of South Africa.
Mixed methods were used to collect data from these MEs over a period of 6 months. The data was analysed to identify the business models they implemented and to determine how sustainable these models are. Positive factors and obstacles were identified and a model was created to indicate how these could influence the proposed business models in terms of their sustainability.Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
Informatics
MCom
Unrestricted
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Söllwander, Mia. "Teachers’ Use of E-readers in Kenyan Classrooms." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle (LS), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-34651.
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The essay investigates how the e-reader changes the conditions for teaching in a developmentsetting. By applying the theory designs for learning different aspects of the teaching practiceare analyzed. Suzy Peacock Memorial Secondary School in Eldoret, Kenya was used for thecollection of data. The results and the discussion show that while the teachers benefitted to agreat extent from the e-readers while planning their work they did not use them to a greatextent together with their students. Neither did the e-readers change how the teacherscommunicated knowledge nor their idea of what they wanted students to learn. In order forthe e-readers to be implemented in the teaching and for the teachers to use the e-readerstogether with their students more, it is argued that teachers would benefit to a great extentfrom teacher training.
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Magnusson, Rickard, and Christopher DiLorenzo. "Possibilities of Implementing a Swedish Mobile Health Service in Kenya using an ICT4D Approach : A Field Study." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-164928.
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DiLorenzo, Christopher, and Rickard Magnusson. "Possibilities of Implementing a Swedish Mobile Health Service in Kenya using an ICT4D Approach : A Field Study." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-164929.
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Ahsan, Mohd Rubayat Copeland Matthew. "Incorporation of rights based approach in development programming : an examination of problems and prospects of ICT4D projects /." Abstract, 2006. http://mulinet3.li.mahidol.ac.th/thesis/2549/cd389/4637833.pdf.
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Von, Lautz-Cauzanet Eilean. "Mobile supported teacher training in Sub-Saharan Africa. Which contributions and how to analyze them?" Thesis, Université Paris-Saclay (ComUE), 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018SACLN011/document.
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Cette thèse se penche sur les contributions de la formation enseignante partiellement à distance et à l’aide du mobile, comment celles-ci évoluent et quels facteurs l’influencent. Les deux premiers chapitres discutent le contexte de recherche de cette thèse. Ils montrent le lien étroit entre l'évolution des politiques éducatives, les stratégies de recrutement des enseignants et la nécessité d'une formation à la fois réaliste et qualitative des enseignants. Après un rappel de la croissance exceptionnelle du secteur des infrastructures mobiles, la revue de littérature expose les résultats de recherches récentes de l’utilisation du mobile pour la formation des maitres à distance. Le contexte de la recherche montre qu'il y a un manque de recherche sur les contributions à moyen terme de la formation assistée par mobile et que cela est étroitement lié à l'approche ‘court-termiste’ des projets pilotes. C’est pour cela que quatre études (chapitres 5 à 7) cherchent à analyser les contributions dans une perspective à la fois multidimensionnelle et longitudinale. La première étude (chapitre 5) analyse d'un point de vue exploratoire les contributions rapportées et observées de la formation IFADEM chez les anciens participants. Il révèle entre autres que les contributions de soutien sont principalement reposent sur le mobile et sont intégrées dans la sphère professionnelle et privée. Ces usages durables sont motivés par une motivation intrinsèque et perdurent grâce à une forte expérience d'appropriation collective qui a servi de « coup d'envoi» aux nouvelles pratiques. Compte tenu de la domination des usages mobiles, la deuxième étude (chapitre 6) se concentre sur les communications mobiles. Elle confirme la pérennité des communications téléphoniques malgré la fin des stimuli organisationnels ou financiers externes, et montre également comment ces communications durables par téléphone reflètent l'appropriation permanente du mobile pour le travail et le privé. Ce chapitre permet en outre d'identifier les facteurs clés qui permettent ce processus d'appropriation en premier lieu. En plus de cette identification de ce que l'on peut appeler des « facteurs de risque et de réussite» pour des contributions mobiles de formation continue des enseignants, elle révèle également l'importance de la communication continue entre pairs parmi les anciens participants. Par la suite, la troisième étude (chapitre 7) analyse les structures et les processus de ces connexions mobiles prises en charge. Comme l'ont indiqué les répondants interrogés pour la première étude, la présence d'un réseau d'enseignants collaboratif stable pourrait être confirmée. Son analyse permet de qualifier les liens entre les anciens participants, qui sont à la fois de nature instrumentale et expressive. Les motivations multiples pour faire partie de ce réseau contribuent à sa durabilité et à son autonomie plus de deux ans après la fin de la formation, durabilité qui est renforcées par la présence de leaders qui assurent la circulation de l'information interne et externe. Globalement, il fournit une perspective supplémentaire sur l'importance et les résultats d'un processus d'appropriation collective. Enfin, la quatrième étude (chapitre 8) change de perspective, abordant la question des contributions à moyen terme et des facteurs pertinents pour la durabilité à travers l'organisation des parties prenantes, à savoir ceux qui financent, organisent, conçoivent et évaluent la formation mobile des enseignants. Cette étude indique non seulement que les acteurs se perçoivent comme faisant partie d'un système soumis à une pression politique considérable et exigent que leurs activités soient fortement limitées, ce qui conduit à une perspective à court terme sur les facteurs de succèsThis dissertation analyzes the contributions of mobile supported teacher training, how these evolve and which factors take influence on this evolution. The first two chapters expose the close link between the evolution of education policies, teacher recruitment strategies and the need for a both realistic and qualitative teacher training. After a recall of the exceptional growth of mobile infrastructure sector, the use of distance and notably mobile supported teacher training is discussed. The research context shows that there is lack of research on the medium-term contributions of mobile supported teacher training and provides strong indicators that this issue is closely related to the overall short-term approach of pilot projects. Therefore, four studies (chapter 5 to 7) seek to analyze contributions through a both multidimensional and longitudinal perspective. The first study (Chapter 5), analyzes from an exploratory perspective the reported and observed contributions of the IFADEM training among former participants. It reveals amongst others that the sustaining contributions are mostly mobile phone supported and well embedded in the professional and private sphere of former individuals. These sustainable usages are driven by intrinsic motivation, and sustain because of a strong collective appropriation experience that acted as ‘kick off’ phase for new practices. Given the domination of mobile usages, the second study (chapter 6) focuses on mobile communications, one of the reported key contributions of the IFADEM training. It confirms the sustainability of phone communications despite the end of external organizational or financial stimuli, and shows also how phone these sustainable communications reflect the ongoing appropriation of mobile for work and private matters. This chapter allows further to identify those key factors that allow for this appropriation process to happen in the first place. Besides this identification of what can be called ‘risk and success factors’ for sustainable mobile teacher training contributions, it reveals also the importance of ongoing peer to peer communication among former participants. Subsequently, the third study (Chapter 7) analyzes structures and processes of these mobile supported connections. As indicated by respondents interviewed for the first study, the presence of a stable, collaborative teacher network could be confirmed. Its analysis allows qualifying the ties among former participants, which are both of instrumental and expressive nature. Multiple motivations to be part of this network contribute to its sustainability and autonomy over two years after the end of the training, strengthened by the presence of leaders who ensure internal and external information flow. Overall, it provides an additional perspective on the importance and outcomes of a collective appropriation process. Finally, the fourth study (Chapter 8) shifts perspectives, approaching the question of medium-term contributions and pertaining factors for sustainability through the lens of organizing stakeholders, i.e. those who fund, organize, design and evaluate mobile teacher training. This study indicates not only that actors perceive themselves as part of a system with considerable political pressure and demands that constraint significantly their activities, leading to a short term perspective on success factors.It reveals also that projects partners are considered simultaneously as goal and obstacle. Their descriptions indicate an often difficult and sometimes patronizing relationship, which occupy a central place in projects preoccupations’. Actors depict also pilot projects as organizational and political instrument. The collision of a normative discourse of high moral value with a technical and organization oriented discourse is one of the striking results of this study
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Marcos, Valls Alejandro. "Information and Communication Technologies for Sustainable Development in the Field : A case study of a rural community in Nicaragua." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-236177.
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The use of information and communication technologies, ICTs, is increasing the possibilities to exchange information and communicate in different contexts all over the World. The use of ICTs for development, ICT4D, in order to contribute to the improvement of living standards in developing countries is one of these possibilities. This paper presents a qualitative research based on a case study in Nicaragua, which explores the current situation when it comes to the uses of ICTs and its potential to be used to develop in a sustainable manner. The research framework is based on empowerment theories and the study of the diffusion of innovation and it shows how ICTs are being used in a rural community in Nicaragua to amplify their needs through communication, gaining visibility among other actors, increasing their opportunities and empowering themselves by increasing the awareness of power imbalances and identifying and learning about new possibilities through ICTs. This paper also studies the diffusion of ICTs in the community and deepens the understanding of the role of individuals and other interpersonal factors in the innovations-adoption process.Information and communication technologies, ICTs, are becoming more and more popular all over the World. The use of mobile phones, smartphones and the Internet is a revolution that affects our everyday lives in both professional and personal contexts. These potential for different uses has converged in the appearance of ICT4D, ICT for development, which promotes the use of new technologies to offer new social and economical opportunities for developing countries. On the other hand, the use of resources and the impact of development on the environment is also a trigger to consider sustainability in the combination together with ICT4D in countries that are aiming to grow during the upcoming years. This paper presents an overview of the uses of ICTs in a rural community in Nicaragua through a case study and explores the potential and limitations for the use of new technologies to achieve a more sustainable development. The study presents how different community members use ICTs to communicate with other individuals in a personal sphere (family and friends) but also that there are other uses related to other actors which implies the creation of networks and therefore the increasing of visibility and opportunities for the community. These uses are leading to new situations where the community is gaining power in relation with other actors. The thesis shows how ICTs are promoting and amplifying the communication among actors, which, at the same time, are bringing new information and opportunities for the community. Due to the fieldwork in Nicaragua, this thesis has been able to identify the uses of ICT4D but also the role of different individuals and how some personal characteristics are promoting the use of new technologies. Different stages for the diffusion of the innovation are explained to show that among the interviewees we can identify degrees in the knowledge and practice of the ICTs where different uses are tested before the adoption of the innovation or not. At the same time, the paper presents the main limitations identified by the actors for the use of ICTs, which should be considered in the implementation of ICT4D such as degree of education, age, economic resources, fear to change or lack of motivation among others. Finally, in relation with the use of ICTs for sustainable development, the paper presents the opportunities identified by the actors being aware that the environment is presented as an instrumental element to develop socially and economically but also that ICTs are considered as an opportunity to learn about a more sustainable resource management and as a way of obtaining new resources from entities to avoid or reduce environmental impacts.
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WIKMAN, FRIDA. "Mobile Phone Utilization in Women’s Community-Based Organizations to Promote Empowerment." Thesis, KTH, Organisation och ledning, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-190705.
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There is a growing recognition that community-based organizations (CBOs) show greater success than other development organizations in promoting empowerment. It has also been acknowledged that information and communication technology (ICT) can be a powerful tool for development. In pursuit of empowerment of women, there is an interest to further study CBOs and ICT, and how they can be combined to take further steps forward. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how mobile phones can be utilized in women's community-based organizations to promote empowerment, conducted as a case study on a women's CBO in Bangalore, India. The study shows that the main organizational characteristics that promote empowerment in CBOs are the participatory approach and the fostering of sense of community. Mobile phones constitute a valuable tool for enhancing these characteristics. However, the study also shows that the digital gender divide and ICT related risks that women face also have organizational implications that have to be considered by CBOs when utilizing ICT.
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Gxulwana, Buzwe Clifford. "Towards understanding the difficulties and concerns of deep rural communities in South Africa and the effect they have on community engagement in ICT4D." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27128.
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The contextualisation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in development attracts ample research interest in the field of ICT for Development (ICT4D). This study focuses on exploring the perspectives from which deep rural communities define development. In addition, this study seeks to understand the issues facing deep rural communities, as well as the effect that these issues have on community engagement in ICT4D initiatives. The core problem being considered is the differing views about the meaning of development as understood by the intended beneficiaries of development initiatives, compared to that which those working to develop deep rural communities hold. Furthermore, the role of ICT in development is also examined, with primary criticisms levelled against its use considered. In an attempt to understand these ideas, interpretive case study research is used and qualitative techniques applied to analyse data from the field work that was completed. The results confirm the dominance of basic human needs and economic growth ideas as the basis from which the majority of poor people define development. Moreover, the study reveals that, deep rural communities share the same sentiments as with the so-called development ‘experts’ regarding the importance of ICT in facilitating development goals.Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
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Ndayishimiye, Evode. "The effects of community participation on sustainability in an ICT4D project: A Case of Vrygrond Community Lab in South Africa." Thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28402.
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Background: This study explores an ICT for development project in previously ‘underserved’ community of Vrygrond in Cape Town South Africa. Developing countries have embraced technology as a means to improve the pace of development in their countries. Several projects have been setup that allow communities to access skills training programmes within their communities. However, there is a challenge when considering the sustainability of projects implemented to achieve their developmental goals Purpose: ICT for development initiatives are usually centrally planned without the involvement of the targeted communities. The targeted participants may be involved in the implementation phase only, and this may lead to sustainability failure. This study explores the how community participation affects sustainability of ICT for development projects in the context of South Africa. Research methodology: The methodology in this study is qualitative. Exploratory and descriptive research methods were used to analyse how community participation affects sustainability. This study used the Stakeholder Theory to explore community participation and project sustainability. Data was collected using semi structured interviews, documents, observations and applied thematic analysis. The Vrygrond Community Lab in Cape Town South Africa was used as a case study. Key Findings: Based on the analysed data, a number of key stakeholders were not involved in the project planning but were represented by the Vrygrond Community Trust. It was seen from the data that sustainability is dependent on closely working with existing community groups based within the community twenty-four seven. This research found positive relationship between participation and sustainability. Other findings indicated that there was an element of ‘tokenism’ and despite this the Vrygrond Community Lab seemed sustainable. This was attributed to the continued funding and operational support received from University of Cape Town and Pforzheim University. Finally, the study indicated that it was essential that socioeconomic and sociocultural issues are addressed quickly when they emerge. Value of the study: The study broadly contributes to the existing literature on community participation and sustainability of ICT4D initiatives in South Africa. Secondly study makes recommendations for donors and Universities looking to implement initiatives similar to the Vrygrond Community Lab in addressing socioeconomic challenges by equipping communities with computer skills that would assist them in their daily lives, either in finding work, studying, or running a business.
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Jönsson, Andersson Louise. "Albinism: When Skin Becomes A Death Sentence. : Using Advocacy In NGO Communication." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för medier och journalistik (MJ), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-44841.
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The thesis is about a small NGO that is working with the rights of persons with albinism in Tanzania. It deals with the NGOs advocacy work on a local and national level, and addresses the challenges that come with their work. I have concluded that advocacy is a powerful tool for NGOs to use as a part of their strategic communication. NGOs in the Global South and especially Africa are given less attention, thus having less opportunities of reaching out with their message. I have also concluded that for an NGO to succeed in its advocacy work it needs to carefully identify its target audiences and adapt the messages thereafter. To build a relationship with the audiences is also an important part of the process, as a strong relationship increases the chances of involvement in the organization. ICTs can be very useful for NGOs that strive to reach out to the global community.
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Marais, Mario Alphonso. "Social capital as a resource in the Village Operator model for rural broadband internet access and use." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60506.
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This study dealt with the issue of sustainability of ICT4D initiatives being a problem with few success stories (Heeks, 2002, Toyama, 2010). Many of these initiatives were planned and executed in a top-down fashion by large funders and governments, and these failures have stimulated the search for new strategies to achieve long-term sustainability.
One possible approach is to consider the different levels of systems that are involved. The reasons for failure lie inside the scope of a project, within the community itself, and outside the community in the larger socio-economic system which includes the economy. A systems approach with respect to the analysis of the sustainability (or lack thereof) of development initiatives was therefore adopted. The Choice Framework of Dorothea Kleine (2010) was used since it is a systemic approach, developed in the study of ICT4D initiatives, that embraces the complexity of engaging with development paradigms, societal structures and personal agency.
The research was done on a large South African government initiative, the Broadband-for-All (BB4All), community-based wireless mesh network project which aimed to provide a cost-effective way of enabling reliable broadband connectivity in rural areas. The project had two key aspects, the provision of a large-scale demonstrator of a wireless mesh network (WMN) as a broadband solution and the establishment of a Village Operator (VO) model to support access to and increase the use of the technology. The teachers and learners in more than 170 schools were the primary customers. Young people from local communities were trained as VOs to become local entrepreneurs (micro-enterprises) responsible for operating and supporting the BB4All service in their assigned cluster of schools and respective communities.
The research focus was the sustainability of the VOs. The Choice Framework was used to provide a context for the research regarding the role played by social resources (social capital) in contributing to the sustainability of the VO micro-enterprises. In-depth interviews were held with all but one of the 15 VOs in order to develop an understanding of their social capital and the influence thereof on them as entrepreneurs. The importance and usefulness of social capital in supporting sustainability at VO and initiative level was analysed. Three major themes emerged that were analysed in detail, namely, the role of social capital, community service and social entrepreneurship, as well as the development of networks of innovation.
At a theoretical level, the research reflected on implications of the findings for the role of social capital in the Choice Framework. At a practical level, considerations for using a social capital perspective in order to improve the conceptualisation, design, implementation and transfer of ICT4D initiatives for sustainability were developed.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
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Karlsson, Alexander, and Nellie Marand. "Todo el País, Uruguay in transformation : ICT transforming rural Uruguay." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för medier och journalistik (MJ), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-56981.
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Purpose: The purpose of our research was to study the role and impact that ‘information and communication technologies’ and the MEC centers might have on the Uruguayan society. We want to examine how MEC and ICT usage could affect daily lives of marginalized people in Uruguay. We want to explore how it might benefit individuals living in small communities by evaluating indicators of positive impact of how ICT usage could strengthen capitals and increase freedom. Furthermore, our aim is to understand how digital literacy and the access to ICT’s can be related to democracy, and try to understand if greater individual empowerment also could enhance democracy. Method: For a period of eight weeks, from March 3rd to 28th of April 2014, we were in Montevideo and vicinity to gather material that we later have analyzed qualitatively. The material is based on observations in the field, interviews with various stakeholders, manuals and national policy documents concerning MEC, as well answers we received from an online survey. Main conclusions:We have found that the MEC centers and ICT, combined with education, could be an important tool to facilitate the inclusion of marginalized groups in the Uruguayan society. Our findings indicate that the MEC centers in Uruguay could contribute to the decentralization of the country and have a positive impact on gender- and generation equality. The result suggests that the centers could have a positive impact on democracy in Uruguay by teaching participants how to use e-governmental services as well as encouraging them to participate in online governmental websites. Furthermore, we found that MEC lets the local communities be in charge of their own development, which indicate that the sustainability of the project is increased as well as the positive development outcome. Through the MEC centers we found that both the freedom and the social capital of the participants were positively affected.
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Ahmed, Samah. "Factors Influencing the Divergence and Convergence of ICTs within African Diaspora Entities in the United Kingdom." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21935.
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With the increase in International migration, migrants and diasporas contribution and engagement with their countries of origin has seen growing focus from academics, policymakers, governments and other stakeholders. This has been especially the case in the development sector where remittances form a sizeable percentage of some low-income country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Official remittances data suggest that in 2016, migrants sent an estimated US$441billion to developing countries, a figure three times the size of official development aid. Beyond remittances, there are numerous examples through which the linkage between diaspora and migrants and countries of origin contribute to poverty reduction and economic growth. With the proliferation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools, there is a growing interest in how diasporas are utilising these tools to facilitate transnational knowledge transfer, skills, and social change. This paper examines the use of ICT tools by diaspora organisations in the United Kingdom to engage in international development or/and community development in the UK and discusses the incorporation of information and communication technologies, focusing on the potential of ICTs to assist development at a micro and macro-level, and the effectiveness of these approaches in realising the potential of information communications technology for development (ICT4D). In examining the role and importance of societal factors - specifically structure, agency and social capital- the research adopts Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as the theoretical framework., building on the concepts of the duality of structure and agency. This study is situated between three themes that are emerging on their own right but rarely married in development literature- Diaspora, Transnationalism and ICT4D - the case-studies presented in this paper suggest that a range of limiting factors in both host country (i.e. funding, skills) and global South countries (local partners capacity, infrastructure, and affordability) leads to programmes and initiatives by diaspora organisations more often being limited by ICTs rather than being facilitated or driven by the technology itself.
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Mashinini, Mpostol Jeremia. "Towards the development of a grounded framework of context as tool for linking rural community development needs to ICT policy and implementation in the Dr J.S. Moroka Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46154.
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ICT policies instituted over a number of years by the South African Government have clearly failed to establish Information Communication for Development (ICT4D) initiatives amongst rural communities in South Africa. The author of this thesis argues that, for rural South African communities to reap the benefits of ICT4D initiatives, it would be necessary for the communities to empower themselves and to take ownership of initiatives to participate in the planned South African Information Society. Furthermore, the author argues that the success of the ICT4D initiatives depends very strongly on an understanding of the interaction of such initiatives with the social context at local community level. Some of the significant aspects of the social context at community level include an understanding of the roles of leadership, technology, economy, governance, social welfare, and stakeholders in these communities.
Through a grounded methodology approach a theory of context was developed for the rural community in the Dr J.S. Moroka Municipality in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The elements of the framework that emerged were Leadership, Stakeholders, Governance, Social welfare, Economics and Technology (LSGSET). The resulting framework is proposed as a tool that can be used by the community members to interact with the role players who intend to implement ICT4D projects or policies that have an impact on the community. It should also assist policymakers while they develop contextualized policies and improve project managers’ understanding of the developmental impact of the implementation of ICT4D projects on communities. One of the contributions made by this thesis is to “bridge” this divide between policymakers and communities by explicitly framing the developmental discourses of the community as a framework for ICT4D engagement by policymakers and communities at local level.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
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Jarl, Fredrik, and Lundén Emil Moberg. "Smartphones and news consumption in Kenya : How technical devices are used by students at the Technical University of Mombasa." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för medier och journalistik (MJ), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-39366.
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Our study has explored how university students at the Technical University of Mombasa, TUM, in Kenya consume news. The aim of the research has been to get a snapshot picture of what the consumption look like in a time and context when the development of Internet Communication Technology, ICT, has increased rapidly in a short period of time. Our empiric data has been collected through three different methods. First we approached the area of the Technical University of Mombasa with an ethnographic method. Then we went on with an in-depth interview with one of our key informants before handing out a survey to collect quantitative data to analyse. Through theoretical framework rooted in the theories of Digital divide and New media we interpreted our data to be able to answer our research questions. The results show that the use of the smartphone is widely spread in order to consume news among students of TUM. Money is still a big obstacle for the majority of the students in our population in how they can access news through technical devices. The gap between those who can afford and those who fight with financial issues is still large. Our study confirms that the gap in the digital divide is still big but we could read signs telling us that the gap maybe is about to shrink.
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Nuseibeh, Hasan. "An Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) Decision Framework for Building an Information Economy in Developing Countries: The Case of Palestine." Scholar Commons, 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6338.
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Building a thriving information economy is a goal for many developing countries. This research helps identify the factors (inhibitors and motivators) that can be used to leverage the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in a developing country to build a sustainable information economy that benefits other sectors of the economy. This is done by studying the current literature on this topic and then synthesizing the theoretical models to create a unified decision framework to help developing countries set their path to building a sustainable information economy.
Drawing on past literature and extant theory, a novel ICT4D decision framework is built that provides a three-dimensional view based on 1) the ICT value chain, 2) key factors (e.g. infrastructure, policies, markets), and 3) stakeholders (e.g. industry, government, academia). This decision framework is then used to study the case of Palestine, where secondary and primary data are used to compare the critical success factors for Palestine with the general framework. This synthesized framework and critical success factors superset is expected to advance the field’s understanding of how both controllable and non-controllable country characteristics contribute to or inhibit the growth and development of an ICT sector in developing countries. In addition, the framework and identified success factors help in setting a future path for development.
Results from both secondary data sources demonstrate the usability of the framework to analyze the current setting of the ICT sector, in addition, to help investigate a range of possible opportunities for action to reach a higher level of ICT success. Then, via a targeted set of interviews with academic, industrial, and governmental sources who are experts in the Palestinian ICT arena, an exploratory study was performed that focused on key critical success factors for future development of the ICT economy. Controllable factors that have the potential for sustainable action were identified.
In the case of Palestine, it appears that despite having many challenges that are out of control, there seem to be many opportunities for change specifically in government and educational policies that can help the ICT sector in specific, and the Palestinian economy in general reach its real potential. Given the current political situation in Palestine, it was found that there is a great potential in creating new software products for export. The challenges in this particular area in the case of Palestine lies in the lack of adequate business skills to research the global market and to market products and services that can be offered by the Palestinian ICT sector.
The findings should also help stakeholders see if the challenges to developing an ICT sector in Palestine are the same as those for any developing country, and where they are truly unique. The outcomes of this research have the potential to frame and inform economic development decisions that could define the future of the Palestinian state.
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Tangkuampien, Jakkaphan. "A community-based approach to new medium integration in South African education : a combination of ICT4D process approach and ethnographic action research techniques." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10671.
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Includes bibliographical references.Our initial study indicates that successful integration of new communication medium into South African schools is not only challenging from the financial point of view, but also in terms of designing tools that fit within educational goals, as well as the training and support of relevant personnel in order to use the new medium effectively. Training and support effort, however, are often seen as top-down or outside-in approach that many teachers and past integration efforts have identified as being one of the contributing factors to integration failure. By looking at past integration efforts, as well as through our own initial study and in the field, we recognise similar results and challenges in efforts to introduce information and communication technologies into developing communities. Work done by Heeks et al. (Heeks & Molla, 2009) (Walton & Heeks, 2011) identified the Process approach as a contributing factor towards successful Information and communication technologies for development projects. We developed a novel approach to medium integration in education by combining the Process approach with Ethnographical Action Research techniques as well as taking into account recommendations made by past medium integration in education. To evaluate our approach we implemented the Process approach at an Ethnographical Action Research site with the researcher as one of the teachers with the objective of integrating the mobile medium into the school.
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Jobe, William. "Do-It-Yourself Learning in Kenya : Exploring mobile technologies for merging non-formal and informal learning." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för data- och systemvetenskap, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-108428.
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The educational landscape is changing and a variety of technologies and techniques are blurring the lines between traditional and non-traditional learning. This change is substantial in low-income countries: individuals in developing countries have a great desire to educate themselves and improve their quality of life. Kenyans are adequately literate and accustomed to mobile technology despite being a largely impoverished, poorly educated populace. Kenya represents an optimal setting in which to research the use and feasibility of modern mobile and educational technologies. The broad aim of this dissertation is to explore how mobile devices can catalyze and enhance both informal and non-formal learning. In particular, this dissertation explores how technologies and concepts such as mobile web apps, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and learning incentives via a smartphone specifically affect informal and non-formal learning in Kenya. The primary research question is how can learning efforts that utilize mobile learning, MOOCs, and learning incentives combine non-formal and informal learning to develop and contribute to a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to learning in Kenya? The primary method is action research. The first contribution of this dissertation is the finding that mobile web apps are currently better suited for data exchange than producing new content. The second contribution is the finding that a smartphone can enhance informal learning in a developing country with little or no scaffolding. The third contribution is the finding that non-formal learning efforts as a MOOC are shown to be a viable means of delivering non-formal learning in a developing country via a smartphone. The fourth contribution is the finding that the use of incentives such as digital badges provide a means by which to validate non-formal learning and contribute to a DIY attitude towards learning creation, where individuals can freely complement or replace a traditional curriculum.
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Svensson, Elin. "ETIP – A tip to help develop IT systems for rural Kenyan education. : Exploring the potential of ICT for informal, non-formal and formal learning in the slums of Nairobi." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Handelshögskolan, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-63933.
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This thesis explores the existing IT conditions of a Kenyan upper secondary school, with the purpose of identifying obstacles and opportunities that need to be considered in developing an IT solution. There has been previous research on IT learning in developing countries, like Jobe’s Do-It-Yourself Learning in Kenya: Exploring mobile technologies for merging non-formal and informal learning from 2014, or Marwan’s Empowering English through Project-Based Learning with ICT from 2015. The infrastructure for IT is rapidly improving in Kenya. With projects such as the laptop project they are showing the world that they are serious about IT usage in education. This thesis overall approach adheres to the ambitions of Action-Design-Research on a single case study made on a charity funded school in the outskirts of Nairobi. In order to establish an understanding of how IT was currently used, and desires for future developments 5 teachers and 4 students were interviewed, and 4 classroom observations were conducted. Results from his study highlights the most pressing factors and a set of design principles named the ETIP-model and the 7-ETIP design principles, named after the identified areas Educational IT-usage, TPACK-competence, Infrastructure, and Personal attitude. The conclusion is that it is important to consider all aspects of the ETIP-model and the 7-ETIP design principles, to insure important aspects of creating an IT system for rural Kenyan schools are taken into account.
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Lindén, Guinez Amanda. "Facilitating communication for marginalised communities in Mexico : Designing a progressive web application with a participatory design approach." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-249695.
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There are areas in Oaxaca, Mexico, where larger telephone operators have refused to install a cellular network, leaving mainly indigenous communities without connectivity. A minor field study was carried out in the affected areas with the aim to build an application tackling some of the existing connectivity problems.I present an application enabling low-cost phone calls through open source mobile networks. The app contains calling and messaging features compatible with residents mobile devices. Dialogues with the users were completed to understand their priorities and practices. A participatory design approach was used throughout the design process to encourage user appropriation. Ideas suggested by the end- users included using symbols for users who could not read and copying features from Mexico’s most popular communication app, WhatsApp. Usability testing showed that the design was usable and additionally allowed for natural dialogue and user appropriation. Furthermore, I discuss opportunities and limitations with the application..I Oaxaca, Mexiko, finns det områden där telefonoperatörer vägrat installera mobilnät vilket resulterat i att samhällen, framförallt ursprungsbefolkade, lever utan mobiltelefoni. En studie utfördes i de drabbade områdena för att utveckla en applikation som angriper några av de existerande anslutningsproblemen. Jag presenterar en app som möjliggör billiga telefonsamtal via öppna mobilnät. Appen innehåller samtal- och meddelandefunktioner som är förenliga med lokala telefonmodeller. Dialoger med användarna genomfördes för att förstå deras prioriteringar och vanor. En Participatory Design metod användes för att främja användarnas känsla av delaktighet och ägandeskap av appen. Användarna föreslog idéer som att inkludera symboler för användare som inte kan läsa och kopiera familjära element från Mexiko mest använda kommunikationsapp, WhatsApp. Användarvänlighetstesten visade att designen var användbar. Testen gav även rum för en naturlig dialog och appropriering av appen. Vidare, diskuterar jag möjligheter samt begränsningar med applikationen.
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Rostami, Asreen. "Developing UCAF, an administrative functionality for the U-Call IVR reporting system." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för datavetenskap (DV), 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-34441.
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Mobile phones and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) applications are being progressively used in developing countries to collect voice-based reports about bad governance or poor public service delivery, reported by citizens. Such systems (e.g. Avaaj Otalo, Foroba Blon, etc.) can give an opportunity to rural users in developing countries to easily influence and participate in public affairs. Despite the ongoing efforts on using such solutions, the lack of an efficient system of administration can cause delays in broadcasting the collected reports as quickly as possible, to reach the relevant authorities. This thesis presents the results of a real-world deployment of an administrative functionality for an IVR system called U-Call, used in the Northern districts of Uganda. U-Call Administrative Functionality (UCAF) interacts with the U-Call administrators through mobile phones and gives the moderator access to the registered users. It allows administrators to easily publish and tag audio reports over the Web using their mobile phones. It also uses a semantic tagging module to increase findability and information categorization on the U-Call’s website. After an initial validation and successful evaluation of UCAF in the field, during a trip to Uganda, additional features were incorporated, such as multiple authentication process and dynamic tagging. UCAF and its additional features was succefully delivered to the end user, as part of the U-Call reporting system.People’s Voices: Developing Cross Media Services to Promote Citizens Participation in Local Governance Activities
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Mattsson, Martina, and Safi Sabuni. "The Role of mHealth in Uganda : -A Tool to reach Development." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsstudier (SS), 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-26926.
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The thesis addresses mHealth in Uganda and aims to map out how different factors affect the field and what challenges there are in using mobile phones. By using theories the thesis conclude that the organisational structures is unorganised due to lack in communication and communication. The thesis also address many factors that affect the field and to reach development in Uganda the organisations need to target the whole system of components. Coordination from governmental institutions and a will for collaboration between NGO's and government is important if a sustainable organisational structure and development should be attained. ICTs such as mobile phones can be a useful tool in reaching this goal.
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Donnelly, Melinda. "Implementing ICTs in Indonesia’s Small-Scale Fisheries: Identifying Common Implementation Challenges and the Development Paradigms that Shape Them." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23860.
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Indonesia is home to some of the world’s most productive fisheries, with Indonesia’s small-scale fishermen responsible for the majority of production. Despite their contributions to global and national food stocks they remain amongst the poorest segments of the population and are most impacted by the sector’s various economic, environmental and political challenges. International aid agencies and non-governmental organizations have sought to address these challenges through a number of development cooperation solutions over recent decades. Over this period, changing development paradigms have shaped donor’s definitions of development, their objectives and the approaches taken—including increasing use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in program designs. Now, more than four decades after ICTs’ first applications in development, this paper seeks to examine how ICTs have been used to further Indonesian small-scale fishery development, how these approaches have been shaped by development objectives and beliefs set forth by prominent paradigms, and the common challenges that have resulted. To conduct this research, extensive desk-based research was first conducted to understand the priority fisheries challenges that initiatives have sought to address, followed by research on developmental paradigms and ICTs roles within. Empirical research was conducted to develop a case study on mFish, a development program which serves as the basis for analysis of trends in development implementation. Additional interviews, surveys, and in-field observations were also conducted to contextualize the case study within the experiences of other development cooperation solutions. Findings revealed a common set of challenges encountered during ICT implementation that are can be linked to previous development paradigms and their academic criticisms. These included insufficient engagement of end-users and a lack of understanding of truly participatory design, disconnects between design and on-the-ground realities, and a lack of emphasis on technology sustainability and donor integration. As a result of understanding these challenges and the beliefs that have perpetuated them, recommendations have been developed for more user-centered development approaches that acknowledge and move beyond part limitations.
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Araujo, Ana Lucia Almeida. "O outro lado do rio: um estudo sobre a Agência Barco e seu papel na inclusão financeira mediada pela tecnologia nas comunidades ribeirinhas da Amazônia." reponame:Repositório Institucional do FGV, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10438/20511.
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Objetivo – Esse estudo busca investigar o papel da Agência Barco Chico Mendes na inclusão financeira mediada pela tecnologia nas comunidades ribeirinhas da Amazônia. Metodologia – Foi realizado um estudo de caso por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os atores locais. Para orientar o mapeamento e análise dos resultados foi utilizado um modelo teórico de inclusão financeira mediada por TICs (modelo 2iDf), a partir da investigação dos componentes presentes em iniciativas dessa natureza. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se análise léxica e análise de conteúdo. Resultados – Os resultados demonstraram que a Agência Barco exerce um papel positivo no acesso a produtos e serviços financeiros pela população ribeirinha. A pesquisa indicou, ainda, oportunidade para o desenvolvimento de parcerias com instituições locais e órgãos do governo, visando suprir as restrições locais e fortalecer a sustentabilidade política e econômica do projeto. O estímulo ao uso consciente e responsável do sistema financeiro é fragilizado, entretanto, devido ao baixo engajamento com stakeholders locais - como os empreendedores da região -, que atuam como influenciadores e promotores das mudanças de atitude e comportamento, da população ribeirinha, acerca das práticas financeiras informais locais. Finalmente, o estudo identificou a necessidade de aceleração do desenvolvimento das capacidades financeiras, ampliando o escopo do componente Educação Financeira, com o objetivo de contemplar o desenvolvimento de conscientização e crítica que resultem em mudança individual de atitudes e comportamentos relacionados ao uso de produtos e serviços financeiros. Contribuições práticas – A partir dos resultados, essa pesquisa indicou a oportunidade, para a CAIXA, de desenvolvimento de parcerias, tanto com órgãos públicos como com instituições de poder locais nas regiões de atuação da Agência Barco. A pesquisa indicou, ainda, a importância do engajamento de iniciativas de inclusão financeira nas comunidades ribeirinhas da Amazônia com empreendedores locais. Finalmente, a demanda por treinamento e capacitação financeira, pelos entrevistados, indicou a oportunidade de desenvolvimento de programas com esse fim, como componente de destaque em programas de inclusão financeira mediada por TICs em comunidades de baixa renda. Originalidade – O presente estudo resultou na proposta de continuidade e evolução do modelo 2iDf (SANTOS; JOIA, 2016) de inclusão financeira mediada por TICs em regiões de baixa renda, a partir da expansão do componente “Educação Financeira” para “Capacidade Financeira”, além da inclusão, no modelo 2iDf, do novo componente “Engajamento com Stakeholders Locais”
Purpose – This research aims to investigate the role of Agência Barco Chico Mendes in the ICT-mediated financial inclusion of the riverine communities of the Amazon. Design/ Methodology – A case study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with clients of the Agência Barco Chico Mendes, banking correspondents, CAIXA employees and local stakeholders. To guide the results mapping and analysis, a theoretical model of financial inclusion mediated by ICT (2iDf model) was used, based on the investigation of the components present in initiatives of this nature. Data was analyzed using lexical analysis and content analyses procedures. Findings – The outcome indicates that the Agência Barco has a positive role in the access to financial products and services by the riverine population. The research also indicated an opportunity for development of partnerships with local institutions and public agencies to overcome local constraints and strengthen the political and economic sustainability of the project. The promotion of a conscious and responsible use of the financial system is weakened, however, by the low engagement of the initiative with local stakeholders, such as local entrepreneurs. These agents act as influencers and promoters of attitude and behavioral changes by the riverine population, on the practices related to the use of the financial system. Finally, the study identified the need to accelerate the development of financial capabilities, expanding the scope of the Financial Education component, to develop more awareness and criticism needed to an individual change of attitudes and behaviors related to the use of financial products and services. Practical implications – Based on the results, this research indicated the opportunity for CAIXA to develop partnerships, both with public agencies and local power institutions in the regions served by Agência Barco. The research also indicated the importance of the engagement, of financial inclusion initiatives, in the riverine communities with local entrepreneurs. Finally, the demand for training and financial capabities by the interviewees indicated the opportunity to develop programs for this purpose, as a prominent component in financial inclusion programs mediated by ICTs in low-income communities. Originality/ Value - The present study resulted in the proposal of continuity and evolution of the 2iDf (SANTOS; JOIA, 2016) model of ICT-mediated financial inclusion in low income regions, from the expansion of the "Financial Education" component to "Financial Capabilities", and the addition, in the 2iDf model, of the new component "Engagement with Local Stakeholders"
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Prado, Paola. "Bridging Digital Poverty: Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies at Community Technology Centers in the Dominican Republic." Scholarly Repository, 2009. http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/oa_dissertations/289.
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Globalization and the rise of the Information Society pose many challenges to developing nations. In adherence to the Millennium Development Goal of digital inclusion, the government of the Dominican Republic established a national program of community technology centers, or telecenters, that aim to promote digital literacy among the poor. This study examined how these telecenters promote the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and tested whether perceived structural factors, individual motivation or demographics predict adoption. Results from a survey conducted in the rural villages of El Seybo, Navarrete, and Oviedo confirm that telecenter users learn how to use information and communication technologies as a resource for information about civic life, entertainment, and professional development. The study concludes that telecenters can succeed in decreasing digital poverty, provided issues of sustainability are addressed with consistent and continued government funding and support. The field of information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) is in its infancy and has yet to develop strong methodological or theoretical standards. This study of ICT adoption and telecenter use in rural areas of the Caribbean contributes empirical evidence to the literature of this emerging discipline.
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Haglund, Sofie. "My country, my development : The diffusion of information and communication technologies in Cambodian NGOs." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper, SV, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-19812.
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The purpose of this research is to study the role of information and communication technology (ICT) and information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) in Cambodian non-government organizations (NGOs). By focusing on a workshop on the ICT applications Unicode and Open Office, initiated by the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (the CCC), I intend to see how these applications were adopted, how they are used and what the future is for ICT and ICT4D in Cambodia. The research is based on qualitative, semi structured interviews with employees at CCC as well as NGO workers who were participants at the workshops. The theories that I have used are Amartya Sen’s capability approach, Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory and intercultural communication. This study shows that ICT is considered to be a very important tool for the development of Cambodia. Unicode has contributed with an easier way to type and read documents in Khmer and it is considered to promote the Khmer language. Open Office have not found its renaissance yet since people find it difficult to use although the NGOs sees its’ potential and wants to learn it. According to the NGO workers, ICT and ICT4D will play an important role for the Cambodian development in the future but because of a lack of infrastructure and proper knowledge about the new technology, it has not been used to its full capacity. In order for us to understand how ICT can reach its full potential within NGOs, there have to exist an understanding of Cambodian culture and history since the Khmer people’s values affect how the NGO workers look at development and the tools they are using.
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Lystad, Lina. "Digital Partnership : A case study on the implementation of online platforms in INGO:s." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informatik och media, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-447155.
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Dobson, John Alver. "Institutional influences on the adoption and non-adoption of information systems innovations : case evidence from the Taxco Silver Handicraft Sector." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2014. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/institutional-influences-on-the-adoption-and-nonadoption-of-information-systems-innovations-case-evidence-from-the-taxco-silver-handicraft-sector(477139ee-7985-4267-a52d-9c844dae8d22).html.
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This thesis answers the research question: What role do institutions play in the adoption and non-adoption of Information Systems (IS) innovations? In exploring this question, institutional theory is used to develop an interpretation of behaviour by Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) related to the adoption and non-adoption of IS innovation within the Taxco Silver Handicraft Sector. The research categorised the emergent data into established Mexican institutions, which allowed for the analysis of institutionalised responses to the introduction of new social structures. There is a need to understand behaviour related to adopting IS innovations through the beliefs of local agents. Interpretivist literature was used to explore how the adoption of IS innovations is influenced by the local context. This research developed a theoretical framework that combines Scott’s (2008) three-pillars of institutions (regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive); with the Seo and Creed (2002) framework for exploring the institutionalisation of IS innovations. This theoretical framework allowed for the exploration of the contestation between institutional entrepreneurs (agents advocating the adoption of new social structures) and those resilient to institutional change. This research makes a number of key contributions to the field of study. The development of a new theoretical framework is designed to assist future researchers in exploring the institutionalisation process. The methodological contribution emerges from the demonstrating the value of ethnographic case studies within handicraft sectors in developing economies. The practical contribution of this research lies in increasing our understanding of how and why new social structures are developed.
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Eklund, Ulrika, and Linnea Larsson. "Open source och öppen utveckling: En studie om vilken roll som en större öppenhet,med betoning på användning av open source, kan ha inom ramen för ICT4D-projekt." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informatik och media, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-314927.
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The purpose of the study is partly to identify and describe the conditions that arenecessary for ICT4D projects using open source software to become successful, but also toidentify what possibilities and difficulties come with a greater openness. The result of thisstudy can be used as guidance when planning and executing ICT4D projects. The study applies a qualitative method with an abductive approach. Thematerial of the study was collected by interviewing five people, who are working within thefield of ICT4D. The conditions, that are required for open source based ICT4D projects to besuccessful, mainly focus on the importance of a wide competence, local ownership,simplicity, more collaboration and a higher degree of awareness. Further the conclusion canbe drawn that the free nature of open source can imply larger possibilities to local adjustment,the spread of initiatives, and collaboration between participants. It can also lead to a reductionof government-controlled information. Open development, meaning increased participationwith the intended users, collaboration between organizations, and a larger transparency in thedevelopment process, can have a positive influence on the sustainability and scalability of aproject. The difficulties that a greater openness can imply mainly focus on the dependencythat can arise between different parties, but also the omission of the local context and thecosts that can occur when developing with open source.