The 2010 Africa eLearning Conference is drawing closer (http://www.elearning-africa.com/). This past week i have been clicking on the link everyday, as though conducting a ritual, and each time, i've gone directly to the icon - Call for Papers. I am a believer in ICT 4 D and a follower. That means that everytime i think about development, i think about ICT. So my challenge with the Call for papers has not been understanding the concept but it has instead put a lot of questions in my mind. The biggest question has been strategy - are we using ICT strategically to eradicate poverty? IT and Communication Experts are constantly coming up with new applications, and the numerous social media tools that exist now - i cannot even keep up - when i sign into Facebook, i discover twitter, Ning, My space, You tube, Blogs etc,etc,etc and remembering passwords to all these things is taking a toll on my brain - but still i remain a firm follower of ICT and what it can do for development.
I am glad that there are many tools at our disposal, that mobile phones are a revolution in developing countries (read the Economist September-October, 2009 Issue), that some countries in the south now have Internet Kiosks (http://un-gaid.ning.com/profiles/blogs/rural-internet-kiosk) - am very glad indeed that we are continuing to invent. Back to my call for papers - as i read through the themes, it seemed to me that the eLearning Conference is hoping to hear about results. Not results about how we have deployed some technology to Africa, but how that technology has impacted people's lives; what change has it brought to someone's life? Do they now get medical attention when they should? Are students learning better? Are teachers teaching better? Is our technology eradicating poverty? I could not help wondering how many stories will be presented on that kind of tangible impact. I could also not help but question the strategies we use when introducing ICT technology to developing countries; take for instance the Rural internet kiosk, wonderful - but how many people can use a computer in that village? and who will teach them how to use the computer? - in that video, i could not help but notice only those with substantial educational background seemed to understand how the rural internet kiosk could impact their lives. Have we perhaps paid more attention to the technology and failed to see the problems. ICT is supposed to improve already existing systems, not build new ones - if i don't know how to read or write, having internet and a computer is of no use to me; unless i can use it to learn those skills - and even that, i need to be taught. I am looking forward to seeing all the true, measurable and tangible impacts that will be presented in Zambia.
Tilaa:
Lähetä kommentteja (Atom)
Hi! I was search the web to see what what people were saying about the Rural Internet Kiosk as I am the project coordinator. It is my job to ensure the implementations on the ground are successful. The RIK used int he video was a technical pilot. In other words it was in a closed area (Mukuru Promotional Center) which happened to be a school. The people who were interviewed were people who lived in the informal settlement around the kiosk and came to use it regularly. This was great implementation because it allowed us to test under specific circumstances. The RIK is now being rolled out in Kenya in communities. It is owned by community based organizations including youth groups. The owners are trained in computer skills and then improve their skills by training others. Each implementation is overseen on a voluntary basis by someone with good computer and teaching skills to build the capacity of the people utilize the kiosk as a training center and enterprise. The model has worked very well to bring the technology to the people and to have local people desire to learn. Classes are extremely low cost are available throughout the day. Classes are taught by a kiosk operator at a ratio of 2 students to 1 teacher. This allows for us to assess the knowledge of the individual person and work with their strengths, weaknesses, and desires. The impact level is much deeper in the community than the media discusses. Please see http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ for more information about the implementations.
VastaaPoista