Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in ... - ADEA

Technological Infrastructure and Use of ICT in Education in Africa: an overview
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yet unproductive and were
often unsatisfactorily monitored.
• There tended to be poor
synchronisation between
the face-to-face teaching
and the radio component
and the content of the radio
programmes.
Despite these issues, the
radio component of this
initiative is influencing the
lifestyles of learners in various
ways:
• Improved understanding
was gained on topics such
as legal issues, bushfires,
breastfeeding and teenage
pregnancy.
• The family planning topic
opened the way for more
discussion and acceptance
of this practice in some
households.
• Radio created a large
amount of awareness about
the importance of literacy
and provided information
on other important issues
such as health, agriculture,
and the need to modify customs
and traditions.
• Women found the programmes
of particular
importance
Source: Siabi-Mensah
(2000)
In the Ghanaian example quoted above, the radio series was intended
to lead classes to form discussion groups about the selected themes,
but in practice they supported the classes chiefly by focusing on
developing functional themes, presenting news and information about
the classes, and providing a means for learners to demonstrate and
practise their skills. Although it is perhaps true that the predominance
of one medium, in this case radio, weakens the effectiveness of the
educational programmes, radio not only enhanced the implementation
impact of programmes, but also has greater potential for improving the
overall effectiveness of programmes. Despite issues of poor reception in
certain countries, wider-reaching and wider-ranging radio programmes
obviously can successfully support literacy programmes and other basic
educational initiatives (Siaciwena, 2000).
However, effective use of radio for such initiatives clearly depends on
carefully planned systematization of radio programmes and forum
discussions or literacy lessons in terms of timing, content, and structure
of programmes. In addition, formal links and effective collaboration
between the provider/coordinator of the non-formal programme and
the broadcasting organization must be established. The roles and
responsibilities of each party must be clearly defined and mutually
agreed. A final imperative for successful management and delivery of
12. ICT and Adult/Basic Education