Evaluating ICT for Education in Africa - Royal Holloway, University of ...

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who remain sceptical. Rigorous monitoring, evaluation and impactassessment is of paramount importance in this context, enabling decisions tobe based on substantive research regarding outcomes rather thanenthusiastic anecdotes. Third, it is necessary to focus on wider educationalobjectives and agendas when considering the impact of ICT (Unwin 2009).Participants expressed frustration at the lack of knowledge regarding whatactually happened as a result of the training they were giving to others usingICT for education. Longitudinal studies are necessary in order to assess thebenefits of ICT in education for the livelihoods of whole communities ratherthan simply direct individual beneficiaries (Wagner 2009).4.5.5 Case study of NOLNetHaving outlined the recommendations from the InWEnt workshop I nowclose this section by focusing on the example of NOLNet, the Namibian OpenLearning Network Trust that is based on multi-stakeholder partnership andhas been active since 2005. NOLNet conducted a monitoring and evaluationexercise concerning their programme and the strengths, limitations andchallenges encountered are documented below (Figure 4.1). The observationsare taken from the perspective of the key stakeholders within the programecommunicated during a focus group discussion (21/02/08).Strengths of the NOLNet monitoring and evaluation: Multiple stakeholder engagement with beneficiaries, policy makers,and implementers. A combination of internal and external involvement. Clear objectives defined at the outset. Appropriate methodology of semi-structured interviews. Culturally sensitive and not overly-directive. An enjoyable process for participants as space was provided for theirfeedback. Honest regarding weaknesses and recognised areas for improvement. Participatory approach in question formation and applicability.150
Access to a wide variety of resources.Effective within a limited budget.Realistic targets within the circumstances.Limitations of the NOLNet monitoring and evaluation: Time constraints and participants busy with other commitments. Much more work was required than initially anticipated. Bad timing with people leaving due to it being the end of the academicyear. Limited number of methods and lack of triangulation. Over-emphasis on programme inputs such as number of participants. Limited consideration of impact on capacity development. Limited opportunities for feedback, with an additional workshopdesigned for feedback suggested. Lack of financial resources.Figure 4.2: Summary of NOLNet strengths and limitationsThe NOLNet exercise demonstrated the benefits of adopting process-basedmonitoring and evaluation into such programmes. It enabled participants toengage, provide feedback and evaluate what was taking place. Such anapproach facilitates a transition in culture from one of monitoring andevaluation as different expressions of solely external imposition, tomonitoring and evaluation also functioning as internally driven programmesof improvement (section 6.6). The result, as noted by participants in theNOLNet focus group, is that skills are gained by those involved throughoutthe process (21/02/08):„It is amazing what those internal staff took out of involvementin the process – it was a significant capacity building event forthem in itself ... we had our weaknesses as well – but that isthe beauty of the report… it helps us now to improve on thoseareas that we had either turned a blind eye to or were simplynot aware. But you can only get that through an evaluationonce people have had the opportunity to express themselves.‟151
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the research findings to emphasise
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3.4.5 Drawings ....................
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5.4.1 Plurality of methods ........
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8.3 Implications of aspiration ....
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List of figuresFigure 2.1: MDGs (UN
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List of appendicesAppendix A: Resul
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NOLNet Namibian Open Learning Netwo
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I began this PhD two weeks after mo
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number of ICT for education program
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innovative alternatives, and the ce
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2.2 Substance, rationale and approa
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progress towards the EFA goals has
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The critique posed to the market th
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etween these two extremes as a resu
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promoted to become „the character
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appropriate application in recognit
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can instigate both harm and good, i
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Such an undertaking is central to t
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- Availability of computer networks
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assisting towards this end. The imp
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eing rooted in specific socio-cultu
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evaluation: „An evaluation carrie
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Central within this is recognising
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2.6.2 Maturing of the disciplineEar
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that conceptualises ICT for develop
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2006). This also requires the adopt
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attempt to impose overarching solut
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currently the lowest available „p
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Garcia-Montes et al. 2006). This is
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However, despite such claims and th
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into knowledge and applied in life
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dependent upon an increased emphasi
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that ICT is having on education in
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3. Methodology3.1 IntroductionThe p
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2004) and instead focused on utilis
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evaluation of ICT and development p
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ICT for development programmes (Hee
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organisations, explanation of the p
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3.3.1 EuroTalk LtdEuroTalk (http://
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further two weeks in Ethiopia in De
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I was invited by InWEnt to particip
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planning and implementation they co
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the one on the adjacent line. This
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drawings was as a precursor to anci
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Photo 3.3: Students completing the
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prior to implementation of the prog
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provided regular opportunity for se
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Page 119 and 120: Figure 4.1: ICT for development pol
Page 121 and 122: Photo 4.1: Students exploring the I
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Page 133 and 134: Photo 4.4: Students in Ethiopia exp
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Page 137 and 138: Photo 4.6: Teacher training in Rema
Page 139 and 140: 4.3.10 Programme futureThe XO 5000
Page 141 and 142: 4.4.3 The importance of ICT for edu
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Page 159 and 160: Descriptionof methodFocus groupsLoc
Page 161 and 162: Classroomobservations24 in Malawi a
Page 163 and 164: 5.3.1 Baseline testingDiscussion at
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Page 187 and 188: 5.4 Lessons for effective operation
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emphases can serve to reinforce eac
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eferring back to previous experienc
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Tilahun reflected on the reasons be
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The limited emphasis on quantifying
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5.5 Implications for capacity devel
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improve and build capacity. Similar
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These issues allude to the bigger p
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esponses to questions regarding par
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Month Activity Challenges Strengths
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communicate alternative withappropr
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EuroTalk are keen for thefindings t
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6.2 Why partnership?The contributor
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(Unwin 2005b). The notion of tri-se
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assess the efficacy of the partners
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6.3.1 Contrasting bottom linesPartn
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to engage with the development pote
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that could be distributed specifica
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sector was the most significant cha
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My suggestion that I might speak wi
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approach is found in assessing the
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the fieldwork. The effect of the ob
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(13/04/08). Although prevented from
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„We should have worked more close
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since the language being used faile
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demonstrated in an interview with E
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discussions and various unsuccessfu
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of partnership (Marriot and Goyder
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„‟When we think of monitoring s
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the impact on ECBP from spending ti
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„It has to do with the history of
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6.7.2 Potential to redefine practic
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monitoring and evaluation can provi
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Photo 7.2: Desks and benches in cla
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quantifying educational outputs. It
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of technology within education in A
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pedagogies, and new approaches to t
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eLearning in Africa. Training was h
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Second, alongside the enthusiasm ma
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in Ethiopia meant that the monitori
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„Akili has big potential - becaus
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„The main problem we are facing i
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colonial approach‟ (09/12/08) to
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The aim of providing free and unive
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Photo 7.4: Lessons in Malawi conduc
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Photo 7.5: Girls in Rema herding go
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teachers working in primary schools
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Teachers in Rema (22/04/08) gave a
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disaster. The contrasting potential
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2006). This is demonstrated by the
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Indeed, between these two extremes
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„I use the laptop a lot at home f
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Critical thinking constitutes a sig
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misconception regarding the nature
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Bloom’s Original Taxonomy(1956)An
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associated negative consequences to
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adherence to a flawed promotion of
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„We are not interested with the t
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failing to complete primary educati
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has received some attention (Naraya
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The traditional dominant narrative
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Children reported that they felt mo
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from Golgota eagerly affirmed this,
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and 2 compared to Standard 3 and 4.
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two case studies from Ethiopia. It
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as a good way to communicate with p
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increasingly apparent that Rema was
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evaluation and sustained an overly
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symbol of something good that Malaw
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aspiration could be viewed as poten
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journalist whose article was publis
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and powerful if we have OLPC here i
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If every child in Ethiopia who is e
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population live on less than $2 per
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However, as is now explored, the ve
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the right to profit from sale of al
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8.5.2 Private sector needs creation
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merely another context within which
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Commodity fetishism through aspirat
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The absurdity of the situation was
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„As we are a part of globalizatio
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of aspiration. Engaging effectively
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(Ellul 1964) does delegitimize uncr
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motivations for partnership. The im
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educational challenges and opportun
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choice of theoretical foundation, w
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It is therefore my hope that the me
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9.2.5 Ongoing potential for transfo
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undoubtedly become more so in the f
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esearch undertaken for this thesis.
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9.5 Education: a final wordThe thes
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BibliographyAAG, 2009. Statement of
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Batchelor, S., Evangelista, S., Hea
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Development Department Education Gr
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learning: a sourcebook for evaluato
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evaluation in education. Studies in
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DFID, 2008. Private sector developm
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EFA, 2001. Dakar framework for acti
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Fadel, C. and Lemke, L. 2006. Techn
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G8, 2007. Growth and responsibility
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Greene, J., 2005. Mixed methods. In
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Harrow, J., 2001. Capacity building
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Hine, C., 2005. Virtual methods and
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Illich, I., 1969. Celebration of aw
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Oliver, G., (ed) 2005. Maitland+20:
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Lasonen, J., Kemppainen, R., and Ra
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Mansell, R., 2005. The fragility of
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Mercer, C., 2006. Telecentres and t
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Mutume. G., 2006. Harnessing the in
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Olukoshi, A., 2006. African scholar
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Paul, R. and Elder, L. 2005. The mi
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Roy, S., 2005. Globalisation, ICT a
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Shadish, W, Cook, T. and Campbell D
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Sperling, G., 2008. A global educat
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Thomas, J, 1996. Introduction: a de
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UNESCO, 2006a. Teachers and educati
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Unwin, T., 2009a. Conclusions. In U
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Walker, J, 2005. Self-determination
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Winch, C., 2005. Autonomy as an edu
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Appendices437
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439
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441
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Interviewee Company Details of Resp
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UK LtdJohn Connell Cisco Brief resp
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Appendix C: Sample of Malawi indivi
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Tell me, when you see a school like
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Appendix D: Sample of Ethiopia stud
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classes‟.For final question promp
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Children InformationInformation fro
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Appendix F: Sample of Malawi focus
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Appendix G: Sample of Ethiopia teac
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esponsibility of being apilot schoo
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laptop make to the livesof the chil
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How have you found thisdiscussion?O
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demonstrate, the eight questions an
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the technology solution and initiat
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made that rule. At the weekend I pl
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When you are writing the diary plea
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Do you think the laptops and Akili
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done?..............................
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...................................
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Appendix M: Baseline test in Malawi
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HIV?a. Yesb. No5. Are there medicin
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It is important that the test is co
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Teachers can teach students how to
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Maths1. What is the LCM of 5, 10 an
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HealthPlease explain how you can co
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- Please explain why you think thes
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495
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In wanting to do the best evaluatio
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Baselines (inc. retrospective const
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Appendix Q: Report from eLA worksho
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Incorporating more qualitative meth
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Breakout workshop 3 - DonorsProblem
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It is difficult to ensure the objec
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appease donors and secure future fu
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to demonstrate thatsomething works
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Insights regarding effective evalua
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Appendix S: Data table from Malawi
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A 10% increase in correct answers r
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with headgain overall perspective o
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