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

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difficult for the teacher. Life skills is difficult because culturallywe feel we are doing the wrong thing to tell them in detail –but we know that as teachers we must and it is good for ourculture – but it is uncomfortable.‟Children in Standard 3 from Mbinzi (15/11/07) and Dzenza (16/11/07) gavespecific examples of how guided discovery learning with technology hadimproved their understanding regarding a variety of significant life-skillstopics such as malaria, HIV and conservation:„It showed me how to use mosquito nets ... We didn‟t have netsso after the malaria lesson I went home and told my parentsand they bought nets for everyone.‟„I enjoyed the lesson on HIV, I learnt how to protect myselffrom AIDS. I have learnt that AIDS is dangerous and does nothave a cure.‟„We need to plant trees in order to avoid soil erosion. Listeningto the lesson was the first time I have learnt this. It isimportant to know these things ... Now I have planted twotrees at my home.‟Likewise, teachers and children in Ethiopia highlighted the importance ofgames within educational technology. The teachers were keen to highlightthat although the games on the laptops were distracting when used out ofcontext, they should not be removed entirely. As a teacher from Grade 3 inMenelik (11/12/08) explained:„You cannot take off all the games - if it was only subjectmatter there then they will very easily feel bored. The gamesand record function are very important – they have to play.But we have to train them how to use it and how to relate it totheir studies.‟The students were also enthusiastic regarding the discovery-based tools onthe laptop. A Grade 3 student from Atse Noad (17/12/08) reported:300
„I use the laptop a lot at home for reading books, paint fordrawing and eToys – and TamTam as well. With eToys I playthe piano and play games and watch the animation ... Itimproves my knowledge on lots of things.‟The point of significance here is that a critique of constructivism within ICTfor education does not equate to a complete rejection of every aspect of theapproach. The appropriate usage of educational games as one discoverybasedelement within a balanced learning environment can contribute tostudent enthusiasm and potentially also to improved learning outcomes. Boththe advance of technology and the insights of constructivism provideopportunities to improve the way in which education is undertaken in Africa.The challenge is therefore to reject the uncritical, deterministic adoption oftechnology and constructivism in education whilst still engaging with thepotential benefits they may bring as part of a complex, multi-faceted solution.7.7 The contribution of critical thinkingThe previous discussion demonstrated the nuanced nature of the educationalsituation in Africa and provided a critique of the economically driven andideologically flawed adoption of constructivism. Having briefly explored analternative option through the example of guided discovery, I develop thisthrough a consideration of the underlying liberal rationale for education andfocus specifically on the potential contribution of critical pedagogy andcritical thinking more broadly.A guided discovery alternative to constructivism can be developed byengaging with critical pedagogy, an aspect of educational theory that is oftenconsiderably removed from mainstream ICT for education debates. Aspectsof critical pedagogy do overlap with constructivist ideology but the twoshould not be mistaken for being synonymous (McLaren 2000). Critical orFreirian pedagogy is distinct, and useful in this context, because it reinserts adimension of social critique into debates surrounding appropriate studentcentred learning (Freire 1970). This may remind educationalists of the301
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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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for education in Africa from a list
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conversations with respondents, as
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partially based on the flawed notio
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in the research then all those unab
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motivational and aspirational techn
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In the light of the complex challen
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It cannot be guaranteed that resear
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Embrace the heterogeneity of commun
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The majority of the research encoun
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which each received 20 devices for
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Figure 4.1: ICT for development pol
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Photo 4.1: Students exploring the I
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and engaged with children, teachers
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the programme with all of them havi
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widespread lack of textbooks and in
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esources but also that it serves to
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in order to reflect the involvement
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Photo 4.4: Students in Ethiopia exp
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on the donation of solar panels fro
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Photo 4.6: Teacher training in Rema
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4.3.10 Programme futureThe XO 5000
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4.4.3 The importance of ICT for edu
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theme focussed on the lack of budge
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esponses, three dominant themes eme
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The experience of interacting with
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„In the institutions we have work
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Access to a wide variety of resourc
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assessment that emphasised the tran
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have been mitigated had the project
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and the need for sustained probing.
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Descriptionof methodFocus groupsLoc
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Classroomobservations24 in Malawi a
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5.3.1 Baseline testingDiscussion at
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indicated that although apparently
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The lack of evidence from the basel
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Choose the correct answer and write
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eflection upon the format suitabili
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you can follow that. It gives you g
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Following the final iteration of gr
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the method within its appropriate c
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more innovative approach to catalys
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to identify significant themes that
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„Everything that the teachers wro
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(Shurmer-Smith 2002, Herbert 2000).
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5.4 Lessons for effective operation
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and be provided with research assis
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problematic problem but it is the o
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elieving that methods that are base
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teachers maintaining many external
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weekend then they will be there and
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coffee and dancing together in a ro
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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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Page 265 and 266: Photo 7.2: Desks and benches in cla
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Page 275 and 276: Second, alongside the enthusiasm ma
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Page 287 and 288: Photo 7.4: Lessons in Malawi conduc
Page 289 and 290: Photo 7.5: Girls in Rema herding go
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Page 293 and 294: Teachers in Rema (22/04/08) gave a
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Page 319 and 320: The traditional dominant narrative
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Page 343 and 344: If every child in Ethiopia who is e
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Page 347 and 348: However, as is now explored, the ve
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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
Page 391 and 392:
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
Page 399 and 400:
Greene, J., 2005. Mixed methods. In
Page 401 and 402:
Harrow, J., 2001. Capacity building
Page 403 and 404:
Hine, C., 2005. Virtual methods and
Page 405 and 406:
Illich, I., 1969. Celebration of aw
Page 407 and 408:
Oliver, G., (ed) 2005. Maitland+20:
Page 409 and 410:
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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