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

It is therefore my hope that the methodologies explored in this thesis mayassist in creating space for future innovation and promote an environment inwhich a more holistic, nuanced and embedded approach to monitoring andevaluation is given credence. This requires increased integration withimplementation processes, greater emphasis on participant freedom (George2008, Sen 1999), and a focus on monitoring and evaluation as a tool forempowerment, as well as a tool for assessment.9.2.3 Overview of empirical contributionThis section of the conclusion focuses on three specific themes that cut acrossthe analysis, each of which refers specifically to monitoring and evaluation,but is also pertinent in thinking more broadly about education andtechnology in Africa. Few ICT for education projects in Malawi and Ethiopiahave yet been subjected to rigorous monitoring and evaluation. At one leveltherefore, a main empirical contribution of this thesis has been to provide arigorous review of such programmes in these two countries. However it hasalso contributed to three broader themes and these are outlined below.9.2.4 ICT and ideologyThe introduction of ICT in education in Africa is often driven by the privatesector need to expand its market (Hamilton and Feenberg 2005). This is asignificant recognition that is worth asserting due to the fact that it isforgotten by many of those seeking to utilise ICT for development purposes(Heeks 2008, Brewer 2005). The private sector should not be criticised forpromoting the use of technology in education as it constitutes a legitimateavenue through which to expand access to market. However, this researchhas demonstrated the problematic consequences of private sector driveninitiatives that aim to penetrate emerging markets and inculcatetechnological dependency being somehow mistaken for initiatives that areprimarily concerned with development and education.371