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

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It is important to engage with Goulet‟s warning and recognise the extent towhich the „technology as development‟ thesis has become entrenched withinpopular conceptions of development. Technology constitutes a primarysymbol of capitalism and modernism, and much of what is labelled asdevelopment also constitutes a sub-project of this endeavour to strengthenthe discourse of capitalist social relations (Wainright 2008). Thus there areonly narrow conceptual distinctions between technology for development,technology in development, technology as development and finally,technology as the overarching solution for the development „problem‟. Aswithin any such problematic metanarrative, it becomes easy to dismisscreative alternatives and downplay internal inconsistencies, in this case dueto an unquestioned optimism regarding the place of technology withinprogressive society combined with its symbolic power as an emblem ofindividual and communal success.The aspiration to be incorporated within the global market means thatleanings towards technological determinism may be significantly amplifiedwithin certain developing country contexts. The developed world is observedand a replica of its relationship with technology is desired. This is driven, atleast in part, by a belief that technology is the causal factor in „solving‟problems and promoting development in the developed world, and thus caninstigate mirrored change in the developing world. Instead of recognisingthat effective utilisation of technology constitutes one visible but nondetermining dimension to development it is assumed that the uncriticaladoption of technology determines and signifies belonging to the developed,modern or capitalist system (see Government of Malawi 2006). Such aperception of technology shrouds the complex array of factors that contributeto what might be considered „genuine‟ development (Sen 1999). Likewise, itperpetuates and exacerbates aspiration to technology and undermines theplace of restrained critique. The impact this has in shaping developmentpriorities and decision making is explored in Chapter 8 regarding aspiration.Having outlined this issue I now focus on how it is influenced by a worldview52
that conceptualises ICT for development as an endeavour concernedprimarily with economic growth.2.6.3 ICT as economic developmentThere is a noticeable lack of critique regarding the underlying rationale forspreading technology (see Brewer 2005). The default assumption is that thedesire for more ICT is universal, „natural‟, „good‟ and warrants noquestioning. As a result there are numerous examples of conclusionsregarding what constitutes the appropriate use of ICT being reached on thebasis of description, without any substantive attempt at critical assessment(see Addison 2006).In sub-Saharan Africa it is widely acknowledged that promoting the spread ofICTs is likely to „create capitalist tendencies‟ (Raiti 2007 p.4). However thepoint of most interest is often bypassed, concerning whether or not it isactually desirable to promote a worldwide capitalist mode of operation. Thepoint is not to suggest that withholding technology is a desirable or popularalternative but to question the assumption of development in post-colonialsocieties as following a linear progression, through embracing technology,along a predetermined course towards western modernity (see Sumner andTribe 2008). Indeed, the assumed consensus on the neo-liberal rationale forICT within development deligitimises criticism and means few discussionsengage with philosophical concerns regarding technology in development(Pal 2008). As a result, seemingly neutral technologies can be used in„packaging an economic ideology‟ (Kleine 2009 p.183).From a private sector perspective, such marginalising of critical questionswithin ICT for development is clearly desirable as it means conceptualisingless-developed regions as potential „emerging markets‟ is gradually imbibedas the norm. As Simon (2003) notes, this can define development as a projectto make „other people‟ more like „us‟, spreading and suggesting adoption ofour values and culture. Almost invariably this contains „an implicitunderlying assumption of a civilisational, technological or political-economic53
Page 4 and 5: the research findings to emphasise
Page 7 and 8: 3.4.5 Drawings ....................
Page 9 and 10: 5.4.1 Plurality of methods ........
Page 11 and 12: 8.3 Implications of aspiration ....
Page 13 and 14: List of figuresFigure 2.1: MDGs (UN
Page 15 and 16: List of appendicesAppendix A: Resul
Page 17 and 18: NOLNet Namibian Open Learning Netwo
Page 19 and 20: I began this PhD two weeks after mo
Page 21 and 22: number of ICT for education program
Page 23 and 24: innovative alternatives, and the ce
Page 25 and 26: 2.2 Substance, rationale and approa
Page 27 and 28: progress towards the EFA goals has
Page 29 and 30: The critique posed to the market th
Page 31 and 32: etween these two extremes as a resu
Page 33 and 34: promoted to become „the character
Page 35 and 36: appropriate application in recognit
Page 37 and 38: can instigate both harm and good, i
Page 39 and 40: Such an undertaking is central to t
Page 41 and 42: - Availability of computer networks
Page 43 and 44: assisting towards this end. The imp
Page 45 and 46: eing rooted in specific socio-cultu
Page 47 and 48: evaluation: „An evaluation carrie
Page 49 and 50: Central within this is recognising
Page 51: 2.6.2 Maturing of the disciplineEar
Page 55 and 56: 2006). This also requires the adopt
Page 57 and 58: attempt to impose overarching solut
Page 59 and 60: currently the lowest available „p
Page 61 and 62: Garcia-Montes et al. 2006). This is
Page 63 and 64: However, despite such claims and th
Page 65 and 66: into knowledge and applied in life
Page 67 and 68: dependent upon an increased emphasi
Page 69 and 70: that ICT is having on education in
Page 71 and 72: 3. Methodology3.1 IntroductionThe p
Page 73 and 74: 2004) and instead focused on utilis
Page 75 and 76: evaluation of ICT and development p
Page 77 and 78: ICT for development programmes (Hee
Page 79 and 80: organisations, explanation of the p
Page 81 and 82: 3.3.1 EuroTalk LtdEuroTalk (http://
Page 83 and 84: further two weeks in Ethiopia in De
Page 85 and 86: I was invited by InWEnt to particip
Page 87 and 88: planning and implementation they co
Page 89 and 90: the one on the adjacent line. This
Page 91 and 92: drawings was as a precursor to anci
Page 93 and 94: Photo 3.3: Students completing the
Page 95 and 96: prior to implementation of the prog
Page 97 and 98: provided regular opportunity for se
Page 99 and 100: for education in Africa from a list
Page 101 and 102: 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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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
Page 383 and 384:
Batchelor, S., Evangelista, S., Hea
Page 385 and 386:
Development Department Education Gr
Page 387 and 388:
learning: a sourcebook for evaluato
Page 389 and 390:
evaluation in education. Studies in
Page 391 and 392:
DFID, 2008. Private sector developm
Page 393 and 394:
EFA, 2001. Dakar framework for acti
Page 395 and 396:
Fadel, C. and Lemke, L. 2006. Techn
Page 397 and 398:
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
Page 411 and 412:
Mansell, R., 2005. The fragility of
Page 413 and 414:
Mercer, C., 2006. Telecentres and t
Page 415 and 416:
Mutume. G., 2006. Harnessing the in
Page 417 and 418:
Olukoshi, A., 2006. African scholar
Page 419 and 420:
Paul, R. and Elder, L. 2005. The mi
Page 421 and 422:
Roy, S., 2005. Globalisation, ICT a
Page 423 and 424:
Shadish, W, Cook, T. and Campbell D
Page 425 and 426:
Sperling, G., 2008. A global educat
Page 427 and 428:
Thomas, J, 1996. Introduction: a de
Page 429 and 430:
UNESCO, 2006a. Teachers and educati
Page 431 and 432:
Unwin, T., 2009a. Conclusions. In U
Page 433 and 434:
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
Page 517 and 518:
A 10% increase in correct answers r
Page 519:
with headgain overall perspective o
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