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

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information is of benefit in education for cultivating relevant knowledge forthose who need it (Schilderman 2002).Considerable enthusiasm exists regarding the process of change in societywhereby information and communication have become its key ingredients(Castells 2000), lifeblood for all interactions (Marker et al. 2002), and toolsfor creating identity (Buckley 2000) and co-dependency (Garcia-Montes etal. 2006). However, finding an appropriate definition of benefit andrelevance in regard to information and communication „needs‟ for educationis notoriously esoteric. The needs of poor and marginalised people are diverseand complex and may differ significantly from the perceptions ofinternational policy makers (Unwin 2009). Indeed, „when developmentagencies and 'pro-poor' activists presume, in their middle class arrogance,that the impoverished just need information about survival or sustenance,the latter's communication rights are shattered‟ (Gunawardene 2005 p.1).This suggests that an increase in access to information does play animportant role in empowerment through education. However West (2006)provides direct contestation, claiming that perpetual increase in access toinformation actually amounts to pseudo-empowerment, deflecting fromother more urgent and important educational priorities. Postman (1992p.119) concurs, arguing that „information as empowerment‟ amounts toempty rhetoric, indicative of seduction by technological advancement. Heconcludes starkly: „where people are dying of starvation, it does not occurbecause of inadequate information‟.These contrasting positions indicate the complexity of the issue but althoughopposing they share a common weakness in tending towards viewinginformation and access to it as abstracted from its application. Moreappropriate is viewing information as inherently joined to its application anddependent upon language, communication and understanding (Floridi2002). This holistic approach understands that information in itself can beacquired without the recipient necessarily grasping the proposition whichembodies it (Dummett 1993). The value of information is held in thepotential it has to be utilised through the process of education, being formed64
into knowledge and applied in life decisions (Unwin 2009). Such a mindsetenables one to avoid the pitfalls identified above. Despite enthusiasm for newinformation and the increased access enabled through technology, it isimportant to refrain from drawing premature and determinist linkagesbetween increased information and increased education. Instead, the keyfactor remains engaging critically to ensure that the manner ofimplementation is one that promotes knowledge and the educational benefitsof the shift whilst minimising the impact of harmful consequences.2.8 Conceptual frameworkIn the final section of the theoretical context I now draw each of the themestogether to provide a broad framework within which this thesis examines themonitoring and evaluation of ICT in education initiatives in Africa. Followingthree introductory observations, I focus on the specifics of ICT for educationand the way in which it is assessed, monitored and evaluated. Finally Iidentify the key analytical themes to be developed throughout this thesis.2.8.1 ObservationsThree additional observations draw together and build upon the themesoutlined through the theoretical context. First, many individuals andinstitutions engaged in development and education work consider ICT to beinapplicable and external to their remit. Those who consider it to havesignificant potential are often people operating outside conventionaldevelopment sectors. As a result there has often been limited integration andinteraction between sceptics and protagonists. In addition, theunconventional positioning of the arena means that a chasm can existbetween naïve enthusiasts and detached critics regarding the role of ICT ineducation in Africa. There are few individuals with the skills or inclination tobridge the divide leading to a lack of intellectual engagement and refinementof ideas (Harvey 2000). However, such interaction is vital if the educationbenefits of ICT are to be more fully realised. Despite the split there is now a65
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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 ....
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
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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
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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
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Page 45 and 46: eing rooted in specific socio-cultu
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Page 49 and 50: Central within this is recognising
Page 51 and 52: 2.6.2 Maturing of the disciplineEar
Page 53 and 54: that conceptualises ICT for develop
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Page 61 and 62: Garcia-Montes et al. 2006). This is
Page 63: However, despite such claims and th
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Page 71 and 72: 3. Methodology3.1 IntroductionThe p
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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
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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
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Page 101 and 102: conversations with respondents, as
Page 103 and 104: partially based on the flawed notio
Page 105 and 106: in the research then all those unab
Page 107 and 108: motivational and aspirational techn
Page 109 and 110: In the light of the complex challen
Page 111 and 112: It cannot be guaranteed that resear
Page 113 and 114: 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
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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
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
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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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