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ICT in Developing Communities

Works Count: 31011

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Description

This cluster of papers focuses on the use of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) in rural communities, with a specific emphasis on mobile technology, digital empowerment of low-literacy users, and the role of ICT in improving access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. The research explores user interface design, ICT skills training, and the impact of mobile technology on global development efforts.

Keywords

Rural Communities; Mobile Technology; Low-Literacy Users; Digital Empowerment; Community Health Workers; User Interface Design; ICT Skills Training; Global Development; Digital Literacy; Educational Access

Open and Distance Learning in the Developing World

2005-08-11

Hilary Perraton

This revised and updated edition of Open and Distance Learning in the Developing World sets the expansion of distance education in the context of general educational change and explores its … This revised and updated edition of Open and Distance Learning in the Developing World sets the expansion of distance education in the context of general educational change and explores its use for basic and non-formal education, schooling, teacher training and higher education. Engaging with a range of topics, this comprehensive overview includes new material on: non-formal education: mass-communication approaches to education about HIV/AIDS and recent literacy work in India, South Africa, and Zambia schooling: new research projects in open schooling in Asia and subsaharan Africa, and interactive radio instruction in South Africa the impact of new technology and globalisation: learning delivered through the internet and mobile learning the political economy: international agencies, the role of private sector, and funding. With its critical appraisal of the facts and examination of data about effectiveness, this book provides answers to problems and poses key questions for the consideration of policy makers, educational practitioners and all professionals involved in implementing and delivering sustainable open and distance learning.

Why Don't Farmers Use Cell Phones to Access Market Prices? Technology Affordances and Barriers to Market Information Services Adoption in Rural Kenya

2015-05-28

Susan Wyche , Charles Steinfield

Providing smallholder farmers with agricultural information could improve economic development, by helping them to grow more crops, which they could then sell for more money. Widespread mobile phone ownership in … Providing smallholder farmers with agricultural information could improve economic development, by helping them to grow more crops, which they could then sell for more money. Widespread mobile phone ownership in Africa means that, for the first time, there is a realistic opportunity to deliver pertinent information to remote farmers throughout the continent. Efforts to harness the potential of mobile phones include the development of agricultural market information services (MIS) – applications that send farmers crop pricing information via short message service or SMS. These services promote economic development among some farmers in the developing world, but not yet in rural Kenya. To understand what factors impede the adoption of these services, we qualitatively studied Kenyan farmers' mobile phone usage patterns and their interactions with MFarm, a commercially available MIS. Using affordance theory to guide our analysis, we discovered a mismatch between the design of MIS and smallholder farmers' perceptions of their mobile phones' communication capabilities. We use these findings to motivate a design agenda that encourages software developers and development practitioners to adopt an ecological perspective when creating mobile applications for sub-Saharan Africa's rural farmers. Strategies for implementing this approach include reconsidering the design of mobile phones, and developing innovative educational interventions.

Literature Review in Informal Learning with Technology Outside School

2004-01-01

Julian Sefton‐Green

When we think about learning, we often tend to think about schools, universities, colleges. If we go a little further and think about learning outside school, we might begin to … When we think about learning, we often tend to think about schools, universities, colleges. If we go a little further and think about learning outside school, we might begin to consider museums, galleries and science centres. What we often tend to overlook, however, is the sort of learning that goes on as part of our normal day-to-day activities when we don't even think we are learning. Today, however, anyone who has an interest in how children learn with digital technologies needs to look beyond institutional contexts to consider the implications of children's use of computers, mobile phones, digital television and so on as part of their informal day-to-day lives. How are children learning when playing computer games? What are they learning when they create animations or websites on a computer at home? Why are they interested and engaged in using these technologies outside school? What can we learn from these activities that can help us in designing our approaches to formal education?

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Technology Meets Constructivism: Do They Make a Marriage?

1991-01-01

David N. Perkins

Collective intelligence: mankind's emerging world in cyberspace

1998-03-01

Pierre Lévy , Robert Bononno

From the Publisher: The number of travelers along the information superhighway is increasing at a rate of ten percent a month. How will this communications revolution affect our culture and … From the Publisher: The number of travelers along the information superhighway is increasing at a rate of ten percent a month. How will this communications revolution affect our culture and society? Though awed by their potential, we've feared computers as agents of the further alienation of modern man: they take away our jobs, minimize direct human contact, even shake our faith in the unique power of the human brain. Pierre Levy believes, however, that rather than creating a society where machines rule man, the technology of cyberspace will have a humanizing influence on us, and foster the emergence of a collective intelligence - a meeting of minds on the Internet - that will validate the contributions of the individual.

Silicon snake oil: second thoughts on the information highway

1995-12-01

Clifford Stoll

From the Publisher: Ah, the information highway. No phenomenon in modern times has received more attention, held out more promise, nor achieved more mythic stature than the information highway. This … From the Publisher: Ah, the information highway. No phenomenon in modern times has received more attention, held out more promise, nor achieved more mythic stature than the information highway. This computer utopia is said to educate, entertain, and inform. It will supply us with vast amounts of information, put us in close touch with one another and turn our fractious world into a global village. Not so, says Cliff Stoll. Stoll knows. He's the author of The Cuckoo's Egg - the bestselling book about how he caught German spies prowling through computers - and a genuine legend on the Internet. Involved with networks since their earliest days, Stoll has watched the Internet grow from an improbable research project into a communications juggernaut. He knows computers; he loves his networked community. And yet... Stoll asks: when do the networks really educate, and when are they simply diversions from learning? Is electronic mail useful, or might it be so much electronic noise? Why do online services promise so much, yet deliver so little? What makes computers so universally frustrating? Silicon Snake Oil is the first book that intelligently questions where the Internet is leading us. Stoll looks at our network as it is, not as it's promised to be. Yet this is no diatribe against technology, nor is it one more computer jock adding his voice to the already noisy chorus debating the uses of the networks. Following his personal inquiry into the nature of computers, Cliff meets a Chinese astronomer with an abacus, gets lost in a cave, and travels across the Midwest on a home-brew railroad cart. And, at the end of the journey, we're all a bit wiser about what this thing called the information highway really was, is, could, and should be. Grounded in common sense, Silicon Snake Oil is a meditation full of passion but devoid of hysteria. Anyone concerned with computers and our future will find it startling, wholly original, and ultimately wise.

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Towards a model for m-learning in Africa

2005-01-01

Tom H. Brown

The Cell Phone

2020-07-30

Heather A. Horst , Daniel Miller

Few modern innovations have spread quite so quickly as the cell phone. This technology has transformed communication throughout the world. Mobile telecommunications have had a dramatic effect in many regions, … Few modern innovations have spread quite so quickly as the cell phone. This technology has transformed communication throughout the world. Mobile telecommunications have had a dramatic effect in many regions, but perhaps nowhere more than for low-income populations in countries such as Jamaica, where in the last few years many people have moved from no phone to cell phone. This book reveals the central role of communication in helping low-income households cope with poverty. The book traces the impact of the cell phone from personal issues of loneliness and depression to the global concerns of the modern economy and the transnational family. As the technology of social networking, the cell phone has become central to establishing and maintaining relationships in areas from religion to love. The Cell Phone presents the first detailed ethnography of the impact of this new technology through the exploration of the cell phone's role in everyday lives.

Mobile phones and the evolution of social behaviour

2004-12-28

L Srivastava

Today's mobile phone is a pervasive tool. It has become such an important aspect of a user's daily life that it has moved from being a mere 'technological object' to … Today's mobile phone is a pervasive tool. It has become such an important aspect of a user's daily life that it has moved from being a mere 'technological object' to a key 'social object'. This paper explores the societal and human implications of advances in mobile technology, and notably the increasingly personalized nature of the mobile device. It argues that human and identity and social interaction have not been untouched by the mobile phenomenon.

Beyond the user

2009-11-23

Christine Satchell , Paul Dourish

For many, an interest in Human-Computer Interaction is equivalent to an interest in usability. However, using computers is only one way of relating to them, and only one topic from … For many, an interest in Human-Computer Interaction is equivalent to an interest in usability. However, using computers is only one way of relating to them, and only one topic from which we can learn about interactions between people and technology. Here, we focus on not using computers -- ways not to use them, aspects of not using them, what not using them might mean, and what we might learn by examining non-use as seriously as we examine use.

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African Fractals: Modern Computing and Indigenous Design.

1999-11-01

James V. Rauff , Ron Eglash

This is an introduction to fractal geometry, its expressions in African cultures, and an exploration of the implications of these findings for cultural theory, maths education and African development. It … This is an introduction to fractal geometry, its expressions in African cultures, and an exploration of the implications of these findings for cultural theory, maths education and African development. It examines the political and social implications of the existence of African fractal geometry.

Effectiveness of mHealth Behavior Change Communication Interventions in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2012-05-01

Tilly Gurman , Sara E. Rubin , Amira Roess

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies and telecommunication have rapidly been integrated into the health care delivery system, particularly in developing countries. Resources have been allocated to developing mHealth interventions, including those … Mobile health (mHealth) technologies and telecommunication have rapidly been integrated into the health care delivery system, particularly in developing countries. Resources have been allocated to developing mHealth interventions, including those that use mobile technology for behavior change communication (BCC). Although the majority of mobile phone users worldwide live in the developing world, most research evaluating BCC mHealth interventions has taken place in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine how much evidence currently exists for mHealth BCC interventions. In addition to analyzing available research for methodological rigor and strength of evidence, the authors assessed interventions for quality, applying a set of 9 standards recommended by mHealth experts. The authors reviewed 44 articles; 16 (36%) reported evaluation data from BCC mHealth interventions in a developing country. The majority of BCC mHealth interventions were implemented in Africa (n = 10) and Asia (n = 4). HIV/AIDS (n = 10) and family planning/pregnancy (n = 4) were the health topics most frequently addressed by interventions. Studies did not consistently demonstrate significant effects of exposure to BCC mHealth interventions on the intended audience. The majority of publications (n = 12) described interventions that used two-way communication in their message delivery design. Although most publications described interventions that conducted formative research about the intended audience (n = 10), less than half (n = 6) described targeting or tailoring the content. Although mHealth is viewed as a promising tool with the ability to foster behavior change, more evaluations of current interventions need to be conducted to establish stronger evidence.

The Case for mHealth in Developing Countries

2009-01-01

Patricia Mechael

While the health community debates whether a specialized field of "mHealth" exists and how to define it, most people will agree that individuals around the world are using mobile technologies … While the health community debates whether a specialized field of "mHealth" exists and how to define it, most people will agree that individuals around the world are using mobile technologies to access health services and information and that health professionals are formally and informally integrating mobile technologies into public health and clinical activities.As mobile phones and other mobile devices become part of everyday life, people become better equipped to respond to emergencies, consult with peers and health professionals about health issues as they arise, and access health services that are increasingly being delivered through mobile phone based systems, such as remote patient monitoring.In developing countries, people frequently acquire mobile phones just in case of emergencies, including a taxi driver I interviewed in Upper Egypt in 2002, who shared the following experience with me:There had been an accident on the highway to Samalut: … a taxi .. turned upside down.That was two years ago, and the news had spread, and on that day I was working, and I returned late.I found my wife in a hysterical condition and when I asked her what was wrong, she told me that she didn't know my whereabouts, and she heard that there was a taxi accident, and that I was late.So at that moment I felt that the mobile would be useful.(Mechael, 2006, p. 126) The term mobile health or mHealth, also written as m-health, describes the use of mobile telecommunication and multimedia technologies as they are integrated within increasingly mobile and wireless health care delivery systems (Istepanian & Lacal, 2003).It can also be described as "mobile computing, medical sensor, and communications technologies for health care" (Istepanian, 2004).While the term is familiar to those in biomedicine and informatics, it is only now being clearly defined and frameworks are being developed for the broader medical and public health communities, as well as for the general public and stakeholders in the mobile phone industry.

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Notes on the underground: an essay on technology, society, and the imagination

1990-06-01

Rosalind H. Williams

The underworld as a vision of the technological future excavations 1 - digging down to the truth excavations 2 - creating the substructure of modern life underground aesthetics - from … The underworld as a vision of the technological future excavations 1 - digging down to the truth excavations 2 - creating the substructure of modern life underground aesthetics - from sublimity to fantasy degeneration and defiance in subterranean society journeys into the social underworld the underground and the quest for security.

Can information and communications technology applications contribute to poverty reduction? Lessons from rural India

2003-04-01

Simone Cecchini , Christopher Scott

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can reduce poverty by improving poor people's access to education, health, government and financial services. ICT can also help small farmers and artisans by connecting … Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can reduce poverty by improving poor people's access to education, health, government and financial services. ICT can also help small farmers and artisans by connecting them to markets. It is clear that in rural India -as well as in much of the developing world- realization of this potential is not guaranteed. This paper outlines a simple model to explain why a digital divide may exist between rich and poor. Low-cost access to information infrastructure is a necessary prerequisite for the successful use of ICT by the poor, but it is not sufficient. The implementation of ICT projects needs to be performed by organizations and individuals who have the appropriate incentives to work with marginalized groups. Furthermore, grassroots intermediaries and the involvement of the community are identified as the key factors that foster local ownership and the availability of content and services that respond to the most pressing needs of the poor.

Narrative and social tacit knowledge

2001-06-01

Charlotte Linde

This paper discusses the role of narrative in the expression and transmission of social knowledge as a specific type of tacit knowledge. Narrative is a central mechanism by which social … This paper discusses the role of narrative in the expression and transmission of social knowledge as a specific type of tacit knowledge. Narrative is a central mechanism by which social knowledge is conveyed. Narrative provides a bridge between the tacit and the explicit, allowing tacit social knowledge to be demonstrated and learned, without the need to propositionalize it. Institutions can best maintain their stock of stories by providing occasions on which they can be told. Archival systems such as databases, lessons learned systems, and video records are less effective, particularly when they attempt to store records or transcripts of oral stories. However, they can be improved by attention to key design dimensions, including appropriate allocation of the effort required from system administrators and users, and attention to translation between genres.

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Cooperative Inquiry revisited: Reflections of the past and guidelines for the future of intergenerational co-design

2012-09-27

Mona Leigh Guha , Allison Druin , Jerry Alan Fails

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Automatic speech recognition for under-resourced languages: A survey

2013-08-07

Laurent Besacier , Etienne Barnard , Alexey Karpov +1 more

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The case for technology in developing regions

2005-05-01

Eric Brewer , Michael Demmer , Bowei Du +7 more

Alongside good governance, technology is considered among the greatest enablers for improved quality of life. However, the majority of its benefits have been concentrated in industrialized nations and therefore limited … Alongside good governance, technology is considered among the greatest enablers for improved quality of life. However, the majority of its benefits have been concentrated in industrialized nations and therefore limited to a fraction of the world's population. We believe that technology has a large role to play in developing regions, that "First World" technology to date has been a poor fit in these areas, and that there is thus a need for technology research for developing regions. Despite the relative infancy of technology studies in developing regions, anecdotal evidence suggests that access to technology has a beneficial economic impact. Cellular telephony is probably the most visible application, but there are many others, some of which we cover in this article. The World Bank's infoDev site catalogs hundreds of information and communications technologies (ICT) projects, albeit not all successful. Most of these projects use existing off-the-shelf technology designed for the industrialized world. Although it is clear that there are large differences in assumptions related to cost, power, and usage, there has been little work on how technology needs in developing regions differ from those of industrialized nations. We argue that Western market forces continue to meet the needs of developing regions accidentally at best.

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Designing mobile interfaces for novice and low-literacy users

2011-04-01

Indrani Medhi , Somani Patnaik , Emma Brunskill +3 more

While mobile phones have found broad application in bringing health, financial, and other services to the developing world, usability remains a major hurdle for novice and low-literacy populations. In this … While mobile phones have found broad application in bringing health, financial, and other services to the developing world, usability remains a major hurdle for novice and low-literacy populations. In this article, we take two steps to evaluate and improve the usability of mobile interfaces for such users. First, we offer an ethnographic study of the usability barriers facing 90 low-literacy subjects in India, Kenya, the Philippines, and South Africa. Then, via two studies involving over 70 subjects in India, we quantitatively compare the usability of different points in the mobile design space. In addition to text interfaces such as electronic forms, SMS, and USSD, we consider three text-free interfaces: a spoken dialog system, a graphical interface, and a live operator. Our results confirm that textual interfaces are unusable by first-time low-literacy users, and error prone for literate but novice users. In the context of healthcare, we find that a live operator is up to ten times more accurate than text-based interfaces, and can also be cost effective in countries such as India. In the context of mobile banking, we find that task completion is highest with a graphical interface, but those who understand the spoken dialog system can use it more quickly due to their comfort and familiarity with speech. We synthesize our findings into a set of design recommendations.

Text-Free User Interfaces for Illiterate and Semiliterate Users

2007-10-01

Indrani Medhi , Aman Sagar , Kentaro Toyama

We describe work toward the goal of a user interface designed such that even novice, illiterate users require absolutely no intervention from anyone at all to use. Our text-free user … We describe work toward the goal of a user interface designed such that even novice, illiterate users require absolutely no intervention from anyone at all to use. Our text-free user interface is based on many hours of ethnographic design conducted in collaboration with a community of illiterate domestic labourers in three Bangalore slums. An ethnographic design process was used to understand what kind of application subjects would be interested in, how they respond to computing technology, and how they react to specific UI elements. We built two applications using these principles, one for job search for domestic labourers, and another for a generic map that could be used for navigating a city. The resulting designs are based on key lessons that we gained through the design process. The paper describes the design process, the design principles which evolved out of the process, the final application design, and results from initial user testing. Our results confirm previous work that emphasizes the need for semi-abstracted graphics and voice feedback, but we additionally find that some aspects of design for illiterate users that have been previously overlooked (such as a consistent help feature). Results also show that the text-free designs are strongly preferred over standard text-based interfaces by the communities which we address, and that they are potentially able to bring even complex computer functions within the reach of users who are unable to read.

The Zimbabwe Bush Pump

2000-04-01

Marianne de Laet , Annemarie Mol

In this paper we investigate the intricacies of an admirable water pumping device - the Zimbabwe Bush Pump `B' type - so as to find out what makes it an … In this paper we investigate the intricacies of an admirable water pumping device - the Zimbabwe Bush Pump `B' type - so as to find out what makes it an `appropriate technology'. This turns out to be what we call the `fluidity' of the pump (of its boundaries, or of its working order, and of its maker). We find that in travelling to intractable places, an object that isn't too rigorously bounded, that doesn't impose itself but tries to serve, that is adaptable, flexible and responsive - in short, a fluid object - may well prove to be stronger than one which is firm. By analyzing the success and failure of this device, its agency and the way in which it shapes new configurations in the Zimbabwean socio-technical landscape, we partake in the current move in science and technology studies to transform what it means to be an actor. And by mobilizing the term love for articulating our relation to the Bush Pump, we try to contribute to shaping novel ways of `doing' normativity.

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Discourses on ICT and Development

2010-09-09

Chrisanthi Avgerou

Research on ICT and development (ICTD) involves assumptions concerning the nature of ICT innovation and the way such innovation contributes to development. In this article, I review the multidisciplinary literature … Research on ICT and development (ICTD) involves assumptions concerning the nature of ICT innovation and the way such innovation contributes to development. In this article, I review the multidisciplinary literature on ICTD and identify two perspectives regarding the nature of the ICT innovation process in developing countries–as transfer and diffusion and as socially embedded action–and two perspectives on the development transformation toward which ICT is understood to contribute–progressive transformation and disruptive transformation. I then discuss the four discourses formed by combining the perspectives on the nature of IS innovation and on the development transformation. My review suggests that ICTD research, despite its remarkable theoretical capabilities to study technology innovation in relation to socioeconomic context, remains weak in forming convincing arguments about IT-enabled socioeconomic development.

Health literacy: addressing the health and education divide

2001-09-01

Ilona Kickbusch

Health literacy as a discrete form of literacy is becoming increasingly important for social, economic and health development. The positive and multiplier effects of education and general literacy on population … Health literacy as a discrete form of literacy is becoming increasingly important for social, economic and health development. The positive and multiplier effects of education and general literacy on population health, particularly women's health, are well known and researched. However, a closer analysis of the current HIV/AIDS epidemics, especially in Africa, indicates a complex interface between general literacy and health literacy. While general literacy is an important determinant of health, it is not sufficient to address the major health challenges facing developing and developed societies. As a contribution to the health literacy forum in Health Promotion International, this paper reviews concepts and definitions of literacy and health literacy, and raises conceptual, measurement and strategic challenges. It proposes to develop a set of indicators to quantify health literacy using the experience gained in national literacy surveys around the world. A health literacy index could become an important composite measure of the outcome of health promotion and prevention activities, could document the health competence and capabilities of the population of a given country, community or group and relate it to a set of health, social and economic outcomes.

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Children's use of the Yahooligans! Web search engine: I. Cognitive, physical, and affective behaviors on fact-based search tasks

2000-01-01

Dania Bilal

This study reports on the first part of a research project that investigated children's cognitive, affective, and physical behaviors as they use the Yahooligans! search engine to find information on … This study reports on the first part of a research project that investigated children's cognitive, affective, and physical behaviors as they use the Yahooligans! search engine to find information on a specific search task. Twenty-two seventh-grade science children from a middle school located in Knoxville, Tennessee participated in the project. Their cognitive and physical behaviors were captured using Lotus ScreenCam, a Windows-based software package that captures and replays activities recorded in Web browsers, such as Netscape. Their affective states were captured via a one-on-one exit interview. A new measure called "Web Traversal Measure" was developed to measure children's "weighted" traversal effectiveness and efficiency scores, as well as their quality moves in Yahooligans! Children's prior experience in using the Internet/Web and their knowledge of the Yahooligans! interface were gathered via a questionnaire. The findings provided insights into children's behaviors and success, as their weighted traversal effectiveness and efficiency scores, as well as quality moves. Implications for user training and system design are discussed.

Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies

2008-05-09

James E. Katz

Experts analyze how mobile communication is changing daily life and local culture around the world, in both industrialized and developing countries. Mobile communication has become mainstream and even omnipresent. It … Experts analyze how mobile communication is changing daily life and local culture around the world, in both industrialized and developing countries. Mobile communication has become mainstream and even omnipresent. It is arguably the most successful and certainly the most rapidly adopted new technology in the world: more than one of every three people worldwide possesses a mobile phone. This volume offers a comprehensive view of the cultural, family, and interpersonal consequences of mobile communication across the globe. Leading scholars analyze the effect of mobile communication on all parts of life, from the relationship between literacy and the textual features of mobile phones to the use of ringtones as a form of social exchange, from the “aspirational consumption” of middle class families in India to the belief in parts of Africa and Asia that mobile phones can communicate with the dead. The contributors explore the ways mobile communication profoundly affects the tempo, structure, and process of daily life around the world. They discuss the impact of mobile communication on social networks, other communication strategies, traditional forms of social organization, and political activities. They consider how quickly miraculous technologies come to seem ordinary and even necessary—and how ordinary technology comes to seem mysterious and even miraculous. The chapters cut across social issues and geographical regions; they highlight use by the elite and the masses, utilitarian and expressive functions, and political and operational consequences. Taken together, the chapters demonstrate how mobile communication has affected the quality of life in both exotic and humdrum settings, and how it increasingly occupies center stage in people's lives around the world.

The Convergence of Literacy Instruction With Networked Technologies for Information and Communication

2000-01-03

Donald J. Leu , Charles K. Kinzer

ABSTRACTS The convergence of literacy instruction with networked technologies for information and communication This article describes the convergence of literacy instruction with the Internet and other networked technologies for information … ABSTRACTS The convergence of literacy instruction with networked technologies for information and communication This article describes the convergence of literacy instruction with the Internet and other networked technologies for information and communication. It also explores the consequences of this convergence including the fundamental changes taking place in the nature of literacy and literacy instruction. We suggest that three forces appear to be causing this convergence: global economic competition; public policy initiatives by governments around the world; and literacy as technological deixis. We show how each of these forces is driving the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) to a central position in the classroom and we describe the nature of literacy and literacy instruction that is emerging. We then explore three challenges that will determine the speed and effectiveness of the convergence that is occurring: challenges related to budget considerations, challenges related to professional development, and challenges related to using technology in ways that will make all of our lives better. We argue that the literacy community must begin to explore these new contexts for literacy and learning if we wish to prepare children for their literacy future. La convergencia entre enseñanza de la lectoescritura y tecnologías de información y comunicación en red ARTÍCULO describe la convergencia entre la enseñanza de la lectoescritura y la Internet y otras tecnologías de información y comunicación en red. También explora las consecuencias de esta convergencia, incluyendo los cambios fundamentales que tienen lugar en la naturaleza de la alfabetización y la enseñanza de la lectoescritura. Sugerimos que tres fuerzas parecen causar esta convergencia: la competencia económica global, las iniciativas de políticas públicas de los gobiernos en todo el mundo y la alfabetización como indicador tecnológico. Mostramos de qué manera cada una de estas fuerzas ubican la Internet y otras tecnologías de información y comunicación (ICT) en una posición central dentro del aula. Asimismo describimos la naturaleza de la alfabetización y la enseñanza de la lectroescritura que está surgiendo. Luego exploramos tres desafíos que determinarán la velocidad y efectividad de la convergencia: desafíos relacionados con consideraciones presupuestarias, con el desarrollo profesional y con el uso de la tecnología de una manera que mejorará la calidad de vida. Argumentamos que la comunidad educativa debe comenzar a explorar estos nuevos contextos de alfabetización si deseamos preparar a los niños para la alfabetización del futuro. Die Konvergenz vom Schreib‐ und leseunterricht mit vernetzten Technologien zur Information und Kommunikation DIESER ARTIKEL beschreibt die Konvergenz von Schreib‐ und Leseanweisungen mit dem Internet und anderen vernetzten Technologien der Informatik und Kommunikation. Er erforscht auch die Konsequenzen dieser Konvergenz einschließlich der wesentlichen Veränderungen, die im Naturbereich der Unterrichtsanweisungen zum Schreiben und Lesen stattfinden. Wir setzen voraus, daß drei Kräfte diese Konvergenz zu verursachen scheinen: globaler wirtschaftlicher Wettbewerb; öffentliche Verfahrensinitiativen durch Regierungen rundum die Welt; und Schreib‐ und Lesekenntnis als technologische Deixis. Wir zeigen auf, wie jede dieser Kräfte das Internet und andere Informations‐ und Kommunikationstechnologien (ICT) vorantreiben, bis hin zu einer zentralen Position im Klassenzimmer; und wir beschreiben die Art und Weise des Schreibens und Lesens und deren Instruktionen, wie sie hieraus hervorgehen. Wir erforschen dann drei Herausforderungen, welche darüber bestimmen werden, mit was für einer Geschwindigkeit und Effektivität diese fortlaufend stattfindenden Konvergenzen vorankommen: solche Herausforderungen stehen in enger Beziehung zu Finanzhaushaltsüberlegungen, Herausforderungen in Relation zur professionellen Entwicklung, und Herausforderungen in Relation zur Technologie, die dazu dienen, unser aller Leben zu verbessern. Wir argumentieren, daß die Wissensgesellschaft damit beginnen muß diese neuen Zusammenhänge auf den Gebieten das Erlernens und Unterrichtens des Schreibens und Lesens zu erforschen, wenn wir wünschen, daß unsere Kinder auf ihre zukünftigen Anforderungen an das Schreiben und Lesen vorbereitet sein sollen. La convergence de l'enseignement de la littératie et des Nouvelles Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication en réseau CET ARTICLE décrit la convergence de l'enseignement de la littératie avec Internet et des Nouvelles Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication en réseau. Il explore aussi les conséquences de cette convergence, y compris les changements fondamentaux qui ont lieu dans la nature de la littératie et dans l'enseignement de celle‐ci. Nous suggérons que trois forces semblent responsables de cette convergence: la compétition économique globale, les initiatives de politique publique des gouvernements partout dans le monde, et la littératie comme indicateur technologique. Nous montrons comment chacune de ces forces tire Internet et les autres Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (TIC) vers une position cen trale dans la classe et nous décrivons la nature de la littératie et de l'enseignement de la littératie qui est en train de voir le jour. Nous explorons ensuite trois défis qui détermineront la vitesse et l'efficacité de la convergence qui est en train de se produire: des défis liés à des considérations budgétaires, des défis liés au développement professionnel, et des défis liés à l'utilisation de la technologie selon des modalités permettant d'améliorer la vie de tout le monde. Nous soutenons que la communauté de la littératie devrait commencer à explorer ces nouveaux contextes de littératie et d'apprentissage si nous voulons préparer les enfants à la littératie de demain.

Australian undergraduates' use and ownership of emerging technologies: Implications and opportunities for creating engaging learning experiences for the Net Generation

2007-05-31

Beverley Oliver , Veronica Goerke

<span>Studies and commentary from the United States suggest that current undergraduates, part of the so called Net Generation, are high end users of emerging technologies such as mobile devices and … <span>Studies and commentary from the United States suggest that current undergraduates, part of the so called Net Generation, are high end users of emerging technologies such as mobile devices and new communication tools. This paper reports results from an Australian study of first year undergraduates which confirms these assertions: ownership of laptops, mobile phones and music devices appears to be growing rapidly among this group, along with their use of tools such as instant messaging, blogs and podcasts. Discussion of these results include suggestions as to how teachers of first year undergraduates can incorporate these tools and devices into extramural learning experiences in order to increase engagement and exploit the Net Generation's desire for 'connectedness'.</span>

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ICT4D 2.0: The Next Phase of Applying ICT for International Development

2008-06-01

Richard Heeks

Use of information and communication technologies for international development is moving to its next phase. This will require new technologies, new approaches to innovation, new intellectual integration, and, above all, … Use of information and communication technologies for international development is moving to its next phase. This will require new technologies, new approaches to innovation, new intellectual integration, and, above all, a new view of the world's poor. The phase change from information and communication technologies for international development (ICT4D) 1.0 to ICT4D 2.0 presents opportunities for informatics professionals and offers new markets for ICT vendors. It also brings new challenges to our established methods of working and emphasizes the need for new expertise and new world views. The paper have shown that ICT4D 2.0 focuses on reframing the poor. Where ICT4D 1.0 marginalized them, allowing a supply-driven focus, ICT4D 2.0 centralizes them, creating a demand-driven focus. Where ICT4D 1.0 - fortified by the "bottom of the pyramid" concept - characterized the poor largely as passive consumers, ICT4D 2.0 sees them as active producers and innovators.

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Factors Affecting Technology Uses in Schools: An Ecological Perspective

2003-01-01

Yong Zhao , Kenneth A. Frank

Why is technology not used more in schools? Many researchers have tried to solve this persistent puzzle. The authors of this article report on their study of technology uses in … Why is technology not used more in schools? Many researchers have tried to solve this persistent puzzle. The authors of this article report on their study of technology uses in 19 schools. They suggest an ecological metaphor, using the example of the introduction of the zebra mussel into the Great Lakes, to integrate and organize sets of factors that affect implementation of computer uses. Their findings suggest that an ecological perspective can provide a powerful analytical framework for understanding technology uses in schools. That perspective points out new directions for research and has significant policy and practical implications for implementing innovations in schools.

The relationship of action research to human-computer interaction

2011-07-01

Gillian R. Hayes

Alongside the growing interest within HCI, and arguably computing more generally, in conducting research that has substantial societal benefits, there is a need for new ways to think about and … Alongside the growing interest within HCI, and arguably computing more generally, in conducting research that has substantial societal benefits, there is a need for new ways to think about and to articulate the challenges of these engaged research projects as well as their results. Action Research (AR) is a class of methods and approaches for conducting democratic and collaborative research with community partners. AR has evolved over the last several decades and offers HCI researchers theoretical lenses, methodological approaches, and pragmatic guidance for conducting socially relevant, collaborative, and engaged research. In this article, I describe the historical context and origins of AR, the scientifically rigorous practice of conducting and evaluating AR projects, and the ways in which AR might meaningfully be applied to HCI research.

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Dialogic Education and Technology

2007-01-01

Rupert Wegerif

The promise (and pitfalls) of ICT for agriculture initiatives

2016-11-01

Jenny C. Aker , Ishita Ghosh , Jenna Burrell

Abstract The widespread growth of information and telecommunication technologies (ICTs) in rural areas of developing countries offers new opportunities to provide more timely and low‐cost information services to farmers, as … Abstract The widespread growth of information and telecommunication technologies (ICTs) in rural areas of developing countries offers new opportunities to provide more timely and low‐cost information services to farmers, as well as assist in coordinating agricultural agents. Over the past decade, the number of public and private sector initiatives in this space has increased substantially, with over 140 deployments worldwide in 2015. While there is substantial potential for such services to address farmers’ and traders’ information and credit market constraints, economic research suggests that the impacts of such services on agricultural adoption, behavior and welfare is mixed. While this can, in part, be explained by the degree of the information asymmetry and the presence of other market failures in different contexts, research from other disciplines provides additional insights into these findings. In particular, work in the domain of human–computer interaction (HCI) focuses heavily on users’ interaction and experience with a given technology, thus explaining why users may not fully engage with ICT‐based agricultural interfaces. Furthermore, sociological and anthropological approaches study the provision of information and trust and how these may be altered by ICT platforms. Drawing upon these disciplines, we suggest that future ICT for agriculture initiatives should first seek to better understand the information and complementary market failures in a given context, in order to better understand whether information is a binding constraint. Second, even if information is missing, the information services provided should be of high quality and from a trusted source, which can be a challenge with some ICT platforms. Finally, such services should be delivered via platforms that build upon local ICT access and usage, paying particular attention to the gender digital divide.

Design research from a learning design perspective

2006-11-22

Koeno Gravemeijer , Paul Cobb

In this contribution, we want to elaborate on an approach to design research that has been used and refined in a series of design research projects in which the present … In this contribution, we want to elaborate on an approach to design research that has been used and refined in a series of design research projects in which the present authors collaborated over a 10-year period. To locate our contribution in this book, we may categorize our approach as falling within the broader category of design research that aims at creating innovative learning ecologies in order to develop local instruction theories on the one hand, and to study the forms of learning that those learning ecologies are intended to support on the other hand.1 The research projects we focus on involve a research team taking responsibility for a group of students' learning for a period of time. All projects concern the domain of mathematics education (including statistics education).

International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology.

2019-01-01

Mohamed Ghasia , Haruni Machumu , Egbert DeSmet

Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice

1995-01-01

Edward Maibach , Roxanne Parrott

PART ONE: THEORY-DRIVEN APPROACHES TO HEALTH MESSAGE DESIGN Motivation to Attend to Health Messages - Roxanne Louiselle Parrott Presentation of Content and Linguistic Considerations Encouraging Risk Reduction - David R … PART ONE: THEORY-DRIVEN APPROACHES TO HEALTH MESSAGE DESIGN Motivation to Attend to Health Messages - Roxanne Louiselle Parrott Presentation of Content and Linguistic Considerations Encouraging Risk Reduction - David R Holtgrave, Barbara J Tinsley and Linda S Kay A Decision-Making Approach to Message Design Moving People to Behavior Change - Edward W Maibach and David Cotton A Staged Social Cognitive Approach to Message Design Fear Appeals in Health Promotion Campaigns - Jerold L Hale and James Price Dillard Too Much, Too Little, or Just Right? Thinking Positively - Jennifer L Monahan Using Positive Affect When Designing Health Messages Designing Messages for Behavioral Inoculation - Michael Pfau Reaching Young Audiences - Erica Weintraub Austin Developmental Considerations in Designing Health Messages Fishing for Success - Kim Witte Using the Persuasive Health Message Framework to Generate Effective Campaign Messages PART TWO: AUDIENCE-CENTERED STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH MESSAGE DESIGN Using Research to Inform Campaign Development and Message Design - Glen J Nowak and Michael J Siska Examples from the `American Responds to AIDS' Campaign Choosing Audience Segmentation Strategies and Methods for Health Communication - Michael D Slater The Gatekeeping Process - John McGrath The Right Combinations to Unlock the Gates Use of Database Marketing and Consumer-Based Health Communication in Message Design - R Craig Lefebvre et al An Example From the Office of Cancer Communication's `5 a Day for Better Health' Program PART THREE: COMBINING THEORY AND PRACTICE: ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Supplementing Health Campaign Messages - Sharon Lee Hammond Recent Developments in Informing Patients about Their Prescription Drugs Enabling Health - Roxanne Louiselle Parrott, Mary Louise Kahl and Edward W Maibach Policy and Administrative Practices at a Crossroads

The b-book: Assigning programs to meanings

1997-02-01

Tabu Search

1997-01-01

Fred Glover , Manuel Laguna

Health communication message design : theory and practice

2012-01-01

Hyunyi Cho

Theory-Based Message Design From Psychological Theory to Message Design: Lessons From the Story of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Persuasive Messages - Daniel O'Keefe The Integrated Model of Behavioral Prediction as a … Theory-Based Message Design From Psychological Theory to Message Design: Lessons From the Story of Gain-Framed and Loss-Framed Persuasive Messages - Daniel O'Keefe The Integrated Model of Behavioral Prediction as a Tool for Designing Health Messages - Marco Yzer Health Risk Message Design Using the Extended Parallel Process Model - Michael Basil, Kim Witte Using Emotional Appeals in Health Messages - Monique Mitchell Turner Designing Inoculation Messages for Health Communication Campaigns - Bobi Ivanov Using Narratives to Promote Health: A Culture-Centric Approach - Linda Larkey, Amy Hill Audience-Centered Message Design The Cultural Variance Framework for Tailoriing Health Messages - Rachel Davis, Ken Resnicow The Communication Theory of Identity as a Framework for Health Message Design - Michael Hecht, HyeJeong Choi Religiosity, Spirituality and the Design of Health Communication Messages and Interventions - Cheryl Holt Addressing Health literacy in the Design of Health Messages - Jakob D. Jensen Addressing Fatalism with Health Communication Messages - Lijiang Shen, Celeste Condit Deigning Messages for Individuals in Different Stages of Change - Seth Noar, Stephanie Van Stee Designing High Message Sensation Value Messages for the Sensation Seeking Audience - Susan Morgan

Satellite promises: An open-source investigation and footprint analysis of SGDC-1’s quest in delivering broadband to public rural schools in Brazil

2025-06-23

Iago Bojczuk | Convergence The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies

In 2017, Brazil launched the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC-1), fulfilling the state’s long-held ambition to manufacture and operate a national communication satellite. This article investigates the main … In 2017, Brazil launched the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC-1), fulfilling the state’s long-held ambition to manufacture and operate a national communication satellite. This article investigates the main frictions surrounding the establishment, articulation, and representation of this large-scale infrastructural system, particularly regarding the federal government’s alleged commitment to deploying it to deliver broadband to public rural schools. Through open-source investigation and satellite footprint analysis, the study explores the political economy and governance dilemmas surrounding the SGDC-1 as a state-led project, revealing how its operations are framed and mediated through underserved publics and bolstered by televisual tactics under a populist logic. A critical analysis of disclosed documents, news stories, footprint maps, congressional hearings, and visual media uncovers the satellite’s dual complexity: it serves both as a flagship of publicly funded connectivity and as a discursive artifact that shapes public perceptions of inclusion through paternalistic space-telecom narratives. Considering the challenges related to public-private partnerships, militarization, and potential outages, the article calls for increased civic scrutiny and suggests the need for new policy strategies to ensure the project’s viability and long-term success.

A rocky road to resiliency: An exploration of GetaKit by black CAP

2025-06-19

Jason Tigert , Lance T. McCready , Patrick O’Byrne +3 more | Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services

Beyond donations: Assessing the impact and sustainability of presidential ICT initiatives in Zimbabwean Schools

2025-06-18

Nyararai Mlambo , Clever Marambe , Vesta Dzviti | World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews

The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into Zimbabwean schools through presidential donations represents a significant step towards bridging the digital divide. While access to ICT equipment has improved, … The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into Zimbabwean schools through presidential donations represents a significant step towards bridging the digital divide. While access to ICT equipment has improved, questions remain regarding sustainability, effective usage, and long-term impact on educational outcomes. This paper systematically reviews the effects of presidential ICT interventions in Zimbabwean schools, focusing on access, equity, teacher readiness, infrastructure challenges, and educational performance. Through an extensive literature review and analysis of national reports, it is evident that while gains were made in introducing technology, sustainability and integration issues limit the overall success of the interventions. Strategic recommendations are offered to enhance future ICT initiatives.

An exploratory assessment of the effectiveness of oramedia in communicating new agricultural terminologies and techniques among farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

2025-06-18

Bolu John Folayan , Ezekiel Olusanya Komolafe , Amira Obi-Okoye +2 more | Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences

Abstract The Nigerian government, lately, has prioritized agriculture, following dwindling incomes from its main source of foreign exchange, oil and gas. But the agricultural sector still largely depends on peasant … Abstract The Nigerian government, lately, has prioritized agriculture, following dwindling incomes from its main source of foreign exchange, oil and gas. But the agricultural sector still largely depends on peasant farmers. The present article focuses on how the oramedia (traditional communication) can be used to support agricultural development in the country. Focusing on trainers at selected farm centres in Osun State, the study was guided by four research questions – extent to which current local farmers comprehend agricultural terms in their native Yoruba language; translation difficulties; prospects of oramedia application and translation adoption. The qualitative method (Focus Group Discussion and Key Informant Interviews) was used to gather data. Results reveal that the experts and representative sample of farmers consider the traditional communication model (oramedia) potentially more effective. Among other findings, it was discovered that ability of the farmers to comprehend technical agricultural terms is largely dependent on their levels of formal education.

ICT for development: Unravelling key research themes using text mining

2025-06-18

Vikram S. Bhadauria , RadhaKanta Mahapatra , Sridhar Nerur | Journal of Global Information Technology Management

Mobile Phone, “Domestic Alien” and Sociation: A Sociological Analysis of the Co-construction of Society and Technology

2025-06-17

Mohammad Golam Nabi Mozumder | The Bangladesh Development Studies

How does a technological device transcend its usual nature of importance? Why does a mere piece of technology appear to (re)define its users, which sometimes seem equivalent to "life"? This … How does a technological device transcend its usual nature of importance? Why does a mere piece of technology appear to (re)define its users, which sometimes seem equivalent to "life"? This paper examines how disadvantaged youth with little or no formal educational qualification use the phone in their everyday life in Bangladesh. Undereducated youth use the voice-to-text option (V2T) to search the internet. It made possible two extraordinary things: First, breaking the barrier between formal written worlds and the colloquial world, and second, bridging the world of known-local people residing in the physically accessible space, on the one hand, and the global-virtual world, on the other. This paper argues that among the studied disadvantaged people, the little digital machine known as a mobile phone is not merely a device that they find themselves in awe with; "the little phone" often appears to be equivalent to life, the lack of which makes mobile users immobile, hapless, and "lifeless." Known unknowns reign in the world where mobile phones connect people across time, space, nationality, and identity. In the presence of the digital little machine, the familiar world re-appears in unfamiliar ways. The inability to secure access to a mobile phone forces people to lose their vital connection. Without the phone, they suffer from triple death. Mobile is life! I argue that society is technology made invisible, which is an extension of Latour's (1990) famous observation: “Technology is society made durable.”

Influence of Social Media Platforms on Family and Household Interactions in Palakkad District

2025-06-16

Bindu T | INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT

Abstract - Social media platforms have become very popular in India. Among the social media platforms that are often utilized in the country are Face book, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and … Abstract - Social media platforms have become very popular in India. Among the social media platforms that are often utilized in the country are Face book, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Whats App. Social networking has significantly changed and impacted communication and interactions within families and households, and social media platforms have become an integral part of our everyday lives as more people use them as the primary means of connecting and interacting socially with friends, family, and spouses worldwide. The purpose of the study is to examine these social media platforms has any influence on social interactions among family and household members. The study employed a descriptive approach which involved questionnaire as research instrument. 70 samples were selected by using convenient sampling method. The study concludes that there is significant relation between social media usage and social interactions in families. Key Words: Social Network, Face book, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

Improving Culinary Informatics through Meaningful Social Web Engineering

2025-06-14

Suraya Nurain Kalid , Fahmi Mikail Fahrid , Sin-Ban Ho | Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

This paper gives a good reflection about social web engineering aspirations to ardently see the truth to enlighten culinary concentration and wisdom. With the compassionate path to discover food and … This paper gives a good reflection about social web engineering aspirations to ardently see the truth to enlighten culinary concentration and wisdom. With the compassionate path to discover food and engage customers to share content with loving kindness spread to every corner. There are so many features realized, which include direct interfaces through intuitive interfaces to lead the daily food streamlining. May one engaged with constructive creation to grow compassions in every culinary living sharing. Contentment would develop in our heart involved in different phases put forward in this paper. The initial phase begins with honesty in planning and design. Next, the right livelihood of background study brings about requirements definition. This cast out diligently the interactive user conceptualization to arouse wholesome of good and wise design diagrams. With this, the users can reach the goal of registering and establishing profiles. This practice leads to steady mindful culinary owners as well as food enthusiasts. Watching the different choices in food, this social web engineering model delves to equanimity and attention to seek the right locality of certain cuisines. In addition, the model takes the opportunities for the effort to share fine speech with ratings and photos uploaded to assist in deciding dining choices. The peaceful location, especially with good healthy promotions, would help the culinary businesses to start the presentation of menu and events from the beginning. This research moves on to unlock the healthy choice filled with exploratory hats to make every day fantastic learning adventures to ready and learn social engineering guidance. In conclusion, the mobile mechanism can help to present important pieces of advice to learn and practice useful culinary informatics.

Filipino content creators brokering migration to Australia on TikTok

2025-06-13

Earvin Charles Cabalquinto , Cheryll Ruth Soriano | Continuum

Data engineering as social infrastructure: Building platforms for equitable global development

2025-06-13

Ritesh Kumar Sinha | World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews

Data engineering has emerged as a critical discipline at the intersection of technological capability and societal need. The deployment of sophisticated cloud infrastructures through platforms like AWS enables novel approaches … Data engineering has emerged as a critical discipline at the intersection of technological capability and societal need. The deployment of sophisticated cloud infrastructures through platforms like AWS enables novel approaches to persistent global challenges including climate change monitoring and public health response systems. Simultaneously, the proliferation of open-source data tools has democratized access to analytical capabilities, reducing barriers to participation across socioeconomic divides. These developments necessitate robust ethical governance frameworks to safeguard privacy and mitigate algorithmic bias. Energy-efficient architectures and transparent data lineage mechanisms further enhance the discipline's contribution to sustainable development. The integration of these technical capabilities with conscientious design principles positions data engineering as fundamental infrastructure for an equitable digital future. This transformation extends beyond mere technological advancement to encompass broader societal progress through inclusive practices and responsible innovation.

Tabletop Tools to Make Your Stories Come to Life

2025-06-10

Nicholas LaRue | CRC Press eBooks

Smartphones, citizen science, and the fight against gender-based violence in rural Tanzania

2025-05-30

Christine Klein , Patty Kostkova , Herry Kasunga +1 more | Frontiers in Global Women s Health

In rural regions where gender-based violence (GBV) is rampant and communities are largely offline and off-the-map, technology-enabled interventions are emerging to enhance women's quality of life. These initiatives offer opportunities … In rural regions where gender-based violence (GBV) is rampant and communities are largely offline and off-the-map, technology-enabled interventions are emerging to enhance women's quality of life. These initiatives offer opportunities to empirically test the efficacy of citizen science approaches to anti-GBV efforts and contribute to broader debates on the role of smartphones in women's empowerment. Despite the rapid growth of citizen science-driven GBV projects, rigorous evaluations of their impact remain scarce. At the same time, the presumed link between information communication technology (ICT) access and empowerment-as reflected in target 5.b of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-remains contested, with empirical studies often suffering from methodological and conceptual shortcomings. We seek to fill this gap and produce insights relevant to community-based organizations (CBOs), governments, international bodies, and others tackling GBV and digital exclusion. We do this through a mixed-method approach, guided by contribution analysis (CA) as the mode of logical enquiry. We also apply a novel adaptation of Warshauer's framework of ICT access and Cattaneo and Chapman's model for empowerment to rigorously unpack the variables and the relationship between them. This work represents the first time these two conceptual models have been combined. It also serves as a rare example of a related empirical work offering high-resolution conceptual clarity. Specifically, it relies on primary survey and in-depth interview data collected from a range of project stakeholders in close collaboration with the two implementing CBOs. The findings reflect positively on citizen science methodologies, demonstrating their cost-effectiveness, role in fostering informed communities, and ability to capture locally-grounded observations that would otherwise be out of reach. The results indicate a rise in GBV response interventions due to improved case identification using the approach. However, the link between smartphone access and personal empowerment is weak. Digital competency skills development was measurable but did not surpass a basic level. Smartphones were primarily used for entertainment and socializing rather than for improving life chances. These findings challenge the assumption that digital access alone is a catalyst for empowerment. While being offline arguably begets marginalization, findings suggest the reverse is equally true: the marginalized have less chance to translate device ownership into meaningful access. Thus, we cannot rest on providing devices and training alone. Solutions must be holistic and take into account the social embeddedness of technology.

Analyzing the Impact of Digital Literacy and Security on DigiLocker Adoption in India

2025-05-28

Anand Upadhyay | Journal of Informatics Education and Research

DigiLocker, which is one of the flagship initiatives under Digital India, is aimed at providing a platform for citizens to be able to store, access and authenticate official documents in … DigiLocker, which is one of the flagship initiatives under Digital India, is aimed at providing a platform for citizens to be able to store, access and authenticate official documents in a secure, paperless way. Despite all the transformation, adoption of DigiLocker has not been significant due to constraints like low digital literacy, security concerns, and usability issues. The study, therefore, seeks to investigate the level of awareness and use of DigiLocker among Indian citizens, barriers to its adoption, and provide recommendations to improve its use. A descriptive research design, which involved administering a structured questionnaire to 101 respondents drawn from a wide range of categories including students, employees, and professional groups, has been used in the study. While a good number of citizens know about DigiLocker, the study also shows that a sizable part of the populace does not use the technology on grounds like not trusting the platform, being unfamiliar with digital tools, as well as fear regarding data breach. T-tests and ANOVA statistical analysis established that user satisfaction differs significantly among registered users of DigiLocker and unregistered ones, with the former enjoying higher satisfaction levels. Satisfaction differed with the frequency of use at which the regular users expressed better experience while occasional users were not satisfied. Furthermore, a Chi-square test indicated that security concerns do not significantly determine use of DigiLocker for official verification, implying that other influencing factors could include digital competency and user experience. The study, therefore, recommends well-targeted digital literacy campaigns, strengthened cyber-security protocols, an even better user interface, and enhanced inter-linking with government and private sector services for better uptake. All these will allow DigiLocker to realize its potential as a key enabler of e-governance in making India more digitally empowered and inclusive.

The Challenges of Social Media on Peace in Somaliland: The Case of TikTok Platform

2025-05-25

Guleid Jama | European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences

This study explores the impact of TikTok on social interactions and community dynamics in Somaliland. The platform serves as a medium for cultural expression, social activism, and community mobilization, enabling … This study explores the impact of TikTok on social interactions and community dynamics in Somaliland. The platform serves as a medium for cultural expression, social activism, and community mobilization, enabling users to share traditional narratives, music, and dances, fostering a sense of shared identity. However, TikTok also has the potential to amplify societal divisions and conflicts by disseminating unverified information and polarizing content, exacerbating existing tensions. Generational differences in political perspectives and digital literacy can create friction among TikTok users. The study emphasizes the need for strategic engagement by community leaders, activists, and policymakers to promote responsible content creation, implement educational initiatives on media literacy, and encourage intergenerational dialogue to harness TikTok's potential for positive change.

From individuals to populations to cyclic interactions: investigating secondary students’ descriptions of food web interactions

2025-05-22

Cornelia Averdunk , Jörg Zabel , Alexander Bergmann

From screens to grids: A web scrapping analysis of electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa

2025-05-22

Pius Gamette , Simplice Asongu

Ubuntu AI

2025-05-21

Ron Eglash , Audrey Bennett , Micheal Nayebare +1 more

Abstract Current AI technologies amplify exploitation by training on human-created images and text taken from the internet, without any return to its creators. Companies can then use AI to displace … Abstract Current AI technologies amplify exploitation by training on human-created images and text taken from the internet, without any return to its creators. Companies can then use AI to displace paid employees and compete with independent creators, amplifying wealth inequality. Black populations are especially vulnerable to this appropriation. This article describes how alternative AI services and platforms might reverse its potentially debilitating impact on Black artisans by combining the capabilities from two projects. Ubuntu-AI, funded by the OpenAI Foundation, is a platform that allows African artists and designers to license images for use in AI. Artisanal Futures, funded by the National Science Foundation, examines how Black artisans in Detroit can use digital fabrication and machine learning for economic empowerment. The project this article describes creates a collaboration between those two platforms, and examines the possibilities for redesigning AI and its applications to circulate value in community-based production, rather than allow its extraction by corporations or the state. Because production within a community, no matter how regenerative, is also dependent on external exchanges, we stress the importance of creating layered ecosystems of exchange which minimize value alienation, while expanding regenerative practices. We envision this expansion as a democratization of AI at multiple scales, from community-based ownership of creative production, to global principles for maintaining human rights and egalitarian futures.

Leveraging open-source software to modernise public libraries in South Africa

2025-05-21

Mahlatse Shekgola

Open-source software (OSS) has emerged as a transformative tool whose implementation has the potential to modernise many libraries around the world in the digital age. OSS is a type of … Open-source software (OSS) has emerged as a transformative tool whose implementation has the potential to modernise many libraries around the world in the digital age. OSS is a type of software which permits its users to inspect, share, modify, and enhance through its freely accessed source code. The accessibility and openness of the source code permits users to manipulate, change, and improve the way in which a piece of software, program, or application works. OSS solutions therefore provide cost-effective alternatives that enable libraries to enhance their technological infrastructure without being constrained by proprietary systems. Hence, many countries have initiated and formulated policies and legislative frameworks to support the implementation and use of OSS library solutions such as DSpace, Alfresco, and Greenstone. The purpose of the study reported on was to investigate the leveraging of OSS to modernise public libraries in South Africa. Content analysis was adopted as the research methodology for this qualitative study, which was based on a literature review integrating insights from the researchers’ experiences with the use of OSS in libraries The findings of the study reveal that the use of OSS has the potential to modernise public libraries, especially those located outside cities or urban areas. These libraries are often less well equipped with the necessary technology infrastructure to meet the demands of the digital age, such as online books and open access materials. The study culminated in an OSS framework that may be implemented to modernise public libraries. This framework may help public libraries to integrate OSS solutions and further allow users access to digital services.

A Design-Based Research Approach to Bridge Teacher Aspirations and Goal-Setting

2025-05-20

Vikram Kamath Cannanure , Tricia J. Ngoon , Sharon Wolf +3 more

ICTD research has often faced challenges transferring findings across different projects or general HCI due to its specificity to local communities. Theory-driven research, such as aspirations, can bridge work across … ICTD research has often faced challenges transferring findings across different projects or general HCI due to its specificity to local communities. Theory-driven research, such as aspirations, can bridge work across communities. However, designing technology for emerging theories like aspirations is inherently complex. This study employs a Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology to explore designing digital tools for teacher aspirations in rural Côte d’Ivoire. First, we interviewed teachers and found the important role of digital literacy in their aspirations. Then, we conducted four focus groups with 16 teachers to understand their weekly planning practices and challenges. We found that teachers rely on collaboration to help set goals and classroom activities, but this collaboration was inconsistent and often inaccessible. Based on this context, we designed a prototype in Google Forms to scaffold planning for teachers and evaluated it through four additional teacher focus groups. Completing a DBR iterative cycle, we reflect on design principles to further develop similar technological supports for teachers in low-infrastructure contexts. The study contributes by demonstrating the value of DBR in designing for teacher aspirations and highlighting the importance of digital literacy, collaboration, and goal-setting in achieving teacher aspirations.

Exploring AI in Education: Child-Computer Interaction in the Global South

2025-05-20

Riti Verma , Ingmar Weber , Vikram Kamath Cannanure

Recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements promise to enhance children’s education through well-planned interventions. However, designing AI interventions for the Global South is challenging due to limited literature on children’s interactions … Recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements promise to enhance children’s education through well-planned interventions. However, designing AI interventions for the Global South is challenging due to limited literature on children’s interactions with AI-based educational tools. This survey paper identified 18 studies from 2014 to 2025 that explicitly focus on child-computer interaction when integrating AI into education in the Global South. Our synthesized review uncovers three primary themes: enhancing learning through AI-driven tools, addressing barriers like privacy concerns and digital literacy gaps, and designing strategies for effective AI implementation. Key insights reveal AI’s potential to enrich children’s learning through personalized experiences, voice assistants, and educational games. Yet, challenges such as limited technology access, privacy risks, and cultural barriers require targeted solutions to ensure AI benefits all students. We conclude by proposing design strategies for AI integration that involve co-designing with children, enhancing digital literacy, and creating child-friendly interfaces.

Being literate in data or practices: how paradata functions in the context of literacy

2025-05-19

Isto Huvila , Michael Olsson , Olle Sköld +2 more

Introduction. Datafication of information practices underlines the importance of better understanding of data literacy and documentation. Framing data literacy as a sociocultural information practice, we draw from its conceptual affinities … Introduction. Datafication of information practices underlines the importance of better understanding of data literacy and documentation. Framing data literacy as a sociocultural information practice, we draw from its conceptual affinities with the notion paradata to advance the understanding what it takes to be(come) literate, and how paradata functions in the context of literacy. Method. Theoretical discussion draws from an interviews with (N=) 33 professionals working with archaeological data. Analysis. Interview transcripts were analysed using a method based on the constant comparative method and close reading. Results. Four facets of being literate with archaeological data were identified: information making literacy, syntactic literacy, information taking literacy and interpretative literacy. Becoming literate is influenced by the parallel (in)adequacy of individual facets. Literacies’ social being-in-making makes becoming literate hard. Finally, paradata potentially 1) contributes developing and enacting individual literacies, 2) catalysing and impeding convergence of literacies, and 3) enacting the contexts of literacies. Conclusions. Paradata, as a concept referring to practice-related meta-information, provides means to operationalise what can be known and communicated about practices as a contextual constituent of literacy. Paradata helps in becoming and staying literate. Finally, literacy can be a question of competent practice with paradata rather than mastering the data itself.

“From digital to smart”: Unlocking Bangladesh’s future through digital literacy and inclusive innovation

2025-05-19

Nazmul Hasan , Md. Golam Mostafa

Bangladesh experiences a crucial developmental transition when moving from Digital Bangladesh into Smart Bangladesh on its path toward technological progress and knowledge-based development. The foundation of a smart nation depends … Bangladesh experiences a crucial developmental transition when moving from Digital Bangladesh into Smart Bangladesh on its path toward technological progress and knowledge-based development. The foundation of a smart nation depends on digital literacy because it facilitates the transformation toward Smart Bangladesh. The study investigates how digital literacy creates Smart Bangladesh through economic progress and innovation while enabling people empowerment in the evolving digital environment. The study determines digital literacy knowledge bases for different population groups in Bangladesh while identifying digital education implementation barriers and analyzing digital education program development and implementation initiatives. The research employed both primary and secondary data collection methods in its mixed-methods approach. Training regarding digital literacy processes reached 58% of respondents and Novice knowledge streamed at 40.4% and 34% of participants learned digital skills by attending online courses. The research shows that weak digital educational standards account for 34% of the problem while area accessibility restrictions stand at 34% and 47.6% of stakeholders fail to get involved actively and the government performs poorly at 58% along with 32% of participants expressing dissatisfaction with the digital learning system. According to the research it is critical to establish strategic policies along with coordinated initiatives and sturdy infrastructure that will make digital literacy a thrust for maintaining sustainable development and achieving inclusive growth. The discourse efforts to transform Bangladesh into a digital age resilient and smart nation are advanced through Investment in digital infrastructure (32%), Access to digital devices and internet connectivity (36%), and Funding and resources allocation (42%).

Monitoring and SMS Notification Systems for Mid-Day Meal Program

2025-05-18

Harshal Kishor Mali

Abstract: Areal-timemessagenotification system is proposed to enhance communication and coordination within the MidDayMeal Program. This system utilizes technologyto deliver timelynotifications andupdates tokeystakeholders, including beneficiaries, schools, suppliers, and program administrators. Additionally, … Abstract: Areal-timemessagenotification system is proposed to enhance communication and coordination within the MidDayMeal Program. This system utilizes technologyto deliver timelynotifications andupdates tokeystakeholders, including beneficiaries, schools, suppliers, and program administrators. Additionally, it features a malnutrition assessment module, allowing real-time monitoring of students' nutritional health. Byensuringswiftdissemination ofcriticalinformationsuchas menu modifications, delivery schedules, and malnutrition analysis,thesystemaimstooptimizeoperationalefficiencyand streamline program execution. This communication tool enhancestransparency,accountability,andengagementamong stakeholders, ultimately supporting the program’s goal of providing nutritious meals to school children. Furthermore, it assistsgovernmentauthoritiesin analysingmalnutritiontrends forinformeddecision-making.Theobjectiveofthispaperisto develop an efficient monitoring system that strengthens the effectiveness of the Mid-Day Meal Program while ensuring accountability and transparency at every level.

Analysing the Digital Divide in Zimbabwe: Exploring the Obstacles and Consequences for Access to Quality Education in Open and Distance e-Learning at Zimbabwe Open University

2025-05-17

EduInfoGoa: A Mobile-Based Solution for Accessing Institutional Information in Goa

2025-05-16

Rosann Godinho , Sagar Naik , Neha Joshi +2 more

Factors That Influence the Uptake of an M-Pesa Security System among Mpesa Agents In Nairobi County

2025-05-16

Irene Sitawa Sichangi

This study investigates factors influencing the adoption of an enhanced M-PESA security system among agents in Nairobi County, amidst growing concerns about vulnerabilities in mobile payment systems. With mobile commerce … This study investigates factors influencing the adoption of an enhanced M-PESA security system among agents in Nairobi County, amidst growing concerns about vulnerabilities in mobile payment systems. With mobile commerce thriving globally, particularly in developing regions, the integration of robust security measures becomes paramount. The focus on M-PESA, a dominant player in the mobile money market, suggests the urgency of fortifying transactional security to prevent fraud and unauthorized access, challenges accentuated by the reliance on basic authentication methods like PINs. Utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework, this research examines the impact of perceived vulnerability, response cost, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards on security system uptake. The methodology involved a predictive correlational study design, gathering data from 375 M-PESA agents in Nairobi via structured questionnaires, ensuring a representative sample through a clustered sampling approach. Regression analysis was employed to quantify the influence of each factor. Results indicate that perceptions of vulnerability and personal confidence (self-efficacy) in handling security measures significantly predict the willingness to adopt enhanced security solutions. Interestingly, intrinsic rewards influenced adoption positively, reflecting a motivation rooted in personal satisfaction and responsibility, while extrinsic rewards and perceived response efficacy showed no significant impact. These findings suggest that enhancing M-PESA agents' self-efficacy and addressing their perceived vulnerabilities could be more effective than offering external incentives.

Communicating climate change on TikTok

2025-05-15

Brigitte Huber

The Impact of Health Technology Use on Digital Literacy Among Communities: An Empirical Study in Tanzania

2025-05-15

Magolanga Shagembe , Rand Sayed Issa , Mariyam Azlifa

Purpose of the study: This This study investigates the relationship between health technology use and digital literacy skills in the general community, particularly in the context of Tanzania, where the … Purpose of the study: This This study investigates the relationship between health technology use and digital literacy skills in the general community, particularly in the context of Tanzania, where the adoption of digital health tools is gaining momentum. The rapid integration of information technology (IT) in health services—such as telemedicine, e-health records, and mobile health applications—has made digital literacy an essential skill for individuals to access and utilize these technologies effectively. Methodology: Through a mixed-methods approach, this study gathered data from 220 respondents from Tanzania, exploring their digital literacy levels and attitudes toward health technology. Main Findings: The results revealed that 58.6% of respondents had a positive view of health technology, with 62.3% demonstrating strong digital literacy skills. A regression analysis identified a significant positive relationship between health technology use and digital literacy, explaining 65.1% of the variance in digital literacy skills (R² = 0.651). Qualitative interviews provided deeper insights, highlighting barriers faced by older adults and individuals with lower educational backgrounds, particularly in accessing and utilizing digital health services. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the intersection of health technology adoption and digital literacy by emphasizing the socio-demographic disparities in access. It calls for targeted digital literacy training as an integral part of public health programs, ensuring that all demographic groups, particularly vulnerable populations, can fully benefit from digital health innovations. The study also proposes policy interventions to bridge the digital divide and improve equity in healthcare access

Assessing the Implication of Information Technologies’ Accessibility for Children with Disabilities in Zanzibar, Tanzania: Need and Challenges

2025-05-14

Herry Zacharia Matinda

Aims: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hindering factors on the ability of children with disabilities to access digital services in Zanzibar. Background: The adoption of digital … Aims: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hindering factors on the ability of children with disabilities to access digital services in Zanzibar. Background: The adoption of digital technologies and services by the government, private sector and citizens has been identified as a fundamental element of economic development that contributes to economic growth and facilitates job opportunities. The advancements in science and technology and the increase of digital platforms have impacts on the daily lives of children with disabilities and their families. Study Design: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted in Zanzibar from April 2024 to October 2024. Methodology: Random sampling and purposive sampling were used to select 72 respondents in the study area with an age range from 18 to 50 years. In this paper, primary and secondary data were employed. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitative information was analyzed by using SPSS and Microsoft Excel and Content Analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Results: The results from this study show that 38% of the respondents agreed that lack of assistive devices is one of the hindering factors in the study area, 31% strongly agreed on the financial factors, 37% strongly agreed on the environmental factors, and 37% of the respondents strongly agreed on the lack of knowledge on digital technologies and 37% agreed on the poor assistance from parents or guardians as one of the hindering factors on the ability of children with disabilities in accessing digital services in the study area. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is a presence of hindering factors in the study area. So, there is a need to address those factors in order to ensure the ability of children with disabilities to access digital services in the study area.

VidyaSetu: Smart Solutions for Rural Education

2025-05-14

K H Vedakumara

The persistent challenges in delivering quality education across rural and underdeveloped regions in India have widened the digital divide and hampered learning outcomes. To bridge this gap, we propose Vidyasetu, … The persistent challenges in delivering quality education across rural and underdeveloped regions in India have widened the digital divide and hampered learning outcomes. To bridge this gap, we propose Vidyasetu, a modern, adaptive, and centralized educational platform designed to enhance digital learning by offering role-specific dashboards, real-time collaboration, and personalized study tools. Built with React.js, Vite, and TypeScript on the frontend, the system empowers students through AI-assisted tutoring, a Pomodoro-based study timer, goal-setting utilities, assignment tracking, and community-driven Q&A forums. Teachers are provided with tools for class scheduling, resource sharing, and progress analytics. Although the current phase focuses on frontend implementation using state management via React hooks, the architecture is prepared for scalable backend integration using Node.js, Express.js, and MongoDB. Initial prototype testing has demonstrated increased user engagement, ease of navigation, and strong mobile responsiveness. Vidyasetu is not just an LMS—it is a modular, scalable, and inclusive framework poised to redefine digital education across diverse socio-economic environments. Key Words: Learning Management System, EdTech Innovation, Personalized Learning, Study Timer, React.js, Node.js, MongoDB, Scalable Architecture, Digital Education Platform, Community Learning

Academia–industry partnerships in edtech: bridging the gaps in engaged research

2025-05-14

Natalia Kucirkova

Despite extensive adoption and substantial investment in educational technology (edtech) tools, their full potential to enhance learning remains largely untapped. Addressing this gap requires improving research infrastructure, fostering collaborative environments, … Despite extensive adoption and substantial investment in educational technology (edtech) tools, their full potential to enhance learning remains largely untapped. Addressing this gap requires improving research infrastructure, fostering collaborative environments, and promoting domain-specific educational research through innovative methods. This article reflects on lessons learned from academia–industry partnerships in edtech, focusing on engagements aimed at driving impactful outcomes and strengthening evidential support for children’s edtech. In the absence of government-funded infrastructure for sustaining these partnerships, we established an international, virtual Centre for edtech Impact to connect researchers, industry and practitioners. Drawing on examples from the Centre’s work, I highlight the challenges and opportunities in edtech academia–industry collaborations and outline pathways for future partnerships to develop more effective technologies for children’s learning.