ICT for Development Education: ICT-based solutions and distance learning

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ICT for DevelopmentEducation ICT-based
solutions and distance learning

• ICT4D Lecture 7
• Tim Unwin

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Lecture outline

• Educational context
• EFA and UPE
• Technologies and education
• Case studies
• Enlaces
• China
• Imfundo
• Use of radio in education
• Linking to lecture by
• Michelle Selinger (Cisco)

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Context

• Global agenda for education
• But links between education and development are
  largely based on macro-level statistical
  correlations between development and
  educational indicators
• Need for process research
• Are curricula relevant for development?
• Great regional diversity
• Contrasts between China, India, Africa, Latin
  America
• Educational systems, curricula, political
  priorities

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Global Agendas (EFA)

• Much research indicating the links between
  education and development
• Dakar 2000 World Education Forum
• http//www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef_2000/index
  .shtml
• Framework for Action
• Education for All (EFA) by 2015
• Annual global monitoring report
• Generally interpreted as free universal primary
  education
• Dominating donor agendas for education

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Global Agendas (UPE)

• Educational dimensions of the MDGs
• Subtle differences with EFA agendas
• MDG 2. Achieve universal primary education
• Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full
  course of primary schooling
• MDG 3. Promote gender equality and empower women
• Eliminate gender disparity in primary and
  secondary education preferably by 2005, and at
  all levels by 2015
• MDG 8. Global partnership for development
• In cooperation with the private sector, make
  available the benefits of new technologiesespecia
  lly information and communications technologies

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Perceived strengths of new technologies in
education

• Reaching the masses
• But not necessarily a cheap solution
• Overcoming distance and accessibility
• Enabling lifelong learning
• Especially with dearth of teachers
• Issues surrounding HIV/AIDS
• Changing the system of learning
• Towards constructivist models
• Teacher as facilitator
• Standardised curriculum materials
• Limiting fraud in assessment process

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Traditional use of technology in education

• The traditional classroom
• Books
• Posters and displays
• Blackboards
• Alternative educational media
• Theatre and dance
• Radio and TV
• Newspapers
• Technology in education is not new

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New ICTs in education

• Drivers
• Benevolent good will
• Fuelled by civil society organisations
• Computers in schools initiatives
• Private sector interests
• Catching them young
• Expanding the market
• Resistance from many traditional educationalists
• Costs and benefits
• If this money was spent on traditional
  educational methods might not the results be
  better?

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New ICTs in education the potential

• The value of computers and use of CD-ROMs
• Speed at which calculations are done
• Storage of vast amounts of information
• Both educational content and management systems
• Multimedia
• Learning also by sound and image
• Showing activities that cannot be done in class
• Networking and the Internet
• Group and peer learning activities
• Distance based opportunities
• Sharing expertise

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New ICTs in education problems in practice

• Bringing together an understanding of education
  and the potential of technologies
• Education for ICT, not ICT for education
• Driven largely by private sector interests
• Lack of infrastructure provision
• Sustainability
• Costs of implementation and maintenance
• Importance of community involvement
• Potential of FOSS
• Teacher training often ignored
• Both pre- and in-service

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The Enlaces Programme in Chile

• A total integrated ICT based education programme
  http//www.redenlaces.cl/
• But it took ten years to develop
• Began in 1992 effective integration in 2000-2006
  phase
• Effective ICT4D solutions for education are
  neither quick nor simple
• Key achievements (Laval)
• Nationwide infrastructure
• Basic teacher competence in ICT
• Social and political recognition of value of
  project
• National infrastructure for the future

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Teacher training in rural China

• Links with external donors
• UNDP-DFID in the five Western Provinces
  http//www.undp.org.cn/modules.php?opmodloadname
  Newsfilearticlesid235modethreadorder0tho
  ld0
• EU-China Gansu Basic Education Sector
• http//www.eugs.net/en/indexstyle1.asp?NewsTypeId
  1
• Infrastructures
• Extensive rural electrification
• Satellite delivery of learning resources
• Local teacher training Colleges
• Practices
• Use of TV in classrooms
• Discussions of value of digital materials
• Monitoring

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African SchoolNets and NEPAD

• Schoolnets
• Examples from Uganda http//www.schoolnetuganda.sc
  .ug/homepage.php and Namibia
• Importance of thin client and FOSS solutions
• The role of SchoolNet Africa http//www.schoolneta
  frica.net/index.php
• Advocating role
• High profile attempted projects
• Networking
• NEPAD (The New Partnership for Africas
  Development) http//www.nepad.org
• E-Schools initiative

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Imfundo a donor-led initiative

• 2000 UK Prime Ministerial initiative
• Dot com bubble and the private sector
• Interests in Africa
• Innovative within DFID
• Partnerships
• Use of ICT
• Achievements
• 40 partners - a new partnership model
• Support in eight African countries
• Working for the most marginalised street
  children and those with disabilities
• http//imfundo.digitalbrain.com

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Examples of radio in education

• BBC World Service Radio Teacher in Somalia
  (http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3003676.s
  tm)
• Zambia interactive radio http//www.dot-com-allian
  ce.org/newsletter/article.php?article_id57
• Freeplay Foundation http//www.freeplayfoundation.
  org/
• Advantages of radio
• Broadcast
• Can be used with local facilitators
• Can be supported by traditional feedback
  mechanisms

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Conclusions

• ICTs can make a substantial difference
• Disseminating content and new ways of learning
• But ICT needs to be carefully integrated
• Must bring together the technology with the
  education
• ICT for education, not education for ICT
• Need to combine use of ICT with more traditional
  methods of education (Pye, 2003)
• So that the most marginalised can benefit
• Key role of teachers and their training
• Infrastructures need to be put in place so that
  all can benefit

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Opportunity for questions and discussion