ICT4D perspectives from India Divya Joseph Msc. in Learning & Technology, University of Oxford @DjDivyajoseph
Agenda
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
My Experience
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Project 1 - Building Leadership Skills in Head Teachers of Government Schools • Developing the Head Teacher as a “Coach” • Process followed • Developing a coaching framework • Developing curriculum based on the coaching framework • Implementing curriculum through workshops
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Project 2 -Connecting classroom practices and quality learning in Government Schools • Improving classroom practices • Process followed • Video observations of teachers • Analysing videos based on a framework to connect classroom practices and processes to quality academic and socioemotional learning
Observations
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
“ This is not what we want” • Both the projects were developed separately from the context in which they were to be implemented • Project 1
• Head- teachers did not understand why they were to be developed as “coaches” • Head-teachers did not understand the framework or its components
• Project 2 • Teachers did not understand why they were being observed • Teachers were not comfortable with other teachers observing their classes.
My Experience
Observations
Technology ! • Project 1 • Tablets provided to Head teachers • School data , coaching curriculum provided on tablets
• Project 2 • Cameras used to observe teachers
Learnings
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Nobody really understood what the technology was for .. • Project 1 • Head teachers didn’t know how to use tablets properly • Head teachers didn’t know how to use the content • Head teachers began to use the tablets for personal use
• Project 2 • Teachers found the presence of the video cameras intrusive
Learnings
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
The Government of India has big plans.. • 87033 government and government aided secondary and higher secondary schools have been approved for coverage under ICT in Schools Scheme. • Teacher related interventions, such as provision for engagement of an exclusive teacher, capacity enhancement of all teachers in ICT and a scheme for national ICT award as a means of motivation. • Development of E-content.
Retrieved from : http://mhrd.gov.in/ict_overview
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Imagining the scale of the problem Number of Institution by Type 2014-2015
Number of Teachers by Type of Institution 2014-2015
School Type Education Primary *
School Type Education Primary *
Number 847118
Number 2670396
Upper Primary
425094
Upper Primary
2559769
Secondary
135335
Secondary
1346888
Senior Secondary
109318
Senior Secondary
1984711
Total
1516865
Total
1319295
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
“ This is not what we want� Nobody really understood what the technology was for ..
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Digital Divide • “The digital divide is not only a matter of material access but also to a large extent a matter of skill, mental access, such as interest or attitudes, and usage access such as lacking time or opportunity to use ICT “ (Van Dijk & Hacker, 2003)
• “For the divide between those who can avail themselves of ICTs for rapid and efficient communication and those who suffer from lack of timely and reliable information has at its root the same dynamic as any other gap between rich and poor, have and havenot, exploiter and exploited” (Rahman, 2003)
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
My current study Exploring participatory approaches to technology intervention in education • Field site – Organisation in Delhi that works with young women from marginalized communities • Teaches young women how to use technology • Basic computers • Computer software • Photography and film-making • Follows a Feminist Participatory Approach to • Build a community of skilled young women • Empower the young women by building their feminist leadership skills
My Experience
Observations
Learnings
Points worth pondering.. • How can participatory approaches to technology interventions be scaled? • Specially the scale of the government school system in India
• How can they be made time efficient? • Are they sustainable?
Thank you ! 1015.divyajoseph@gmail.com @DjDivyajoseph