misconceptions and mistakes: what if our approach to technology in libraries, telecenters, and...
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Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA)@ the University of Washington Information [email protected]
Connecting People for DevelopmentFindings of the Global Impact Study
The solution to development!
Invest, invest, invest!
HISTORY OF PUBLIC ACCESS TO ICTS
High expectations!
peregrinari
Mark Surman
Mark Surman
CSC India
PUBLIC ACCESS ICT RESEARCH
Top ICT4D research focus in the 2000s, but…
Inconclusive evidence
Anecdotal impact evidence
Scattered, isolated studies
No studies on indirect impacts or impacts on non-users
Claims “disadvantaged” populations not being reached
Conflicting claims about public access ICT models
ARE PUBLIC ACCESS ICT VENUES…
failures?
make_change
frivolous?
mikekogh
needed? digital.democracy irrelevant? DFID
this is a blank slide for photos or graphics
Lithuania
Ghana
Botswana
South Africa
Bangladesh
Philippines
Chile
Brazil
THE GLOBAL IMPACT STUDY
libraries telecenters cybercafés
DIFFERENT MODELS OF PUBLIC ACCESS
RESEARCH DESIGN
IN-DEPTH STUDIES
1. Infomediation – Bangladesh, Chile, Lithuania
2. Shared use – Ghana
3. Gaming and non-instrumental uses – Brazil
4. Mobile internet – South Africa
5. Interpersonal communication – Philippines
6. Benefit-cost – Chile
7. Livelihoods – Botswana
SURVEY SAMPLE
9
Venue breakdown by country
Libraries Cybercafés Telecenters Other Total
Bangladesh 4 99 148 0 251
Brazil 6 192 39 5 242
Chile 71 109 22 41 243
Ghana 4 220 14 12 250
Philippines 18 229 13 1 261
Total 103 849 236 59 1,247
User Survey:Non-User Survey:- 5,010 total (~1,000 in each country) - 2,000 total (~400 in each country)
Venue Survey: - 1,247 total (~250 in each country)
USER SNAPSHOTMajority of users are:
Young (68% under 25 years old) Male (65%) Educated (82% high school +) Students (44%) Employed (39%) Proficient in English (74%) Below poverty level (51%)
Majority of users: Have +3 years computer & internet experience
(60%) Have medium or high computer skills (80%) Have medium or high Internet skills (69%) Own ICTs:
• Computers (56%)• Internet access (28%)• TV (95%)• Radio (83%)• Mobile phone (96%)
Jewish Agency
Corycam
10
DIGITAL INCLUSION
Dorian V.
THE CRITICAL FIRST TOUCH
Bangladesh Brazil Chile Ghana Philippines0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
First use of computer at public access venueFirst use of Internet at public access venue
% o
f use
rs
A public access venue provided:• first ever contact with computers (50%) • first ever contact with the Internet (62%)
ONLY OPTION FOR ACCESS
Public access venues were the only source of access to the Internet for at least a third (33%) of survey respondents
The majority of respondents (over 55%) expect a decrease in their use of computers and the internet if public access venues are no longer available
To get help from other users
To get help from venue staff
Better equipment than home or work
No other option for computer access
To work or be with friends or other people
No other option for Internet access
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Main reasons for using public access venues
ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Culture & language
Health information
Government services
News
Employment & business opportunities
Entertainment
Education
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Type of Information Sought
DEVELOPING ICT SKILLS
Public access venue
Home School0
10
20
30
40
50
60
ComputerInternet
Most important place where computer and internet skills were developed
INFOMEDIATION
Help build user capacity and confidence to explore ICTs
Mostly technical Most common type of assistance sought is for internet
connectivity problems (45%) Top three reasons for seeking help from venue staff: knowledge of:
hardware (33%), software (26%) info seeking (17%)
SEEKING HELP: THE BANGLADESH CASE
All Bangladesh Brazil Chile Ghana Philippines0
10
20
30
40
50
Frequency of seeking staff assistance%
of u
sers
17
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC IMPACTS
PERCEIVED IMPACTS VARY
Communication with family & friends
Education
Pursuing interests & hobbies
Meeting new people
Pursuing other leisure activities
Time savings
Access to employability resources & skills
Financial savings
Access to government information & services
Local language/culture activities
Health
Income
Sending or receiving remittances
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Positive
None
Negative
DOMAIN USE
Communications & Leisure
Education Employment & Income
Culture & Language
Health Governance0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
% of users engaged in domains in the last 12 months
DOMAIN USE & IMPACT PERCEPTIONS
USER NEEDS DRIVE USE
Didn'
t hav
e th
e ne
ed
Didn'
t thi
nk o
f it
No sp
ecifi
c re
ason
Secu
rity
of m
y in
form
atio
n
Privac
y
Som
e ot
her r
easo
n0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Why didn’t you use public access for…
Employment & Income Education HealthGovernance Culture & Language
% o
f u
se
rs
Did you search for a job? (57%)
Did you find information to apply? (89%)
Did you apply? (91%)
GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Did you search for info on how to use government services? (64%)
Did you find information you were looking for? (94%)
Do you feel more knowledgeable on how to use? (95%)
Employment & Income
Governance
HIDDEN IMPACTS
DIRECT 18% of non-users surveyed were former public access users
30% of ex-users first used a computer at a public access venue
35% of ex-users first used the Internet at a public access venue
INDIRECT 60% of non-users have family or friends who use public access
10% have asked someone to use public access on their behalf
Up to 63% perceive positive impacts from family/friend’s use
MORE THAN FUN & GAMES
95%
6%
Has using public access computers for commu-nications and leisure improved your overall
ICT skills?
Yes No
Non-instrumental uses (gaming, social) can lead to instrumental
(employability) skills
Public access can help keep families connected when
separated by migrant work
KC Wong
EMAIL & SOCIAL NETWORKING
Users identifying email/social networking as most important resource for goal achievement
COMMUNICATION AND LEISURE
% of perceived positive impacts, by frequency of using public access for communication
Sending or receiving remittances
Income
Financial savings
Health
Local language & cultural activities
Access to government information & services
Access to employability resources
Time savings
Education
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Rarely Sometimes Most times you visit Every time you visit
% of users
CONCEPTUALIZING PUBLIC ACCESS IMPACTS
Are public access venues still relevant? Are public access venues substitutes for home access? Who are benefiting from public access use? Are impacts occurring in the “right” areas? Does venue type matter? What constitutes an impact?
Where does impact happen? How does impact happen? When does impact matter? Whose impact matters?
Are expectations realistic?
CHALLENGES OF MEASURING IMPACTS
Rick Davies & Jess Dart, The ‘Most Significant Change’ (MSC) Technique, 2005
Technology & Social Change Grouptascha.uw.edu | @taschagroup
globalimpactstudy.org | @ictimpact
Thank You
Araba [email protected]