scholarly journals The Impact of Public Access Venue Information and Communication Technologies in Botswana Public Libraries

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Angelina Totolo ◽  
Jaco Renken ◽  
Araba Sey
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Sustainable Livelihoods Framework ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective – A study on the impact of Public Access Venue (PAV) Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was conducted in Botswana libraries with Internet connections. The main objective was to determine the impact of ICTs in public libraries. Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups. Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups. Results – The results of the study show that PAV ICTs had a positive impact on users in the areas of education and economic benefits. Within educational and economic impacts, social benefits were also found, pertaining to the use of social media and the Internet for formal and informal communication. The study also revealed a slight difference between school going users and non-school going elderly users where the use and acquisition of computer skills was concerned. Elderly non-school going users tended to rely on venue staff for skills more than the younger school going users. Conclusion – The study recommends that PAV facilities should be improved in terms of skills offered and resources availed so as to appeal to both the younger school going generation and the older non-school going users. It is also recommended that education on ICT be improved to help curb rising unemployment in Botswana; such skills would enhance the income generation skills of the unemployed users as well as school leavers.

scholarly journals The Impact of Mobile Phone Uses in the Developing World

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvain K. Cibangu ◽  
Mark Hepworth ◽  
Donna Champion
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, the rise of information and communication technologies (ICTs) contrasted with the dire living conditions of the world's poorest has been the subject of debate among industry and academia. However, despite the amount of writings produced on mobile phones, Western bias is surprisingly unbridledly prevailing alongside the fêted dissemination of mobile phones. Expansive literature tends to present the rapid adoption of mobile phones among rural individuals, with little to no indication of how local values and voices are respected or promoted. We undertook semi-structured interviews with 16 rural chiefs to inquire into ways in which mobile phones enabled socio-economic development in the rural Congo. Rather than using quantitative, large-scale, or top-down data, we sought to give voice to chiefs themselves about the role of mobile phones. We found that Western bias dominates the literature and deployment of mobile phones more than usually acknowledged. We suggested some paths forward, while bringing the African communal Utu or Ubuntu culture to the center stage.

Success Factors in Public Access Computing for Development

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Information And Communication

An exploratory, qualitative study in 25 countries around the world identifies success factors for centers that offer public access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The study considered public libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés, and grouped the findings into four types of success factors: (1) understand and take care of local needs first, (2) train info mediaries and users, (3) build alliances with other venues and collaborate with other community services, and (4) strengthen sustainability. Results corroborate the findings of previous studies of libraries and of telecenters which identify success factors that include the four themes presented. However, this is the first systematic comparison across multiple countries to identify success factors in different types of public access venues. The findings highlight critical variables to be considered in policy decisions, funding allocations, and program implementation to reach underserved populations in developing countries with equitable access and meaningful use of ICT. They also provide valuable direction for future research to better understand the interactions between libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés as venues that can contribute to community development through public access to ICT.

An Analysis of the Research and Impact of ICT in Education in Developing Country Contexts

2011 ◽  
pp. 218-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitika Tolani-Brown ◽  
Meredith McCormac ◽  
Roy Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact

Rigorous evaluations on the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on learning outcomes in developing countries is sparse and often lacks the methodological quality necessary to guide policymakers towards sound, evidence-based practices. This desk study reviews research undertaken to date on the impact of ICTs on learning outcomes in developing countries. First, a series of in-depth, structured interviews with a range of stakeholders, including policymakers and academicians, researchers, users and developers of ICTs, was conducted, followed by a global literature review of published and unpublished evaluations on the educational impacts of ICTs. This study found that while qualitative studies often highlight the benefits of ICTs for learners and other stakeholders, there is little rigorous research to support a causal linkage between student learning outcomes and ICTs in the developing world. This study concludes that decision makers in developing countries are guided not by evidence or data but by intuition and other influences when choosing to invest in technology in an effort to upgrade the quality of instruction in their schools. Finally, recommendations for future evaluations are offered while considering important lessons learned from extant research.

Success Factors in Public Access Computing for Development

2013 ◽  
pp. 97-116
Author(s):  
Ricardo Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Information And Communication

An exploratory, qualitative study in 25 countries around the world identifies success factors for centers that offer public access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The study considered public libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés, and grouped the findings into four types of success factors: (1) understand and take care of local needs first, (2) train info mediaries and users, (3) build alliances with other venues and collaborate with other community services, and (4) strengthen sustainability. Results corroborate the findings of previous studies of libraries and of telecenters which identify success factors that include the four themes presented. However, this is the first systematic comparison across multiple countries to identify success factors in different types of public access venues. The findings highlight critical variables to be considered in policy decisions, funding allocations, and program implementation to reach underserved populations in developing countries with equitable access and meaningful use of ICT. They also provide valuable direction for future research to better understand the interactions between libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés as venues that can contribute to community development through public access to ICT.

The application of organizational cybernetics and ICT to collective discussion of complex issues

Kybernetes ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 1146-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Pérez Ríos ◽  
Iván Velasco Jiménez
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Deliberation Process ◽  
Degree Of Satisfaction ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Organizational Cybernetics ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to expose how organizational cybernetics (OC)-related concepts could be used in combination with information and communication technologies (ICT) to facilitate group discussions on complex issues, and to show its impact in a real case. Design/methodology/approach – A software inspired by OC and team syntegrity concepts has been developed with the aim of helping groups of people to deliberate around complex issues through the internet. Two groups of persons with similar backgrounds were chosen to pursue a deliberation process around the same issue. One had the support of ICT while the other did not. The authors used the same questionnaires with both groups, aimed at getting qualitative and quantitative information about the results obtained in each case. Findings – The results obtained show that the group working with ICT support did produce a better output (quality and quantity) than the group not supported with ICT as well as a higher degree of satisfaction in practically all indicators than the second group. Research limitations/implications – The authors are dealing with only one experiment and therefore cannot make a generalization. It would be desirable to repeat the experiment with various groups and in different contexts. Originality/value – An internet-based software inspired by OC concepts was created to facilitate the first phases (generation and aggregation of ideas) of a deliberation process and the authors measured, in an experiment with two groups of people with similar backgrounds, the impact of using it on the quality and quantity of information produced through the process.

THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ON THE ECONOMY OF OUR COUNTRY

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 80-85
Author(s):  
Bekzod Bobomurodov ◽  
◽  
Dilfuza Akabirxodjayeva
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Analytical Analysis ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact

This article has discussed the importance of information and communication technologies for the economy of Uzbekistan and the ongoing reforms in this area. The purpose of the study is to give suggestions and recommendations for the development of ICT in Uzbekistan. In the article, an analytical analysis of employment in the field of ICT has been accomplished.

scholarly journals Providing multilingual logistics communication in COVID-19 disaster relief

Multilingua ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 517-528
Author(s):  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Yuqin Wu
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Important Means ◽  
National Emergency ◽  
The Impact

AbstractTranslation is an important means of enabling access to information in an emergency response. Increasingly, volunteer translators have been using social media platforms to self-organize and carry out urgent translation tasks that effectively complement official disaster relief efforts. However, the role of crowdsourced translations and the capacity of volunteer translators in reducing the impact of disasters remain underestimated and therefore understudied. Based on semi-structured interviews with five volunteer translators and online observation of their translation practices, this study investigates the role of a volunteer-driven crowdsourced translation effort in facilitating the donation and procurement of medical supplies between Wuhan and the world. By addressing the real challenges of urgent crisis communication in Wuhan in the early stages of the pandemic, this study draws attention to the need to integrate information and communication technologies with multilingual resources for disaster relief. In addition, it calls for the inclusion of multilingual logistics in national emergency preparation, response and recovery plans.

scholarly journals The Teaching Digital Competence of Health Sciences Teachers. A Study at Andalusian Universities (Spain)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Cabero-Almenara ◽  
Julio Barroso-Osuna ◽  
Juan-Jesús Gutiérrez-Castillo ◽  
Antonio Palacios-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Digital Resources ◽  
Teaching Competence ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Educational Field

The impact and benefit that information and communication technologies (ICT) have in the educational field require new teaching skills. This fact has been increased by the recent crisis caused by COVID-19. This study tries to investigate the level of digital teaching competence (DTC) of Higher Education teachers of Health Sciences, and its relationship with several variables. For this, it has the participation of 300 teachers from the 9 universities of Andalusia (Spain). The research is structured through a descriptive (RQ1) and inferential (RQ2) design. The answers given to the DigCompEdu Check-In questionnaire adapted to the Spanish context are analyzed. The results, which show high levels of reliability of the questionnaire (Cronbach and McDonald) and validity (CFA), indicate that the level of competence is basic-intermediate. In addition, the area in which teachers excel is digital resources. For this reason, it is proposed to structure personalized training plans and continue expanding the characteristics of this study at an international level.

IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF USING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BANKING SYSTEM

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
Ra’no Parpieva ◽  
◽  
Nafisa Norboyeva ◽  
Adiba Turayeva
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Banking System ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Payment Systems ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The Impact

This article will serve to select the system required for the effective use of information and communication technologies in the banking system and the impact of national payment systems in the banking sector on modern society, the effective use of new modern information technologies in the system.Study of foreign experience to select information and communication technologies that should be used in modern banks with information and communication technologies in the banking system, which have been used before.

scholarly journals A Implementação da Telemedicina em Cabo Verde: Fatores Influenciadores

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Correia ◽  
Vanda Azevedo ◽  
Luís Velez Lapão
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Cape Verde ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Conditioning Factors ◽  
Information And Communication

Introduction: Telemedicine is the provision of health services, where distance is a critical factor, using information and communication technologies. Cape Verde has bet on using this tool to increase access of the population of its islands to specialized care.Material and Methods: Qualitative study, covering the period between 2013 and 2014. It uses document analysis, semi-structured interviews and focus groups to collect data and analysis of content for their analysis. The participant population includes doctors, nurses and professionals from some institutions related to telemedicine.Results: The priorities of the National Telemedicine Program are set, the cores and reference centers are operational, with trained personnel and equipment installed. Several other policy instruments and conditioning factors and facilitators of the program have been identified.Discussion: Telemedicine is contributing to the reduction of inequalities in access to health, in Cape Verde. However, the full adoption of a service based on a new technology depends on conditioning factors and facilitators, and several success factors of telemedicine, identified in the literature, are not observed and in conjunction with other existing weaknesses affect the overall development of the National Telemedicine Program. However the strengths and capabilities are highlighted opportunities to act.Conclusion: Despite the progress, some telemedicine success factors highlighted on the literature are not seen in the country.

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