Participatory re-action: reflecting on a Design-Based Research approach in ICT4D

Pa r t i c i pato r y re -a ct i on: ref l ect i ng on a Des i gn - Based Resea rch app roach i n I CT4D

Izak van Zyl, Sara Vannini

NewMinE Lab – Università della Svizzera italiana

November 2013

Design-Based Research

Design-Based Research

…is an emerging paradigm for the study of learning

in context through the systematic design and study

of instructional strategies and tools…

(DBR Collaborative, 2003)

Design-Based Research

DBR can help create and extend knowledge about

developing, enacting, and sustaining innovative

learning environments.

(DBR Collaborative, 2003)

Design-Based Research

deals with real-world settings

focuses on collaboration and participation

is characterised by iteration and flexibility

formative evaluations performed after each cycle

mixed methods

Design-Based Research

deals with real-world settings

focuses on collaboration and participation

is characterised by iteration and flexibility

formative evaluations performed after each cycle

mixed methods

Design-Based Research

deals with real-world settings

focuses on collaboration and participation

is characterised by iteration and flexibility

formative evaluations performed after each cycle

mixed methods

Design-Based Research

deals with real-world settings

focuses on collaboration and participation

is characterised by iteration and flexibility

formative evaluations performed after each cycle

mixed methods

Design-Based Research

deals with real-world settings

focuses on collaboration and participation

is characterised by iteration and flexibility

formative evaluations performed after each cycle

mixed methods

ICT4D community

has gradually recognised

design-based and

contextualised approaches

Postcolonial computing

Situated computing

ICT4D community

has gradually recognised

design-based and

contextualised approaches

Postcolonial computing

Situated computingDBR has not found a

concrete

methodological position

social REpresentations of community multimedia centresand ACTions for improvement

UNESCO, 2000

CMCs in Mozambique (2011)

RE-ACT

Research Questions

Meaning: Social Representations Theory

Research Questions

Meaning: Social Representations Theory

Agency: (How) can local community members

participate in improving CMCs?

Research Questions

Meaning: Social Representations Theory

Agency: (How) can local community members

participate in improving CMCs?

Development methodology: How can we harness these factors

(meaning & agency) for local development actions?

RE-ACT

Social Representations

Actions for Improvement

RE-ACT

Social Representations

Actions for Improvement(Moscovici, 1961)

Community-Users

-(RC+TC) #95-(RC) #72

-Non-Users #8Initiating Agencies #2 Staff #57

309 pictures, 103 interviewees (Staff members & CMC-Users)

328 questionnaires (Radio Users)

Community Radiossocio-political role

(edutainment) characteristics

information and knowledge for development

Telecentrescomputer training venue

Everyday computing needs: making photocopies, typing

hand-written documents, etc.

– General infrastructure and physical appearance

Social Representations

Community Radiossocio-political role

(edutainment) characteristics

Information and knowledge for development

Telecentrescomputer training venue

everyday computing needs

Social Representations

Community Radiossocio-political role

(edutainment) characteristics

general infrastructure and physical appearance of the CMC

Social Representations

Focus on telecentres:learning places, access to ICTs (including photocopy machines and printers

bureaucratic administrative issues, political benefits of community radios,financial sustainability

Focus on community radios: working experience, personal satisfaction, prestige, giving “voice to the voiceless”.

Social Representations

RE-ACT

Social Representations

Actions for Improvement

Education: computer literacy, maintenance training &

capacity building, technical support hub

Tourism: online platform, radio program

Information: community-based information platform re-

broadcast via digital technology

Entertainment: community cinema

Improvement Actions

Education: computer literacy, maintenance training &

capacity building, technical support hub

Tourism: online platform, radio program

Information: community-based information platform re-

broadcast via digital technology

Entertainment: community cinema

Improvement Actions

Social Representations Study: include local voices

Co-Design with coordinators: formulate improvement actions

Co-Design with staff members: define

improvement actionsImplement improvement

actions

Formative evaluation

real-world contexts

Mixed methods

iterative collaborations

education/capacity-building

flexibility

Concluding thoughts

risk that ICT4D developers pay lip service to

participation

unclear to what extent design-based activities

translate into impactful development

How do locals become facilitators of their ownactions?

Concluding thoughts

risk that ICT4D developers pay lip service to

participation

unclear to what extent design-based activities

translate into impactful development

How do locals become facilitators of their ownactions?

Concluding thoughts

risk that ICT4D developers pay lip service to

participation

unclear to what extent design-based activities

translate into impactful development

How do locals become facilitators of their ownactions?

As an amalgamation of ‘meaning and design’, DBR:

espouses the foundations of social constructivism

places design emphasis on flow of micro social

representation

hope to extend the methodology beyond superficial

implementations

Concluding thoughts

As an amalgamation of ‘meaning and design’, DBR:

espouses the foundations of social constructivism

places design emphasis on flow of micro social

representation

hope to extend the methodology beyond superficial

implementations

Concluding thoughts

As an amalgamation of ‘meaning and design’, DBR:

espouses the foundations of social constructivism

places design emphasis on flow of micro social

representation

hopes to extend the methodology beyond superficial

implementations

Concluding thoughts

Thank You!

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www.newmine.org