Volume V Methodology

Info

rmation

an

d C

om

munic

atio

n T

echno

logy for

Edu

ca

tio

n in

Ind

ia a

nd S

outh

Asia

Volume V

Methodology

Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, Methodology 2010

PricewaterhouseCoopers 2

About the Report

The Survey on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Education in India and

South Asia was commissioned by infoDev to be undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers,

India. The Survey is a third in the series after similar surveys for the African and Caribbean

regions completed in 2008 and 2009. The main objective of the Survey is to create a

consolidated source of information on the experiences of using ICTs for Education in the

South Asian region and to provide a framework of reference for policy-makers.

The survey report is in five volumes, the first Volume is an extended summary which

captures the main findings of the survey. Volume II is a series of Country Studies profiling

the policy environment and major initiatives using ICTs for education for each of the eight

South Asian countries – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan

and Sri Lanka, with a more detailed focus on India. Volume III is a set of Case Studies for

India and Pakistan. For India the case studies include detailed studies of ICT initiatives in

the education space in five states. For Pakistan the role of ICTs in Open and Distance

Education and Teacher Education has been profiled as two case studies. Volume IV is a

series of thematic papers that address key issues across the focus countries in an attempt to

provide a horizontal, comparative view of the subject in the eight focus countries, with an

emphasis on India. The fifth volume captures the details of the survey process including the

research methodology, list of interviewees, details of meetings held etc.

Structure of the Methodology This volume, Volume V of the Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, seeks to

provide a detailed report on the methodology adopted while conducting the survey. It

includes - list of documents and websites consulted, list of stakeholders interviewed, details

of meetings held and details of workshops conducted.

Overview of Methodology The Survey has primarily been based on secondary research and is thus not an exercise in

primary data collection. For each country we have studied in detail the following category of

documents:

- Education Policies and specific schemes

- ICT Policies and specific schemes

- ICT for Education Policies and specific schemes

- Websites and documents of Education Departments, ICT Departments and other

related institutions

- Websites and documents of Non Governmental Organizations, Corporations and

other agencies active in the education technology space



At the outset of the Survey in August 2009 a stakeholder workshop was conducted to

introduce the Survey to a wider set of stakeholders and build a platform for sustained

dialogue on the proposed survey. At this stage, a Wiki Profile for the project was created

under which all possible information including a bibliography was uploaded and

stakeholders were invited to participate and contribute to the survey.

In addition, the research team conducted telephonic discussions, audio and video

conferences as well as questionnaire based interviews with over 75 key stakeholders in

India and other focus countries. In the case of India, the team also visited several sites

where ICT in education initiatives were being implemented. Further, on completion of the

survey each country study was circulated amongst key stakeholders in the country to

validate the information captured in the study.



Approach

The execution of the survey proceeded through three distinct phases, namely:

1. Design

During the design phase, the overall survey process was mapped out. The team started

building a stakeholder database and a bibliography of resources. The format for

questionnaires was also finalized at this stage. A stakeholder workshop was conducted to

introduce the survey to a wide range of stakeholders. Following the workshop a Wiki Profile

was created to invite stakeholders to participate. Details of this phase are given below:

1.1 Initial Stakeholder Workshop

To introduce the Survey to a wider set of stakeholders and build a platform for sustained

dialogue on ICT in the education space in India and South Asia, a stakeholder workshop was

conducted on August 10, 2009. Apart from discussing best practices, experiences, key

constraints and other relevant issues in the use of ICT in education, the survey also sought

to finalize the key thematic areas to be covered for the survey and the Indian states that

need to be studied in detail. The workshop was attended by a range of stakeholders relevant

to the study including government officials, NGO representatives, academia and private

companies in the field of content development and capacity building. A list of participants is

attached as Annexure I.

1.2 Wiki Profile

Following the initial stakeholder workshop, a Wiki Educator profile for the survey was

created (Wiki Educator Link: http://wikieducator.org/ICT4SouthAsiaEd). All relevant

http://wikieducator.org/ICT4SouthAsiaEd



information including a bibliography of resources was added on to the profile. The purpose

of this exercise was to introduce the survey to a wider set of stakeholders and to provide a

sustained platform for interaction between stakeholders. The profile link was shared with a

large number of stakeholders and they were encouraged to participate.

2. Execute

After completing the preliminary research and finalizing the thematic topics and sub

national level case studies, the team began conducting the secondary research as well as

telephonic discussions and questionnaire based interviews with stakeholders. This was

followed by preparing the draft Survey Reports and Country Studies. Details of this phase

are given below:

2.1 Secondary Research

To gain an overall perspective of the policy framework in the focus countries, the team

consulted relevant policy documents and government websites. A detailed list of the

documents is attached as Annexure II. Apart from studying the policy framework of the

South Asian countries, other documents and websites were also consulted to gain an insight

into the socio-economic condition and the ICT and Education scenario of the countries. To

study the various initiatives, websites of NGOs, Corporations and other agencies active in

the education technology space were visited. As for the thematic essays, documents

pertaining to policy coherence in the application of ICTs in education, ICT in school

education, capacity building for ICTs in education, gender equity and use of ICT in education

and ICT in non formal education were studied in detail.

A bibliography of all resources is attached at relevant sections of the survey reports.

2.2 Stakeholder Interaction

In order to validate the information collected through the secondary research and to

broaden our understanding of the use of ICTs in the education space in the focus countries,

questionnaire based interviews; telephonic and face to face conversations and audio and

video conferences with relevant stakeholders was carried out. In the case of India, the team

also visited several sites where ICT in education initiatives were being implemented.

Questionnaire Based Interviews

Questionnaires were sent out to 75 stakeholders in India and other focus countries. The

stakeholders included key representatives from the government, NGOs, private companies

and academia from schools and other institutions.

Telephonic Conversations and Conferences

Telephonic conversations and audio and video conferences were conducted with key

stakeholders when gaps in the survey needed to be filled. The focus of these interactions

was primarily to gain a perspective on:

Current level of policy implementation



On-ground education technology initiatives

Common constraints faced by the country in implementing ICT in the education space

Meetings and Field Visits

In the case of India, the team met with many key stakeholders, this was done primarily to

substantiate the sub-national level case studies and provide an in-depth analysis of the ICT

initiatives implemented at the state level. For the same purpose, the team also visited

several sites were ICT initiatives were being implemented.

A detailed list of all stakeholders interacted with and sites visited during the survey process

is attached as Annexure III

3. Report

At this stage, after drafts of the survey reports had been finalized, a stakeholder workshop

was organized on April 21, 2010 to present the drafts to key stakeholders. The workshop

opened with a presentation on the key findings of the survey after which the floor was

opened to questions. Drafts of the survey reports were then circulated amongst the

attendees to get their feedback. Relevant sections of the reports were also circulated

amongst key stakeholders in the South Asian countries to validate our findings. After

receiving feedback from the stakeholders, the drafts were edited and the final survey report

was submitted.



Annexure

Annexure I: List of Participants for Initial Stakeholder Workshop - August 10, 2009

Name Designation Organization

1 A. S Seetharamu Domain Expert PricewaterhouseCoopers 2 A.N Ramachandra Deputy Commissioner

(Training) Navodaya Vidyalay Samiti

3 Ajay Goel Senior Vice President National Institute for Information Technology Ltd.

4 Anshul Sonak South Asia Education Manager

Intel –Intel Teach Program

5 Archana G Gulati Deputy Director General Universal Service Obligation Fund Administration

6 Ashish Garg Asia Regional Coordinator

Global e Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI)

7 Brij Kothari Professor Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahemdebad

8 H. N. S. Rao Academic Head - ICT EDU-COMP Solutions Pvt Limited

9 I.P.S Bakshi Director National Literacy Mission

10 K.N. Bawle Director State Resource Centre –Pune

11 M.S Khanna Joint Commissioner (Personnel)

Navodaya Vidyalay Samiti

12 Manjushree Reddy Assistant Editor Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies

13 Motilal Sharma Domain Expert PricewaterhouseCoopers 14 Nalin Jena Sr. Education Specialist World Bank

15 Pradeep Valsankar Consultant World Bank 16 Rajeshree Dutta

Kumar Sr. Research Associate Centre for Science,

Development and Media Studies (CSDMS)

17 Ravi Gupta Executive Director Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS)

18 Sandeep Saha Vice President –Marketing and Alliances

Educational Initiatives (EI-India)

19 Sanjay Tiwari Regional Director North Education Development Center, EDC India

20 Tenzin Dolma Norbhu

Regional Coordinator and Senior ICT Policy Specialist

World Bank



Annexure II: Policy Documents Consulted

India

Education Policy (1992)

National Policy on ICT in School Education (draft)

Guidelines on ICT @ School Scheme

Afghanistan

National Education Strategy Plan (NESP), 2006-2010

Information and Communication Policy (2003)

Bangladesh

National Education Policy (draft)

National ICT Policy (2009)

Community Radio Installation, Broadcasting and Operation Policy (2008)

Bhutan

26th Education Policy Guidelines and Instructions (EPGI -2007)

Bhutan information and communications technology policy and strategies (BIPS 2004)

Maldives

Seventh National Development Plan (2009-2010)

Strategic Action Plan (2009-2013)

Nepal

IT Policy (2000)

Pakistan

National Education Policy (2009)

National IT Policy (2000 –revised 2008)

National Information and Communication Technology Strategy for Education (NICTE)

Sri Lanka

National Policy on Information and Technology in School Education (NAPITSE)

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka: “ICT act

no.27”



Annexure III (a): List of Stakeholders Contacted

Name Designation and Organization

A.N Ramachandra Deputy Commissioner Training, Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan, (NVS), India

A.R. Rangaswamy Officer in charge for Radio Programs - DSERT, Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) , Karnataka, India

Abhishek Gupta Coordinator, Hole-in-the-Wall Education Ltd, (HiWEL), India

Aimal Marjan Director General ICT, Ministry of Communications and IT, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ajay Kapur Director, Oracle Education Foundation, Oracle, India

Ajay Mohan Goel Sr. Vice President - Corpotate Development, National Institute of Information Technology, (NIIT), India

Ameena Mohamed Didi Education Specialist, UNICEF, Maldives

Anoop Singh Rawat State Coordinator (Rajasthan), Learning Links Foundation representing Intel, India Anshul Sonak South Asia Education Manager, Intel

Anthony Lobo Senior Manager (HR & OD), Tata Consulting Services (TCS), India

Archana G Gulati Deputy Director General, Universal Service Obligation Fund Administration, India

Ashish Garg Asia Regional Coordinator, Global e-Schools & Communities Initiative (GeSCI)

Biswajit Das District Coordinator, IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd., West Bengal, India

Brij Kothari Professor, IIM Ahmedabad, India

Debojyoti Basu Assistant Manager, IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd., West Bengal, India

Devaprakash Joint Director, Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT), Karnataka, India

G.M.Niel Gunadasa Director of Education, ICT Branch, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

Gauri Arora Lead – Corporate Citizenship, Microsoft India, India

H. N. S. Rao Academic Head - ICT, EduComp, India

Habib Khan Academic Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation, Pakistan

I.F. Magi Special Officer, Department. of Education, Government of Karnataka, India

I.P.S Bakshi Director, National Literacy Mission, Government of India

Jawaid Ghani Chairmain, Punjab IT Board (PITB), Government of Punjab, Pakistan



Jayaramu Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) , Karnataka, India

Joudat Ayaz Head, IT Labs Project, Government of Punjab, Pakistan

K.N. Bawle Director, State Resource Centre –Pune, Government of India

Karma Jurmi Senior Program Officer for School IT Program, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, Bhutan

Ken Maskall Maldives Representative, UNICEF

Kishwar S Sayeed Director, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, (BRAC), Bangladesh

Krishna Nagaraju Strategic Account Manager, National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), India

Linson Joseph Channel Platform Manager, Intel, South Asia

M M N D Bandara Secretary Department of Education, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

M.S Khanna Joint Commissioner, NVS, India

Manjulika Shrivastav Director – Distance Education Council, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), India

Manjushree Reddy Assistant Editor, Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS)

Martin Hadlow Project Manager for upgrading ERTV, UNDP, Afghanistan

Matthew Kam Project Leader, Mobile & Immersive Learning for Literacy in Emerging Economies (MILLEE) project, Carnegie Mellon University

Mohammed Salim Hayran Director of ICT, Ministry of Education, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Monali Handa Manager, Ncomputing, India

Monika Talwar Manager of ICT, EduComp, India

Nadya Karim Shaw Project Director for Dot- EDU India, Education Development Center (EDC), India

Nalin Jena Sr. Education Specialist, World Bank, India

Nasreen Khader Manager, Learning Links Foundation, Andhra Pradesh, India

Naveed Malik Rector, Virtual University, Pakistan

Neeraj Aggarwal Head, HiWEL, NIIT, India

Nisha Dua Senior Manager Education, Learning Links Foundation - representing Intel, India Nived Dinesh Head - Content Licensing and Development Services, Edurite India

Nuzhat Kidvai Education Technology Consultant, Beaconhouse School System, Pakistan

P Rajendran Chief Operating Officer, National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), India



Pradeep Valsankar Consultant, World Bank, India

Pranata Dhar Officer, IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd., West Bengal, India

Prit Singh Principal, Jawahar Navodaya School, New Delhi

Purnendu Hota HiWEL, Rajasthan, India

R.G.Nadadur Principal Secretary, Primary & Secondary Education, Department of Education, Government of Karnataka, India

Rabi Karmacharya Executive Director, Open Learning Exchange, Nepal

Rajeev Katyal Director ,Education, Microsoft

Rajeshree Dutta Kumar Sr. Research Associate, Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS)

Rathindranath De Director, State Council of Educational and Research and Training (SCERT), Government of Andhra Pradesh, India

Sandeep Saha Vice President –Marketing and Alliances, Educational Initiatives, India

Sanjay Tiwari Country Director, Education Development Center (EDC), India

Satya Narayanan Fellow, American Indian Foundation, Karnataka, India

Saurav Dev Bhatta Education Director, Open Learning Exchange, Nepal

Shabnam Aggarwal Project Manager, MILLEE

Siddhartha Mukherjee Advisor (Education & Training Services) West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation Limited, India

Sidhartha Roy Executive Director, Response India Pvt. Ltd., West Bengal, India

Somit Shrivastav Education Officer, Kendriya Vidyalay Sangathan (KVS), India

Sukumar Anikar Head, Technology for Education, Azim Premji Foundation, India Sundar Krishnan American India Foundation, India

Suvendu Chatterjee Managing Director, Techno Teaching Info Solution Pvt. Ltd., West Bengal, India

Tarj Gunasekara Assistant Director General, National Institute of Education, Sri Lanka

Tenzin Dolma Norbhu Regional Coordinator and Senior ICT Policy Specialist, World Bank

Tshewang Tandin Director, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, Bhutan

V.K Sharma Project Manager Centre for Development of Advanced Computing C-DAC, India

Vinay Mehra Regional Education Manager, Learning Links Foundation - representing Intel, India



Figure 1: Front View of Achana High School

Figure 2: Achana High School

Annexure III (b): Details of Sites Visited

1. Achana High School

The team visited Achana High

School in West Bengal, India. The

school is located in the district of

South 24 Parganas with around

800 students. Achana High School

is one of the 17 schools where the

ICT in education initiative -

‘KYAN’ has been successfully

implemented.

The team had an opportunity to

meet the head master, Mr. Rai and

the teacher at the Computer

Division, Mr. Mritnunjaya.

2. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Mungeshpur

Jawahar Nvadoaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools are a cluster of 576 schools spread across the

rural areas of the country. The JNV School in Mungeshpur, like most other JNV schools has

integrated a number of ICT facilities. During the field visit to the school, the team had an



Figure 3: Computer Classroom of JNV Mungeshpur

Figure 4: Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Station, Madangir

opportunity to interact with the principal, teachers and students and gain their view point

on the ICT facilities offered at the school.

3. NIIT, Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations

Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations are effectively computer kiosks which are located in

government school playgrounds. The team visited three schools where these learning

stations were embedded in government school walls. The team also spoke to the facilitator

present at the stations and the children who were using the kiosks.

Figure 5: Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Station, R.K Puram



This publication has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. PricewaterhouseCoopers has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained herein has been obtained from reliable sources and that this publication is accurate and authoritative in all respects. However, this publication is not intended to give legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. No reader should act on the basis of any information contained in this publication without considering and, if necessary, taking appropriate advice upon their own particular circumstances. If such advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and, to the extent permitted by law, PricewaterhouseCoopers, its members, employees and agents accept no liability, and disclaim all responsibility, for the consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it. This publication contains certain examples extracted from third party documentation and so being out of context from the original third party documents; readers should bear this in mind when reading the publication. The copyright in such third party material remains owned by the third parties concerned, and PricewaterhouseCoopers expresses its appreciation to these organizations for having allowed it to include their information in this publication. For a more comprehensive view on each organization’s communication, please read the entire document from which the extracts have been taken. Please note that the mention of any company/organization in this publication does not imply any endorsement of that organization by PricewaterhouseCoopers nor any verification of the accuracy of the information contained in any of the examples.