Capability Outcomes from Educational and ICT Capability Inputs – An Analysis of ICT use in Informal Education in Kenya

Abstract

In the field of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) ICT use in education is well studied. Education is often seen as a pre-requisite for development and ICTs are believed to aid in education, e.g. to make it more accessible and to increase its quality. In this paper we study the access and use of ICT in a study circle (SC) education program in the south coast of Kenya. The study is qualitative reporting results based on interviews and observations with SC participants, government officers and SC coordinators and teachers. The study builds on the capability approach perspective of development where individuals' opportunities and ability to live a life that they value are focused. The aim of the study is to investigate the capability outcomes enabled through the capability inputs access and use of ICT in education as well as the factors that enabled and/or restricted the outcomes. Findings show that many opportunities have been enabled such as an increase in the ability to generate an income, learning benefits, community development and basic human development (e.g. literacy and self-confidence). However, conversion factors such as a poorly developed infrastructure and poor IT literacy prevent many of the individuals from taking full advantage of the ICT and the opportunities it enables.

A holistic perspective on the theoretical foundations for ICT4D research

“…The availability of information and learning content had improved their learning capabilities, improved their literacy, their ability to use electronic services, and their selfconfidence. Furthermore, ICT had not only an effect on the individuals in the study circles, the whole communities benefited as they now had access to computers with Internet (Hatakka et al, 2014). Further analysis indicated that, while many of the groups had similar objectives with the ICT use, the outcome varied greatly due to different conversion factors.…”

“…The example involves a project in which one of the authors was involved. The CA was used to evaluate the use of ICT in rural study circles in Kwale County on the south coast of Kenya (Hatakka, Ater, Obura, & Mibei, 2014). Kwale County has high poverty and low literacy levels as well as high drop-out rates from schools.…”

Understanding ICT in ICT4D: An Affordance Perspective

“…This is done by reanalyzing a case study about ICT supported study circle education in Kenya that previously have been published using the capability approach as the analytical lens (see for example [28][29][30]). The data were collected during two field trips to the Kenyan south coast in 2012 (in May and October).…”

Análisis de sensibilidad de distintos métodos de estimación - caso : puntos vive digital y su influencia en el aprendizaje

“…17-18) [ 1]. Estas políticas públicas pueden traer un gran impacto económico al país, ya que una sociedad más educada equivale a capital humano más productivo, generador de crecimiento económico, tal como lo muestra Hatakka et al (2014) en su trabajo cuya pregunta de investigación fue "¿Cómo pueden las TIC permitir a las personas mejorar sus medios de vida y su capacidad para generar ingresos?". Es un estudio cualitativo para el cual usaron la metodología de estudios de casos interpretativos 1 .…”

“…Concluyeron que las TIC pueden brindar a las personas una mayor capacidad para generar ingresos (directa e indirectamente) y el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida es debido a los beneficios que trae el aprendizaje, la alfabetización en TIC y el empoderamiento (Hatakka et al, 2014, pp. 1-17) [ 2]. 1 Los estudios de casos interpretativos describen o explican un fenómeno de investigación en particular donde el investigador debe, en primer lugar, definir qué enfoque adoptará.…”