Understanding the role of ICT and study circles in enabling economic opportunities: Lessons learned from an educational project in Kenya

Abstract

In this paper, we explore how the combination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and selforganised study circles improves rural communities' ability to enhance their economic opportunities. We present the case study of an adult study-circle project in the Kwale County of Kenya with the objective of providing rural communities with viable and sustainable livelihoods. Study circles can be seen as a democratic and emancipatory method for learning, where community groups regularly meet for participatory discussions to educate themselves on a variety of topics of their own interest. The main goal of the studycircle members was to increase economic opportunities using ICT and, more specifically, to start micro-businesses, improve production efficacy and methods, and obtain employment. Using the capability approach and affordances as theoretical lenses, our analysis of the explorative case study shows that the outcomes of the study circle were dependent on various conversion factors and facilitating conditions, such as resources, skills, socio-cultural norms, and infrastructure. The main contributions from our work are represented by the five practical lessons learned from the study-circle members' goals (starting micro-businesses, product efficiency, and obtaining employment) from the self-organised training approach (study circles) and from our theoretical approach (combining the capability approach and affordances).

Novice researchers' perspectives on affordances in ICT4D research collaboration

“…Shin (2017) used (motivational) affordance theory to understand how education virtual reality systems affect users as they traverse to achieve their goals. Hatakka et al (2020) provide an account of the role that ICT plays in study circles by using an educational project conducted in rural areas of Kenya. Volkoff and Strong (2013) used the theory to theorize IT artifacts from a critical realism philosophy, thereby providing an account of how to use a realist ontology and relativist epistemology in understanding affordances.…”

“…Thapa and Sein (2018) argue that it is not affordances per se, but rather the interrelations between a variety of affordances and the actions of a group of actors who leveraged their capabilities to actualise the affordances. Thus, we found the concepts of facilitating conditions and conversion factors useful in describing the affordance actualisation process and draw on the work of Hatakka et al (2020) in terms of incorporating both facilitating conditions and conversion factors when discussing affordances.…”

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“…The limit of such view is that it portrays technological artefacts as neutral material objects, and thus conceals “how institutions influence the design, use, and consequences of technologies” ( Orlikowski & Barley, 2001: 153 ). In contrast, socio-technical perspectives emphasise the interplay between technology and its context of design, implementation and use ( Avgerou, 2008 , Hatakka et al, 2019 ). According to this perspective, technologies are inherently political since they involve decisions about their designs that cater to certain users’ interests and exclude others ( Spicer, 2005 ).…”

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