The Great ICT4D Peace Corps Volunteer Debate

The Great ICT4D Peace Corps Volunteer Debate

Published on: Aug 10 2011 by Lindsay Poirier - 7 Comments
Most people that I have met in the international development field have had strong opinions for or against involvement in the ICT field of the Peace Corps.  I’ve toyed back and forth over whether to pursue this path...
Rural ICT4D Sustainability with DeepFreeze Software from Faronics

Rural ICT4D Sustainability with DeepFreeze Software from Faronics

Published on: Aug 08 2011 by Wayan Vota - 3 Comments
In places where Internet access is hard to come by but computer viruses spread like wildfire, protecting a single PC or an entire computer lab is a huge challenge. When files are shared between friends and colleagues, so...
Technology gets rid of dictators, but not social classes

Technology gets rid of dictators, but not social classes

Published on: Aug 05 2011 by Jeffrey Swindle - 2 Comments
Since the Arab Spring uprisings, human rights activists worldwide have championed the power of technology, mainly the Internet and mobile phones, as tools for democracy and change. Evidence shows that they are right, social...
Putting Problems Before Solutions in Development

Putting Problems Before Solutions in Development

Published on: Aug 03 2011 by Panthea Lee - Comments Off on Putting Problems Before Solutions in Development
Problem solving, in any context, begins with discovery, research, and scoping. It’s no different in international development. Yet too often, in the early stages of programme development, organizations turn to familiar...
Which Low-Cost Laptop is Best for ICT4Eeducation Programs?

Which Low-Cost Laptop is Best for ICT4Eeducation Programs?

Published on: Aug 01 2011 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Over the last 5 years, several low-cost laptops were introduced expressly for educational systems of the developing world. Starting with the XO-1 laptop from One Laptop Per Child, and expanding to include the ClassmatePC,...
Are inexpensive smartphones the future of ICT4D?

Are inexpensive smartphones the future of ICT4D?

Published on: Jul 29 2011 by Guest Writer - 12 Comments
I am Andrew J. Dupree, and nine months ago, I found myself in the same state as many other nights in my life as a computer engineering student – staring at my computer, trying to work. I was writing my first research proposal,...
What are Affordable Technologies for Supporting Learning and Collaboration in Africa?

What are Affordable Technologies for Supporting Learning and Collaboration in Africa?

Published on: Jul 27 2011 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
There is ongoing innovation in terms of technology and its cost. This has included, for instance, the introduction of lower cost computers (e.g. netbooks and OLPC), the explosion in access to mobile phones and the emergence...
Four Obvious Yet Completely Wrong Assumptions About Technology Use in the Developing World

Four Obvious Yet Completely Wrong Assumptions About Technology Use in the Developing World

Published on: Jul 25 2011 by Guest Writer - 5 Comments
I am Patrick Meier and I’ve spent the past week at the iLab in Liberia and got what I came for: an updated reality check on the limitations of technology adoption in developing countries. Below are some of the assumptions...
Does your country have a National Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan?

Does your country have a National Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan?

Published on: Jul 22 2011 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Does your country have a National Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan?
National ICT plans, also known as National Information and Communication Infrastructure plans (NICI), are key to implementing the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) – an action framework that has been the...