IFAP Information Society Observatory

Title: Use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in Tertiary Education in Ghana: A Case Study of Electronic Learning (E-Learning)
Authors: Nana Yaw Asabere, Samuel Edusah Enguah
Source: International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research, Volume 2 No. 1, January 2012
Date (published): 15/01/2012
Date (accessed): 05/03/2013
Type of information: journal article
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: Population growth and the increasing number of people seeing the relevance of education as well as demand for tertiary education in Ghana have been on the rise yearly. Tertiary institutions in Ghana have been unpleasantly turning away large numbers of qualified applicants due to lack of facilities. To solve some of these problems in the tertiary educational sector of Ghana, the use of ICT through E-Learning have a major role to play. This paper discusses and elaborates the importance of E-Learning in the tertiary educational sector of Ghana as well as the different issues concerned in the implementation of an E-Learning System. The study also shows how ICT through E-Learning has helped or can help people access tertiary education by not necessarily being on the campus of the respective tertiary institutions. E-learning can be seen as a solution to the various factors that affect access to tertiary education such as lack of facilities to meet increasing educational demand due to population growth. It can also help workers or working people who want to attain higher education but cannot opt for residential tertiary education for one reason or the other. The researchers recommend that every tertiary institution in Ghana should make E-learning part of its structure, so as to facilitate and speed up the development of education and the country as a whole.

Title: Sri Lanka, UN launches portal for disaster risk information
Author: Clarice Africa
Source: Asia Pacific Futuregov
Date (published): 04/03/2013
Date (accessed): 05/03/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: The Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) labs and other NGOs have launched the Sri Lanka Disaster Risk Information Platform (RiskInfo) in a bid to improve the country’s disaster risk reduction and recovery efforts.

Title: Teaching Frontline SMS to UMC Mission Workers in Haiti
Author: Neelley Hicks
Source: Storify
Date (published): 20/02/2013
Date (accessed): 05/03/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: Frontline SMS is facilitating United Methodist messaging for healthcare, spiritual development, and community empowerment in developing countries. The possibilities are endless as those without Internet access learn how to couple the power of mobile phones with the organizational tools of computers.

Title: The Raspberry Pi: One year since launch, one million sold
Author: Jon Brodkin
Source: ICTs for development
Date (published): 01/03/2013
Date (accessed): 05/03/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: The credit card-sized, ARM-based computer was released on Feb. 29, 2012 and can be purchased for $25 or $35 depending on the model. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is celebrating the computer's first birthday, a million devices sold, and countless DIY and programming projects completed. The Pi has been used as a tool to teach and learn programming, and users have produced all sorts of cool stuff, including arcade cabinets, robots, and wearable computers.

Title: ITU: The World in 2013. ICT Facts and Figures
Source: International Telecommunication Union
Date (published): 27/02/2013
Date (accessed): 05/03/2013
Type of information: facts and figures
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract:
- Global mobile penetration now over 100% in four of the world’s six regions
- Number of mobile-cellular subscriptions approaching 7 billion
- Mobile broadband most dynamic market, with 2.1 billion subscriptions globally

6.8 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions, 2.7 billion people – almost 40% of the world’s population – are online, 750 million households – 41% globally – are connected to the Internet, Fixed-broadband prices drop by 82% between 2008 and 2012, continuous high growth of mobile broadband, mobile broadband much more expensive in developing countries.

Title: The 4 Key ICT Sector Challenges for Rwandan Socio-Economic Transformation
Source: ICTs for development
Date (published): 17/02/2013
Date (accessed): 25/02/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: The Rwanda ICT Sector Profile for the year 2012 is a compilation of indicators that have been selected to measure the Rwanda’s ICT sector performance and track ICT for Development (ICT4D) towards Rwanda Socio-Economic Transformation and provide valuable information for the formulation of National policies. This profile particularly features the ICT for Socio-Economic Development in Rwanda, particularly for the five priority sectors namely, the Governance Sector, the Health Sector, the Education Sector, the Agriculture sector and the Business & Finance Sector, with a special focus on tracking the use of the deployed systems and applications.

Title: The real Africa is not English, nor French, nor Portuguese
Source: IT News Africa
Date (published): 22/02/2013
Date (accessed): 25/02/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: As more and more companies line up to enter Africa, the world’s second most populous continent with a rising middle class of more than 300 million, companies with language localisation strategies will enjoy early-mover advantage.

Title: Africa's Voices Project
Author: Aventh
Source: Democracy and Governance - Africa, IDS Knowledge Services
Date (published): 04/02/2013
Date (accessed): 25/02/2013
Type of information: online article
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: Africa's Voices is a twelve-month pilot project developed to harness the reach of radio and the spread of mobile phone use to gather citizens’ opinions on governance and development issues. Every month, partnering radio stations across Africa ask their listeners a question about local issues, to be answered through SMS. The information is collected and sent through to the project initiators, the Centre of Governance and Human Rights at the University of Cambridge, for analysis. The information is then shared with the radio stations for future programming from a continental perspective.

Title: UNICEF Innovation Unit Predictions for 2013
Authors: Christopher Fabian, Erica Kochi
Source: UNICEF Stories
Date (published): 24/02/2013
Date (accessed): 25/02/2013
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: Part of our work in UNICEF’s Innovation Unit is looking 3-5 years into the future and getting a sense of trends that will be important for the organization in new types of partnerships, new and accelerated business processes and spaces for new technology to be put against programmatic (operational) challenges.

Title: Education, Urban Poverty and Migration - Evidence from Bangladesh and Vietnam
Author: Stuart Cameron
Source: UNICEF Office of Research
Pages: 50 pp.
Date (published): 15/12/2012
Date (accessed): 13/02/2013
Type of information: working paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes
Abstract: In many developing countries more than half the urban population lives below the national poverty line. Recent economic crisis has made their situation worse, causing many urban families to cut expenditure on food and children’s education. A small but growing literature has documented the extent of educational disadvantage for children from poor urban households in developing countries. What is less clear from the existing literature is the interrelationship among rural-urban migration, urban poverty and education. There are studies comparing migrants to those who stay in their place of origin, but few that compare rural-urban migrants to urban natives or recent migrants to longer-settled migrants, in terms of educational outcomes or poverty. This paper analyses two such surveys, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam. It seeks to identify differences in educational expenditure and education outcomes between migrant and non-migrant households, with a focus on the poorest.