Conducting Field Research in Under-resourced Environments: Lessons from Experiences in Ghana G. Ayorkor Mills-Tettey iSTEP Mini-course Lecture 30 th March 2009

2 About Me Ph.D. student in Robotics  Resource constrained path planning  Constrained task allocation for teams Grew up in Nigeria & Ghana ICTD research interest: education Field work with TechBridgeWorld:  Project Kané  Ashesi Robotics Course

3 Project Kané: Goal To investigate the role of technology in improving child literacy in Africa

4 Project Kané: Ghana Study Tested feasibility and effectiveness of an automated reading tutor Pilot study (3 weeks):  Qualitative observations of feasibility  18 children from under-resourced schools Controlled study (4 months):  Quantitative measurements of effectiveness  89 children from 3 socio-economic backgrounds

5 Project Kané: Ghana Study Timeline Formulated study design Traveled to Ghana to implement pilot study Investigated options for funding and implementation of controlled study Collaborated remotely with partners in Ghana to implement controlled study Fall 2004 – Spring 2005 Summer 2005 Fall 2005 – Fall 2006 Spring – Summer 2007

6 Lessons about Fieldwork Using examples from Project Kané Ghana Study Preparation Understanding local constraints Communication Timing Trouble-shooting Sustainability

7 Preparation Test as much of your project as possible in advance of the actual implementation  E.g., for Project Kane, we tested the tests

8 Understanding Local Constraints Understand local constraints such as  Transportation costs  Availability of human and other resources  Required permissions  “Politics”

9 Communication Listen carefully to partners / collaborators / project participants  Remember it’s a partnership  Try to understand where they are coming from Do not judge too quickly!  Are they telling you what they really think, or what they think you want to hear? Particularly tricky when interviewing children For collaborators, make an effort to ask questions in a non-judgmental way

10 Timing Try your best to stick to your schedule because time flies! When working with partners, things might take longer than you think, and priorities might be different  Regular follow-up is important  Plan for contingencies

11 Trouble-shooting As data comes in, perform some basic analysis to catch problems early  E.g. Project Kane data challenges

12 Sustainability Open question: how to ensure sustainability?  Define desired outcomes for each partner  Define your goals Is it to do a one-time evaluation/development of something?  Doing it yourself might work Is it to train someone to carry on the project long-term?  Constantly assist/accompany that person to build capacity gradually. Patience and encouragement are key!

Questions?