Knowledge Building & Research Review 2009 Mary Hooker, Research Manager Kenya, February 2010

Outcome Challenge The programme would like to see north/ south south/south research communities sharing information on research models for ICT integration. They collaborate with GeSCI to participate in workshops, peer exchanges, meetings in which they explore common interests for research collaboration.They participate in GeSCI's regional workshop programmes to share research and to better understand the needs and issues of partners. They work with GeSCI on joint research funding proposals which are based on and fit in with priorities identified in GeSCI's engagments and research agenda. They focus on a continuous research process which runs from identifying issues; to building southern research capability through partner networks; to using research results for influencing policy and practice from national to institutional to practitioner levels. They are disseminating research results across regional and global communities. They are seeking on-going funding to upscale good practice research models across regional programmes.

Progress Indicators Expect to see Research partner committment to participate in and facilitate reflection on north/south south/south research networks Partners sharing outreach of experiences on existing research models At least one partner working with Gesci on negotiating joint research funding proposal focused on GeSCI's research agenda

Progress Indicators Like to see Partners participating in GeSCI regional programmes to idendtify issues and share research models Partners focusing on research that moves beyond evaluation of impact to building capacity Partners (ministry officials/ policy makers) using research findings to support decision making for selecting appropriate choices for ICT integration

Progress Indicators Love to see Partners upsacling good practice research models across the region Partners developing new theory that is based on cutting-edge joint research in the development context Partners engaged in north-south/ south-south robust research communities that are open to mutual learning and are adding to the knowledge base

Organizational Learning Biggest challenges in 2009 was to develop mechanisms to monitor programmes and promote cross programme reflection and organizational learning Focus was to capture the continuous dynamic engendered by horizontal synergies in a manner which is systematic and which will foster learning and development. In collaboration with the Communication function the programme tested Outcome Mapping (OM) M&E tools for programme review and created a virtual environment for manager support and interaction.

GeSCI OM Programme Manager Planning 2009

Organizational Learning: Opportunities & Challenges Institutionalize the OM M&E process as a cross cutting platform for programme review, interaction, collaboration and expansive learning Deepen culture for internal research, evaluation and team review which can promote learning opportunities both for the individual programme managers and for the team Focus on systematic programme review inclusive of team review of tools, frameworks and papers produced by programmes based on pre-defined criteria Dissemination via site and journal publication, global forums and regional/ international conferences.

Research Global Scanning First phase in GeSCI’s Knowledge Building and Research programme involved a global scanning of the ICT–Education landscape. Researching, brainstorming and consulting with a wide range of research partner providers and users so as to develop and refine the conceptual framework that would underpin our research and development strategy. January 2009 GeSCI commissioned a Meta-review Research Project on ICT in Education (Le Baron & Mc Donough 2009) to map the wider picture of ICT developments in education systems globally.Meta-review Research Project on ICT in Education April 2009 GeSCI organized a North/South Research Partnerships Workshop to brainstorm partnership models for ICT-Education research.North/South Research Partnerships Workshop July 2009 a survey of the opinions of partner stakeholders who participated in GeSCI’s third African Knowledge Exchange (AKE) Regional Workshop was carried out to ascertain which issues partners believed should be researched for the improvement of ICT integration in each of GeSCI’s thematic areas.African Knowledge Exchange (AKE) Regional Workshop IN: GeSCI Publications; ERIC Collection id: ED506553GeSCI PublicationsED506553

Major P1 themes ICT success depends on transformed practice ICT needs better alignment with learning practice Holistic development trumps piece meal No disruption – no change Massive educational technology investments: little evidence of success Business models and analysis of benefits of ICT inadequate to needs of education Implementation must respond to local culture Educational leaders poorly equipped to lead ICT integration Policy needs multi-sector, cross hierarchial coordination Equity means more than hardware Meta-Review

Major P2 themes  ICT & Leadership - metaphors of traditional educational administration & delivery (‘grammar of schooling’) that inhibit the transformational promise of ICT  ICT & Educational Transformation & Relevance - potential of technology to support older 20 th Century progressive educational trends newer 21 st Century heutagogic (authentic self‐determination) educational trends  ICT & Equity –traditionally addressed through machine counts – rather than what happens in the classroom and questions of curriculum design and school structure to support inclusive agendas for quality access Meta-Review

Unexpected P2 findings an apparent disconnect between ICT in Education and mainstream research a general absence of the southern voice in the ICT- Education literature Meta-Review

what is needed? Bridging the gap between research, policy and practice Coordinated and complementary efforts Re-examination of assumptions Fundamental re-thinking of educational purpose and practice Multi-disciplinary approaches and multiple perspectives Creation of innovative approaches which are contextually relevant Transformational models and strategies Sustainable capacities and capabilities in developing countries to develop own solutions ICT-Education Research

Second Phase GeSCI facilitates the research, policy and practice triad in order to maximize the potential of ICT innovations for transformational impact in education systems. Creating a research community that is dedicated to develop ICT4E in developing country context Innovative practices are developed by different stakeholders but can be verified and generalized only through evaluation and R&D process Research links to Practice & Policy making: All Regional Programmes (ARPs) and Country programmes can directly link the innovative verified practices and research results to policy making and build the capacity of policymakers to understand research in policymaking process GeSCI Response

a living lab approach to foster highly innovative action research in different application areas of ICT to experiment the potential value of new models that can lead to breakthrough innovations in learning to promote educational transformation through interaction between experimental change and mainstream action domains Policy making Research Education Development GeSCI Action Domain Living lab Change Domain Research Conceptual Framework

Research Collaboration Networks UNGAID: Multi-stakeholder Partnership on Quality Education for All and MDG Achievement in the Digital Age. Partnership focus on creating “enabling environments” for large-scale ICT integration in education and learning systems in the Developing world. Partnership agreement for GeSCI to expand research and policy facilitation program to include ten large-scale evaluation engagements and a number of small innovative joint research programs, for the purpose of evaluating what innovations work in practice. PanAf Observatory project: Open-access knowledge-sharing space for African researchers on the Pedagogical Integration of ICT - multi- institutional partnership project with a focus on tertiary level research institutions, attached to universities in participating countries in Africa. Partnership discourse for coordination on research programmes to support evidence-based policy Education Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) – Network focus on increasing research capacity, strengthen collaboration among researchers and practitioners, and promote African expertise on education so as to positively impact educational practices and policies. Association of African Universities (AAU) Research and Education Networking Unit (RENU) – focus on building high quality networks for generative discourse on the integration of ICT into teaching, learning, research, information dissemination and management activities in African Higher Education UNESCO: Partnership collaboration established on cross country regional SSA project to pilot ICT indicators and related research collaboration on ICT4E - including TCO development, evaluation and monitoring tools, teacher capacities on ICT, ICT integration policy frameworks in developing counties.

Possible Initial Proposals for Funding Helsinki University – Botswana University – WITFOR Network: Expansive School Transformation in SADC Region - Pilot study of training, application, adaptation and development in the use of ICT using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and other methodologies in the context of school and community transformation. Trinity College Dublin – SUAS Network: Bridge2College - Informal ICT in Education programme promoting an inclusive model to provide students from under-resourced communities with a quality education using technology to facilitate a dynamic, creative and cross- curricular project based learning. Dublin City University: Learning Innovation and Knowledge (LINK) Research Centre – 4C Initiative, a pilot capacity building project, using a WEBEX Training Center to deliver online sessions and seminars on aspects of searching, evaluating, licensing (including copyright), viewing/playing, modifying, integrating, describing and exposing/sharing digital content. H2, Digital Hub, Ireland: Development and piloting of roadmap toolkit to facilitate institutional planning and strategy for ICT integration in Teacher Professional Development. Umeå University – Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing Countries (SPIDER) Network: Distance Education design for open learning environments using social media and e-Learning 2.0. Focus on educational action research for professional development with the aim of empowering teachers and community leaders as agents of change in their own workplaces and communities. Center for Research in Cognitive Systems, NIIT Campus, New Delhi, India: TCO for renowned ‘hole-in-wall’ playground computer kiosk pilots facilitating child-to-child learning in key curricular areas in environments of teacher shortages.

A Joint Research and Innovation Fund Administered by GeSCI Open for donations Open for joint research proposals Fund Steering Committee Research framework prepared by GeS CI Funding

Applications approved annually Only joint research is funded Only % of direct project costs can be funded Research results must be published in peer reviewed publications Research results peer-reviewed a month before publishing Funding Charter

Strategy Mapping Individuals & Groups Causal Cause a direct effect Persuasive Arouse new thinking/ expert drive/ single purpose Supportive Build a support network… Build on a supporter/mentor who guides change over time Organize workshop of university partnership/ networks to o brainstorm research models for ICT in Education o explore options for joint research Commission meta-research analysis to o identify issues o knowledge gaps pertinent to GeSCI’s engagements Identify partner research needs through survey and consultation Introduce research as neutral and persuasive advice to policy makers in specific GeSCI policy forums and capacity building programmes – o Mobile Learning models in Teacher Professional Development framework workshop o Development Path Matrix in OLPC meet Facilitate dialogue for north south / south south twinning to promote ICT use in Teacher Professional Development -  DCU-KIE-NUR  UNGAID  Private Partners

Strategy Mapping Environment Causal Change physical/ policy environment Persuasive Disseminate information/ messages Supportive Create a learning/ action network Create a rain fund mechanism to attract public-private funds for researching ICT potential to generate access, quality, and cost-benefits Disseminate meta-research / findings through : Ning forum WebEx/ eLA/ ICT & Mainstream conferencing Workshopping (AKE/ ARP/RAP/LAM) in collaboration with partners in the field such as IDRC partner Facilitate an annual open call for innovative research models/ project s/ network proposals aligned to emerging partner needs to be funded by GeSCI rain fund

Like to see Research partner committment to participate in and facilitate reflection on north/south south/south research networks Partners sharing outreach of experiences on existing research models At least one partner working with Gesci on negotiating joint research funding proposal focused on GeSCI's research agenda Love to see Partners participating in GeSCI regional programmes to iendtify issues and share research models Partners focusing on research that moves beyond evaluation of impact to building capacity Partners (ministry officials/ policy makers) using research findings to support decision making for selecting appropriate choices for ICT integration Love to see Partners upsacling good practice research models across the region Partners developing new theory that is based on cutting-edge joint research in the development context Partners engaged in north-south/ south-south robust research communities that are open to mutual learning and are adding to the knowledge base Tracking Progress