Projects | CTC Study
Global Community Technology Center (CTC) Study
What differences are community technology centers making to extend the benefits of ICT to underserved populations?
For over a decade, community technology centers (or telecenters) have been the focus of countless efforts to bring the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICT) to underserved populations in developed and developing world countries alike.
Despite years of experimentation and financial support ranging from limited pilot projects to large-scale CTC networks, and despite attempts at generating and sharing best practices and "recipe books" with detailed operational strategies, many observers conclude that the majority of CTCs are failing.
One problem has been a dearth of reliable, robust, comprehensive, longitudinal and analytically rigorous research. This contrasts with the plethora of "case studies" that are self-reported by CTCs and their supporters, and which, consequently, lack the objectivity needed to accurately understand where CTCs are having an impact and where they are not.
With data from Microsoft's Unlimited Potential program, CIS is conducting evaluations of CTC projects in dozens of countries around the world. This project is supported by a grant from the Microsoft Corporation.
Project status
Phase 1 (Feb 2005 - March 2006)
Research strategy design, pilot studies in four countries, development of survey instruments and other data collection methods.
Phase 2 (April 2006 - March 2009)
10 analytical studies (multi-country thematic evaluations) per year
20 project studies (project-specific evaluations) per year
Research network expansion
ICT4D research methods workshop
More information will be posted soon. |
