The aim of the SMS Story research project was to determine if daily mobile phone text message stories and lesson plans would improve children’s reading in Papua New Guinea (PNG) elementary schools. The research was a controlled trial in which half of the teachers received text messages for twenty weeks and half did not. The … Continue reading How SMS Text Messages Improve the Reading Outcomes in Papua New Guinea
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People with Disabilities Realize Their Dreams with Digital Divide Data in Cambodia
When Treng Kuy Chheng looks back at her past, she wonders what she would be doing, had she not met Digital Divide Data (DDD), a non-profit organization whose goal is to empower Cambodia’s youth through digital training and employment. Being Disabled in Cambodia Chheng was born into poverty, and to make things worse she had … Continue reading People with Disabilities Realize Their Dreams with Digital Divide Data in Cambodia
Is TV White Space the Ideal Wireless Data Delivery Medium for the Philippines?
You know all those fuzzy TV channels that don’t seem to be used? Well, in between each channel is even more unused space. Called “TV white space” or TVWS, this unused radio frequency between broadcast TV channels in the very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) range between 54 MHz and 806 MHz … Continue reading Is TV White Space the Ideal Wireless Data Delivery Medium for the Philippines?
How to Ensure Long-Term Sustainability for a Chuuk Computer Lab
Thanks to funding from the Internet Society Community Grant Program as well as from the Information Society Innovation Fund (isif.asia) a computer learning lab has been established at the Chuuk Women’s Council! Our goal in establishing a computer lab in the Chuuk Women’s Council (CWC) is with the aim of empowering and connecting, with ICT, … Continue reading How to Ensure Long-Term Sustainability for a Chuuk Computer Lab
Should Indonesia be Teaching Technology in Schools?
Did you know that Indonesia launched a new curriculum last year that removed information technology, among other subjects, in favor of Bahasa Indonesia, nationalism and religious studies? Of course the move was controversial, as the information technology and communications (TIK) subject was recently created by the government, and technology skills are seen by many in … Continue reading Should Indonesia be Teaching Technology in Schools?
Apply Now for the UNICEF India’s Mobiles for Social and Behaviour Change Challenge
Mobiles for Social and Behaviour Change is an initiative of UNICEF India and Digital Empowerment Foundation. The ‘MSBC: Call for Experiences, Case Studies and Practices’ seeks to identify mobile-based communication and applications initiatives that work with frontline workers, community members, women, and adolescent girls to resolve issues and challenges around health, education, child protection, nutrition, … Continue reading Apply Now for the UNICEF India’s Mobiles for Social and Behaviour Change Challenge
How Indonesians Use ICT and Social Media for Disaster Management
Indonesia’s Internet penetration isn’t impressive – only 15% of its population is online. However, Indonesia is the fourth populous country, and 95.7 of its users who are online, are on social media (IPRA, 2013). 60 million Indonesians are on Facebook, trailing only the USA and India in total number of users, (Techiasia 2012, WeareSocial 2014). … Continue reading How Indonesians Use ICT and Social Media for Disaster Management
Libraries are powering economic development in the Philippines
The energy was palpable as 10 women crowded around the five computers recently installed in the Baguio Reading Center outside of Davao City, Philippines. For most of these women, it was their first time to use a computer. Librarians from the Davao City Library gathered around the computers with the women and taught them the … Continue reading Libraries are powering economic development in the Philippines
Will Wikipedia Zero Inspire Local Language Content?
The Wikimedia Foundation has launched Wikipedia Zero in Bangladesh, India Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand over the last two years. Wikipedia Zero is a “zero-rate” program that allows users to browse Wikipedia entries on their mobile phones for free thanks to a partnership between Wikimedia and the mobile carrier. Wikimedia’s goal is to enable … Continue reading Will Wikipedia Zero Inspire Local Language Content?
3 Tangible Outcomes from Digital Bangladesh: An Inspiration for South Asia
In 2008, the government of Bangladesh announced a ‘Vision 2021’ pledge is to improve the quality of life and quality of governance, and achieve mid-income country status by the year 2021, on the golden jubilee of the nation. The vision was widely appreciated because of its intention to ensure inclusive innovation. The government of Bangladesh … Continue reading 3 Tangible Outcomes from Digital Bangladesh: An Inspiration for South Asia
