Researching ICTs for Education in Africa

SchoolNet Africa places great emphasis on research aimed at informing and improving school networking practice in Africa. As a network of practitioners and change agents in the arena of ICTs and education in Africa, SchoolNet Africa's role is also to contribute towards continuous learning and knowledge production in this new, exciting and innovation-rich subject. The ICTs for Education in Africa Research Program comprises a range of research topics categorised in four major themes:

1. Access to and use of Appropriate ICT Solutions
2. Appropriate Policy Frameworks
3. Educational and Pedagogical Application of ICTs
4. Management and Sustainability of SchoolNets

Objectives of Researching ICT4E in Africa Program

The objectives of the Researching ICT4E in Africa Program are to:

• Gather evidence and learn from experiences with integration of ICTs in African schools for the purposes of learning and teaching;
• Research methods and frameworks that effectively demonstrate the value-added learning and developmental effects of ICT use in formal school education in an African context;
• Establish a base of African research experts on ICTs in school education in Africa;
• Promote the developmental dimension of ICT policy processes by generating knowledge on affordability, accessibility and sustainability of the use of ICTs in education-deprived communities;
• Broaden knowledge and understanding of issues related to building an African Information Society and bridging the digital divide in education in Africa;
• Enrich our understanding of the gendered dimensions of ICT integration in schools in Africa
• Impact on policy and decision-making processes from a developmental and educational perspective.

See our research reports on ICTs for Education.