Living lab methodology as an approach to innovation in ICT4D: The Siyakhula Living Lab experience
- Authors: Gumbo, Sibukelo , Thinyane, Hannah , Thinyane, Mamello , Terzoli, Alfredo , Hansen, Susan
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431302 , vital:72762 , https://www.siyakhulall.com/sites/default/files/ISTAfrica_Paper_ref_18_doc_4809_0.pdf
- Description: Underdevelopment and poverty represent key challenges faced by the modern world, which have attracted the attention of NGOs, civil society, government and multinationals. Various undertakings including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals articulation and the World Summit on Information Society highlight the global commitment towards addressing these problems. The solutions to these problems should be derived out of well-structured innovation systems that take into consideration the grassroot context and concerns. A number of in-novation models have been formulated and utilized effectively in differ-ent industries, and some of these have equally been used effectively in community development contexts. This paper elaborates on the Living Lab methodology and its application in ICT4D contexts, highlighting the effectiveness of this model towards integrating end-users within their problem solving effort. This is discussed through the backdrop of the Siyakhula Living Lab, an ICT4D intervention. The embedding environ-ment for this model, which enables key synergies with other stakehold-ers, is also discussed.
- Full Text:
Google docs and skype for a low bandwidth virtual classroom for developing countries
- Authors: Thinyane, Hannah , Mufeti, Tulimevava K , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wright, Madeleine
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430757 , vital:72713 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5753006
- Description: There has been much attention recently on the use of virtual class-rooms to support distance learning. However, the required real-time and high-rate transfers for multimedia contents such as video and audio that comprise most off-the-shelf virtual classrooms make them infeasible for developing countries where bandwidth is typically more restricted. This paper describes the findings of an ongoing investigation to develop a low bandwidth virtual classroom that can provide the necessary func-tionality to deliver courses to distant students. By combining Google Docs and Skype, we realised a low bandwidth virtual classroom alterna-tive that could provide adequate functionality within our teaching con-text.
- Full Text:
The SANTED Virtual Classroom Project: A case study
- Authors: Mufeti, Tulimevava K , Thinyane, Hannah , Terzoli, Alfredo , Foster, Gregory G
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430784 , vital:72715 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5753006
- Description: The SANTED Virtual Classroom Project is a collaboration initiative of the Departments of Computer Science at Rhodes University and the University of Namibia, conceptualized in 2007 and operational since 2008. The project aims to build capacity in the Computer Science De-partment at the University of Namibia through curriculum development and delivery, staff development and sharing of resources. This paper gives a detailed description of the project, highlighting how it was con-ceived, its aims and objectives, its aspirations and challenges, as well as some of the successes achieved to date.
- Full Text: