Development?
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Dear GKD Members,
During last week's discussion we heard from members working in Peru,
Uganda, Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines regarding the
right resources to foster ICT-enhanced professional development.
Many GKD members have raised the issue of evaluation and cost/benefit
analysis. Some emphasize the importance and value of thorough
evaluation, cost-benefit analyses, and quantitative measures of impact.
As one member noted, Cost benefit analysis would help program planners
to choose the most convenient path.
Others argue that it is not appropriate to apply a quantitative measure
to improved professional skills, better understanding, wider
professional networks. Return-on-investment, they hold, is fine for
businesses but has no place in education and training.
Still others argue that evaluation must be done, but is rarely done
well. For example one member stated, Statistics are not desegregated to
show what the situation is in rural communities. Furthermore, they
say, no one pays any attention to lessons learned so why bother?
This week we would like to focus on evaluation -- the best approach for
trying to determine the value ICT-enhanced professional development
provides.
KEY QUESTIONS:
1. Can we effectively measure the costs, benefits, and educational
impact of ICT-enhanced professional development initiatives? If so, what
is the best approach -- are there concrete examples?
2. Can we measure return on investment (ROI) for these initiatives? If
so, how?
3. Are there methodologies for evaluating the soft side of training
activities, e.g., the cultural, technological, or social
appropriateness of different approaches?
4. Are there methodologies for measuring the cost of effectively
bringing particular models to scale?
5. What is the best way to disseminate and promote the use of lessons
learned?
This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative
Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides
more information.
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