ICT4D in the Field

Course Objective

The course is based on "active learning" principles. At the end of the
course, students will:
- Be familiar with the various aspects and implications of the concept
of the Digital Divide, and how this affects people in low resource
environments (Knowledge and understanding).
- Have an understanding of technologies, methodologies, and social
dimensions of the design and deployment of Information and Communication
Technologies, in particular AI, in the International Development
context, and be able to apply this in a real world environment (Applying
knowledge and understanding).
- Be able to understand and balance the trade-offs between technological
opportunities, threats and social or ethical harm, in view of needs of
people in low-resource environments (Making judgments, Investigative
skills, Critical Thinking).
- Be able to (i) communicate with stakeholders about user requirements
and operational goals; (ii) write a scientific report about a major
aspect of the course ICT4D theme in a group of students (Communicative
and Collaborative skills).
- Be trained to (i) explore the problem- and solution space in an
open-ended, unfamiliar, culturally diverse low-tech, low-resource
environment and (ii) identify and address a set of relevant Sustainable
Development Goals ("Soft" Learning skills, Creative Problem-solving).

Course Content

The field of ICT4D (Information and Communication Technologies for
Development) generally addresses problems of, and solutions for, the
"unconnected people in the world". Currently, this is close to half of
the world's population, the majority of whom live in poor, remote, often
rural, regions of the world, often in so-called developing
low/middle-income countries.

In the ICT4D in the Field course the central theme is:
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in and for the Global South
Currently, AI is at the centre of attention as an innovative ICT
technology with a claimed wide range of beneficial application
opportunities, although others express doubts and concerns about various
developments as undesirable or dangerous [1]. Heavy investments to boost
AI and Data Science are taking place in the Global North, particularly
in the big power blocs of US, Europe and China.

The course ICT4D in the Field undertakes to investigate these matters in
and for the Global South, thereby giving due attention to the specific
contexts of people's needs as well as the different geographic,
economic, cultural and socio-political contexts.

Students work in groups focused on different geographies
(countries/regions) in the South seeking to answer a number of key
questions:
(a) What is the state-of-play regarding applications of AI for the
Social Good relevant to people in the Global South? Here, one may think
as a reference point of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
such as combating hunger, ensuring food security, reducing inequalities,
etc.
(b) What are associated foreseeable negative or adverse consequences,
risks, and social impacts related to the application of AIs, and how may
they be mitigated?
(c) In consequence, what are the implications to be drawn for the
application of AI specifically in the context of the respective Global
South countries or regions, in terms of policies, regulation,
investment, education, civil/civic debate?

Early in the course, an Open Workshop "What Is AI?" will be held,
providing technology introductions to AI by guest speakers from academia
and industry, highlighting various current real-world applications of
AI.

Students then work in groups on essay assignments relating to the
above-mentioned questions. This work will typically involve a
"mixed-methods" approach to the gathering of empirical data and
evidence, involving finding and reviewing relevant literature and
documentation, catering for conversations with stakeholders of potential
"users" or "beneficiaries", and interviewing experts and/or policy
makers. The produced essays are critically reviewed (also by students
themselves), can be iteratively improved, and serve as the baseline for
the group's final project report that is to be presented and discussed
at a plenary conference at the end.

Students' individual work in the course will involve (i) summary minutes
of the AI introductory workshop; (ii) critical review of other student
group essays; (iii) a concluding reflection on the final project reports
as a whole concerning different geographies in the Global South, and
where possible a comparison with dominant themes from the Global North.

[1] See e.g. the Public Letter on Lethal Autonomous Weapons, initiated
by AI researcher Toby Walsh and colleagues, cf.
https://futureoflife.org/open-letter-autonomous-weapons/. As another
example, see a recent Digital Humanism lecture given by Stuart Russell,
author of a widely used university textbook on AI, under the title “How
not to destroy the world with AI”, see
https://informatics.tuwien.ac.at/news/1902 (lecture available on the
DigHum YouTube channel). In contrast, a US panel led by former Google
CEO Eric Schmidt recently stated in a draft Congress report that the US
has a "moral imperative" to develop AI weapons (The Guardian, 26 Jan
2021,

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jan/26/us-has-moral-imperative-

Additional Information Teaching Methods

Lectures and workshop talks; Informed argument writing, reviewing and
discussion; Collaborative sociotechnical project work, presentation of
he project results during an end conference.

Method of Assessment

Type and Weight of each component: Group essay assignments (in total
30%), Group Final Project
report and presentation/discussion (25%), Individual active
participation (25%), Individual Reflection report (20%).
To pass the course, scores of each component must be 5.5 (55%) or
higher.
Compensation: it is not possible to compensate one component with
another.
Mode of re-examination: if insufficient, each component can be revised
and resubmitted once.

Literature

Necessary materials will be made available electronically (e.g. provided
via Canvas);
For useful hints, see also the literature for VUA course ICT4D
(X_405101).
It is an essential part of the course that students themselves search
for and review recent literature relevant to the central theme.

Additional Information Target Audience

Master Artificial Intelligence
Master Computer Science
Master Information Sciences
Master Computer Security

(From other universities: UDS, UNIMAS, AurorA European Universities
Network):
Master-level students or staff, with a relevant background and interest
in a digital domain (for example, a bachelor degree in CS, IS, AI,
information systems, HCI, digital humanities, computational social
science, or other digital multidisciplinary domains, or work experience
in the ICT/software industry or service sector).
See also: Custom Course Registration.

Custom Course Registration

Given the intensity of the course there is a limited number of places
available. Participation therefore requires an advance selection
procedure entailing a motivation letter with an explanation of your
background knowledge, and an interview. Prospective students are
requested to enroll in this course before 12 March 2023, by sending an
e-mail with their motivation and background letter to Dr. Anna Bon,
a.bon@vu.nl .

Recommended background knowledge

The course ICT4D (X_405101), or equivalent demonstrable knowledge.
Programming skills (Java, Python, PHP, ...). Bachelor-level or
equivalent study and/or work experience in a digital domain (cf. section
Target Audience)

Note: the course does not require prior knowledge of AI (although it
comes in handy)